The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-09-14

iorCibly what q small amount is really re-
guiIed 10 produce good results.
In furnaces using but one pound preA'
sure enough gas is actually wSsted-oI
utilized for melting down the stack Innings
TO supply half.dozen others, and the
fact that very few employ lees than TINS
pressure indicates that thereisample room
for improvement.
The methods pursued by the gas com
panies in supplying the gas, fixed price
per ton OF iron produced, regardless Of the
quantity OF gas consumed, has much to
answer for in its eXtravagant use.
Tho reluctance Of Manufacturers, as a
rule, to making any expensive. changes in
existing plants, for the utilization Of
natural gas, has led to tho adoption oil
numbeIleBo inventions having that end IN
view.
Those in uso are 80 many and varied,
that TO attempt u description OF them. al
would BIO an endless task, 90 we shall
limit Ourselves to few, these however,
smbodying the general principles underly'
ing all. -, >.
In by far the greater number Of mills 1t
Is rare to find any half.dozen furnaces pre-
cisely alike.
The Argand and Bunsen burners have
been a iavorite groundwork Tor inventors
TO build upon, and the prinClples inherent
In these have been utilized in various
ways, aud often with excellent results.
INGENUITY STIMULATED.
Inventors early recognized the fact that
an intimate admlxture OF the gas and air
was absolutely essential to success, and
this gave rise to the checker'work system
OF burners, the construction OF Which Is
very simple and inexpensive.
Bricks ore piled loosely in the fire
chamber in tho form Of Checker-work,
with interstices sufficient for the passage
Of the saa and air. These, passing upward
through this Checker-work, are broken up
and intimately mingled before reaching
the working chamber, insuriug more per-
feet combustion.
Cold air IL used with this arrangement,
and enters at the Same time and place as
the gas, through aperturGs surrounding
the pipeF, tho supply Of mir being regu-
lated by closing these apOtturcs With
bricks. Carbon deposits have proven
troublesome with this manner OF burning
the gau, the passage Of tho gas being en-
tirely obstruCtad in many INSTANCES by
the carbon clinging to the checker bricks
and closing the spaces between them.
Another feature common " almost all
the methods OF burning natural gas Is
attempts TO heat at least q portion OF
the mir used by means Of hollow furnace
walls aud bridges. These involve but
triflinR outlay, and are productive OF good
results exactly in proportion to the in
crease OF temperature oil air, In aome
the back-wall Of the furnace contains a
series OF small fues, through which tho
air passes 10 the combustion chamber in
othors 1t ia drawn under tho furnace bot
tom and in still others what was used as
the fire.Cbamber when working with coal
has been surrounded with hollow walls,
between which the air Circulates and Is
heated. II Ia then admitted 10 the cham.
Der through numerous small openings TO
diffuse 1t, when 1t comes In Contrct with
the gas and combustion takes place, the
flame passing over the bridge wall into
the working part Of the furnace.
This type OF combustion chamber gives
the best results attainablo outside OF the
regular regenerative system, tho flame or.
irving in the working chamber ut the
height Of its heating power, and exerting
its force before entering the stack, leav-
ing the linlngs OF the latter intact.
Tho main pointin admitting tho gas into
furnaces Is 10 scatter or difFuBe 1t as much
as possible, that 1t may mlngl0 freely with
the air. 10 accomplish this II is intro.
duced through several small pipes, or q
single large one extending across the fur.
mace, and perforated with numerous small
holes. Tho latter plan Is preferable,
though not always available.
THE REGULATING FURNACE.
So far as We are now aware Of, all at
tempts at pre.hesting the gSs itself have
bee abandnneh. owing to the NxCeasiva