Electricity Via Gas

An electrical cable filled with gas is now carrying high-voltage current for seven miles from a Detroit Edison Co. power plant to nearby arms factories. Built by General Cable Corp., it is the longest gas-filled cable in the world: a steel pipe through which run three one-inch copper ropes, separately insulated and packed in nitrogen gas at a pressure of 200 lb. per sq. in. There are a few other such cables, the first of which was installed in the U.S. by General Electric for the Yonkers (N.Y.) Electric Light & Power Co. as a refinement on oil-filled cables introduced about 15 years ago. Advantages of gas-filled over solid cables:

> They are self-supervising. Damage to the sheath lets gas escape; and this warning drop in pressure sends crews to repair the cable before the vital copper conductors are hurt.

> They can carry greater loads of voltage than conventional cables, because there is so little insulation to be injured by the heat of a high-voltage burden.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.