The history of electrical systems can be traced back to 48 years ago. It began with the invention of the arc light systems. In those days played a significant role. Starting with Edison's incandescent of lighting systems and his competitors, then design of power systems in the 20th century.
The significant development of alternating current begin 1880s. In 1884, Lucien Gaulard in Turin, Italy: he developed the transformer together with power transmission system from Turin to Lanzo. The experimenting of alternating current transmission power. It uses the ideas of step up transformer which enables power to be transmitted in high voltage from Lanzo to Turin where the step down transformer was used to lower the energy (Enz, & Vittoz, 2006). When we follow the ploy phase of alternating current (AC), it seemed there was truth. However, a number of researchers played the crucial role in inventing the alternate current with are transmission systems. William Stanley invented the transformer when was funded by George Westinghouse. The primary aim of the project was to improve the limitation of the direct current (DC) systems.
In Germany, Werner Siemens led his team to produce the first long transmission distance of alternating current power in 1891. On the other hand, Galileo Ferraris, was the first physicist to invent the rotating field principle. Although, he did not publish it until 1888, when the Nikola Tesla was conceived his concept. It facilitated Galileo Ferraris to publish is ideas and equipped him with the necessary materials to produce more (Enz, & Vittoz, 2006). The Nikola Tesla after seen the concept of Galileo, they seek to start developing the alternating current motors, which will use the two-phase system to supply power. The Tesla systems of two stages were the basis of Westinghouse system used at Columbian Exposition. During that time, Tesla's work was the best recommended, having been the subject demonstration to Columbia University.
Elihu Thomson found another part of alternating power transmission. Thomson initially produced alternating current arc light systems, which was the foundation of Edison and Sprague companies. In the United State, the transmission range of the three phases were a paramount concern, thus giving the two phase power transportation system to prevail for several decades for the ready market in that time. During this period, the three phase customers connections were not ready available until 1920s. That was due to the inability to balance the single phase loads customer to a three-phase alternating current transmission lines. However, this was possible when the work of Charles at Westinghouse and that of Edith Clark in 1917 to 1920 duration were standardized, which enables the engineering of the three phase to a distribution.The generation and transmission, as well as the distribution, were a matter of more debate interest.
During that period, one side of leaders in power were actively supporting the commercialization of the direct current. The other hand, others were strongly advocating the marketing of the alternating current more so the use of three-phase transmission system. The most prominent who was for direct current was Thomas Edison, although, Edison's direct current devices were not made obsolete. Alternating was readily converted into direct current, which give more added advantage over the direct present and slowly reduce the use of direct current in the market. The Mill Creek No.1 Hydroelectric plant was the first power plant which was using three-phase alternating current in the United States. It were followed by the Jaruga Hydroelectric Generating plant in 1895 (Fish, Geddes, & Babbs, 2003).
In the 20th century, the engineers had done more improvement by making things better. They have invented and modified the systems and devices to bring more power, as well as more people to the world of three-phase alternating current. One of the significant improvements which have taken place is the generation of more power using the new technology and most advanced facilities. An early step was the use of transition from the reciprocating engines to the use of turbines. The turbines use the flow of water or the pressure of steam to fan blades spin, which creates the motion of the spinning action to generate electric current.
The productions of electricity by the turbines also have evolved over a period of the time. The first turbine was using the coal to generate electricity, and then later they invention of turbines that were using oil and natural gas to produce electricity. Eventually, today engineers are using nuclear reactors taking the lead in producing the electricity (Fish, Geddes, & Babbs, 2003).
High-pressure steam generators were the production of electricity worldwide by the early 1920s, with the first power plant to reheat steam, which had led to increasing the electricity generated from the raw materials. Then, the resistant steel alloys were invented to enable the turbines to generate more power. Every step designed or modification of the existing technology has led to increasing production of electricity (McNichol, 2013). For instance, the biggest stream turbine in 1903 generated approximately 5000 kilowatts and in 1960, the steam turbine producing of electricity was increased to 200 times that of 1903.
References
Enz, C. C., & Vittoz, E. A. (2006). Charge-Based MOS Transistor Modeling: The EKV Model for Low-Power and RF IC Design. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Fish, R. M., Geddes, L. A., & Babbs, C. F. (2003). Medical and bioengineering aspects of electrical injuries. Tucson, AZ: Lawyers & Judges Pub. Co.
McNichol, T. (2013). Ac/dc: The savage tale of the first standards war. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass.
