The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-09-16

coulo weeks NO tuo lrtcNnf print
accounts % n Interesting series II 4
pcriments near New York IN the III
duction q steam By the hydrogen nad
that Is, utilizing water for heat. VIII
the results reached In these trials WI
said 10 be wonderful. Il WAS claimed
the time BY persons interested that th(
enorts were very much hampered
the want of appropriate apparatl|
They believed Il % be possible, with
locomotive constructed according
their ideas, 70 effect still further an
ing In fuel, and accomplish still mol
than they had been able to do with
coal-burning engine. Il will be se|
from letter from Prof. Conant that
locomotive supposed 70 be exactly suitl
% exhibit the principle Of the hydrog|
fame Is now being built at the Gra|
Locomotive Works in Paterson. N. n
and Is 50 nearly completed that II VI
probably be dispatched on trial III
between New York and Chicago duril|
next month.
The hydrogen locomotive will diff|
from the common coal burners in hayil|
two fire-boxcs. The preliminary pr|
cess Of combustion will take place In
lower compartment. Thence the flan|
will be conducted through great nun
Der Of flues 10 an inner chamber whe|
the peculiar process Of separating n
constituent elements Of water and bur|
ing the hydrogen win take place. al
other novel feature Of this locomotij
will be that lis ilues will be made
copper and have diameter consider
bly, smaller than the iron flues now con
monty employed. The great conducti|
ity Of copper rs compared with iron
fact well known 10 practical mechaI
ics-the difference Is As two to one--bl
the use Of that material in the fiues
coal-burning locomotives has not bed
possible, because the cinders thrown d
BY the fire in the strong draft speedil
cut the soft metal in pieces. The SAM
objection will not apply in the hydroge|
locomotive. No cinders are thrown Of
and there can consequently he no prd
cess Of attrition going on. Copper Id
the further advantage Of possessing
chemical antagonism for the salts col
tanned in water that ordinarily produd
scales, and there will be no clogging 4
the flues from this source and no loss d
heat resulting therefrom in the improve|
apparatus.
There are two sets Of flues in the nej
locomotive. The first set, I, 662 in nun/
Der, have . calibre Of five-eighths Of a
inch, and are short and vertical, leadin|
from the lower TO the upper combustio|
chamber. These fIues and both TIL
chambers do not occupy greater spac|
than the present fire. box Of . coal-burr|
er, 50 great Is the economy Of room II
the use Of the naptha flame. The second
set Of flues, 512 in number, are laid hon
izontally from the upper fire-chambe|
through surrounding water TO the fins|
outlet. They are eleven feet long and
three-quarters Of "A inch in diameter|
The long flues alone, not counting th|
1862 short ones, are about three time|
= many IS can be got into . coal-burn|
Or.
The principle Of the process by which
the hydrogen flame Is produced il,
brief, that the chemical constituents d
water, hydrogen and oxygen, are sep|
arated q comparatively low heat ii
the presence Of the carbon contained il
burning naphtha gas, that the oxygeI|
unites with the carbon 70 form carboni@
oxide Or carbonic acid gas, according u
the completeness Of the combustion|
while the liberated hydrogen takes uI|
oxygen from the atmosphere and burn|
iiercely In q colorless and most intens.|
fame.
The inventors Of the hydrogen fire|
chamber claim that their experiment
have passed beyond the doubtful stage
that the success Of the apparatus Il as|
sured, and that il will shortly be del
beyond cavil BY the opera
ton Of the locomotive now building|
The results that they expect 70 flow fron|
this improvement almost stagger belief
The least Of them will be . complied
revolution In locomotive building. With
The imperfect coal-burners they wert|
able 70 effect saving Of fourteen-fif1
leenths Of the fuel; with the improved
hydrogen-burner they can
naphtha- fhev asserf. viii not exceed one
haif 4 ninf ner Mound ~ stesm pressure
J