Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-12-04
STEAM PIPE FIRES.
Tho Necessity for shcathins the Pipes I'm
Something l.esia.a Nun,ul

Tho Necessity for shcathing the Pipes I'm
Something l-esid.s Wood.
Tae second annual report Of the Gre mar
shai Of the city Of Boston for the year ending
May l, lSss, contains, among other matters,
4 tie following interesting Information.
nave been able to satisfactorily trace the
origin Of but five fires during the wear %
steam pipes, and the circumstances surround
ing these in no way tend to show that wood
! ~ its normal condition, j. e.. when free from
any previous desiecation, is il danger of be-
coming ignited in this manner. Ii other
words, Ignition in said eases apDeors t6 Ia
merely certain species of what is ponularlv
termed Spontaneous combustion.r tho steam
/ pipes themselves being merely ono Of many
indirect factors which often assist ia uroduc-
ing such combustion. Although tho subject
has been discussed pro and con from tho vear
| 1916 when Chief Brentwood Of the London
fire brigade, fist addressed the house Of
lords on the topic, 70 the present tinle. whom
the opinions Of experienced persons inter
ested in the matter seem To be somewhat
conflicting, ind by far the preponderance
OF evidence in favor Of the conclusion that
wood, subjected for a number Of years to the
heat Of steam pipes, may eventually reach
such a state Of carbonization as, with the adj
ditlon OF moisture, exposure to a drauzht Of
air, or under the influence Of friction. caused
by expansion and contraction Of the pipes,
may break into flame. As the ignition point
Of ordinary pine wood has been determined.
by experiment, % be ZOO dogs. Fahrenheit. II
is evident That this must ID reduced bv some
process in order TO adait Of its taking Gre al
2g2 dogs, the temperature 81 steam under a
pressure Of sixty pounds
/ have f0uud Onn rf fbn rnoc4 f,.o,,,,,.,A
causes of fires, which are directly trnceable
g steam pipes, to be the self ignition Of dust.
fluff, small pieces Of paper waste etc. which
seem especially attracted to the noighbor-
bood Of inclosed steam pipes through almost
lmperceptlble crevices. In several such in
stances the fires have been fortunately dis
covered and distinguished before doing any
harm. + a. Montgomery, secretary Of the
Western Manufacturers Mutual Insurance
company, in special report No 5 Of the Man
iacturers Mutual Insurance company refers
70 TINS same element Of danger, and suggests
as q remedy, the use of a funnel shaped cast
ing cast in two parts, from three to six
inches IN height, fitting close at the top. and
screwed to the floor where the pipe misses
through; and he further recommends thar n
thlmble Of some non-c0mbustible material
should be put through the hole in the door
or partition and securely fastened on either
side, in order to protect the wood from con
tact with the pipe.
The light sheathing by which the pipes
are often covered, being obliged to con-
stantly absorb the confined steam heat IS
extremely liable to reach dangerous ieni-
ton temperature. Sheathing reduced to
such condition by being in close contact
with the pipe, and 50 placed as to be suscep-
hble to more or less friction, caused one OF
the five fires herein referred to; another was
caused by lumber dust in the dry house Of |
a planning mill sitting through the aoor on to /
the pipes. The desirability Of employing /
some sort Of non-comhustible covering for I
steam pipes, to prevent their contact with /
wood, dust, etc, is apparent They should 7
never be inclosed in wood sheathing. Pro |
lessor Gibson IN report to the Manufact-
urers' Mutual Insurance company, gives an
exhaustive and instructive treatise on the
merits Of the various kinds Of coverings
Scientific American.