Mercury arc rectifiers

Mercury rectifiers have been known for about twenty-four years, but until the last few years their principles of operation have not been understood with any certainty, and all are not yet conclusively proved. In the first part of this paper, the probable mechanism of the electron source or cathode spot is outlined, the source of the various losses is indicated, and the probable mechanism of arc back, that is, failure to rectify, is described. The second part of the paper is devoted to the principles of simple rectifier circuits, while the third shows a variety of rectifiers of different kinds and sizes.