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95-589: Ultimo Power Station boasted a mixture of equipment, initially consisting of American-made steam engines coupled to dynamoelectric machines ( direct current generators ). Later generating units were British-made turbo-alternators. Most of the alternating current (AC) equipment operated at 6,600 volts , 25 cycles per second . The original generating plant at Ultimo consisted of four cross-compound, reciprocating steam engines supplied by E. P. Allis & Co. of Milwaukee , Wisconsin , each rated at 1250 horsepower (hp) and running at 100 rpm . HP cylinder diameter

190-609: A 38,000 m (410,000 sq ft) site in White Bay , in the suburb of Rozelle , 3 km (2 mi) from Sydney in New South Wales , Australia . The remains of the plant can be clearly seen at the western end of the Anzac Bridge on the junction of Victoria Road and Roberts Street. The station was inactive for a number of years. However the plant reopened for the 2024 Sydney Biennale art exhibition. It

285-426: A 5 MW 25 Hz Willans Dick-Kerr turbo-alternator was installed with a similar 5 MW machine added in 1913. These machines replaced the vertical generators and were numbered 5 and 8. In 1912, a Dick, Kerr turbo-alternator rated at 7.5 MW 25 Hz, with an overload capacity of 10.5 MW was brought into use at Ultimo as unit No.7. This machine had originally been intended for installation at White Bay Power Station , and it

380-560: A 60 inches (1,500 mm) stroke. The 40-pole alternators generated three phase current at 25 Hz. Alterations to the boiler house at this stage saw six of the original boilers removed. Then eight Babcock & Wilcox long-drum, chain-grate boilers were added. Steam pressure was 160 pounds per square inch (1,100 kPa) and superheaters gave a final temperature of 466 °F (241 °C). As more generators were installed an additional 24 new boilers from Babcock & Wilcox (UK), each rated at 450 hp at 160 lb/sq in were added. By 1904

475-497: A closed space (e.g., combustion chamber , firebox , furnace). In the case of model or toy steam engines and a few full scale cases, the heat source can be an electric heating element . Boilers are pressure vessels that contain water to be boiled, and features that transfer the heat to the water as effectively as possible. The two most common types are: Fire-tube boilers were the main type used for early high-pressure steam (typical steam locomotive practice), but they were to

570-423: A common four-way rotary valve connected directly to a steam boiler. The next major step occurred when James Watt developed (1763–1775) an improved version of Newcomen's engine, with a separate condenser . Boulton and Watt 's early engines used half as much coal as John Smeaton 's improved version of Newcomen's. Newcomen's and Watt's early engines were "atmospheric". They were powered by air pressure pushing

665-525: A continuous rating of 18.75 MW was brought into use as the new unit no. 4, followed by a second identical unit (no. 5) in 1925. Another 8 Babcock &Wilcox, balanced draught, cross tube marine type boilers were built. They each produced 70,000 lb/hour at 215 psi and 600 °F (316 °C) were installed in the 'A' boiler house. This was the end of the first stage of construction, with five 25 Hz turbo-alternators in final configuration, for 58.5 MW. Turbo-alternator no.2 were retired in 1946 along with

760-442: A continuous rating of 22 MW, they were numbered 6, 7 and 8. Steam was supplied by 9 Babcox and Wilcox CTM chain grate boilers. Each boiler produced 80,000 lbs/hour at a pressure of 275 psi and a temperature of 640 °F (338 °C). In 1928, a single 20 MW unit supplied by Parsons was brought into use (no.9), giving the second stage (B Station) a capacity of 86 MW, and the station a total of 144.5 MW. The BTH units experienced

855-493: A continuous rating of 8.7 MW and a two-hour rating of 10.5 MW. The first alternator was tested in 1913, before the buildings that housed it were completed. The second set was installed in 1917. Delivery of the third Dick, Kerr alternator was delayed, and it was initially installed at Ultimo Power Station upon arrival from England in 1914. Owing to the delay of the third Dick Kerr alternator, a single Curtis 7.5 MW turbo-alternator from General Electric of Schenectady, New York , USA

950-438: A flywheel and crankshaft to provide rotative motion from an improved Newcomen engine. In 1720, Jacob Leupold described a two-cylinder high-pressure steam engine. The invention was published in his major work "Theatri Machinarum Hydraulicarum". The engine used two heavy pistons to provide motion to a water pump. Each piston was raised by the steam pressure and returned to its original position by gravity. The two pistons shared

1045-423: A given cylinder size than previous engines and could be made small enough for transport applications. Thereafter, technological developments and improvements in manufacturing techniques (partly brought about by the adoption of the steam engine as a power source) resulted in the design of more efficient engines that could be smaller, faster, or more powerful, depending on the intended application. The Cornish engine

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1140-416: A large extent displaced by more economical water tube boilers in the late 19th century for marine propulsion and large stationary applications. Many boilers raise the temperature of the steam after it has left that part of the boiler where it is in contact with the water. Known as superheating it turns ' wet steam ' into ' superheated steam '. It avoids the steam condensing in the engine cylinders, and gives

1235-546: A number of turbine blade and ring failures from the late 1940s. Following the completion of the third stage (q.v.) in 1958, units 6 to 9 saw occasional emergency use and were decommissioned in June 1975. A 50 MW, 50 cycle turbo-alternator from Parsons was commissioned in 1951 (no. 1), followed by a second identical unit in 1955 (no. 2). These two sets were erected on the 'A' station site and all 25 Hz equipment had been removed during this third stage of development in 1948. Steam

1330-409: A partial vacuum by condensing steam under a piston within a cylinder. It was employed for draining mine workings at depths originally impractical using traditional means, and for providing reusable water for driving waterwheels at factories sited away from a suitable "head". Water that passed over the wheel was pumped up into a storage reservoir above the wheel. In 1780 James Pickard patented the use of

1425-405: A piston into the partial vacuum generated by condensing steam, instead of the pressure of expanding steam. The engine cylinders had to be large because the only usable force acting on them was atmospheric pressure . Watt developed his engine further, modifying it to provide a rotary motion suitable for driving machinery. This enabled factories to be sited away from rivers, and accelerated

1520-455: A pressure of 355 pounds per square inch (2,450 kPa) and 850 °F (454 °C), were brought into use. They had a balanced draught system and were fitted with chain grate stokers, and their flue gasses were taken away by two new short steel stacks. This was followed in 1942 by the commissioning of a third BTH 20 MW turbo-alternator(No4). In 1948, the two 5000 kW Parsons turbo-alternators Nos 10 and 12 were removed. In 1949, their space

1615-483: A scale, quality and configuration which is becoming increasingly rare and which inspire visitors and users alike. Externally, it is a widely recognised and highly visible landmark, marking the head of White Bay and the southern entry to the Balmain Peninsula and its industrial waterfront. It retains a powerful physical presence and industrial aesthetic and is the most important surviving industrial building in

1710-433: A set speed, because it would assume a new constant speed in response to load changes. The governor was able to handle smaller variations such as those caused by fluctuating heat load to the boiler. Also, there was a tendency for oscillation whenever there was a speed change. As a consequence, engines equipped only with this governor were not suitable for operations requiring constant speed, such as cotton spinning. The governor

1805-522: A significantly higher efficiency . In a steam engine, a piston or steam turbine or any other similar device for doing mechanical work takes a supply of steam at high pressure and temperature and gives out a supply of steam at lower pressure and temperature, using as much of the difference in steam energy as possible to do mechanical work. These "motor units" are often called 'steam engines' in their own right. Engines using compressed air or other gases differ from steam engines only in details that depend on

1900-414: A steam jet usually supplied from the boiler. Injectors became popular in the 1850s but are no longer widely used, except in applications such as steam locomotives. It is the pressurization of the water that circulates through the steam boiler that allows the water to be raised to temperatures well above 100 °C (212 °F) boiling point of water at one atmospheric pressure, and by that means to increase

1995-628: A steam rail locomotive was designed and constructed by steamboat pioneer John Fitch in the United States probably during the 1780s or 1790s. His steam locomotive used interior bladed wheels guided by rails or tracks. The first full-scale working railway steam locomotive was built by Richard Trevithick in the United Kingdom and, on 21 February 1804, the world's first railway journey took place as Trevithick's steam locomotive hauled 10 tones of iron, 70 passengers and five wagons along

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2090-524: A total of thirty two B&W boilers were then on site. Provision (foundations) was made for the addition of three more reciprocating steam engine-alternator sets, but this was abandoned in favour of turbo-alternators. Vertical engine nos 5, 7 and 9 were removed between 1912 and 1914 to allow the addition of turbo-alternators. The first turbo-alternator was brought into use at Ultimo Power Station on 9 January 1905(No6)Supplied by C.A. Parsons & Company of Newcastle-upon-Tyne , England. The steam turbine

2185-612: A trio of locomotives, concluding with the Catch Me Who Can in 1808. Only four years later, the successful twin-cylinder locomotive Salamanca by Matthew Murray was used by the edge railed rack and pinion Middleton Railway . In 1825 George Stephenson built the Locomotion for the Stockton and Darlington Railway . This was the first public steam railway in the world and then in 1829, he built The Rocket which

2280-561: A very limited lift height and were prone to boiler explosions . Savery's engine was used in mines, pumping stations and supplying water to water wheels powering textile machinery. One advantage of Savery's engine was its low cost. Bento de Moura Portugal introduced an improvement of Savery's construction "to render it capable of working itself", as described by John Smeaton in the Philosophical Transactions published in 1751. It continued to be manufactured until

2375-473: A water pump for draining inundated mines. Frenchman Denis Papin did some useful work on the steam digester in 1679, and first used a piston to raise weights in 1690. The first commercial steam-powered device was a water pump, developed in 1698 by Thomas Savery . It used condensing steam to create a vacuum which raised water from below and then used steam pressure to raise it higher. Small engines were effective though larger models were problematic. They had

2470-451: Is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid . The steam engine uses the force produced by steam pressure to push a piston back and forth inside a cylinder . This pushing force can be transformed by a connecting rod and crank into rotational force for work. The term "steam engine" is most commonly applied to reciprocating engines as just described, although some authorities have also referred to

2565-431: Is cylinder condensation and re-evaporation. The steam cylinder and adjacent metal parts/ports operate at a temperature about halfway between the steam admission saturation temperature and the saturation temperature corresponding to the exhaust pressure. As high-pressure steam is admitted into the working cylinder, much of the high-temperature steam is condensed as water droplets onto the metal surfaces, significantly reducing

2660-399: Is then pumped back up to pressure and sent back to the boiler. A dry-type cooling tower is similar to an automobile radiator and is used in locations where water is costly. Waste heat can also be ejected by evaporative (wet) cooling towers, which use a secondary external water circuit that evaporates some of flow to the air. River boats initially used a jet condenser in which cold water from

2755-542: Is vented up the chimney so as to increase the draw on the fire, which greatly increases engine power, but reduces efficiency. Sometimes the waste heat from the engine is useful itself, and in those cases, very high overall efficiency can be obtained. Steam engines in stationary power plants use surface condensers as a cold sink. The condensers are cooled by water flow from oceans, rivers, lakes, and often by cooling towers which evaporate water to provide cooling energy removal. The resulting condensed hot water ( condensate ),

2850-484: The Federation Anglo-Dutch architectural style , was fully operational from 1917 with two further phases of development occurring between the years 1923–1928 and 1945–1948 which further increased the stations electricity output. It remained under the control of the department until 1953 when the newly created Electricity Commission of NSW took over. Ownership moved to Pacific Power when NSW electricity

2945-468: The Rumford Medal , the committee said that "no one invention since Watt's time has so enhanced the efficiency of the steam engine". In addition to using 30% less steam, it provided more uniform speed due to variable steam cut off, making it well suited to manufacturing, especially cotton spinning. The first experimental road-going steam-powered vehicles were built in the late 18th century, but it

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3040-631: The White Bay Hotel , define a major entry point to the city from the west. It is of exceptional structural significance to the State of New South Wales. White Bay Power Station was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999 having satisfied the following criteria. [REDACTED] This Misplaced Pages article contains material from White Bay Power Station , entry number 01015 in

3135-399: The piston or turbine machinery alone, as in the beam engine and stationary steam engine . As noted, steam-driven devices such as the aeolipile were known in the first century AD, and there were a few other uses recorded in the 16th century. In 1606 Jerónimo de Ayanz y Beaumont patented his invention of the first steam-powered water pump for draining mines. Thomas Savery is considered

3230-567: The steam turbine and devices such as Hero's aeolipile as "steam engines". The essential feature of steam engines is that they are external combustion engines , where the working fluid is separated from the combustion products. The ideal thermodynamic cycle used to analyze this process is called the Rankine cycle . In general usage, the term steam engine can refer to either complete steam plants (including boilers etc.), such as railway steam locomotives and portable engines , or may refer to

3325-626: The tramway from the Pen-y-darren ironworks, near Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon in south Wales . The design incorporated a number of important innovations that included using high-pressure steam which reduced the weight of the engine and increased its efficiency. Trevithick visited the Newcastle area later in 1804 and the colliery railways in north-east England became the leading centre for experimentation and development of steam locomotives. Trevithick continued his own experiments using

3420-514: The 1860s to the 1920s. Steam road vehicles were used for many applications. In the 20th century, the rapid development of internal combustion engine technology led to the demise of the steam engine as a source of propulsion of vehicles on a commercial basis, with relatively few remaining in use beyond the Second World War . Many of these vehicles were acquired by enthusiasts for preservation, and numerous examples are still in existence. In

3515-562: The 1960s, the air pollution problems in California gave rise to a brief period of interest in developing and studying steam-powered vehicles as a possible means of reducing the pollution. Apart from interest by steam enthusiasts, the occasional replica vehicle, and experimental technology, no steam vehicles are in production at present. Near the end of the 19th century, compound engines came into widespread use. Compound engines exhausted steam into successively larger cylinders to accommodate

3610-408: The 20th century, where their efficiency, higher speed appropriate to generator service, and smooth rotation were advantages. Today most electric power is provided by steam turbines. In the United States, 90% of the electric power is produced in this way using a variety of heat sources. Steam turbines were extensively applied for propulsion of large ships throughout most of the 20th century. Although

3705-429: The 50 MW Parsons units remained. Thenceforth, the remaining units saw intermittent use; their last intensive use was during power shortages in 1982. The entire power station was closed permanently on 25 December 1983. Like Pyrmont , which was also fitted with 50 MW turbo-alternators in the 1950s, some of the generating equipment at White Bay saw little more than twenty years of regular use before decommissioning. The site

3800-522: The Circular Quay end. To fix this situation, alternators were brought into use from 1902, starting with three 1500 kW/6.6 kV units supplied by GE. Each alternator was powered by an Allis Reynolds vertical cross compound condensing reciprocating steam engine rated at 2500 hp at 75 rpm. HP cylinder diameter was 32 inches (810 mm) and the LP cylinder diameter was 64 inches (1,600 mm) with

3895-813: The White Bay area and this was endorsed by the NSW Heritage Council in 2004. The future of the site, the now derelict buildings and the remaining contents remains uncertain. SHFA is undertaking conservation works including roof repairs to the buildings to make them weatherproof and reduce further degradation to the remaining internal plant and equipment. White Bay Power Station boasted an interesting mixture of equipment, including 25 Hertz and 50 Hz alternators, mostly from British manufacturers. The earliest plant comprised three 750 rpm 25 Hz turbo-alternators from Willans & Robinson of Rugby and Dick, Kerr & Co. of Preston, England with

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3990-610: The amount of work obtained per unit of fuel consumed. By the 19th century, stationary steam engines powered the factories of the Industrial Revolution . Steam engines replaced sails for ships on paddle steamers , and steam locomotives operated on the railways. Reciprocating piston type steam engines were the dominant source of power until the early 20th century. The efficiency of stationary steam engine increased dramatically until about 1922. The highest Rankine Cycle Efficiency of 91% and combined thermal efficiency of 31%

4085-405: The area . White Bay Power Station has strong and special associations and meanings for the local community, for former power station workers and for others who have used the site, and is of high social significance. It is a potent symbol of the area's industrial origins and working traditions, aspects of community identity that are strongly valued today by both older and new residents. It is one of

4180-475: The atmosphere or into a condenser. As steam expands in passing through a high-pressure engine, its temperature drops because no heat is being added to the system; this is known as adiabatic expansion and results in steam entering the cylinder at high temperature and leaving at lower temperature. This causes a cycle of heating and cooling of the cylinder with every stroke, which is a source of inefficiency. The dominant efficiency loss in reciprocating steam engines

4275-401: The body of associated pictorial, written archives and reports and oral history recordings, evidence for the development of technology and work practices for the generation of electrical power from coal and water. This development of power generation at White Bay contributed to the expansion of the economy of Sydney and New South Wales. As a result of its remarkably intact survival, it retains

4370-404: The boiler and engine in separate buildings some distance apart. For portable or mobile use, such as steam locomotives , the two are mounted together. The widely used reciprocating engine typically consisted of a cast-iron cylinder, piston, connecting rod and beam or a crank and flywheel, and miscellaneous linkages. Steam was alternately supplied and exhausted by one or more valves. Speed control

4465-593: The demand on the 25 Hz grid. In 1959, it was decided to abandon 25 Hz generation altogether. Following the closure of the Sydney tram network in 1961, Ultimo Power Station was decommissioned in 1963. The site was later repurposed as a wing of the Powerhouse Museum . The power station received a Historic Engineering Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program . Steam engines A steam engine

4560-401: The efficiency of the steam cycle. For safety reasons, nearly all steam engines are equipped with mechanisms to monitor the boiler, such as a pressure gauge and a sight glass to monitor the water level. Many engines, stationary and mobile, are also fitted with a governor to regulate the speed of the engine without the need for human interference. The most useful instrument for analyzing

4655-423: The few surviving features in the area that provide this symbolic connection. It is the only coal based industrial structure, dependent on a waterside location, to survive adjacent to the harbour in the Sydney region. It also forms part of a closely related group of large-scale industrial structures and spaces (White Bay Container Terminal, Glebe Island Silos, Container Terminal and Anzac Bridge ) which along with

4750-523: The first 4 boilers. The no. 4 machine was removed in 1951 and no. 5 removed in 1955. In 1952 the rest of the 'A' boilers were removed to make room for 'C' station. All 25 Hz equipment had been removed by 1958, coinciding with the gradual closure of the Sydney tram network . In 1926, the first 50 cycle equipment was brought into use. This comprised three Australian General Electric turbines with British Thomson-Houston alternators which ran at 1,500 rpm, with

4845-442: The generation of electrical power, and represent all phases from the inter-war period through to the more sophisticated technologies of the mid 20th century. They are of exceptional technical significance with research potential to yield information not available from any other source. Aesthetically, White Bay Power Station contains internal and external spaces of exceptional significance. These spaces include raw industrial spaces of

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4940-502: The government to redevelop the site, but pulled out in April 2017. On the 9th of March 2024 the power station opened its doors to the public for the 2024 Biennale of Sydney. White Bay Power Station was the longest serving Sydney power station and is the only one to retain a representative set of machinery and items associated with the generation of electricity in the early and mid twentieth century. It retains within its fabric, and in

5035-492: The growing demand of the electrified tram network, the engines were frequently run at 1,600 hp (1,200 kW). Each tram had less than 200 hp (150 kW) worth of motors, but the original installation did not allow for growth. It followed that expansion of the power station beyond the initial four units was planned from the beginning. Steam was initially supplied by 14 horizontal multi-tubular under-fired (Colonial) fire tube boilers by G. & C. Hoskins, Sydney. Each

5130-463: The higher volumes at reduced pressures, giving improved efficiency. These stages were called expansions, with double- and triple-expansion engines being common, especially in shipping where efficiency was important to reduce the weight of coal carried. Steam engines remained the dominant source of power until the early 20th century, when advances in the design of the steam turbine , electric motors , and internal combustion engines gradually resulted in

5225-402: The inventor of the first commercially used steam powered device, a steam pump that used steam pressure operating directly on the water. The first commercially successful engine that could transmit continuous power to a machine was developed in 1712 by Thomas Newcomen . James Watt made a critical improvement in 1764, by removing spent steam to a separate vessel for condensation, greatly improving

5320-429: The late 18th century. At least one engine was still known to be operating in 1820. The first commercially successful engine that could transmit continuous power to a machine was the atmospheric engine , invented by Thomas Newcomen around 1712. It improved on Savery's steam pump, using a piston as proposed by Papin. Newcomen's engine was relatively inefficient, and mostly used for pumping water. It worked by creating

5415-399: The nature of the gas although compressed air has been used in steam engines without change. As with all heat engines, the majority of primary energy must be emitted as waste heat at relatively low temperature. The simplest cold sink is to vent the steam to the environment. This is often used on steam locomotives to avoid the weight and bulk of condensers. Some of the released steam

5510-518: The pace of the Industrial Revolution. The meaning of high pressure, together with an actual value above ambient, depends on the era in which the term was used. For early use of the term Van Reimsdijk refers to steam being at a sufficiently high pressure that it could be exhausted to atmosphere without reliance on a vacuum to enable it to perform useful work. Ewing 1894 , p. 22 states that Watt's condensing engines were known, at

5605-456: The performance of steam engines is the steam engine indicator. Early versions were in use by 1851, but the most successful indicator was developed for the high speed engine inventor and manufacturer Charles Porter by Charles Richard and exhibited at London Exhibition in 1862. The steam engine indicator traces on paper the pressure in the cylinder throughout the cycle, which can be used to spot various problems and calculate developed horsepower. It

5700-456: The piston axis in vertical position. In time the horizontal arrangement became more popular, allowing compact, but powerful engines to be fitted in smaller spaces. The acme of the horizontal engine was the Corliss steam engine , patented in 1849, which was a four-valve counter flow engine with separate steam admission and exhaust valves and automatic variable steam cutoff. When Corliss was given

5795-590: The plant have been arranged by organisations such as the Historic Houses Trust and Australia ICOMOS . One of each piece of power plant machinery remains on the site to demonstrate the process of generating power from coal should public tours or redevelopment ever take place in the future. The site forms part of the New South Wales Government's Bays Precinct urban renewal area. Google had expressed interest in working with

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5890-406: The reciprocating steam engine is no longer in widespread commercial use, various companies are exploring or exploiting the potential of the engine as an alternative to internal combustion engines. There are two fundamental components of a steam plant: the boiler or steam generator , and the "motor unit", referred to itself as a "steam engine". Stationary steam engines in fixed buildings may have

5985-417: The replacement of reciprocating (piston) steam engines, with merchant shipping relying increasingly upon diesel engines , and warships on the steam turbine. As the development of steam engines progressed through the 18th century, various attempts were made to apply them to road and railway use. In 1784, William Murdoch , a Scottish inventor, built a model steam road locomotive. An early working model of

6080-438: The required DC power. In 1921 it was decided that Ultimo would only generate 25 Hz power. The four small 50 Hz turbo generators were removed, with the last set removed in 1928. The first turbo generator (No. 6) was removed in 1922. In 1929, work began to replace the 58 small boilers with six larger boilers operating at 350 pounds per square inch (2,400 kPa) and rated at 90,000 pounds of steam per hour. Steam outlet temperature

6175-578: The river is injected into the exhaust steam from the engine. Cooling water and condensate mix. While this was also applied for sea-going vessels, generally after only a few days of operation the boiler would become coated with deposited salt, reducing performance and increasing the risk of a boiler explosion. Starting about 1834, the use of surface condensers on ships eliminated fouling of the boilers, and improved engine efficiency. Evaporated water cannot be used for subsequent purposes (other than rain somewhere), whereas river water can be re-used. In all cases,

6270-433: The steam available for expansive work. When the expanding steam reaches low pressure (especially during the exhaust stroke), the previously deposited water droplets that had just been formed within the cylinder/ports now boil away (re-evaporation) and this steam does no further work in the cylinder. White Bay Power Station The White Bay Power Station is a heritage listed former coal -fired power station on

6365-412: The steam plant boiler feed water, which must be kept pure, is kept separate from the cooling water or air. Most steam boilers have a means to supply water whilst at pressure, so that they may be run continuously. Utility and industrial boilers commonly use multi-stage centrifugal pumps ; however, other types are used. Another means of supplying lower-pressure boiler feed water is an injector , which uses

6460-489: The temperature of the steam above its saturated vapour point, and various mechanisms to increase the draft for fireboxes. When coal is used, a chain or screw stoking mechanism and its drive engine or motor may be included to move the fuel from a supply bin (bunker) to the firebox. The heat required for boiling the water and raising the temperature of the steam can be derived from various sources, most commonly from burning combustible materials with an appropriate supply of air in

6555-482: The time, as low pressure compared to high pressure, non-condensing engines of the same period. Watt's patent prevented others from making high pressure and compound engines. Shortly after Watt's patent expired in 1800, Richard Trevithick and, separately, Oliver Evans in 1801 introduced engines using high-pressure steam; Trevithick obtained his high-pressure engine patent in 1802, and Evans had made several working models before then. These were much more powerful for

6650-477: The unique ability to demonstrate, by its location, massing, design, machinery and associated archives, the influence and dominance that early power-generating technology exerted on the lives and urban fabric of inner cities in the first half of the 20th century. The extant items within the surviving operational systems are of an impressive scale and exhibit a high degree of creative and technical achievement in their design and configuration. They encompass all aspects of

6745-578: Was 26 in (660 mm) and LP cylinder diameter was 48 in (1,219 mm). Steam pressure was 125 pounds per square inch (860 kPa). Each steam engine was coupled to a multi-pole, compound-wound dynamo supplied by the General Electric Company (GE) of Schenectady , New York . Each dynamo ( generator ) was rated at 849.75  kW (1,139.53  hp ) at 550 volts direct current (1545 amperes ) and could be overloaded by up to 50 percent to satisfy peak demand. To cater to

6840-498: Was 744 °F (396 °C). The new boilers were the first to burn pulverised coal in any power station in New South Wales. Flue gasses were directed up the two brick chimneys built in 1902. Accompanying the new boilers were two 20 MW AGE-BTH turbo-alternators. They were numbered 1 and 2. This work was completed in 1931. In 1941, two more Babcock + Wilcox High Head boilers rated at 90,000 pounds of steam per hour, operating at

6935-451: Was a popular venue for photographers and film and television productions. Productions at the power station include The Matrix Reloaded , Red Planet and a number of Australian television series, including Water Rats , and advertisements. A metal staircase constructed during the making of The Matrix Reloaded remains in the boiler house. It was used in 2012 as a filming site for The Great Gatsby . Occasional licensed guided tours of

7030-676: Was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The station is often wrongly referred to as the Balmain Power Station , a plant originally located in Iron Cove , which has since been demolished. To satisfy the power requirements for the expansion of the Sydney tram and rail network, the New South Wales Government Railways began the first phase of work on The White Bay Power Station in 1912. The plant, constructed in

7125-424: Was brought into temporary use in 1917 in the unit number four position. The third Dick Kerr alternator was transferred from Ultimo to White Bay as unit no. 3 in 1918, giving the station an initial capacity of 28.5 MW. Steam was supplied by 8 Babcock & Wilcox, WIF long drum, chain grate, boilers. They each produced 30,000 lb/hour at a pressure of 205 psi and a temperature of 588 °F (309 °C). Unit no. 1

7220-425: Was decommissioned in 1944, but its alternator was reconfigured for use as a synchronous condenser, for correction of power factor in the 25 cycle per second grid. The other 2 sets were scrapped by 1948. The temporary General Electric unit was removed in the early 1920s to accommodate the expansion of the station as originally planned. In 1924, a 1,500 rpm 25 c/s turbo-alternator from English Electric Australia having

7315-627: Was demonstrated and published in 1921 and 1928. Advances in the design of electric motors and internal combustion engines resulted in the gradual replacement of steam engines in commercial usage. Steam turbines replaced reciprocating engines in power generation, due to lower cost, higher operating speed, and higher efficiency. Note that small scale steam turbines are much less efficient than large ones. As of 2023 , large reciprocating piston steam engines are still being manufactured in Germany. As noted, one recorded rudimentary steam-powered engine

7410-521: Was deregulated in 1995. White Bay was the longest serving of Sydney's metropolitan power stations and ceased production on Christmas Day in 1983. During the 1990s, the site was decontaminated, asbestos was removed and the majority of the remaining machinery taken away. In 2000, the plant was sold to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) for around A$ 4m. The SHFA has produced a conservation management plan for

7505-546: Was developed by Trevithick and others in the 1810s. It was a compound cycle engine that used high-pressure steam expansively, then condensed the low-pressure steam, making it relatively efficient. The Cornish engine had irregular motion and torque through the cycle, limiting it mainly to pumping. Cornish engines were used in mines and for water supply until the late 19th century. Early builders of stationary steam engines considered that horizontal cylinders would be subject to excessive wear. Their engines were therefore arranged with

7600-450: Was either automatic, using a governor, or by a manual valve. The cylinder casting contained steam supply and exhaust ports. Engines equipped with a condenser are a separate type than those that exhaust to the atmosphere. Other components are often present; pumps (such as an injector ) to supply water to the boiler during operation, condensers to recirculate the water and recover the latent heat of vaporisation, and superheaters to raise

7695-531: Was entered in and won the Rainhill Trials . The Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened in 1830 making exclusive use of steam power for both passenger and freight trains. Steam locomotives continued to be manufactured until the late twentieth century in places such as China and the former East Germany (where the DR Class 52.80 was produced). The final major evolution of the steam engine design

7790-411: Was improved over time and coupled with variable steam cut off, good speed control in response to changes in load was attainable near the end of the 19th century. In a simple engine, or "single expansion engine" the charge of steam passes through the entire expansion process in an individual cylinder, although a simple engine may have one or more individual cylinders. It is then exhausted directly into

7885-536: Was in place from 1955, was not fully operational until 1958. By that time, the power station was unrecognizable from its original appearance. The capacity of the third stage of development was 100 MW, bringing the total to 186 MW, although this maximum was rarely attained. As the Electricity Commission of New South Wales built new power stations, White Bay became a peak load supplier. Units 6 to 9 were decommissioned in 1975 and removed, thereafter only

7980-466: Was later transferred there in 1918. In 1914 another Dick Kerr 8.7 MW 25 Hz set was installed as No9. Two 2.3 MW Dick Kerr alternators(ex Pyrmont) were added in 1919 and numbered 1+2. When the DC section was finally closed down in 1920, the remaining horizontal engines were replaced with two more 2.4 MW Dick-Kerr 50 Hz turbo alternators and numbered 3 & 4. Also, five rotary converters were installed to supply

8075-520: Was not stepped up for transmission. Rotary converters were used to convert the three phase AC to 600 V DC for the tram supply. The 1500 V DC heavy rail electrification commenced operation in 1926 and also initially used high capacity rotary converters. A 25–50 Hz frequency changer was installed at White Bay in 1939, allowing power generated at the two railway power stations to be fed into Sydney County Council 's 50 Hz grid as required. The gradual elimination of electric trams from Sydney reduced

8170-479: Was not until after Richard Trevithick had developed the use of high-pressure steam, around 1800, that mobile steam engines became a practical proposition. The first half of the 19th century saw great progress in steam vehicle design, and by the 1850s it was becoming viable to produce them on a commercial basis. This progress was dampened by legislation which limited or prohibited the use of steam-powered vehicles on roads. Improvements in vehicle technology continued from

8265-518: Was rated at 300 hp (220 kW) and operated at a pressure of 140  psi (970  kPa ). The boilers were hand fired and had natural draught to a single chimney at the end of the building. Only twelve boilers were needed to provide sufficient steam for full-capacity power generation, leaving two in reserve. The original generating units were removed in 1915 and 1916, but some of the boilers were retained (see below). The George St tram line experienced serious voltage drop problems, especially at

8360-405: Was rated at 3000 hp, ran at 1500 rpm and drove an 1875 kW alternator at 50 Hz. The steam was raised in 16 new Babcock & Wilcox (UK) boilers, installed in 1905, bringing the total number of boilers on site to 48. These boilers were placed on top of the 32 original boilers. Two additional turbo-alternators were brought into use in 1909. Supplied by C.A. Parsons & Company , each

8455-426: Was rated at 5000 kW with an overload capacity of 7500 kW and generated three phase alternating current at 25 Hz. They were numbered 10 and 12. Twelve new Babcock & Wilcox (UK) superheated boilers were added in 1910, and another 8 were added in 1913. They were also placed on top of the original boilers. The remaining eight fire-tube boilers were removed in 1912/13 to make room for coal bunkers. In 1911

8550-496: Was routinely used by engineers, mechanics and insurance inspectors. The engine indicator can also be used on internal combustion engines. See image of indicator diagram below (in Types of motor units section). The centrifugal governor was adopted by James Watt for use on a steam engine in 1788 after Watt's partner Boulton saw one on the equipment of a flour mill Boulton & Watt were building. The governor could not actually hold

8645-407: Was supplied from 4 Babcock + Wilcox pulverized coal high pressure boilers. Each boiler produced 225,000 lb/hour at 650PSI and 840 °F (449 °C). The No.5 turbo-alternator, an English Electric 18.75 MW 25 Hz, continued to operate for some time afterwards, using steam diverted from the new high pressure boilers. Owing to delays in boiler installation, the second 50 MW Parsons unit, which

8740-451: Was taken by a single 18.75 MW unit manufactured by English Electric (Australia), which had been alternator No.4 at White Bay Power Station since 1924. This 18.75 MW set became No.3 at Ultimo and went into production about 1951. This brought the total installed capacity of Ultimo to its maximum of 79.5 MW. In 1948/49 the boilers were modified to allow the burning of furnace oil owing to coal supply shortages. Control of Ultimo Power Station

8835-763: Was the aeolipile described by Hero of Alexandria , a Hellenistic mathematician and engineer in Roman Egypt during the first century AD. In the following centuries, the few steam-powered engines known were, like the aeolipile, essentially experimental devices used by inventors to demonstrate the properties of steam. A rudimentary steam turbine device was described by Taqi al-Din in Ottoman Egypt in 1551 and by Giovanni Branca in Italy in 1629. The Spanish inventor Jerónimo de Ayanz y Beaumont received patents in 1606 for 50 steam-powered inventions, including

8930-438: Was the use of steam turbines starting in the late part of the 19th century. Steam turbines are generally more efficient than reciprocating piston type steam engines (for outputs above several hundred horsepower), have fewer moving parts, and provide rotary power directly instead of through a connecting rod system or similar means. Steam turbines virtually replaced reciprocating engines in electricity generating stations early in

9025-590: Was transferred from the Department of Railways, New South Wales to the newly formed Electricity Commission of New South Wales on 1 January 1953. The Sydney railway and tramway power grid consisted of Ultimo and White Bay Power Stations, which were linked by a 6600 V transmission network and fed railway and tramway sub-feeder stations. Following the initial 600 V direct current (DC) installation, Ultimo Power Station supplied three phase alternating current (AC) at 6600 V, 25 cycles per second. Originally, this current

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