Ques. What trouble is likely to be encountered with an illy located plant after it is in operation?
Ans. It may be considered a nuisance by those residing in the vicinity, occasioning many complaints.
Fig. 2,711.—View of old and new Waterside stations. The new station at the right has an all turbine equipment of ten units, some Curtis and some Parsons machines, two have a capacity of 14,000 kw., and the remaining eight are of 12,000 kw. each. The old Riverside station, seen at the left is described on page 1940.
Thus, if the plant be placed in a residential section of the community the smoke, noise and vibration of the machines may become a nuisance to the surrounding inhabitants, and eventually end in suits for damage against the company responsible for the same. For these and the other reasons just given a company is sometimes forced to disregard entirely the location of a central station near the center of gravity of the system, and build at a considerable distance; such a proceeding would, if the distance be great, necessitate the installation of a high pressure system.
There might, however, be certain local laws in force restricting the use of high pressure currents on account of the danger resulting to life, that would prevent this solution of the problem. In such cases there could undoubtedly be found some site where the objections previously noted would be tolerated; thus, there would naturally be little objection to locating next to a stable, a brewery, or a factory of any description.
Ques. Why is the matter of water supply important for a central station?
Ans. Because, in a steam driven plant, water is used in the boilers for the production of steam by boiling, and if the engines be of the condensing type it is also used in them for creating a vacuum into which the exhaust steam passes so as to increase the efficiency of the engine above what it would be if the exhaust steam were obliged to discharge into the comparatively high pressure of the atmosphere.