John W. Batchelor
- Birthplace
- Winchester, IN, USA
- Associated organizations
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation
- Fields of study
- Power
- Awards
- IEEE Nikola Tesla Award
Biography
John W. Batchelor was born in Winchester, Indiana, attended Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, received an AB degree in Physics and Mathematics from Butler University, and received a BSEE from Purdue University. He joined Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1937. After completing the Graduate Student Course, he joined Turbine Generator Engineering and advanced to Manager of Turbine Generator Engineering in 1956. In 1974, he was appointed Assistant Manager of the Large Generator Department.
Mr. Batchelor directed the practical application of such important innovations to the power generation industry as hydrogen inner-cooling of stators and rotors, Thermalastic insulations systems and brushless excitation systems. During Mr. Batchelor's association with turbine generator design, the unit rating of 3600-rpm generators increased by a factor of 20 while the active volume per kilovolt ampere was reduced by a factor of five.
Mr. Batchelor was awarded the Westinghouse Order of Merit for outstanding contributions to his company. He was chosen Mr. Westinghouse International for his role in assisting Licensees and Associates overseas. He has functioned effectively as a principal generator spokesman for both Westinghouse and the United States to national and international societies. He was a charter member of the IEEE working group established to develop standards for conductor-cooled generators, which later became the base for the American National Standards Institute [ANSI] C50.1 standards. Since he was active in the Conference Internationale des Grands Reseaux Eletriques a Haute Tension (CIGRE), his contributions in the field of standards development have been international in scope.
John Batchelor was married to the former Agnes Walsh of Pittsburgh. They had two sons and three grandchildren. Since John retired in July, 1978, he has been completing a backlog of household repairs and developing his long delayed photography hobby. He was active in church affairs, and taught an adult Sunday School Class and is an avid reader of non-fiction.
