Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-30
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WATER GAS.
WORKS OF the Augusta Gas Iixb,
Company


N'eht company. Now that the improvements
are completed, description of the new an
paratus that is TO produce the ;llpm;n.r,
"hich contributes to the safety and comfor,
OF our citizens, will be of interast d..
iore describing what was revealed by a visit
10 the gas works, it will be in order 70 ex.
PLAIN the causes which led to the gas comn.nv
going to such large outlay and adontino :.
new method of gas manufacture. III nrotcv
seheraiiy known that when the present man
agement assumed charge of the gas comnanv,.
AFFAIRS last February, the works were in a
very dllapidated condition, much ont of order
OF antique pattern, and none of the moaarr
improvements were TO be found. This con.
dition OF the works necessitated a thorouo oh
oVefhauling and the making of substantial
improvements As the growing business of
the company required an increase of capacitv
IL was deemed advisable in making the nec.
essary changes to adopt the very latest
iiethou OF manufacturing gas. Under the old
method the gas which was made from soft
coal was very inferior in quality, and burned
win comparatively feeble light. having nor
been enriched or washed so "a 70 removs
the Impurities with which it was burdened
In adopting the water gas process, as thew
nave, the company secure the advantages of
largely increased capacity to their works
and the distribution of a vastly superior
qualiiy OF gas, possessing fine Illuminating
qualities; being less detrimental to health as
II consumes smaller quantity of oxygen and
passing through the meters more slowly than
coal gas.
On our visit to the works yesterday, we had
the pleasure of meeting the genial and eff
cient engineer of the new works, Mr.. E. III.
YORK OF Portland, who has charge of the con-
structlon. We examined the machinery,
which was explained and demonstrated by
him. The apparatus is from the manufac-
tory of the United Gas improvement Co.,
Philadelphia.
Instead of entering into a gloomy and
smoky retort room, as Is generally found
connected with gas work., we were shown into
a neat generating and engine room connected,
where general system of the United Gas
improvement Co. Water Gas Works is
erected in the most approved style, exhibit
ing mechanical taste aed neatness, showing
the energies put forth on the part of the
patentees and builders in perfecting their
system of water gas works.
In giving a description of the works gen.
orally, we would state that we found in the
generating room four large iron cylinders,
ranging from five to six feet in diameter,
with their several connections and systems
of piping. The first one is termed a genera
tor, which is lined with fire brick and erecte
in the basement, into which anthracite coal
is charged from the floor above for the pur-
pose Of producing heat, connected with what
is next termed the superheater, twenty two
foo, ,nh a,, t,rh, ,l, % llnl
up with cylinder friedrich, forming num-
Der of flues through it's center, this being
con lected to seal tank, where the gases,
after being made, are prevented from escap-
ing and igniting with the flames from the
superheater. These are connected to the
| scrubber and condenser, which comprises
the main plant in the generating room. On
entering the engine room we found large
horizontal boiler of the locomotive type, a
Westinghouse engine, which furnishes the
power for driving the rotary fan blower,
which creates the draft for regulating the
hoat in the gen,rltors and superheaters
aud one powerful Knowles pressure pump,
which is used for forcing the oil in the super
heaters under pressure varying from 500 to
600 pounds per square inch.
| Next we were shown the purifying room,
which contains what is termed center seal
anu sN sltHl VI Ihot-ipu piping ~ lhF
/ basement. and on the floor above are situated
four large iron square boxes containing three
trays of lime distributed over the ara of
each box the gases passing through (oae
| always being shut off to be refilled to replace
! the unclean box into the meter, which il a
large cylinder, through which the gases pass.
| registering the number of feet made, passing
thence into the holder, which has a capacity
of over %. 900 feet.
The process by which water gas is manu-
! featured is as follows: The generator being
| filled with coal, a valve is opened which ad
admits the air. Gases which are formed by
combustion in the generator are nitrogen and
carbonic oxide, which are driven up through
fue into an air chamber at the base of the
superheater, where more air is admit ed by
opening another valve and an intense heat Is
produced by the burning of the carbonlc
oxide gas, the flame being driven up
through the cylinder flues of fire brick, and the
heat being absorbed as it passes through to
the superheater safety valve. The fire in the
generator is increased until such time as the
superheater is heated to a very high temper
ature being in condition tor gas making.
The air-blasts are then closed off, the super
heater safety valve closed, and seal (Which
works automatically opened; steam is adj
mitted at the base of the bed of coal in the
generator, and, by coming in contact with the
incandescent fuel, is decomposed, forming
hydrogen and carbonic oxide. This gas, or
what s termed water gas, being devoid of
Illuminating power, passes through into the
base of the superheater, where they intermix
with high gravity of oil which, being forced
in under a heavy pressure, forms mist which
passes together up through the hot cylinder
fiues, is gasitied and affixed to the wster gas,
giving it its brilliant Illuminating power.
The gas then passes through the scrubber
and condenser, where it is washed and cooled,
AMI then into the purifier room, where 1t
passes through the three boxes continuing
about ten inches of lime in each box, freeing
it from all impurities and poisonous matters,
and from there into the holder ready for the
consumer. A great advantage derived from
the Gas Improvement Co.'S process is tue
rapiditv with which gas can be manufactured
In carving out the purpose Of putting
everything in order extensive renewals ana
anlargements of the mains nave been made,
the result OF which will remove any lack Of
pressure which NAV have existed heretofore.
The old pipe has been removed and new sub
stituted on State aud Grove streets. these
extensions in the mains, together with the
Hallowell main which has been constructed,
enables the company to properly and fully
cover the fed Of consumption which oeloags
to il.
Among the Improvements made necessary
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