Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-29
How 1t Is Being Successfully Pro-
duced at Carnegie's Beaver
Falls he Rod Plant,
AT TACOST OF ONE CENTAND HALF
And From That to Five Cents Per Thou
sand Cubic Feet From Coal Costing
One Dollar a Ton.
MAcHINIsTs AND HOLDERS CoALESCE,
So as 10 Hsp One Another Out Where Difficulties
Occur With Employers

In connection with the recent discussion
on the supply of natural gas, it will be in
teresting to notice the results obtained from
the producers of artificial gas which are
now in operation at the Beaver Falls plant
of Carnegie. PhIpps & Co. The producers
in use there are patented by Martin V.
Smith, the well-known metallurgical engi-
neer of this city, and are generally conceded
to be adapted to rolling mill purposes.
The plant comprises eight producers, each
producer being enlarged above the CRATE
The area of the uptake at the point where
it enters the collecting main is twice as
large as it is where 1t leaves the heating
chamber. This construction admits OF a
free expansion of the gases and obviates
back pressure on the coal-the latter a Sc
rious matter where it ensues. for there is no
use in generating gas if it cannot be taken
from the generators without waste.
COOLING THE GAS.
A water Jacket surrounds the downcomer
and cOols the gas, which is dry and carried
to the furnaces through the mains without
the latter becoming clogged with water.
The main fue from the producers is 60
inches by "a inches inside measurements,
and decreases in size to 4S inches square be-
yond the first two furnaces, Two feet BY
15 feet furnaces at the extreme right-dis-
tsnt 160 feet from the producers are supplied
BY straight main 42 inches by 3S inches.
The producers in this mill are at the end of
the plant, but it is held that they may be
placed between the furnaces, thus decreas-
srrr Aho hon IL in
long distances. The mill is now run on
wire rod and has seven heating furnaces in
all.
The consumption of ccal with these pro-
ducers at first was All pounds to the gross
ton Of iron shipped. Later, Improvements
were effected, and the consumption of coal
was reduced to 800 pounds per ton OF iron.
The average consumption of coal last year
was $50 pounds per ton of finished stock.
About 159, 900 cubic feet of gas have been
obtained from one ton of coal, and each pro-
ducer will use five tons OF coal every "a
hours, thus producing 795, 900 cubic feet in
the time mentioned, or G, sec, 900 feet for the
entire plant in "a hours.
COST OF THE FUEL.
On basis of coal at 81 per ton delivered
at the mill, the cost of gas runs from 1 cent
per ], 900 feet for the cheapest grade to
cents for frst-class fuel. The gas used in or
dinary iron and steel metallurgical work
costs about 1 4 or 2 cents per thousand feet.
1t is claimed that the repairs on this de-
scription of plant will not exceed cents per
ton of iron heat, and it is generally held to be
both economical and convenient.
1t is generally held that these artificial
gas-producing plants will be, in time, called
into requisition to supplement the natural
gas supply, and that the system will be
universally adopted as against return to
coal. 1t is argued that both workers and
manufacturers have become used Ito the
gas, and have both based their prices on its
use. Neither, it is held, would care to re-
turn to coal because of the increased cost at
tending its use. If natural gas ever should
give out-of which there does not seem to
be much probability-itsp place will be taken
by the artificial article made by the pro-
ducers.