The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-03-15
The Management OF Fuel.

The Scientific Commission has re-
ported that of 5000, 000 tons of coal
annually consumed in London 5000, 900
are combusted and 100000 90 off in
smoke and gas to create fogs and in 'ure
health and property Doubtless a like
inquiry into the waste of fuel in this
country would result in substantially
the same conclusion, especially where
soft coal is used. Our housewives DO
not reali c that of every five cords of
wood they burn one is literally thrown
away, and so of coal, but such is the
fact. This waste has been going on
ever since Prometheus incurred the
wrath of JOve by his gift of fire to
mOrtals, and will 90 on until some Sc
ond Prone heus shall teach us how to
use this subtle element with exact
knowledge.
The process of combustion is continu-
ally 90 ng on within US and around US.
1t is simply the union of the oxygen of
the air with substances for which it has
affinity. In our bodies the oxygen
Unites with the waste tissues of the
body, and produces heat without visible
+ anne. he rusting of iron is cOmbus-
ton, fameless and without sensible
heat Though the supply of oxygen is
| as eNhaustless as the air, of which it
forms One-fifth part, yet not a surplus
]
atom of oxygen enters into the process
of combustion. There are two COM
| pounds of oxygen with carbon. One
atom of oxygen unites with one atom
of carbon, or two atoms of oxygen unite
with one atom of carbon. Never an
atom and half of oxygen with an atom
/ and a half o. carbon. The union of
| these two elements is exact, entire and
| ALWAYS the same underall circumstances.
/ All this is very elementary, but to those
/ who have not studio chemistry it NAV
| be entirely new, and a knowledge of
| these nderlling facts is essential to in
! telligent management of fuel.
! The term fuel is commonly applied
! to coal and wood, but in burning these
| substances we burn air also. To every
pound of fuel ABOUT thirteen of air, or
| two and twO-third pounds of oxygen,
/ must 90 to make combustion, and I'M
! less we burn air we can not burn wood
| any more than we can burn granite
! The oxygen of the air and the carbon
! of the wood or coal unite. and heat is
| produced. Where there is perfect com
/ bustiOn only heat is evolved, W In
neither illumination nor smoke. If
| then we should say that air is fuel and
! so treat it, we should be more accurate.
! The other constituent OF a T, nitrogen,
! is a neutral presence in combustion, en-
| tirely harmless, and passes off with
! other gases generated in the process, up
| the chimney.
As matter of fact we burn neither
| wood nor Goa, but gas into which these
I substances are gradually changed by
! heat In Hndling a fire we use paper,
! shaYngs small bits of wood that can
be easily ineamed, so as to generate
! heat TO change the more obdurate fuel
! into gas. As this change goes on smoke
! diminishes, and when our fuel is well
/ ignited there is very little smoke. Only
! the surface of the fuel burns or can
burn, or rather we should say the fuel
! can burn only at its surface, since only
| this portion is exposed to the air and
| can permit its gas to unite with the
/ oxygen. Our stoves, then, are gas-gen-
I orators, and the amount of heat we
shall get from them depends upon
| whether we can pursuade every atom of
carbon we put into them to unite with
| its one or two atoms of oxygen, and
whether we furnish Just enough oxygen
and no more for this chemical union. If
we have too much air we cool the gas
! from the coal or wood below the point
of ignition, and the draught will carry
our heat with the unburned gas up the
! chimney. where it is lost to Us. If we
! have too little the gas from the wood
| will escape without being burned, and
! the fire viii lie 'smOthered." In kind
! LING a fire we expect to use a surplus OF
| air. and this fact is indicated by the
/ roaring of the fire, but when kindled
! the draughts should } e closed until the
/ fire burns nearly stiIl; not quite, if the
! fuel be of wood.
Probably more than half of green
wood is wasted in the burning, for the
water it contains when vapOrized car
| ries # immense amounts of heat each
! particle of steam acting like a balloon
and flying away with its portion of heat
up into the outer air. leaving small sur
! plus for the processes of baking and
! boiling. Dry wood may be made to 90
much further if it is heated in the oven
before it is put into the fire box.
AS the management of ire is one of
the most delicate chemical operations,
and exactly the right proportions OF air
as fuel and of wood or coal rs fuel must
be secured to have perfect ire, it fol-
| lows that we should not expect or hope
to come to it by chance or accident. but
by long and careful exper' ence. Each
stove re uires individual management,
certain supplies of wood or coal and
certain supplies of air by means of its
draughts, and when these two are ex-
.tly adjusted to each other the best re-
suits are secured. She who piles ON
the fuel unnecessarily and without Sc
curing appropriate supplies of air to
utilize all its carbon, wastes money as
really as though she threw dollar bills
into the stove. 1t is not too much to
hope that invention will before long
give us perfect combustion and stop the
present enormous waste in fuel, besides
freeing us from cinders, smoke, clOgged
chimnoys and draughts, from dust and
the injurious effects of gases that should
be consumed in combustion. N Y.
Tribune.