Transmission-line and system problems in supplying large electric-arc furnaces during wartime

ELECTRIC-ARC furnaces are contributing materially to the war effort, and a great number of them, small, medium, and large, have been installed recently, and more are being installed all over the country. These furnaces inherently produce a violently fluctuating load with widely different values in the several phases during the early part of the heat, referred to in the trade as “the meltdown period,” and the electric lines and systems to handle such loads must be carefully designed and installed so as to prevent such swinging loads from affecting adversely the system and other critical loads, particularly the lighting, and at the same time to provide sufficient capacity and voltage for satisfactory furnace operation. Also, such lines must be so arranged and connected into the system that the minimum of copper will be utilized — most important now.