Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-01
INTERESTING TEST
Soon to be Made at the Water
Works.
The Principal. Of Abolishing Smsks-Ihe
Msncmer Of Smoke Consumes
Perfect Combustion Is the
Proper Idea.

There will be an interesting expert
ment at the water works, this Afternoon"
said gentleman, yesterday. THE Alt
myer patent smoke consumer will be test
ed at the boilers up there"
This was interesting. But smoke con.
Stunning is all nonsense. 1t is misnomer
snd there is no such thing as consuming
smoke. People talk Of consuming smoke
and they mean. without knowing it, doing
away with smoke. For, once the smoke Is
formed, there is no invention that can dis
pose of it. What Wheeling wants and
what the brains Of invention will one day
furnish, is means by which smoke may
become
THING OF THE PAST
and be relegated back to the days Of the
tallow dip. Various patents OF the So
CT lied "smoke consumers" have been taken
ont, some of which do the work and Others
will not, depending upon circumstances
and the method Of applying the invention.
But they do not consume the smoke, they
simply bring about such perfect combus'
ton OF the fuel that no unconsumed por.
ton, called smoke, escapes. Ii the inven'
ton permits smoke to be formed. 1t is use.
less as smoke consumer, forever. Inc
burning of the ordinary gas jet is an in.
stance Of almost perfect combustion, as 1t
makes no perceptible smoke and leaves no
residuum. This, then, is the principle Of
not smoke consumers, but combustion FUR.
naces, and this is the invention announced
10 be tested at the water works yesterday.
This much wss told the REGISTER man
by Mr.. Jacob Altmyer, manager OF the
Benwood mill, who has patented combus-
ton furnace and has it In successful opera
ton at several places, notably at boiling
and heating furnaces at the wood,
Standard and Bellefont mills. HIS patent
is to be tested at the furnaces OF the water
works, but is not yet ready for the test.
Mr.. Altmyer was there, yesterday, with
Mr.. Hastings, Of the Water Board, and Supt.
Riddle. On the subject of miscalled smoke
consuming, the REGISTER man had an III
teresting conversation with Mr.. Altmyer.
FINE ILLUSTRATION.
THE idea" said he, sis best illustrated
by the burning OF a lamp. Under the
flame, is q plate, thoroughly perforated,
which admits certain amount OF oxygen
continually. The amount OF carbon to De
consumed must be adjusted to this steady
current Of oxygen to make the combustion
perfect and give the lamp clear flame.
If the wick is high, more carbon is I9r;
nlshed for combustion than the oxygen Will
take up and the unconsumed portion pass
es off in smoke. Now, in combustion
furnace, we reverse the process. Instead OF
having given amount OF oxygen, as in
the current OF a lamp, we have given
smonnt of fuel, or carbon, and must resu.
late the supply of oxygen. The idea Is
not. you understand, to consume the smoke,
but to bring about such perfect comous-
ton of the coal that no smoke will be
to be increased or diminished at pleasure,
to be governed by the amount OF fuel
used"
What is the saving by the use OF the
combustion furnace"
About % per cent. 1t has been init.
mated that 25 per cent. OF the fuel is
WASTED IN SMOKE,
OF by saving this smoke We get the adj.
lior al heat out OF the same bulk OF coal. See
tie top.of that stack now as they are firing
up. Look at the dense black smoke pour.
lug ont. When the the combination fur
rece is ready that smoke will not be seen,
40 matter how they feed the furnaces"
Mr.. Hastings said he had seen the same
principle used in other places, notably
Cincinnati, and the combustion was 30
rerfect that no smoke could be seen at the
Inp Of the stack. The combustion furnace
il n big thing, and its successful iutroduc
liz, n at the water works will be great
saving in fuel.
INJURED By SAND.
While at the works the REGISTER man
was shown two plungers from the Worth
ipgton pump, rendered utterly useless by
he deep burrows ploughed in them by the
.snd pumped in with the water. They
were ridged like flutingl machine. When
the cribs are completed the troublesome
gravel will disappear.