The Portland daily press., 1871-12-23
The Blanchard Roller.


Any one who peruses the advertisement of
the Blanchard Maine State Boiler Co. printed
on the fourth page of to-day PRESS, will observe
that the managers claim for this new principle
an economy OF, fuel and an increase of dry steam
| power by the evaporation of a given quantity
| of water, greater than has ever been obtained
| by any previous invention. Steam boilers have
long been fayorite subject of study by engi-
neers and scientific men, and it has been
thought that perfection had been reached but
so far as we have observed the practical opera
ton OF other inventions, we are of the opin-
ion that the boiler above-named exec eds any
former one in the essential qualifications
claimed for it. On Tuesday one of these boilers
was tested at the Portland Companys works,
In the presence of a considerable number of
practical gentlemen, and the result was most
happy The boiler is of about the size of
first-class locomotive boiler and in no external
appearance differs from one of them. 1t was
put up in a temporary shed close by the boiler
house of the company s works. The interior con-
struction is pretty well represented by the en-
craving and the accompanying description in
the advertisement. Two horizontal diaphragms
divide the boiler into three compartments, and
tubes relatively three, two and half and two
inches in diameter, are used in the interior, as
in the ordinary tubular boiler. The water
enters the boiler in its cold state through
valve in the bottom and gradually passes up,
increasing III temperature as it goes through
the diaphragms to the surface; thus it will be
seen that no cold water comes in contact with
any intensely heated iron surface.
The location of the Blanchard boiler close by
the boilers of the Portland Company afforded
good opportunity for comparative test. The
latter are two return-f1ue boilers of the very
best construction, and are calculated to supply
10O-horse engine which drives the machinery
of the shops. The heating surface of these
boilers is 1852 square feet of the Blanchard
boiler 1874 square feet, and the rated power 55
horse The temperature in an ordinary fire
box at the opening of the tubes is calculated by
engineers to be 1900 degs. and it was found that
when fire was driven through the common
return-lue boilers a loss of $50 degrees of heat
is sustained; or waste of 81 IL per cent
Every observant person can form some idea of
the waste of heat in the ordinary steam boilers
by watching the heat ascend from the top of a
high chimney or smoke-stack. The percentage
of lost heat by the Blanchard process is reduc-
ed to merely nominal amount, as was proved
Tuesday, for while the fire was of the most Wig
orous description, intensified by the powerful
blower, one easily held the hand over the top of
the smoke-stack, lineal distance of 81 feet
from the fire-box
Another great point in favor of the Blanch-
ard boiler is that no sparks whatever are emit
ted. Combustion is as near perfection as DOS
sible for it to be. This will commend it to the
managers of railroads and mill-owners whose
works are in dangerous proximity to wooden
buildings or other inhammable Materials
With a hot fire Of dry hemlock, the blow
er applied and the firemen stirring up the
cracking wood, the hand held over the top of
the stack was covered with finely-powdered
SCOT, and the fresh clean snow on the roof of
the shed contained no particle of burned debris
larger than the head of pin. This test was
regarded by the gentleman who witnessed it as
conclusive
Ahother advantage is the comparative cheap-
ness OF the blanchard boiler for LARGE factor;as
over any now used in that tall cbimnevs re-
garded as necessary to procure uniform draft
under all atmospheric changes. is disnensod
with.
The increased power to be obtained by this
principle over an ordinary boiler of the same
dimensions is the browning triumph of the in
ventor. The boiler we are speaking of had
been tested by hydraulic pressure to $50 lbs,
and was rated by the common standards at 3D.
horse. After the tests we have described were
connection was made with the
engine of the Portland Company's works. Cum
berand Coal was used, and the whole machin-
cry of the company-a large establishment en-
poying 400 men-was driven handsomely at a
pressure of so pounds with reserve of power.
The boiler is the invention of Mr. N. L.
v of New York, and the patent is held
which SSotbh ap located in this city, and with
- D'0"n y Co.. are the general agents. w.