The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-13
ALL ABOUT GAS. /
HOW IT IS MADE AND Distributed.
ITS 1ARLY HISToRY.
STATISTICS OF GAS COMPANIES.
-~>~~~~~~->~~~~>~-I~~
COAL GAS VERSUS PETROLEUM GAS.
Economy and Superior Brilliancy
Of the Latter.
-. &e. &s.
STATISTICS OF GAS COMPANIE'
COAL GAS VERSUS PETROLEUM GAS.

There is perhaps less knowledge upon this subject
among the great Of people that gas than upon
any branch Of the useful arts consequently but few
really aware Of the art Of making gas how gradual
has been It's progress into society s not purpose
70 refer 10 Ne opposition had 10 encounter hut
mark It's progross. especially in our own country
Tho machinery for It's manufacture used In our
largest works. bear about tho comparison that
constructed for Mr. Murdock who the first prac
tioay apply gas 70 the purposes Of illumination,
steam engine made In Futon's time compares with
buih at the present day
All animal and vegetable substances when subjected
70 heat viii yield ariform fluid that may be con-
verted into illuminating gas. Chemical experiments
have shown that gas be made from water by sepa-
rating the hydrogen but without any practical results
The only article extensively used for the production Of
gas is buminous COAL although rosn and petroleum oil
make beautiful gas; the former having been used
extent while the latter In just being introduced
great difference exists in the quality Of Goals
sry TO produce economically good gas The soft
fatty caking coa contain larger per centage Of VIOLA
tile matter and less coke than the spint and camel
while the latter possesses richer lighting matter An
other kind, tho Newcastle and of the better de-
scrptions Of Western, to combine the best quail
ties for gas stock. The difference in weight and bulk
between ton Of coal and It's equivalent In petroleum
important item 70 gas works that remote from
coal feldsthus: 400 pounds Of petroleum about sixty
galons) will make many cubic feet Of gas 24O
pounds Of the best coal.
Owing 10 impurities In gas such sulphur and
ammonia great care is required In tho selection and
mixture of Goals for the retorts The average
suits Of the English gas works show that the yield Of
gas per ton Of 220 pounds Of various kinds Of coal
mixed to DO from 500 10 800 cubic feet although
perments with Of the better descriptions of coal
n vial hiuh A ~uhtc fat II In
bable that companies, using several varieties OF
American, Nova Scotia and English Goals, the latter
transported long distances at high cost,
fastidious the English companies, consequently
better average the production Of gas need DO
expected other than tho improvements introduced Of
late years for oarbonzing IT, By this means
panies like the Jersey CITY, enabled full
twenty per cent gas from ton Of the coal
than others From careful estimate find the
yield at tho works In most OF large cities
be eight thousand eight hundred cubic gas
the ton q, 240 pounds) OF coal
now GAS IL MADE.
After the coal ~ broken up 10 a uniform size mixed
and dried It Is ready for the retortA These
usually OF clay, but formerly made OF iron,
shaped hike the letter D. and from sixteen
long and twelve 10 twenty inches wide In large works
number will vary from two hundred to thousand
each retort house and set In line the csntre Of
the house. back TO back. the framework and divisions
extending from end the other. Tho " ovens"
Of brick constructed above and divided
OF into "benches" each bench division accommo-
dating from Ave to fifteen re,orts which b. set in
and drawn out at pleasure Tho charging or hllng
these rctorts has TO be done rapidly and skully by
shifts Of men on duty eight hours each dnrng the
twenty four peculiar shovel scoop, holding from
100 ITO pounds of coal used that when the end
OF the retor NJ opened and the coke drawn out they
may b. into the retort aud emptci and tho door
tightly closed up, occupying for the bench from to 10
minutes. according TO the number IL has large gas
works will employ many ~ 1000 retorts In the
shortest days. and from To hundred each
Of the retort houses.
Tho volatile matter being extracted from the coal In
passed up from the through tubes pipes called
pipes into the hydraulic main generally Of tuba
lar form, running the whole length Of the reort house
and varying from ten to twenty inches In diameter
The hydraulic main IL made In sections OF
wrought iron and joined together the nanges with
bolts and nuts and made tight by cement, and par.
TALLY ncd with water through which the gas passes
receiving IL nnt washing. That which remains the
rctor the form Of oarbon called coke and highly
esteemed ~ article Of fuel In It's transformation
from coal To coke the bulk IL increased and weight d
msnished. for instance, the average weight Of one
bushe Of coal sxiy two pounds; after Authorization
It's bulk will be and half bushels, while the
weight Of tina coke viii be than thirty or
forty pouada The coke all companies constitutes
% tho Frcss attractions coal has fer the manufacture
Of Illuminating sas, and II may be sad IL the great Oh
starIs petroleum has contend m ~ cor,s TO
supplant coal. u not only supplies them with fuel for
heating Their retors but the surplus . Of IN.
to largo companies, -four city companies selling
many three and half million Of bushels Of
. single year.
We here suppose that tho eas ~ made and saved. But
Il by nt TO be used In r present condition
Having yet To BE- cleanscd from tar and ammonia,
led OF through pipes into the wash vessel which
iron tank connecting with the hydraulic main and
denser. and completely surrounded with water thai r.
In W. passage through the wash vessel II constantly
brought In contact with water until Il reaches the
dcpser This apparatus consists OF series Of upright
pipes connected with each other the top and bottom
by semcirc uar pipes, admitting tho gas now freely
through them To the cooling effect In thswAy
the ammonia is dsensagcd from the gas and having an
annity for water, the process is by dIfeu
producing What Is called smmonlaoai liquor Zach
thousand cubic feet of gas washed produces about gal
Ion Of this material, which, with the TAR, finds market
at the chemical and fertlirng factories.
The at this stage IL only washed and eesnsed The
next process is 10 psss through the purifiers prno
pslly for the purpose Of removing tho sulphur s
MANNING init rho puriners iron Dor tank,
tanning several tiers ofsys with bottoms separated
from each other by projection on the inside Of the
tank In each 81 these trays ~ spread posderrd line
slightly dampcned The introduced at the bottom
Of the tank, and u forced upward through tbs lime
Witch seixes the particles of sulphur and turning oa
the a. pure ~ the application Of chemistry 70 the
useful arts has boon able 10 do H. The purfoson o.
In large cities constitutes Of the chief otections
the location OF works Ia dense population IL IA from
this that the Offensive odors proceeding from coal
gas works arr and the absence of these oorr pctro
eum ras work nov claiming the attsuon % the pub
I've . sanitary point of view The rcfase llrse 10 sleo
sold 10 manufacturers of fertilizers and reduces the
Of purfcson since % per Of the lime used
Thea purposs can be re~oId Ous Guy companies se
from 500 600 to 600 900 busbels In a year
The In iU component parts after undergoing pun
nossiop, according " IRE, 10 - foslows;-
S,parub. <saivss
Hyaro easbon vnporp. ............. 6pl IW
Light cafbarssted hydrogen ......... liB pH
nysrrfen ...........s.............. 1917 re
Caro0nc onIde ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. to@ elN