ELECTRONICS & POWER MAY 1985
Book Reviews
Lightning and power systems
IEE Conference Publication No. 236
1984, 209pp. £26
From man's beginning he has lived in
awe of 'God's thunderbolts', this
transpiring over the centuries into in-
trigue and subsequently the desire to
understand and control lightning and its
effects. From the introduction of elec-
trical power generation and the ever in-
creasing development of transmission
systems, disturbances due to lightning
have been a constant cause of concern
with power system engineers and the
need for increased knowledge of the in-
fluences of lightning is constantly with
us.
The IEE Conference 'Lightning and
power systems' set out to fulfil the need
for an improved understanding of lightn-
ing phenomenon. The conference
publication collates the investigations
reported by industrial and academic
concerns as well as several power supp-
ly authorities; over half of these being
from overseas organisations. The con-
tents are well edited into distinct sec-
tions covering theoretical modelling, ex-
perimental studies, lightning perfor-
mance of overall systems, insulation
co-ordination, operation aspects and the
protection devices themselves. The final
section suggests future trends for lightn-
ing protection.
The publication will be valuable for
system engineers, providing an under-
standing of the effects of lightning and
offering partial solutions to the pro-
blems. Equally served are the academic
fraternity where the publication will be a
source of information for researchers in
the field, as many papers are presented
which coyer the present 'state of the art'
in prediction of lightning effects.
The experimental studies described
are well documented and provide infor-
mation about lightning events, although
they are not sufficient to be used as a
reference.
Generally, the publication would ap-
peal to engineers and academics
already familiar with the subject of
lightning, but would not be recommend-
ed reading for individuals wishing to
enter this difficult field.
B. RICHARDSON
Handbook of microcomputer-
based instrumentation and con-
trols
J.D. Lenk
Prentice/Hall
1983, 307pp. £21 -55
The author ambitiously aims to provide a
'crash course' for five target audiences:
engineers, technicians, program-
mers/analysts, students and hobbyists.
With such a disparity in experience and
knowledge in the audience, such an aim
cannot be totally satisfied. However, as
a general introduction to the jargon and
system fundamentals, this book pro-
vides a good stepping stone to more ad-
vanced sources.
399
The text is devoid of mathematics and
is amply illustrated. It splits neatly into
two parts, the first giving a nontechnical
overview of the fundamentals of control
systems and the second concentrating
on the Hewlett Packard Multiprogram-
mer.
In the overview the reader is given a
general appreciation of the physics
behind the operation of various sensors,
actuators and valves, followed by a
guide to the microelectronics elements
of the computer. Although this provides
an excellent introduction, it could have
been improved if greater emphasis had
been placed on the pros and cons of us-
ing alternative system elements in par-
ticular 'real' situations.
The second part, which provides a
card-by-card description of the Hewlett
Packard HP6940B/HP6941B, will give
the owner of such a system a deeper ap-
preciation of the principles involved.
However, if the reader does not have ac-
cess to this system, much of the 130
pages devoted to this section of the
book will be of little use.
Generally, the book is well presented
and easy to read. There are a few omis-
sions, the most notable, perhaps, being
the complete omission of stepper motor
fundamentals. These devices crop up
frequently in practical control systems
and, indeed, their application features in
the second part of the book.
M.S. DRAPER
Power capacitor handbook
T. Longland, T.W. Hunt and
A. Brecknell, C.A. Worth (Ed.)
Butterworths
1984, 308pp. £30
It is difficult for authors to decide on a
starting level for any technical book, but
here the contents start from very basic
principles and progress in a logical se-
quence which enables the reader to
choose his own point of entry.
The first chapter called 'Fundamental
principles and application of capacitors'
covers theory which is included primari-
ly for the student.
In the second chapter theory is
translated into practice and after a
history of capacitor development there
are descriptions of the various types of
capacitor and how they are constructed
and tested. With advances in capacitor
design and technology taking place to-
day, which were boosted by the arrival
of the 'all-film' capacitor and the need to
find replacements for PCB impregnant,
this chapter is not, and cannot hope to
be, right up to date. In future editions we
shall see this chapter continually expan-
ding.
The remainder of the book covers all
matters of concern to the user and in-
cludes useful guidance on location and
installation, the choice of control gear
and protection and how to deal with har-
monics.
There are two chapters devoted to
power factor correction and these con-
tain worked examples which enable a
prospective user to calculate the
capacitance required and savings to be
made when contemplating a load-power-
factor improvement. A chapter on the
application of power capacitors to high-
voltage transmission and distribution cir-
cuits is of particular interest to supply
engineers and others designing high-
voltage systems. There are descriptions
of shunt capacitors and the rarer series
capacitors as well as sections on
variable compensators and a reference
to direct-current transmission schemes.
All aspects of capacitors are so
thoroughly covered in this book that it
will make a worthy partner to the two
long-established reference books on
electrical plant produced under the
same general editorship.
R.G. EADES
Radar system design and analysis
S.A. Hovanessian
Adtech Book Co.
1984, 400pp. £50
In his preface, the author states that this
volume is a revised and updated version
of his previous text entitled 'Radar
detection and tracking systems', pub-
lished in 1973, to which has been added
material on medium PRF, millimetre-
wave, and laser radar together with
electronic countermeasure calculations.
He also states that the present book is
intended for use both by students and by
practising engineers.
The first seven of the books' 14
chapters are devoted to the derivation of
basic radar performance equations
which are set out with clarity. A set of
questions is included at the end of each
chapter, the answers being given at the
end of the book.
Chapters 8-11 cover the application of
radar techniques to synthetic array
radars, pulse compression, digital pro-
cessing of radar data, track while scan,
planar array antennas, including elec-
tronic scanning, and concludes with
sections on millimetre and laser radar.
the concluding chapters review radar
applications including navigation, terrain
avoidance, altimetry, weather, in-
strumentation and over-the-horizon
radars. Also included are references to
radar beacons and to radar astronomy,
while the last chapter is concerned with
electronic countermeasures and with
the performance of radars in an ECM en-
vironment.
Each chapter ends with useful
references for further reading. The book
will be specially valuable as a tutorial
text, the worked examples being par-
ticularly useful. Of particular interest is
the inclusion of a plot of civil aircraft at
long range over the Atlantic as detected
by OTH radars.
On balance, the book is probably bias-
ed more towards the academic and con-
ceptual than as a source of information
on current radar equipment practice.
Nevertheless, the practising engineer
will find it useful as a starting point for
further reading in specialist topics.
R.M.TRIM