Discussion on “power plant economics,” at New York, January 26, 1906

E. W. Rice, Jr.: In analyzing the losses that take place in the conversion of a pound of coal into electricity in a steam electrical plant, Mr. Stott makes use of the method that has been so successful in increasing the efficiency of electrical apparatus. Twenty years ago efficiencies of 75 or 80 per cent. were considered entirely satisfactory for electrical generators; but by careful attention to the core losses, iron losses, bearing losses, and other details, the efficiency has been increased to from 95 to 98.5 per cent. For the large units this efficiency is now considered standard. In these matters the electrical engineer has fortunately been greatly aided by the ammeter, voltmeter, and wattmeter, which have been evolved to assist him. Unfortunately, similar instruments do not exist for the examination of steam engines or steam-engine cycles; if the steam engineer had the equivalent of the ammeter and voltmeter, I feel confident that the efficiency of the steam engine-plant would have been very greatly increased.