POWER FOR FLAXMILLS.

Shannon News, 23 March 1923, Page 3

POWER FOR FLAXMILLS.

, ♦ EXPERIMENTS AS TO USE. knless new methods are discovered op applying electrical energy to the hemp Industry, it is very probable that the big milks lying within the boundaries of the Horowiienuu Power Board will continue to use their present motive forces in preference to Mangahao power. This will mean that the Power Board will not link up its biggest prospective consumer. The flaxmillers themselves are anxious to take the power, but they are surprised .at the amount required for flax-dressing operations, as revealed in tests recently made by the Board’s Engineer.

Mr Overton recently visited Wairoa, where be inquired into the application of electric power to iluxdressipg, and lie gave- the results of investigation to Wednesday’s meeting of Hie Board. Mr Overton said lie found they were puffing tliroupli 25 to 27cwt of llax up here', to about a ton down south, and it was not surprising that it took a lot more power. From Hie first test lie took it appeared that it took 22h.p. to run an automatic scutcher. One stripper with pump and elevator took 57h.p. Tv. o strippers and a large lOin centrifugal, pump . and elevator, with countershafting, etc., accounted for 134h.p. It the meter was correct, that power was being absorbed either in the shafting or in the pump. The Engineer explained that the load required for a flax-dressing plant varied very greatly, and the motor was sensitive to every' variation. If they had a 50 per cent overload, for instance, the motor instantly rose to carry it. In other forms of power production they had a certain amount of. kinetic energy in the fly-wheel, which helped to carry the engine over these periodic overloads.

Mr A. Seifert sat'd lie had inquired from two sources in the South Island and was informed that it took 50h.p. to drive a stripper. It seemed that what took 134h.p. to drive by electric power only required 80h.p. generated

by a gas producer plant. It seemed that it.- was going to take far more power ! than was expected to drivb Hax-dressiug machinery by electricity, and, according ~to the cost of powetr (lid per unit) the mills would 'do l'ar better wi,th their present 'Power.

Mr A. Ross said the figures were very surprising. The llax -industry required a great amount ol power, hut he fore the millers could lie approached and asked io lake it, certain experiments would have lo be carried out with a view to overcoming the difficulty. On the figures before them they would not get-the industry to take the power. ■ • • in answer lo Mr Matheson, the Engineer said he did not think the ieliability of the testing meter wotdd account for the result indicated. The- chairman said they could not get much further at present, it .might be that means could he devised of carrying the motor over the load by the use of a balanoe-wheeJ or something of that sort. He- understood it was the butt of the leaf that requited Hie greatest luud.

Mr Seifert explained , that forty“feeds’’ per minute were made. A blade of ilax was six to eight ! jet long, and there was a space between each \yhen little power was needed. Tests showed that the ' load varied from 40b.p. to Gor 7b.p. in the course of !1 to operation. The change over to electric power would cost Mirauui about £3OOO, and before they could decide to spend that amount- of money they would need Ic be sure of their ground. -

The chairman: Unless you are going to make a saving you would not'be justified.

Mr Seifert offered the Engineer the use of any plant at Miranuf required lor experiments. He said the millers were anxious to take electric power, but on the face of the figures quoted they would need more Information.

The Engineer was authorised to take such steps as he thought necessary to investigate the matter, with a view to bringing electric power within reach of the flaxmillers.