The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-18
SCIENTISTS ON sUPERHEATED STEAM.


Meeting OF the Polytechnic Branch OF
tho American Instftute-The Combus-
ton OF Buildings Discussed ON Both
sides-Thc sponta ncous Ignition OF
Wood-The lima m mable Gases Created
by Banking Fires and Shutting Flues-
Where 10 the Fire Fiends
Hall No. "a in the Cooper Institute was partly
nlled last evening by the members OF the Polytech
mic Branch Oi the American Institute The subject
under consideration was the now very intricate one
OF "superheated steam," which was discussed from
the platform by Professor p. H. Van Der Weyde
and Mr. Norman Wizard, with illustrative expert
ments.
COMBUsTIBLE GASES IN FURNACES.
Professor Van Der weyde opened his lecture by
saying that the condition OF the question was at
the present time the same as 1t had been when 1t
was first introduced to the public. The theory OF
superb sated steam had not been satisfactorily
proven by any one, while its opposite was
80 firmly founded on truisms that 1t really needed
very little argument in its support. He referred
briefly to the period when gas was first used to
illuminate cities, and the great noise which was
then made by alarmists in regard to the
dangers by which 1t was attended. Now
all those futile tears were obsolete and
accounted silly It was so with steam as a means
of radiatng heat through buildings. There was
stood it would be found to be safer than
any other medium. He depored the fact
cs TO- ascPne every we're s Which
to the heat of steam ITSELF The number OF build
ings has become immensely great throughout
which the desirable temperature for comfort or
other purposes s spread by means OF coils VI pipes,
which found on every moor in close contact with
wSSd See p
He gran ted that the wood might be set on fire II
the pipes became charged sufficiently with dry
hao IN nf tam rQt lrn Q1loVa
that of ordinary combustion. But superheated
steam, when. there were no attachments to the
flames rat at a " distance from the furnace
the n sns s%a1g there S
several points overlooked BY Mr. Ward, viz
That the banking Of fires or the shutting of fues
burned hydro-carbonic gases and carbonc oxide
which may I'LL the boiler room, take fire and so
ignite the WOODWORK: .s
The Professor here attached q rubber tube to the
chandelier, and then to drop light, which he
mace is closed for a time and then suddsnly opened
there Is seen within a blue lame, different
from the ordinary yellow dame %s caased by he
Illustrated with the drop light by closing and
opening the draught under the glass chimney
air was shut of the gas (carbonic oxidel
was formed, and mounting rapidly upward
caused higher and distinct flame at the
a furnace the damper was In the nue
and was supposed to be closed. The gas then
might pour out of the open door and take fire: or
II the door closed, the fire banked and the
damper open 1t might burn at great distance
from the furnace In a nue.
THE OTHER SIDE.
Professor Van Der Weyde here closed his adj
dress, and Mr.. Wizard then took the floor In sup
port OF his theory. He said nothing however, diff
ferent from what has already been published in
the HERALD or from those who think as NJ does,
except that he cited numerous Incidents from the
q n
supposed to have been caused by superheated
steam. One OF these had occurred on Sound
steamer, when the felting on the cylinder, thirty
ieet away from the boiler, burst into flames six
times during one night.
EXAMPLES FROM EXPERIENCE.
Ap0Oriy dressed man, apparently fireman in
some foundry, interrupted the speaker to relate an
instance in his remembrance where the roof OF q
wooden shed In Williamsburg was ignited by a
steam pipe In contact with 1t.
Fire Marshal McSpedon, who sat in q 'front.' posi-
tOn said that since the discussion OF superheated
theory had come In very aprOpOs manner under
his notice. In the Harlem Gas Works the roof had
been set on fire by the cOntiguty Of the steam
whistle with the weOd.
Mr.. HEWITT, young engineer, said that he
''ran'' boiler up town and had kept matches in
close contact with the steam tubes connected with
for days together for the sake OF experiment, and
they had not yet been consumed.
SPONTANEOUS IGNITION OF WOODS.
Mr.. OSBORN another young engineer, related in
cdents OF the spontaneous combustion OF wood
after having been charred at less than 100 degrees
OF heat, and when removed from the vicinity or the
fire.
the CHAIRMAN stated that this was a subject
which needed most OF all to be investigated at the
present time-the points of temperature at which
various kinds OF wood would ignite.
After considerable further discussion OF points
not bearing directly on the subject under debate
the meeting adjourned.