The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1879-04-30
MISCELLANY.
ECONOMY IN GAS BURNING.

true. economy III StS ~DufuliiR ishPiS0 LAY
use Of burners capable of developing as near
ly as possible the full illuminating power of
the gas consumed. Judged by this standard,
it is safe to say that the great majority OF
those who think they are most economical in
the use of gas are really the most wastefnl.--
In the majority of New York houses tho
burners used are old and small When new
such burners were not capable of developing
half the actual illuminating power of the gas
that passed through them, and, worn and
rusted as they are in the average house, 1t is a
question whether 1t would not be an over
statement to say they get one-third as much
light from the gas they burn as proper bum
ers would give. In other words, multitudes
who are constantly complaining of tue mag
nitude of their gas bills arc simply wasting
twice as much gas as would suffice to light
their apartments. Property burned, the gas
they pay for would give them three times the
light they nov have !; or the same amount of
light could easily be got from one-third the
quantity of gas that passes through their
burners. When the burners are inclosed in
old-fashioned globes with narrow openings at
the bottom, the illumination Is still more re-
duced.
A few weeks ago, DIR. William Wallace, F.
r. S. E., read before the British Society OF
Arts long paper, giving the results Of some
hundreds of careful tests Of all the leading
burners in the English market under varying
conditions of pressure and quantity OF gas,
proving most conclnsively that the light OBJ
tanned depended not so much upon the guam
tity of gas consumed as upon the conditions
under which Ii was burned.
For example, with 90 candle gas and se-
ries of fish tail burners of the same pattern
but of differing sizes, Mr.. Wallace obtained
the best results with the largest burner at
comparatively low pressure. With this burn-
or and pressure of half an inch, IL cubic
feet of gas gave an illuminating effect of 400 3
smallest burner of the series, burning cubic
feet of gas at . inch pressure, gave an illum-
mating effect of 3d. candles, or 8 candles Tor
cubic feet.
Thus, with burners of the same type, dit.
ference In size with difference in pressure may
times as much light az another from a given
amount of gas With precisely the same burn
err twice as much light was gotten from CIV
On volume of rich gas at the pressure of
inch, as at the pressure of II inches. With
common gas the difference was found to be
sill more remarkable, In some instances only
one fourth of the obtainable illumination be-
ing developed. This with approved burners
in good condition. With poor burners out of
condition, such as we commonly see 10 this
city, the waste of illuminating power must be
much greater.
In his experiments with rat.tail burners,
under the most favorable conditions of size
more than 90 per cent. of the Illuminating
power of the gas consumed Fish tail burn
ers did much better, though those of the bats
wing type showed greater economy ON the
whole. A great variety Of German and Eng
fish bat's-wiugs, With tips of various matcri-
nj, was tested, the results ranging between
is. IS candles and % SO candles with 90 cam
die gas under varying conditions of size and
pressure. A number Of Argand burners gave
results ranging between II. 60t to 1856 candles,
with 20 candle gas.
Experiments were also made in order to as
certain the loss of light resulting from the
use Of globes of different kinds and various
shapes. Tho loss is always considerable, in
many cases excessive end it results partly
from the absorption of light from the material
of the globe, and partly from the draugbt
caused by the ascension Of the heated air in
the confined space. AS regards material, a
piece of clear window glass; held in front OF a
gas flume, diminshes the light to the extent
of about 10 percent but in the case OF
clear globe it is, in some cases, less, owing To
the reflection from the surface furthest from
the photometer. Globes frosted or ground all
over, technically known AS moons," absorb
about rs per cent. Of the light when well
shaped, and opal OF ''cornelan" globes, ~
to 90 per cent. according TO The thickness ana
quality of the glass. The following results
were obtained with globes OF different SIZES
ground all over, and show the effect of III
creased draught in diminishing The light.
Per Cent
Inch l.f globe caused 's'' Of ~
All these globes had the usual opening IL
the bottom. II inches in diameter lnauplirr
series of experiments, 10 determine the etieci
of the opening of'the globe ON the amount 81
light made available, clear ~ inch globes
were employed, giving the following results
a