The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-10-16

what gives the device It's unique value.
Il Is the cooling tower Of self-coollng
condenser-one OF those numerous la
Dor and power saving Yankee inyen-
tons that have placed US where we
now stand as a nation Of inventors and
engineers.
Every one knows that there are two |
principal types OF steam engines-the
non-condenslng. In which the exhaust |
steam escapes into the air. making the |
hoarse. pulling sound 10 familiar In
the locomotive and the steam tug. and !
the oOndensing In which II Ia deliv-
cred into a condenser. where Il Is
cooled down and turned back into wat
sr. In the former type the piston has
to work against the pressure OF the at
mosphere-about fifteen pounds to tho
square inch. In the latter Il has only
to overcome the pressure OF the vapor
In the condenser, which Is much less.
as the condensation OF the steam
causes a partial vacuum: hence the
condensing engine is much the more
economical Of the two. saving fully 25
per cent Of the steam-and hence Of
The fuel-requ!red for the other.
Why. then. are not condenslng en-
ginos universally employees Some
lines because the use Of the condensing
ievice Is not practicable as on a loco
motive. sun oftener because Il re-
lulres an unlimited supply OF water
Cold water Ia the means employed 10
,ondense the steam and az II becomes
warmer In the proccis II cannot be
used over again: hence engines that are
not situated near n large water supply
on a river bank. for instance can
not avail themselves Of the oondcnslng
principle and profit by Its fuel saving
power. And even where a river is
near, land on Us bank Is so often 80
much more exponelve that the manu-
iacturer prefers to 80 farther away,
where he can buy at a lower price. even
II he has to use a non-condensing en-
gine.
But why not cool the heated con
ienser water and use Il again? This
has been tried over and over. more or
less clumslly and incfiectiyely and Il
IL exactly what Is doae successfully
in the cooling towers already men
toned Methods previously In use EN-
ploy shallow ponds to cool the water
by surface eyaporation-bu these are
out OF the question In a large city
or pans on the roof. which are awk-
ward and take up room. Tho cooliae
lower. which has satisfactorily solved
The problem and offers 10 the manu-
Iacurer the welcome chance Of saving
b large proportion Of his fuel. has heer
In use for some time In primitive ant
crude form IN the southern states
where the condenser water was allow
ID to cool by trlchling through mas
)f brush.
Later. in Germany. the same result
was effected by allowing II TO blow
over a nest OF pipes. In the perfeciol
form the steel tower Is packed will
layer on layer OF vitrihed tiles. 80
up on end. Through these from N
top to the bottom Of the tower. n
heated condenser water trickles. Will
3D. A powerful alr-blast Is blown upwar
through Il from a rotary fan At IN
. base. when the water has reache
the bottom. II Is cool enough to Nd
again in the condenser. A little Of
" from 2ia TO per cent-has evapol
y. atod In the process. but this loss
" more than made up by the condense
/. exhaust steam that Is added a. Il doc
= It's work In the condenser.
, In passing through the tower u
J. water Is cooled from about 100 degree
- to al least the temperature OF the on
. side air. chiefly by the evaporation Il
., duoed by the air-blast that pass
M through the thing The principle
~ exactly the same as when one coo
a, his moist hand by blowing on
= Strangely enough, the cooling is grca
m er in summer than In winter, e
Ne though In winter the air Is colder.
Is much nearer the point OF saturati'
and will take up very little evapor
ton. and evaporation Is the chief thll
he in the cooling.
n Direct escape OF the heat by conta
a with the air-blast and by radlatl
n, through the steel sides Of the tow
An helps. but Il "a relatively unlmpOrtal
~ So. with the aid OF this device. the co
nd donslng engine. with It's great econ
n. my, Is today within the reach Of eve
manufacturer In the land instead
a perhaps. half OF them. The operail
lie OF the tower Is inexpensive, as the cl
at OF working Is only that Of pumping
at water to the top and operating the q
hit and this Is slight compared with
ire saving that results from using condel
err alton.
De- The towers take up little roc
They vary In size from % feet
or height by s feet In diameter, which
by suitable for a i0-hoGe power engi
ere TO one 80 feet In height by % feet
ort diameter for an engine Of 1900 no
IN power. One OF the towers has for so
hic time been in use at the Grand aver
ties Edison electric lighting station
ar Brooklyn. In connection with a
hundred horse power engine.
ns Il must not be imagined, howeN
IRE that the usefulness Of cooling toy
Use stops with It's employment as descril
Is. above. As It's name implies. Il may
le' used everywhere where water Is to
aa, deprived Of supernuous heat. For
INV stance. In the manufacture Of
~ where water IL frozen by the evapo
" ton Of liquehed ammonia. The
N monia, which has been heated In
~" process OF llqueiaction by compl
sion. II cooled by means Of water,
leo with the aid Of . cooling tower