29/10/2018 15:37

Nynas supplies the future and helps preserve the past

By donating drums of high-grade transformer oil NYTRO® GEMINI X to the Brisbane Tramway Museum, Nynas is helping its staff of dedicated volunteers to showcase a piece of local history.

In 1968 when Brisbane City Council announced plans to discontinue its tramway service, it was decided that the tramcars and trolleybuses – along with sections of infrastructure and equipment for their operation – should be carefully maintained and made accessible in a museum for visitors to learn about and enjoy.

A recent visitor was Philippe Reboul, General Manager of Nynas Australia, and one of the artefacts on display caught his attention immediately.

“It was amazing to see a Mercury Arc Rectifier in action,’’ explains Philippe.

Powering six tramcars at the museum which are still active today, the glass bulb Mercury Arc Rectifier units located in the substation are irreplaceable pieces of equipment which continue to captivate visitors with their unusual, octopus-like appearance. Manufactured in England in the late 1930s, the units provide a fascinating window into how we powered our past.

The museum plans to fully restore the glass bulb rectifiers on site to new condition this year, and Philippe saw a chance for Nynas to assist.

NYTRO® GEMINI X is a premium quality insulating oil developed for use in electrical equipment such as power rectifiers. While the glass bulb units are being restored, a specially designed diode rectifier located in a new substation will take over the power supply to the museum. The oil provided by Nynas will be utilised in the 11,000 volt circuit breakers.

By donating drums of NYTRO® GEMINI X for use in the project, Philippe hopes to support the museum as it looks to the future and moves into a new phase of development.

“The work carried out by Technical Officer John Lambert and the other volunteers at the museum is extraordinary, and it holds such a special place within the community,’’ he says.

“The museum maintains an important link to Brisbane’s history, bringing to life the way things were before, and it’s a pleasure for Nynas to be able to contribute.’’

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Nynas supplies the future and helps preserve the past

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