A paper presented at the 22d Annual

Conven
tion of the American Institute of
Electrical
Engineers, Ashevilli, N. C.,fune 19-23, 1905.
Copyright 19C5. By . I. . E.

N O T E S ON T H E P O W E R - F A C T O R OF T H E
ING-CURRENT ARC.

ALTERNAT

BY GEO. D. SHEPARDSON.

T h e alternating-current arc presents a wide field for research

because of the m a n y variable elements.
During the last year
the effect of the w a v e - f o r m of e l e c t r o m o t i v e force applied t o
the terminals of a standard enclosed arc-lamp, and the ele
m e n t s affecting the power-factor, were studied in c o n n e c t i o n
with the graduating thesis w o r k of Messrs. L . S. Billau, C. B .
Gibson, . H . LeTourneau, and R . Morris at the University of
Minnesota.
S o m e of the results o b t a i n e d seem of sufficient
interest for presentation before the I N S T I T U T E .
E l e c t r o m o t i v e forces having sine, flat-topped, and p e a k e d
wave-forms, Fig. 1, were o b t a i n e d from a 7.5-kw., 60-cycle,.
General Electric double-current m a c h i n e p r o v i d e d with three
interchangeable sets of pole-pieces.- A n o t h e r w a v e - f o r m , s h o w n
in the oscillographic curves in Figs. 5 t o 8, was o b t a i n e d from
the circuit of the local lighting c o m p a n y . Current from these
sources was sent through an enclosed constant-pressure l a m p
of standard manufacture, or t h r o u g h a hand-feed l a m p h a v i n g
in series the reactance and feeding coils of the standard l a m p .
W i t h the latter, all the conditions of a standard l a m p are re
p r o d u c e d , e x c e p t that the length of the arc is controllable.
F o r part of the experiments, wave-forms were recorded b y a
modified Duddell oscillograph; unfortunately this b r o k e several
times during the progress of the w o r k , and m a n y of the tests
had t o b e m a d e without oscillographic records.
Much difficulty was experienced from lack of uniformity in
the carbons, although these came from a well-known m a k e r o f
high-grade carbons and were supposed t o b e of the best q u a l i t y .
651

052

SHEPARDSON:

POWER-FACTOR.

[June 22

In fact, the irregularities in the carbons entirely m a s k e d s o m e

of the variables which were being studied, and led to results
so erratic that only a small part of the investigation gave re
sults w o r t h y of confidence.

Variations in the performance of

the carbons affected the candle-power of the light m o r e t h ? n

did changes in w a v e - f o r m .

ELECTROMOTIVE FORCE WAVE-FORMS

F I G . 1.

Study of the power-factor of the arc under varying c o n d i

tions shows that it is practically independent of the f o r m of
the e l e c t r o m o t i v e force applied t o the l a m p terminals.
The
power-factor of the enclosed arc with soft c o r e d carbons is
found t o be practically constant for current strengths between
4.5 and 8.5 amperes with 7/16-in. carbons, varying b e t w e e n
95 and 99 per cent. See Fig. 2. T h e power-factor of the

SHEPARDSON:

1905.]

POWER-FACTOR.

653

whole lamp-circuit, including reactive coil and feeding coil, is

practically independent of the w a v e - f o r m of impressed electro
m o t i v e force, being higher for small currents and lower for
large currents.
T h e change in the power-factor of the l a m p circuit, from 76 t o 43 per cent, in this case, is e v i d e n t l y due t o
the smaller resistance of the arc with larger current, the reactance
of the circuit being sensibly constant within the range c o n
sidered. W i t h the same grade of soft c o r e d carbons and with
open arc, the power-factor of the arc increases from 94 per cent,
with 5.5 amperes t o 99 per cent, with 8.5 amperes, Fig. 3, being
independent of w a v e - f o r m of impressed e l e c t r o m o t i v e force, at

FEAKfcL

'tLAt

6n

ARC

.80

FIG. 2
>WER-FACT< 3R O F E N C l O 8 E 0 ARC
W I T H < IORED CARE ON

LAMP
.40

FIG.

2.

least within the limits of a c c u r a c y available. W i t h o p e n arc

and with copper-plated hard carbons, such as c o m m o n l y used
with open arcs, the power-factor of the arc varies from 80 t o
90 per cent. See Fig. 4.
The power-factor of the arc is found t o remain constant when
the arc pressure is constant, w h a t e v e r the range of current and
whatever the w a v e - f o r m of impressed e l e c t r o m o t i v e force.
Likewise when the length of the arc (measured b y the image
t h r o w n b y a lens) is maintained constant, the power-factor of
the arc is independent of changes in current and in w a v e - f o r m of
electromotive force applied t o the lamp terminals.
T h e quality
of the carbons and the exposure of the arc t o the air affect the

SHEPARDSON:

654

POWER-FACTOR.

[June 2 2

FEAKED
SINE

A R C

FIG. 3
P0\ VER-FACTOR ) F
H T H CORED

OPEN ARC

:ARBON8

L A M P

FIG.

3.

LOO

~wfvt
FLAT

JBO

WAVE

TOPPED

A R C

FIG. 4
POWER-FA iiTOR OF OFEN * R C
W I T H HARD CAhBON

< .70
i

^^-^

AO
FJG.

4.

L A M P

1905.]

SHEPARDSON:

POWER-FACTOR.

power-factor of the arc considerably.

655

T h e distortion of the cur

rent w a v e - f o r m doubtless affects the w a v e - f o r m of e l e c t r o m o t i v e

force d e v e l o p e d b y the transformer

FIG.

The

or b y a small

generator.

5.

effect of the l a m p coils doubtless tends t o m a k e all impressed

electromotive force waves alike when t h e y reach the arc.

investigations

are

expected to

FIG.

determine

the

Future

wave-form of

6.

electromotive force actually applied t o the arc under varying

circumstances, the effect of changing it, and the reactions of
the arc upon the source of e l e c t r o m o t i v e force.

SHEPARDSON:

656

POWER-FACTOR.

[June 22

B y means of a modification of the Duddell oscillograph, curves

were
values

obtained

showing

the

variations

in

of line pressure, arc pressure, and

FIG.

the

instantaneous

current.

The

de-

7.

parture of the arc power-factor from unity is evidently due to

distortion of the current and e l e c t r o m o u v e - f o r c e curves, tl.ere
being little if any phase difference.

FIG.

In some of the

recoups

8.

there is a slight unsymmetrical displacement of zero values.

Duddell and Marchant show similar displacement of zeros in
their paper before the British Institution of Electrical Engineers

1905.]

SHEPARDSON:

POWER-FACTOR.

657

(Jour. Inst. Elec. Eng., V o l . 28, p p . 60 to 86, 1899). This p h e

n o m e n o n seems n o t t o have been explained satisfactorily, and
suggests a field for fruitful investigation.
The hard carbons s h o w a m u c h m o r e sudden rise in the differ
ence of potential around the arc than d o the soft c o r e d carbons
or soft solid ones. Characteristic of the soft c o r e d carbons is
the secondary peak o n the arc potential c u r v e , occurring nearly
simultaneously with the m a x i m u m current value and t h e r e b y
raising the power-factor. Differences b e t w e e n the positive
and negative loops are p r o b a b l y due t o slight differences in
the c o m p o s i t i o n of the carbons. T h e m o r e gradual g r o w t h
of the current w a v e with the long arc will b e n o t e d , p r o b a b l y
being due t o the m o r e rapid cooling of the arc gas during the
extinction. W i t h long arcs there is a t e n d e n c y t o w a r d a
double peak o n the front of the potential w a v e . This p o r t i o n
of the w a v e changes greatly with the condition of burning
and with irregularities in the carbons. W i t h the short arc the
potential w a v e rises t o a m a r k e d peak at the rear. T h e current
waves are c o n c a v e t o the axis when rising and c o n v e x when
falling, due t o the resistance being less in the hot v a p o r of the
decreasing arc than in the cooler vapors of the increasing arc.
The effect of the inductive action of the reactive coils is plainly
seen in the lag of the current (marked " I " ) and arc potential
(marked " P. D . . " ) waves behind that of the impressed
electromotive force (marked " P. D . L . " ) in Figs. 5 t o 8. W i t h
the hard carbons and o p e n arc, the arc potential waves v a r y
considerably with the length; with short arc the potential rises
almost vertically t o a high peak, is nearly horizontal on t o p ,
and*rises t o a peak at the rear; with the long arc, the peaks are
n o t so prominent'and^the potential w a v e does not rise so rapidly.