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28 Ill

 
‘ TUNINNTT

3 1293 00640 8748

 

LES GARY
Michigan Stat?
University

 

 

 
o-
/ vanwing of Frezen Water pipes by Electricity.
and

Censtruction ef ¥ransformer for that Purpose.

A Thesis Submitted to
The Faculty ef
MICHIGAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
By

P. G. Andres,,

I

Candidate fer the Degree of

Bachelor ef Science.

May 1918.
 

THESIS

A :
ae tb fo }
Preface.

The object of this paper is to describe the
thawing of. frozen water pipes and hydrants in the City of
Bessemer, Michigan during the winter of 1917 and the
construction of the transformer used.

Due to the fact that some pipes hed been frozen
longer than others and since it was impossible to obtain the
exact length of: the pipes, quantitative results cannot be
formulated into a definite law. However the results given
cover a large number of.cases and give some indication as to
the amount of current and time required to thaw the average
frozen service pipe.

An account is included of the preceeds and

expenditures.

P. Ge Ae

 

 
 

List of Apparatus Used.

Transformer:

G.B. Transformer No. 1120281 Type H. Form K.

Cycles 60 Volts 2200 to 110/220 Capacity 4 K.V.A.

Rebuilt.
Voltmeter:

Thomson Houston, Lynn, Mass. No. 1146
Ammeter:

Dougan Ammeter, Albany, N.Y. Wo. 1364
Primary Leads:

21000 ft. No. 14 B&S. Rubber covered.
Secondary Leads:

600 ft. No. 0 B&S. Bare.

ee eel ee

 
Bibliography.

Btandard Handbook 1915 Bection 22
pp. 1743 = 1745
Eng. and Contracting Fed. 12,1913.
Londen Engineering May 27, 1910.
Rlectrical World Vol. 51, pe 923.
" Vol. 54, p. 1366
. Vol. 58, p. 563.
" Vol. 63, p. 327
438
660
. Vo.. 65, p- 607
352
644

866
 

le on,

-

 
Hotes on Construction and Operating.

At the time this work was undertaken very little
information was available on the current required to thaw a
fresen water pipe. Hence when the water pipe in the writers
home frose on Jguuary 12 th. 1917, he was at a loss to know
just what current to use to thaw the pipe by means of
electricity. The pipes ran under ground for a distanoe of
about 40 feet. An improvised transformer was constructed .
with a coil of 120 turns of No. 12 BAS? for the primary, and
six turns of No. 6 B&aS. for the secondary. Iron punchings
for the core were obtained from a dismanteled lighting
transformer. The primary was then connected to the 110 volt
Supply current and the secondary terminals were fastened to
the faucet and the shut-off valve connected to the main.
About 60 amperes at 6 volts passed thru the pipe and after
20 minutes water began to flow. It bacame apparent during
this test however, that more voltage was nroessary to
overcome the resistance of rusty joints and to provide for
potential drop in long pipes. Further the current must be
increased if the thawing was to be accomplished in a
reasonably short time.

The Ironwood Blectric Light and Power Co. placed
a 4X. W. General Electric power transformer at my disposal.
This transformer had been burned out during a lightning
storm, and hence only the iron ocore was serviceable. The
wire for the primary was bought 6n the open market; the

secondary wire was obtained from a local mining company.
 

 

oe

 

 
The transformer was wound in a lathe and no diffioulty was
experienced in winding. Since the transformer was te be
used with the secondary practically short circuited it was
deemed advisable to introduce a considerable amount of
magnetic leakage. This was done by making the joints of the
laminations lap only a part of their entire width. Each
layer of the secondary winding was brought to a terminal te
allow for ar wide variation of secondary voltage. The transf@
ermer was then placed in box and hot parafin poured all over
the windings toe prevent short circuits due to moisture from
snew and sleet. The whole was next mounted on a sled which
also provided room for the secondary leads to conneot to the
frezen water pipe, since it was impractible to run the high
voltage (2300 voits) any considerable distance over the
gereund.

The completed outfit offered an unpretentious
appearance and the writer encountered considerable adverse
Comment by the local electricians who contended that the
transformer wes entirely too small. After intervewing the
Guprendentant of: the Ironwood Eleotric Light and Power
Company, he agreed to provide a lineman so that the devise
might be tested in practical service. The results were
astonishing since a service pipe which had been frosen for
eight weeks was thawed in three minutes. (Case 1.) This
stopped further comment and arrangements were made with the

suprentendant whereby a lineman was supplied and a flat rate

was piaced upon the primary current consumed. Ho
difficulties were encountered in connecting the high voltage
primary leads. The transformer was generally placed beneath
a pole. The lineman took the wires up and simply connected
them on the 2300 volt cirouit by hooking the primary leads
on. When the work was completed, a pulid on the leads
disconnected them from the mains. The charge for thawing
private service pipes was $5.00 Arrangements were made with
the suprendentant of the Colby Iron and Mining Company
whereby a large number of service pipes in company houses
were thawed at § 3.10 apice; the company supplied three men
to assist in the work of connecting the secondary leads to
faucets and shut-off valves. A flat rate of $3.00 a piece
Was made to the City of Bessemer to thaw frozen water pipes
and hydrants. In all these cases the transformer had ample
capacity, and needed but very little attention. A method was
developed where two adjacent houses had frosen mains, in
which case the secondary wires were attached to the tvo
faucets directly. Generally both houses received water at
the same time or within a short interwal. During some of
the tests the secondary leads became red hot and some alarm
Wae expressed that the lead used in calking the main pipes
might melt. Later investigations proved however, that these
fears were ungrounded.

One case was met (Case 9) where current was kept
on the frosen 2 in. supply main of the Ironton School,
Irenton, Vichigan for one hour, at the end of which time

there were no indications of water and the transformer was
disconnected. The ground was dug down to the pipe which
involved blasting and the building of fires to thaw the
frozen ground. It was feund that the ground around the pipe
was frosen and therefore heating the pipe by electricity had
little effect.

For ordinary purposes 50 volts on the secondary
was found sufficient, all secondary coils being placed in
pearallei for this connection. For long pipes or where one
secondary lead was connected to a fire hydrant, 300 volts
were used with the transformer secondary coils connected in
series parallel. The results show that a 4 K.W. 2300 to
55@110 volt transformer can be effectively used as a means
ef thawing frozen water pipes.

The transformer was in service thawing service
pipes at residences and schools as well as hydrants during
the whole winter. In the spring it was diamanteled and the
copper sold for scrap. One hundred cases of thawing pipes
are given but these represent only a part of the pipes
thawed.

During the period of time the transformer was
in operation the temperature varied between -10° F. to -40°7.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Frozen
: Service
Pipe
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Wiring Diagram |
i. ide
Lhrounr, Frozen Water atte

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ae ei G.

Andres. [91%
Transformer Data.

Type

Capacity

Primary voltage
Secondary voltage
Frequency

Windings

Mumber of coils
Number of layers
Turns per layer

zsotal number of turns
Size of wire

Insulation

Low Tension.

6

6

25

150
Ho. 5 Bas.
Asbestos.

Distributed Iron.
4000 watts.

2300
25/50/100/200

60 cycles per second.

High Tensicn.
2
1¢é
74
1184
Ho. 16 B&s.
Doudle Cotton.
 

 

 

 

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CatnteceeMetaretets
®, etgtetenetetettes
- 0 antetsecestto
XO raster eitie ee
Feels

6 eat
sete etate tes
SORT

     

  
 
 

      
  
  
  

 

apis

IVT Le a ee

Py) el ie dh

  

Taal dA

     

To

i

 
Hegree
Piper
Droleon
Presoo
Hagonen
Winkowski
Powell
Negree
Ironton Bchocl
Waters
Croenen
Skwor
Lintleman
Waters
Kni ght
Hausen
Sco varda
Jan Koviak
Badra
Hagonen
Kur vonen
Kurvonen
Kaoconi
Halama
Vesti

Date.

11
12
12
12
23
13
13
14
40
16
16
17
17
17
18
18
19
19
19
19
20
21
21
23
23

oh wks oe othe oh tks hehe ole the he he nts tke ke ON he othe ahs oe

Pipe Diam. Volts.

2 in. 50

2

‘>

oe

50
50
50
50
50
50
50
ine 200
in. 100
50
50
50
100
50
50
50
50
50
50
590
50
50
50
50

Time.

3 Min.
13
3
19
13

60
62
32

64
30

10

24
16 |
10

14

it
28
Case. Name.

26

27
28
29
30
32
32
33
34
35
36
37
38

39.

40
41
42
43
44
45

47
48
49
50

Zozwiak
Kovasevich
Bonovits
Roberts
Godleuski
Roberts
Wealton
dagonen
Hishka
Cummings
Eoki nan
Vaters:
Scavarda
Lepiste
Hagenen
Martiui
Erte

Hydrant |
Minnie Bt.

| Sydrant

_ Lead St.
Hydra
Iron Bt.

Hydrant

Sophie St.

Hydrant

Post Office
Hydrant
sophie st.
Hydrant
Barber St.
Hydrant
Moore 8t.

Date.
Feb. 24
25
25
March 5

WP

eowuoen NS BW WA WF w

~ RP Ye he
~ ~~ we & PP Be
ou Oo NOM WWD BSD wb

Pipe Dien.

oe

nn nn nnn XO O of ow me the Oe op Oho eke fhe the he the he the ote

>
>

in.

Volts.
50
50

100
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50

110

50
50
50
50
50
50

50

50

50

59
50
50

Time.
lt Min.
23
20
6
4
65
22

?
4

~
©

> Mb VQ BO KA BB A

wo “YN NY DO HO

~
A
Case. Name.
51 Hagonen
52 Piper

53 Slemkeweki
54 SBarateone
55 tLencharge:
56 lLakie

57 ©. Bnoma

58 Beck

59 S&ricsen
60 WV ecphie St
64 Suanto
62 Ree

63 Bonavits
64 Betts

65 Davis

66 Rowett

67 RBkeberg
68 Murray

69 Zelich

79 Procter

7i Berg

72 Rebinen
73. «—~Parape

74 Pender

75

Hardy

Date.
March 20

23

23.

26

30

30
32
Aprdl i

On KO DO PP WwW

40
ai

14
14
14
14
14
14
14

ee a ee ee ee

oe he he the oh

Pipe: Diam.
4 in.

in.
in.

Volts.

50
50
50
49
51
53
30
110
110
50
50
50
50
50
50
120
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50

Amps.

250
250
225
225
275
135

Time.

4 Min.
12°

3

2

15

25

15
10

eo Ww Ww DD OO
“Case.
76

77
78

79
8c

100

Name.
Cox
Dee
Doe.
Janor

Janor

Paesode |

Johnson
Anerosowics
Gustafson
Kiem

Webb
Jere}
Store
Annear

Le Clare
Caolia
Seliyolive
Luoma
Pucila
Carison
Porewsk?
Holdin
Bradley
Flioa
Karkstrum

Dat Se’.
April 14

24
14
14
14
14
14
24
Ms
15
1
15
15
15
25
5
15
15
15
15
15
15
16
16
May 17

Pipe Dian.

# in.
4

ee ee ee re

whe

¥Yolts.

59
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
50
100
50
50
50
100
50
50
50
50
50
50
100
100
100
110

Amps.

195
210
250
185
250
175
180
125
140
300
250
250
200
240
300
205
205
300
300
300
250
245
250
250
200

Time.
4 Min.

15

~~ oOo NN Ww OH

ms ew
o & UO

wo Oo ND AN NN W WW

Que
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Special Teats.

Cases 70 te 100 inclusive give average values of.
secondary current. Two cases showing variation of secondary
voltage and current are given below. In case Ho. 54 the
decrease was occasioned by increased resistance due to a
higher temperature of: the secondary circuit. Water came
euddenly in this. case. In case No. 55 water bagan to move
along the pipe shortly after current was applied, thus
decreasing the resistance of the secondary circuit. Water

came gradually in the latter case.

Case Ho. 54
Time. Pri. voltage. Bec. voltage. Amps.
4335 2300 49 0
4336 2390: 47 185
4:37 2300 47 180
4:38 2300 46 175
4339 2300 46 175
4:40 2300 49 0

Case Ne. 55
5:08 2350 51 Q
§:10 2350 48 180
5:12 2300 47 185
5314 2350 47 5 190
5315 2350 51 0
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Finanolal Statement.

Materiais. br. Cr.
20 1b. No. 16 DCC. Magnet wire @ $62.10/owt. 312.42 $

1 - 68 in. reel 075

1000 ft. No. 14 RC. Wire @ $10.60/1000 ft. 10.60

600 ft. No. O Bare wire 200 lb. @ 15¢/lb. 30.00
Operating txpenses.

Lineman $1.00 for each of. 63 cases 63.00

Lineman $0.50 for each of 27 cases 43.50

Current. Flat rate of 50g¢/hr. for 73 hr. 36.50

Income.

63 Cases @ $5.00 (Private) 315.00
27 Cases © §3.10 (Colby Mine) 83.70
10 Cases G $3.00 (Hydrants:) 30.00
Scrap value of material.

220 lib. copper 6 25¢/1b. 55.00
1000 ft. No. 14 HC. wire @ $8.00 per 1000 ft. 8.00
Balance cash 324.93

 

491.70 4913.70

 

 
Conclusion.

in summarising this thesis the follewing facts
and ocharacteristice have been shown:

That the time of thawing frezen water pipes
depends: primarily upen the length ef pipe frozen. The: results:
ebtained show that the results given in the Standard
Handbook, Seetion 22 are high and that results can be
obtained in a shorter time and using less current.

The regeults given, while necessarily approximate
due to readings being taken during storms and blizzards,
are acourate enough to serve as a basis for duplication or
for the future.

in elosing it is hoped that the data and results
contoined in this thesis may be of: value to the Electrical
Engineering Department at H.A.C.