The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-20

Reported Discovery bya Boston scient
is:-Energy From Coal Direct.

energy might be produced by the direct
oxidation OF carbon 20 that the actual
output would approach that which the
process ought IN theory 20 produce. IL IS
now asserted. according 10 the Boston
transcript" by men who are all de-
cared 90 be the best qualified 10 speak
with decision on this point that BY a
discovery recently made by professor
William w. Jacques, Of Boston. TIE SOU
ilcn Of this problem has been practically
attained. In outlining the WORK or Pro-
fossor Jacques. tie "Iraas-rpt' says 10
part.
Il; has long been known that IN every
POUND OF Goa. there resides the potential
ity OF enormous enefgy-the problem has
been how 10 develop and utilize II. IAe
men OF science know just how much IL
IS. Deroting this theoretical amount OF
electrical energy which resides in given
amount OF coal as 100 per cent the oo-
jcct Is 70 get out the fun amount or as
near tho ful! amour. as may be. The
methods now IN vogue fan so far short
Of this. that. given a large plant, with
the best boilers. engines. ana cyna-
mos, tho result IN electrical energy IS
only per cent; while. given small
plant, with tho conditions that common
iy obtain. and the result fails TO per
cent. or thereaboUts.
In beginning his researches, Or. JAG
ques realized that the thing desired Was
a cell ia which carbon would be oXidized
and consumed, not by combustion, as 10
fire, but 40 a low temperature IN every
battery properly sO-talled. constant de-
tcrioration Of tie eiectrOlyte Is inevitable.
Therefore. DR.. Jacques rejected the bat.
terry at the outset. Ills elecuolyte must
hot suffer decomposition. The only thing
consumed must DO the carbon. ie con-
ceived the idea, and this was his great
discovery, that the oxygen Of tue ar
might be made 10 combine with the
carbon. not directly. but through tne aid
Of al intervening elecuoyte. which
should carry it ana present IL 90 the
carbon. For such clectTolyte he selected
caustlC soda.
80 carry out his conception he took
an iron pot which became Ia itself ou8
OF the elements OF his cell. Into this he
put caustic soda. which, at normal tenn
poratures. is solid. Applying heat
and raising the mass 10 the moderate
temperature OF 200 degrees II fused lie
now had d liquid elecrOlyte. Into II 10
plunged a stick OF carbon and then
thrust an iron tube down into the moi
ten mass. almost 10 the bottom, ana
through this, by means Of u pump, ne
forced air which came bubbling up 10
the surface. The electr0lyte caught and
held a part long enough 70 present II 10
the surface Of the carbon, which imme-
diatcly accepted ana combined with the
oxygen that formed a part Of the air
within its reach. The result fully realiz-
ga expectations. II was found, the ear
bon and the pot being connected by wire
that d current Of phenomenal volume
fowed through IT. And IL was also found
that within limits, the amount Of that
current was proportioncd TO the volume
of air supplied. Again, II was found that
the ebulftion produced I'm the mass by
the passage Of the air through il had q
most beneficial effect in keeping the sur
face OF the carbon free from particles
OF ash and other impurities, and that
IL had other advantages as well.
1.-The experimental cell proves the dis.
covery and illustrates the invention. Fol
its size it yields a phenomenlly large
| volume Of current, but its voltage, Oh
| electrical pressure. is slight. Tnat. how
ever. is d difficulty which electricians
overcome easily. DR.. Jacques provided
100 iron pots. each u inches deep ana i.
! inches in diameter. These were set 10
/ 10 rows OF 10 each ana suspended over
CRATE. the whole being brcked IN 10 re-
tain the neat. IN each of these a suitable
| amount of caustic soda was put, and this
was fused by fire beneath. Then OIL
each q cylinder Of carbon was suspend
ed. and the carbon i'm each pot was con
rected by y wire with the rim OF th'
next adjoining pot. Wires leading fro !
/ the first pot and the last carbon consti
| uted the terminals Of the generator
| Reaching down into each pot was am al
! tube. and these were all so connected
| above as to take air from q foN'
pump. The terminals being connecte.
| through a series of incandescent lamps
! current was generated which caused then
TO glow the pump being driven by
! motor actuated 10y a small portion %
! the current. Here was a veritable gen
orator" doing commercial work. Tbs
i time had come for accurate measure
/ mcuts and tests.
TO make these. Professor Charles Z
/ Cross. professor OF physics IN the Massa
| chusetts Institute OF Technology, and IN
electrical engineering firm OF stone 9
! Webster Of BOSTON were calleg IN VIVA
! had been obtained in the way or CON
! mercial results was thirty siXteen-can
| die Reminiscent lamps glowing az ful
| brilliancy. The thing to be ascertai"e.
} Vas Inc amount "a ANt iva NN''r-+'+
| ana how, IL compared with the amount ~
quired 10 do the same work by usini
] nresent methods. II was found that q
| maintain these lights for IS "a hours re
! ouircd the consumption I'm the pots b.
| oxidation. of about eight pounds Of coal
| IL was also found that the average pres
| sure was ninety volts. and that the aver
| amount OF curreAt was sixteen ampere7
| Also. that the 8verage horsepower deNei
| oued was a little more than tWo-Aois
| poycr. IL was also determined. by care
/ ftl measurements and calculations base
thereon. that the electrical energy actual
| ly obtained from one pound of carbon
| consumed 10 the pots was - per cent.
the theoretical. The experts report says
| 1T is. perhaps. fair 10 say that we ma
expect the carbon electric generator u
Weld ten times as much electricity pc
pound of carbon as does "A good averag
| steam engine dynamo plant
The above process suggests o con,in
! eencv that we should be- glad 10 be en-
/ irhtened upon. II is well known tina
| the air contains very appreciate guam
titles Of carbonic acid gas. II is ais
we'll known that caustic soda has p yef
strong afl.ty for >arbonic acid gas
their union forming carbonate Of soda
| The oxygen Of the air, supplied by u
iron tubes coming In contact with ID
carbon would produce provided the TEN
| peraturc Of 300 degrees mentioned IS sum
/ cloutly high carbonic acid gas. which i
turn. would DE instantly taken up by a.
/ caustic soda 10 form carbonate. 1he7
/ TWO sources or carbon dioXide, that tror
the air and that formed by the com
bustion Of the carbon. would Quickl
/ tmnsform the caustlc into carbonate
This. IL may be inferred, would CORE
| spondingly lessen the force or the cur
! rent till It became nil. The cost OF N
continuous consumption must be con
| Siderable. and We see no reason Tor IN