经济学人103:技术季刊 高耸的美丽

 　　Technology Quarterly

　　技术季刊

　　Towering Beauty

　　高耸的美丽

　　A new way of transmitting electricity may soon be coming to a field near you

　　输电新法可能很快推出

　　A PYLON¹ is supposed to be a beautiful thing. In ancient Egypt, pairs of tapering² stone towers called pylons³ marked the entrances of temples. Christian⁴ architects borrowed the idea for the twin towers above the fa?ades of many Gothic cathedrals.

　　高塔应属美之物，在古埃及，成对下粗上细的塔门标出庙宇的入口，基督教建筑师也借用哥特教堂前面竖上双塔的想法。

　　Whoever thought of appropriating the word for the ugly metal-lattice structures that carry high-tension power lines over the countryside was therefore guilty of both a public-relations triumph and an act of etymological⁵ vandalism.

　　但谁能想到一个确切的词，来描述乡村上面那些传送高压电的丑陋高架建筑，它们总是纠结于公共关系的胜利和原始环境的破坏。

　　The latter, however, may soon be redeemed⁶. The latest generation of electricity pylons are, in the eyes of some, at least, things of beauty in their own right.

　　不过，补救之法很快推出，看来，最新一代的电塔至少也能算得上个尤物吧。

　　The pylons in question have been designed by engineers at TenneT, the firm that runs the Netherlands' national electricity grid⁷, in collaboration⁸ with KEMA, a Dutch research company. Instead of a single lattice tower, the cables are supported by two elegant steel poles up to 65 metres high.

　　谈论的电塔由Tennel T的工程师设计，该公司同荷兰一家研究公司KEMA合作运营荷兰国家电网，两根细长的钢柱撑着电碳，高65米，没有杆，也不是一根架子塔。

　　There are no arms. The six cables that pass from one pylon to another are each borne by two insulators⁹ attached to the poles.

　　两个高塔之间通着6根电缆，每根有两个附在高塔上的绝缘体。

　　The resulting arrangement, though hardly invisible, is reasonably elegant.

　　这样安排几乎看不到什么，相对体面些。

　　As much to the point, though, it has technological¹⁰ advantages. Though no harm has been proven from them, conventional pylon cables, which transmit a three-phase alternating current, generate a strong electric field and a continuous buzz of low-frequency radio waves which some people who live near them fear might be detrimental¹¹ to their health.

　　怎么说，这种电塔也具有技术上的优势，传统电塔传输三段交流电，会产生强烈的磁场和低频电波连续不断的嗡嗡声，附近居民担心这可能会对身体不好，而新式电塔倒还没有这种事儿。

　　TenneT's pylons should help allay¹² that fear.

　　TenneT的电塔应会减轻他们的疑虑。

　　Carrying all the cables in a "stack" between the poles, rather than hanging them separately on outward-facing arms, allows them to be arranged in a way that causes the individual fields generated by each cable to cancel each other, weakening the overall field around the pylons.

　　电塔之间的电缆都在一块，而不是在向外伸出的杆上分开挂着，每根电缆产生单独磁场，相互干扰，降低了电塔周围的总磁场。

　　The result is far less low-frequency radiation. The combination of being less of an eyesore and producing less electrical smog should, TenneT hopes, soften¹³ objections to the construction of new overhead power lines.

　　新式电塔大大减少低频辐射。TenneT希望不碍眼和低辐射能减少人们对修建新电塔的异议。

　　That is important for two reasons. One, the alternative—burying high-tension lines—is expensive and largely futile¹⁴. The cost of putting a cable underground is between four and ten times as much as that of carrying it on a pylon.

　　主要因为两点，首先，掩埋高压线这一替换既贵又不实用。把电缆埋在地底的花费是架电塔的四到十倍。

　　On top of that, the field generated by an alternating current interacts with the ground more strongly than it does with the air. This creates losses 40 times higher in a buried cable than in an aerial one.

　　除此之外，在地下交流电相互影响产生的磁场比在空中强烈很多。地底铺线比高空架线成本高了40倍。

　　Unless the long-distance-transmission system were converted to direct current (which reduces transmission losses, but brings problems of its own), burial of transmission lines is not a serious option.

　　除非长距输电系统转换成直流电（降低传送损耗，但也有其他问题），地下输电才不至于是个笑话。

　　The second reason TenneT's pylons may be important is that despite these problems a lot of new long-distance-transmission lines are going to have to be constructed, soon. Wind power from the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean will require that.

　　其次，不管这些，TenneT的电塔很重要是因为很快要修建不少新的长距输电线路，北海和大西洋的风力将会需要。

　　So, more speculatively¹⁵, will the idea of generating solar power in north Africa and transmitting it to Europe.

　　所以理论上北非太阳能发的电传输到欧洲的想法越来越有可能。

　　In the Netherlands alone, TenneT says, more than 400km of new lines are needed.

　　TenneT表示，单是荷兰就需要400多千米的新电缆。

　　In Germany, the state-owned energy agency, DENA, reckons that figure is more than 3,500km.

　　德国国家能源部DENA估计得需3,500多千米。

　　At the most recent meeting of the European Council, on February 4th, the leaders of the European Union's member states acknowledged that Europe needs a completely new power grid, a project they reckon will cost about

1 pylon   

n.高压电线架，桥塔

参考例句：

• A lineman is trying to repair the damaged pylon.线务员正试图修理被损坏的电缆塔。
• Erection of the pylon required a crane of 1000 ton capacity.塔架安装需用起重量达1000吨的吊机。

2 tapering   

adj.尖端细的

参考例句：

• Interest in the scandal seems to be tapering off. 人们对那件丑闻的兴趣似乎越来越小了。
• Nonproductive expenditures keep tapering down. 非生产性开支一直在下降。

3 pylons   

n.（架高压输电线的）电缆塔( pylon的名词复数 )；挂架

参考例句：

• A-form pylons are designed to withstand earthquake forces. A型框架式塔架设计中考虑塔架能够经受地震力的作用。 来自辞典例句
• Who designed the arch bridge with granite-faced pylons at either end? 谁设计在拱桥两端镶有花岗岩的塔门？ 来自互联网

4 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

5 etymological   

adj.语源的，根据语源学的

参考例句：

• The etymological closeness of the Sanskrit and English words is striking. 梵语和英语的词源的连结性是如此地惊人。 来自互联网
• But the Chinese have often ignored this etymological hint. 但中国人经常忽略这一词根上隐含的意义。 来自互联网

6 redeemed   

adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She has redeemed her pawned jewellery. 她赎回了当掉的珠宝。
• He redeemed his watch from the pawnbroker's. 他从当铺赎回手表。

7 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

8 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

9 insulators   

绝缘、隔热或隔音等的物质或装置( insulator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There is no sharp line separating conductors from insulators. 实际上并没有一个明显的界限将半导体和绝缘体分开。
• To reduce heat losses the pipes are covered by thermal insulators. 为了减少热散失，管子外包保温层。

10 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

11 detrimental   

adj.损害的，造成伤害的

参考例句：

• We know that heat treatment is detrimental to milk.我们知道加热对牛奶是不利的。
• He wouldn't accept that smoking was detrimental to health.他不相信吸烟有害健康。

12 allay   

v.消除，减轻(恐惧、怀疑等)

参考例句：

• The police tried to allay her fears but failed.警察力图减轻她的恐惧，但是没有收到什么效果。
• They are trying to allay public fears about the spread of the disease.他们正竭力减轻公众对这种疾病传播的恐惧。

13 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

14 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

15 speculatively   

adv.思考地，思索地；投机地

参考例句：

• He looked at her speculatively. 他若有所思的看着她。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She eyed It'speculatively as a cruel smile appeared on her black lips. 她若有所思地审视它，黑色的嘴角浮起一丝残酷的微笑。 来自互联网