Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-01-04
TIE HEAT OF THE FUTURE.

There can be 10 reasonable doubt that
the fuel Of the future, for use, in our
dwelling-houses, will be some kind Of
gas, distributed through the city pre-
cisely as Illuminating gas is now deliv-
cred. The use Of coal is extravagant,
wasteful and inconvenient, and the dust
and smoke arising from it add much TO
the impurities of the air, while the re-
moval Of from 100 to 200 pounds Of ashes
for every ton Of coal burned is a great
annoyance. Several substitutes for solid
fuel have been proposed, all OF which
have strong advocates. These are steam
heat, hot water and gaseous fuel. So
far as the warming Of dwellings, is con-
cerned, it must be admitted that Mr..
Holly hos succeeded in demonstrating
that steam can be generated at central
station and economically distributed for
this purpose. But for cooking purposes
steam heat supplied in this way cannot
be made available. At the present time
1t is the custom to use steam for heating
purposes at higher pressres than for
merly, sometimes as high as twenty
pounds to the square inch. The pros
poets for the hot-water system do not
seem promising of great success. The
practical difficulty Of maintaining q con-
slant circulation through great number
Of pipes running in every direction seems
TO be almost insurmountable. Moreover,
granting that this difficulty is overcome
in practice, fatal objection still re-
mains, which is, that the temperature
Of an apartment heated by hot-water
pipes cannot be easily regulated; for, if
the room is too warm, the water cannot
be shut of like steam, but must remain
in the pipes il the circulation is inter-
rupted, and part with its heat gradually,
or, if more heat is required, the fires
must be quickened, and the water has
to make an entire circuit before the ben
eft is felt The temperature Of the
water in the Pran system-which is,
perhaps, the best known Of all-is to be
about 400 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Such high temperature involves q
pressure at the boiler Of not less than
nineteen or twenty atmospheres, and it
is doubtful if such pressure can be
regarded as quite safe. The system of
heating that is destined to supersede all
others is by means Of gaseous fuel.
For this purpose a suitable gas can be
manufactured very cheaply, and there
need be no more difficulty or danger at
tending its use than is met with now in
the use Of illuminating gas. By passing
current OF steam through an incandes-
cent mass Of coal, in a suitable furnace,
the oxygen of the steam combines with
the carbon of the coal to form o COM
bustible gas, while the other constituent
Of the steam, hydrogen gas, which is
also combustible. is set free. The mkt
ure Of carbon oxide and hydrogen thus
produced Is the so-called "water gas,"
and it is this gas which seems likely to
come largely into use for household
fuel. A not unimportant fact in con-
nection with this gas is that, although it
will explode when mixed with the prop
or proportion Of air, its explosive energy
is much less than that Of ordinary illu-
minating gas. The introduction Of
gaseous fuel would not necessitate very
great changes in the stoves aud ranges
now in use. The convenience and econ
omy OF the system commend it to every
,ne.-New York Times.