James Nobel Landis
Encyclopedia
James Nobel Landis was a noted American power engineer
and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
.
Landis was born in Champaign, Illinois
, received his B.S. in mechanical engineering
from the University of Michigan
(1922), and after graduating began employment at the Brooklyn Edison Company as a mechanical engineer. From 1929 to 1932, he administered the civil, structural, and mechanical engineering of all Brooklyn Edison generating stations, which at that time included the world's largest generating plant. In 1932 he was put in charge of all civil, structural, and mechanical design for the company, and when it combined with Metropolitan Electric Utilities to form Consolidated Edison
, he carried over these duties plus those for electrical crafting of all power installations in the combined system. Under his direction, the company converted from older direct current
and 25-cycle alternating current
to the modern American 60-cycle alternating current, and adopted high-pressure steam turbine
s.
In 1948 Landis joined the Bechtel Corporation as chief power engineer, and in 1951 when Bechtel and several utility companies created a preliminary power plant design, Landis was a key participant. In 1953 he became a vice-president of Bechtel. In 1955 construction began on a Commonwealth Edison plant with General Electric
reactor and Bechtel supplying the remainder of the installation. Landis retired from active management in 1964 but continued consulting until 1974.
Landis was active in professional societies, published a number of papers, and received honors including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
's James N. Landis Medal (1977), named in his honor, and the Franklin Institute
's Newcomen Medal (1978).
Power engineering
Power engineering, also called power systems engineering, is a subfield of engineering that deals with the generation, transmission and distribution of electric power as well as the electrical devices connected to such systems including generators, motors and transformers...
and a founding member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
.
Landis was born in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
, received his B.S. in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
(1922), and after graduating began employment at the Brooklyn Edison Company as a mechanical engineer. From 1929 to 1932, he administered the civil, structural, and mechanical engineering of all Brooklyn Edison generating stations, which at that time included the world's largest generating plant. In 1932 he was put in charge of all civil, structural, and mechanical design for the company, and when it combined with Metropolitan Electric Utilities to form Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the United States, with approximately $14 billion in annual revenues and $36 billion in assets...
, he carried over these duties plus those for electrical crafting of all power installations in the combined system. Under his direction, the company converted from older direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
and 25-cycle alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
to the modern American 60-cycle alternating current, and adopted high-pressure steam turbine
Turbine
A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...
s.
In 1948 Landis joined the Bechtel Corporation as chief power engineer, and in 1951 when Bechtel and several utility companies created a preliminary power plant design, Landis was a key participant. In 1953 he became a vice-president of Bechtel. In 1955 construction began on a Commonwealth Edison plant with General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
reactor and Bechtel supplying the remainder of the installation. Landis retired from active management in 1964 but continued consulting until 1974.
Landis was active in professional societies, published a number of papers, and received honors including the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
's James N. Landis Medal (1977), named in his honor, and the Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute
The Franklin Institute is a museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the oldest centers of science education and development in the United States, dating to 1824. The Institute also houses the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial.-History:On February 5, 1824, Samuel Vaughn Merrick and...
's Newcomen Medal (1978).