The Osceola times., 1881-10-01
Alleged Revolution in steam Poser.
- I-Il--re-


some accounts Of an interesting series Of
experiments near New York in the pro
dnr;ion Of steam by the hydrogen fame
that !, utilizing water for heat. While
the results reached in these trials were
said 20 be wonderful, il was claimed AZ
the time by persons interested that their
efforts were very much hAmpered BY the
want Of appropriate apparatus They
believed il TO be possible, with locomO-
tive constructed according 70 their ideas
20 effect still further saving In tuel, and
accomplish more than they bad been
able 70 DO with a coal burning engine. II
will be seen from a letter from Prof
Conaut. printed in another column this
morning. that a locomotive supposed 10
be exactly suited TO exhibit the princi-
pie Of the hydrogen fame is now being
built al the Grant locomotive works in
Patterson, y. J. and Is SO nesriy CON-
pleted that it viii probably be dispatched
on trial trip between New York ard
Chicago next month.
The hydrogen locomotive will differ
from the common coal burners in having
two fre-boxes. The preliminary process
Of combustion will take place in a lower
compArtment Thence the fame will be
conducted through Z number Of aues 10
an inner chamber whore the peculiar
process Of separating the constituent ele-
ments OF water and burning the hydro
gen viii take place. Another novel fes-
iure Of this locomotive will be that its
/ iues nov commonly employed. The
/ great oonductivity of copper as compared
with iron i q fact well known to practi-
cal mechsnics-the difference IS as two
I to one-but the use Of that material is
I the hues Of coal-burning locomotives
has not been possible, because the en-
ders thrown of by the hre in the strong
draft speedily cut the soft metal IN
pieces. The same objection will not
apply in the hydrogen locomotive. No
cinders are thrown off, and there can
I consequently be no process Of attritiOn
going on. Copper has the further advsn-
tAge Of possessing a chemical antagonism
for the salts contained in water than
ordinarily produce scales. and there will
IL no ciogging Of the fiues from this
source and no loss Of heat resulting
lherefrom in the improved apparatus.
There are two sets Of fiues in the new
locomotive. The firsi set ,d62 in num-
ber-have a calibre Of five-sighths of an
inch and are short and vertical, leading
from the lower 10 the upper combustion
chamber. These fiues and both the
chambers do not occupy a greater space
than the present fre-box Of a coal
burner, so great is the economy Of room
in the use Of naptka fame. The second
set Of fiues-5l2 in number-are laid
horizontally from the upper chamber
through surrounding water to the final
outlet. They are eleven feet long and
three-Quarters OF an inch in diameter
I The long iues alone, not counting the
/ ! 662 short ones. are about three times a.
many a. can be got into coal burner.
The process by which the hydrogen
fame Is produced has been already de-
scribed in the Tribune, and need not be
repeated here. The principle Of il Is, in
brief that the chemical constituents Of
xater-hydrngen and oxygen-are sep
srated al comparatively low heat in
the presence Of carbon contained IN
burning naphtha gas, that the oxygen
unites with the carbon to form caroonic
oxide or carbonic acid gas, according to
the completeness ofthe mbustion, while
the liberated hydrogen takes up oxygen
from me atmosphere and burns fercely
in colorless and most intense fame.
The inventors Of the hydrogen fire
chamber claim that their experiments
have passed beyond the doubtful stage .
that the success of the apparatus Is as
sured, and that il viii shortly be demon
strsted beyond cavil by the operation Of
the locomotive now building The re-
suits that they expect 10 flow from this
Improvement almost stagger belief. The
least Of them will be q complete reyolu-
ton in locomotive building. With the
imperfect coal burners they were able to
eject a saving Of fourteen-ffteenths Of
the fuel with the improved. copper hus
hydrogen burner they can Do much
more. The consumption OF nsphtha
they assert, will not exceed one half =
pint per pound Of steam pressure. The
locomotives, il the expectations OF the
builders are realized, Will be smokeless,
fameless, noiseless. There will be no
more cinders no putting, or whee1lng
or snorting when the engine stops. The
prOd1ct given of at the final escape will
be not only be free from dirt, but actually
cleansing 50 ihz; If & bit Of soilet linen
could be held in il without scOrching It
would be made white,
These are big promises. The Tr5ssS
does not make them. IL merely reports
them. But the sincerity = the managers
cannot be questioned. They are showing
their faith By their works, e sre also the
locomotive company in Patterson. II the
locomotive will not work, the people
need not rait lon. 10 s2t &C: ths; in
portsnt fact. II il will. = hydrogen loco
motive will Be flying between New YORK
and Chicago in less than si1iy DAYS and
in a wear there will be hundred. Of them
in ali Parts Of the world