There were even bigger versions of these mercury arc rectifiers that used steel tanks with the lids insulated by a ceramic ring from the tank. They were water cooled...And back in the day, diesel electric locomotives used a version of these mercury rectifiers called ignitrons......
This is an amazing one in all video. Telling us all about the purpose, nature, history and charm of electrical engineering. Watching this video one can not stop thinking how different technologies lead to different implementations. Although they seem archaic and huge compared to their modern equivalents these devices were brilliant works of science and engineering, which now also create a beautiful artistic view with a lot of nostalgia. I was lucky enough just to catch them in operation. When I was a student (Glasgow Univ. 1980) we had a section on mercury arc rectifiers in our power electronics course and some were still operational in railway substations. They disappeared rapidly to give way to semiconductors after early 80 s. Thanks for putting this wonderful piece of nostalgia up.
Absolutely spot on. This rectifier converted AC to DC in the factory where I served as an apprentice in the 1970s to power a steel rolling machine. The eerie glowing contraption was like something from the Dr. Who TV series.
It's like a big glowing electric octopus alien type thing! Spooky and cool at the same time. Of course modern solid state rectifiers are safer, smaller and more efficient, but nothing like as interesting as these. I love how you can here the steps in current as the driver notches up on the power handle. The diagram at the end was useful in understanding its operation. I wonder if there are any of these left in operation anywhere in the world today?
Why'd it get replaced? Were the tubes worn out, are they woefully inefficient, are they a UV and X-Ray hazard to employees, or was there a hazmat issue with a machine that involves puddles of mercury? I sense you were sorry to do it.
Probably all of the above. There is a safety / hazmat issue, a reliability issue, and an efficiency issue. The voltages that mercury arc rectifiers operate tend to be low enough that X-rays aren't an issue, but the UV produced can pose issues, such as dry-rotting cabling in the area.
Hi, the AC side is 422V, ot 600V. It's due to how we measure AC - it's actually 2*422, or 844V peak to peak, but if you straignten the sinusoide, you get 1/sqrt(2), that is 600V DC.
very cool, but your animation is incorrect. Your rectified line is showing a full wave rectified signal from a two phase 180 out, but your animation only shows a single phase ac signal. You need two separate signals 180 degrees out from each other to achieve what you are showing.
The transformer at the bottom of the diagram has a center taped winding. The center tap is used as 'ground' and the two ends of the winding are 180° out of phase.
Most people: Isn't it dangerous if there is so much mercury boiling? what if that will escape? But I just asking myself: Isn't it dangerous when mercury is glowing in that UV-C light with no coating on the glass and generating much ozone OUTSIDE of that device? O.o
Um, no actually. Typical glass blocks uv-a, b & c. The bulb would need to be made out of quartz glass in order to pass any uv. And second of all the bulb is under vacuum so there is no air available to be ionized inside the bulb and split O2 molecules into two oxygen atom's which then recombine into O3 due to their highly reactive nature.
I believe there is some emission of UV energy. It mainly poses an issue with nearby rubber cabling, which can often be degraded after a certain number of years.
Mercury is considered to be one of the most toxic elements. One of the reasons why this technology is obsolete....Having said that, the liquid metal is not bad, until it combines with other elements such as oxygen or chlorine. Then it becomes soluble in water and once these compounds get into your body, they do not come out. Cumulative poison. And organic mercury compounds are extremely dangerous.....
@@c2n10 Idiots on drugs might smash it with a stone looking for popularity on TikTok saying "Smashing glass thing with rock" and then driving to emergency after getting shocked, mercury poisoning or glass in their skin...
@@xa-xii4865 Generally with such high voltages, people are kept out of the electrical cabinet. The scenario you mention would be the least of my worries, more concerning would be a catastrophic fault condition or technicians who are unfamiliar with how to handle what is nowadays a rather unusual technology.
There were even bigger versions of these mercury arc rectifiers that used steel tanks with the lids insulated by a ceramic ring from the tank. They were water cooled...And back in the day, diesel electric locomotives used a version of these mercury rectifiers called ignitrons......
This is an amazing one in all video. Telling us all about the purpose, nature, history and charm of electrical engineering. Watching this video one can not stop thinking how different technologies lead to different implementations. Although they seem archaic and huge compared to their modern equivalents these devices were brilliant works of science and engineering, which now also create a beautiful artistic view with a lot of nostalgia. I was lucky enough just to catch them in operation. When I was a student (Glasgow Univ. 1980) we had a section on mercury arc rectifiers in our power electronics course and some were still operational in railway substations. They disappeared rapidly to give way to semiconductors after early 80 s. Thanks for putting this wonderful piece of nostalgia up.
Makes you wonder when and if the solid state stuff dies if these will be drug out of the closet again.
I definitely agree with that statement but it doesn’t really matter.
Absolutely spot on. This rectifier converted AC to DC in the factory where I served as an apprentice in the 1970s to power a steel rolling machine. The eerie glowing contraption was like something from the Dr. Who TV series.
I have the greatest respect for the inventor and the glass producer.
THANK YOU! These can bee one of the spookiest things ever but are also very interesting. Thanks also for the d.c. wave explanation!
It's like a big glowing electric octopus alien type thing! Spooky and cool at the same time. Of course modern solid state rectifiers are safer, smaller and more efficient, but nothing like as interesting as these. I love how you can here the steps in current as the driver notches up on the power handle. The diagram at the end was useful in understanding its operation.
I wonder if there are any of these left in operation anywhere in the world today?
What an excellent demonstration and interesting video! Thanks!
Very nice video and thank you for the explanation on how it works.
Sweet. Something romantic about old analog type electronics. I wonder how much UVC it’s putting out
The glass blocks most UV light.
Downright Awesome!
I run my hair dryer on 110 volts DC via a bridge rectifier, the successor to this technology, just for the hell of it.
You're a real rebel!
This is a fantastic video! Always wanted to see these in action, is the cooling fan run on extra DC current or is there resistors that power the fan?
I like working with electronics.
But that thing looks downright scary! Frankenstein ish!
they seem to last forever. 1920 made rectifiers still did their job in uk to ~ 2015
When did you shoot these videos?
How physically big is that tube ?
very good video
Why'd it get replaced? Were the tubes worn out, are they woefully inefficient, are they a UV and X-Ray hazard to employees, or was there a hazmat issue with a machine that involves puddles of mercury?
I sense you were sorry to do it.
Probably all of the above. There is a safety / hazmat issue, a reliability issue, and an efficiency issue. The voltages that mercury arc rectifiers operate tend to be low enough that X-rays aren't an issue, but the UV produced can pose issues, such as dry-rotting cabling in the area.
Yes, all of that. They are also absolutely huge and expensive
How many amp it can give ?,like 300A ?
875 each.
How the fan speed control works?
looks like it might just be pulling current through the fan coils and have a heavy rotor. More current and the fan slowly spins up
Did you call the excitor an ignitor!
Great Thank you!
Is the mercury consumed?
bunberrier it appears to be recondensed in the large middle globe
I made a video of this very mercury arc rectifier by peeking my camera through the grating of the cabinet in 2006. No need to open it up.
Very nice 😬
Hi, the AC side is 422V, ot 600V. It's due to how we measure AC - it's actually 2*422, or 844V peak to peak, but if you straignten the sinusoide, you get 1/sqrt(2), that is 600V DC.
Very cool.
very cool, but your animation is incorrect. Your rectified line is showing a full wave rectified signal from a two phase 180 out, but your animation only shows a single phase ac signal. You need two separate signals 180 degrees out from each other to achieve what you are showing.
The transformer at the bottom of the diagram has a center taped winding. The center tap is used as 'ground' and the two ends of the winding are 180° out of phase.
@@COBARHORSE1 correct, however the animation should show what it actually looks like and that would be two sinewaves out of phase.
My sci-fi dream
How boring is diode compared to this
Igniter circuit is tricky and not shown in the schematic! Vacuum sucks...
Ha!
This is so bizarre, so alien like.
Most people: Isn't it dangerous if there is so much mercury boiling? what if that will escape?
But I just asking myself: Isn't it dangerous when mercury is glowing in that UV-C light with no coating on the glass and generating much ozone OUTSIDE of that device? O.o
Um, no actually. Typical glass blocks uv-a, b & c.
The bulb would need to be made out of quartz glass in order to pass any uv.
And second of all the bulb is under vacuum so there is no air available to be ionized inside the bulb and split O2 molecules into two oxygen atom's which then recombine into O3 due to their highly reactive nature.
I believe there is some emission of UV energy. It mainly poses an issue with nearby rubber cabling, which can often be degraded after a certain number of years.
Mercury is considered to be one of the most toxic elements. One of the reasons why this technology is obsolete....Having said that, the liquid metal is not bad, until it combines with other elements such as oxygen or chlorine. Then it becomes soluble in water and once these compounds get into your body, they do not come out. Cumulative poison. And organic mercury compounds are extremely dangerous.....
@@barneylinet6602 Indeed! Just Test The Fish In The Ocean 😢
Witchcraft..! 😀😀😀
A huge glass globe filled with mercury with high voltage running through it, what could POSSIBLY go wrong???!
@@c2n10 Idiots on drugs might smash it with a stone looking for popularity on TikTok saying "Smashing glass thing with rock" and then driving to emergency after getting shocked, mercury poisoning or glass in their skin...
@@xa-xii4865 Generally with such high voltages, people are kept out of the electrical cabinet. The scenario you mention would be the least of my worries, more concerning would be a catastrophic fault condition or technicians who are unfamiliar with how to handle what is nowadays a rather unusual technology.
@@xa-xii4865 Aside from the unit being put out of service, how would you call that going wrong?
@@xa-xii4865 And The Gangstah
Tic Tok 13 🤡Percent Be Proud That They Got Over on
The Man on the Way To Hospital 😊✨🎱☠️✌🏼
Выглядит как ядерный реактор
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