Power System, lightly loaded

The steam-power systems in Trevithick s youth were massive hut lightly loaded low-pressure engines. This technology was controlled by Boulton Watt, whose business acumen had extended patents far beyond their normal expiration dates. The royalties typically took one-third of the savings in fuel over the Newcomen atmospheric engine. Another necessary evil was the expense of fuel, as coal was not locally mined. Cornish engineers worked incessantly to design and invent their way past these limitations. 

The latter batteries are used for such different applications as in consumer elee-tronics, in vehicles for starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) and for traction, as emergency power supplies, in load-leveling systems of electric power stations to supply peak demand, and as systems to couple with alternative energy sources. 

The power supply provides the energy needed to move the different parts of the manipulator. It is of great relevance as it determines the robot s speed, precision and resolution. Not only the type of power source used, but also its location In the system is important. Hydraulic sources are essential when dealing with heavy objects, whereas pneumatic systems are employed when quick movements are required. Robots used in laboratory applications are usually driven by electric energy. An electric servo motor or stepping motor is usually employed depending on whether moderate or light loads are to be handled. 

Other power-accumulator systems, each supplying power to a number of different loads, are strategically located in the substation control house, the steam plant, and the basement of the Reactor Building wing., The first two of these systems are primarily to provide continuous power for control of electrical circuits and emergency lighting. The third system primarily serves the power system for control and instrumentation of the reactor. 

The most common gas used for pneumatic power is air. Air does take up space, and it can be compressed. Because of the compression quality of air, however, pneumatics cannot be used for heavy loads. Pneumatics is well suited for operations that require a quick response and a low level of precision and have a light load. Pneumatics is also excellent for transferring a signal. Remember, that is how the fail-safe train brake system works. 

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