About 1901 Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz, Schenectady, N. Y., studied the effect of metallic salts in the arc flame. Dr. Willis R. Whitney, also of Schenectady, and director of the research laboratory of the organization of which Dr. Steinmetz is the consulting engineer, followed with some further work along this line. The results of this work were incorporated in a commercial lamp called the magnetite arc lamp, through the efforts of C. A. B. Halvorson, Jr., at Lynn, Mass. The negative electrode consists of a pulverized mixture of magnetite (a variety of iron ore) and other substances packed tightly in an iron tube. The positive electrode is a piece of copper sheathed in iron to prevent oxidization of the copper. The arc flame gives a brilliant white light, and, similar to the mercury arc, is inherently limited to direct current. It burns in the open air at about 75 volts. The lamp is made for 4-ampere direct current series circuits and consumes about 310 watts and has an efficiency of about 11½ lumens per watt.
Luminous or Magnetite Arc Lamp, 1902.
This has a negative electrode containing magnetite which produces a very luminous white flame in the arc stream.
The negative (iron tube) electrode now has a life of about 350 hours. Later, a higher efficiency, 4-ampere electrode was made which has a shorter life but gives an efficiency of about 17 l-p-w, and a 6.6-ampere lamp was also made giving an efficiency of about 18 l-p-w using the regular electrode. This electrode in being consumed gives off fumes, so the lamp has a chimney through its body to carry them off. Some of the fumes condense, leaving a fine powder, iron oxide, in the form of rust. The consumption of the positive (copper) electrode is very slow, which is opposite to that of carbon arc lamps on direct current. The arc flame is brightest near the negative (iron tube) electrode and decreases in brilliancy and volume as it nears the positive (copper) electrode.
Diagram of Series Magnetite Arc Lamp.
The method of control, entirely different from that of other arc lamps, was invented by Halvorson to meet the peculiarities of this arc.
The peculiarities of the arc are such that Halvorson invented an entirely new principle of control. The electrodes are normally apart. In starting, they are drawn together by a starting magnet with sufficient force to dislodge the slag which forms on the negative electrode and which becomes an insulator when cold. Current then flows through the electrodes and through a series magnet which pulls up a solenoid breaking the circuit through the starting magnet. This allows the lower electrode to fall a fixed distance, about seven-eighths of an inch, drawing the arc, whose voltage is then about 72 volts. As the negative electrode is consumed, the length and voltage of the arc increases when a magnet, in shunt with the arc, becomes sufficiently energized to close the contacts in the circuit of the starting magnet causing the electrode to pick up and start off again.