Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-04-09


From the North American and United States Gazette
Steam Boiler Explosions and EIec-
tricity.
Mr.. EDIToR:-The sad accident which has
taken place within the last forty-eight hours,
and which has caused loss oflfe and destruc-
ton of property, has induced me to address
you description of a new discovery. the OBJ
ject of which is to prove that such frightful
results can be avoided in the use of steam
boilers.
Several years ago, Richard L. LLOYD of
oar city, Instituted a series of experiments
with small iron and copper vessels. of differ
shapes, and with small steam boilers. He
concluded. from these experiments, that the
decomposition of water or steam caused the
formation of a certain explosible gas within
the boiler. Acting upon this belief, he tried
to discover the cause of ignition of this gas,
and thinking is might be electricity, he said,
" If electricity is contained within the boiler,
and in the real cause of explosions, if can
deprive the interior of the boiler of it. re-
moving the cause, destroy the effect" Still
doubling, however, be introduced through the
top of the boiler an insulated metallic rod.
partly filled the boiler with water evapOrated
it all under heavy pressure, and continued
the fire till the surface exposed TO the flames
cient cold water to cover the fire surface Of
the boiler! No explosion took place. Elated
with his success, he went to Washington, but
having no satisfactory theory to back his ex-
periments and results. be was lau ghed at; and
unable to find that assistance and support
which his great discovery and its successful
application merited, impoverished in means
and sick at heart, he took to his bed aud died.
LlOyd's family endeavOrcd to find some
on tn ha m hnt tla
danger attending the experiments deferred
every one, till Mr.. George +. Parry, of this
city, took il in hand and determined to see
for himself what value there was in il. Mr..
Parry has given his attention to this matter
for more than four years; he has tried ex-
periments with small iron vessels and steam
boilers of different sizes, with the same results
as attended the experiments of Mr.. Lloyd.
AS he progressed, Mr.. Parry increased the
size of his boilers, till he has made his last
experiments with a boiler twelve feet long
and two feet in diameter. He found that the
interior of all iron vessels in which water is
boiled, become coated or lined with sub
stance which, after chemical analysis, proved
to be nonconductOr of electricity. This
same coating is found in all boilers which
have been used. 1t is a well known fact that
water in ebulition generates electricity freely;
hence it became evident TO Mr.. Parry that if
the interior was lined with nonconducting
coating or substance, the boiler was like IA
huge Leyden jar filled with electricity, ready
at any moment to burst forth. He applied
an Insulation metallic rod through the top
of the boiler, making said rod of a perfect
electro conducting substance, for the purpose
of collecting the electricity as far as formed,
and, drawingit from the inside discharging it
into the air, or along a wire connecting with
the earth or water.
AttersnumerOus experiments with different
vessels, and different sized metallic boilers, in
order to be certain of his theory with its
practical value, Mr.. Parry procured boiler
which had been in use for several years, aud
which 1t was not thought prudent to trust
with pressure OF more than SiIty pounds at
the most. This boiler was twelve feet long
and two feet in diameter. He worked il up
to the usual way, adjusted his apparatus in il,
weighed the valve at sizty-eigM pounds. and
with sufficient water TO cover the fire surface
of the boiler, started his furnace. He boiled
all the water out under the pressure marked
by the valve; continued the fire until the
bottom of the boiler became red hot in its
whole length. Not satisfied with his own
Judgment as to the latter fact be called five
men 1.-TWO of whom were blacksmiths) 10 ex-
anime it. They all pronounced it red hot; the
fire was increased for twenty minutes more,
and thus, by the decomposition of the water
been generated. The boiler in this condition,
by all admitted rules of steam, was now
ready for for an explosion on the admission
of cold water. Notwithstanding this Mr..
Parry pumped into this red hot boiler thirty
gallons of cold water No explosion took
place, and the only injury was that, when the
boiler cooled, it leaked at the rivets, from
the great expansion and contraction il had
been subjected to- The five men above men
Itxrit, he h. Il
sworn. / have, since the start, followed Mr..
Parry in his experiments, and know that what
is stated here is fact. | have given this
experiment only because the description of
many others would take up too much Of your
valuable space, and being with large-sized
boiler, it will prove more satisfactory TO your
readers.
Satisfied with his experiments, Mr. Parry
has tried to discover from whence came the
spark which ignited the gas He has arrived
at no definite conclusion, and therefore, as
serts no positive theory-he supposes that the
inside non-conducting coating or lining may
have assure or hole in il. and through this
the positive electricity inside of the boiler.
seeking the negative outside. aud coming in
contact, creates this spark or flame. but this
is only superstition, and he offers IL for what
il is worth In all the experiments made by
Mr.. Parry with boilers under different pressure
of pressure arising from the presence of gen.
Grated gas He Is, therefore. inclined 10 think
that this gas does not mix with the steam, but
forms into a vaporous cloud, suspended with
in tue boiler. Like a summer thunder cloud
ia the atmosphre, waiting for a suitable time
TO discharge itself, with more or less violence,
according TO the negative condition which
may offer.
The popular opinion has been that steam
boiler explosions are caused by sudden
generation and undue pressure of steam, bat
cases have occurred where a boiler carrying
100 pounds steam has exploded. this same
boiler having often times befssre resisted q
pressure Of $50 pounds and more. Some per-
sons think that the agent Of destruction Is
another and greater power, caused by the
pressure OF steam in the boiler. or separate
and independent OF steam entirely. Bat one
rule has been considered safe, and that il to
keep high water in the boileT-bence the many
contrivances 10 ascertain the stage of water.
The insulated metallic rod within the boiler.
Mr.. Parry thinks, maintains electrical
equilibrium between the inside and the out
side and is reliable al all times. Moreover,
II win remain perfect, as no deposit can col
lect on an electrical surface. H. ID. b.