Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah

Lebanese electrical engineering pioneer with 52 US patents that shaped modern power systems

Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah (1895-1935) developed foundational technologies for electric power transmission and television systems during his brief but prolific career at General Electric. His 1930 patent US1906980A for "Electric Rectifying Apparatus" laid groundwork for modern HVDC power networks.

Born in Nabatieh, Lebanon, Al-Sabbah revolutionized capacitor design through his multilayer dielectric solutions that enabled compact electrical components. His 52 patents spanned:

• Solar energy conversion (1928)
• Television cathode ray tubes (1934)
• High-voltage rectifiers (1932)

Tragically killed in a car crash at 40, his unpublished notes suggested prototypes for color television and solar-powered desalination. MIT maintains a special collection of his experimental devices.