The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-27
FUEL GAS FROM CULM.
Valuable Invention Calculated TO Re-
duce Cost of Motive Power.

duce Cost of Motive Power.
The value of gas for fuel and power
Ia no longer problematical, it is prac-
tically demonstrated to be of much
greater value than the solid fuel from
and with which 1t is produced.
The well known Slemens regenera-
tive furnaces had much to do with Its
application for high heating purposes
such as melting iron and steel, but for
moderate heating, simply furnaces
without provision for fire heating the
air or gas is used. For boiler firing
where steam is a necessity it is found
to be much more effectual as it is more
convenient than solid fuel, and is an
Improvement upon any automatic stolS-
er possible to devise. For domestic
purposes its value is recognized and
even where expensive illuminating gas
is the only kind to be had, II is being
so extensively used as to seriously cur
tail the use of coal. But probably the
most valuable of all the various pur-
poses to which it is applied is that for
furnishing power by means Of the gas
engine. This country Is q long way be-
hind the European countries in the
utilization of this most economical
Of power generators. There the gas
engine is employed for all power pur-
poses and is rapidly displacing the
steam engine. 1t is in common use for
pumping water for town supplies, cleo
trio lighting and railway plants, mills
employing from 100 to 1000 horse pow
er, and for all other purposes requir-
ing power.
The advantages of gas engine power
may be thus merated-Economy Of
fuel, safety from boiler explosions, saw
ing Of boiler expenses and dirt saving
of water and little Importance as 20
quality, no high pressure retaining
vessels or pipes. no escaping steam, no
complicated system of safety valves,
gIages, feed water heaters, conden-
sors, separators, pumps &c, no waiting
to get up steam or waste when engines
are not running.
An American writer of authority on
the subject of power, says, after care
full and Intelligent tests by experts
with the best instruments made at the
present day, it is generally admitted
that what is now deemed the perfect
steam engine, does not convert more
than 10 per cent. Of the heat efficiency
into indicated work and that ordinary
engines and boilers do not realize over
per Celll. rEOul oV per cent. 10 30
per cent oe energy is lost in the waste
full method of producing steam through
q boiler and the condensation and
friction in conveying it to the piston
Of the engine where the energy is ex-
pended in work. If we can compare
this with the effective energy produced
by the expansive force of heated vap-
or produced by the combustion of gas
in the cylinder of a gas engine with
out any intervening throttling by fric-
ton, cooling and condensation, or loss
by radiation, we readily discover the
great economy of the gas engine as
a prime motor 1t IS only a matter of
time when the prejudice that usually
exists against an innovation will be
overcome and the superiority Of the
gas engine over the cumbersome short
lived and wasteful boilers will be estab-
l!shed. The cost of producing power
will be SO reduced, that the beggar may
ride, and in the next decade the steam
engine will occupy the same relative
position to the gas engine that the
tallow dip now does to the electric
light, and the horse car to the electric
car"
Mr.. Thwaite, an English engineer
and authority says 'In the gas en-
gine ga OF the combustlble value Of
the fuel is secured in the cylinder
for direct conversion into power under
the most perfect conditions of combus-
ton In the steam plant, this fuel is
burnt under the worst possible condi-
tions In the furnaces OF the steam boil
er OF the best designed" which factor
is greatly reduced by condensation,
resistance, waste &C., I'm pipes before
reaching the cylinder Of the engine,
| FIe also says a central coal field gas
power installation, will permit dyna-
mic energy to be produced for trans
| mission by high pressure alternating
electric currents, TO a distance up to
one hundred miles, at a cost that would
bring this energy well within the limit
! prescribed by the expression Of cheap
| power"
Mr.. Donkin another English authori-
| ty says: at has now proved that a
good gas engine turned about double
as much heat into work as a good
steam engine" Also that ut has been
| found and attention was first drawn
to the fact by Sir w. Siemens, that
coal gas gives much more light when
! furnishing power electrically through
gas engine and dynamo than when
the same quantity of gas is burnt in
| the ordinary way" as an example.
An engine using IL feet of 16 CANDLE
! power gas for each horse power per
! hour will run ten 16 candle power in
/ candcscent lights or $50 candle power
of light for one hour. This gas will
| furnish three 3 feet burners giving 1G
| candle power each or As candle power
of light for one hour or a gain Of 112
| candle power Of light from IS feet OF
! gas by conversion into electricity. In
producing arc lights ~ times the light
is obtained from the same gas con-
sumption as In producing incandes-
| cent lights.
| TIE natural gas found in some parts
OF this country has had much to do
with the rapid development Of its uses
! for fuel and power, where natures sup
ply has been exhausted manufactured
| gas has been restored to rather than
return to the use of solid fuel even In
the soft coal region.
Millions Of dollars are being expend-
cd i'm the development of water powers
| for the purpose Of generating elec-
tricity which has generally to be con-
Quoted a long distance by means OF
expensive conductors and with great
loss of efficiency, to reach the place
where the power Is to be applied
Scranton and vicinity possesses an
unlimited source Of the cheapest power
in existanCe, The gas generated with
anthracite culm by the Sanderson pro-
cess is chemically the same as that
most generally used for extensive pow
er purposes in Europe, and which is
also produced with anthracite coal