Excerpt from Principles of Mercury Arc Rectifiers and Their Circuits The study Of rectifiers divides naturally into two parts: first, the consideration Of the rectifiers themselves and, second, the study Of the circuits in which they operate. These two subjects may be almost entirely separated for discussion, and yet in practice problems Of both types continually appear together for solution. For this reason, this book consists Of two parts, each Of which is so arranged as to be independent Of the other. They may, therefore, be studied simultaneously, or either section consulted by itself, if a particular problem is to be solved. The authors have used a treatment which appears to them to be suited especially to American engineering practice. The usual condensation Of mathematical work, for the sake of having it appear in a concise form, results in the adoption Of special methods behind which the problem to be solved becomes almost totally obscured. The present writers, therefore, have not limited them selves in the amount Of space to be used, but have instead picked out such mathematical processes as best set forth, to their minds, the physical conceptions Of the problems discussed, and this usually results in the elimination of lengthy algebraic transformations. Mathematics is thus treated as a useful tool and is considered neither as the end to be attained nor as a weakness to be concealed. The first part of the book begins with a discussion Of the physics Of several simple types Of rectifiers and ends with the mercury arc rectifier. In this section, the authors have included the results Of the labors Of many workers as well as a description of their own work. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.