Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-05

IA TO know scarcely anything about II. !
advise, therefore, that the necessary
changes be made 10 separate these gases,
so that they may be separately purineu
and metered and mix only on the WY
10 the storage holders AT present All
your gas traverses three purifying
houses Only one OF these houses has
boxes OF sufficient size. This Is the new
house. which is weil-arranged house. The
other boxes being TOO small, back pres
sure IL frequent. seals are blown. ana
trouble more the rule than the excep-
ton. Also. the purifying labor is hish.
All this Is unnecessary, and can be radi-
cally simplined at very small expense
NEW METHODS SUGGESTED.
/ suggest that all the purifying in the
future be done I'm the new house. The
four boxes there should lie amply ade-
quate for your purpose. They Will take
care satisfactorily OF 100000 feet day
IL good oxide is used. The expensive
use OF lime should be abandoned. woulu
propose 10 use two Of the boxes in series
for coal-gas and two In series for water
| gas with proper bypass, so tnat In case
OF emergency all the gas could be passed
| through either set / would retain the
other two purifying houses intact for one
| winter. so that those boxes could be used
/ In case the new plan failed. which now
| ever | see no reason TO ANTICIPATE
| should nine the water-gas TO the new IL
foot meter and the cOal-gas TO the old -
foot meter this latter 10 be hrst put III
repair. A new drum Is, | believe neeoel-
| These meters are 70 be arrahBeu Win
proper by-passes so that either can DC
used for all the gas In emergency. 10
| carry out this plan. IL Will De necessary
! TO build a small addition TO your engine
room TO house a new eXhauster. You
would need a No. roOt-exhauster With
engine on the same bed-piate This one
exhauster would require but very niue
extra space. but enough should be pro
vided for a duplicate in the future 10 ~
beside It, The 16-inch water-gas man
coming from the relief-holder should DE-
led to this exhauster. Let the pie9eH'
connection 10 the present exhausteI re
main AS an emergency bypass. carry
a 2O-inch main from the outlet OF tne he"
exhauster into the new purfying-nouse
Valve this house somewhat as shown In
the rough sketch herewith. The coal-Sas'
nursuing its course exactly as at pres
ent enters this house at ~ the water
gas at b. The cOal-gas uses the lelI-
hand set OF boxes. the water-gas lhe
right-hand. Each then passes 70 us own
meter. and then to the single man iea1-
inc TO the storage-holder. My sketch
doned houses 10 be thrown in. This by
mass viii also serve to allow either set OF
boxes in the new house 10 be used Tor the
total make Of mixed gas If desired.
RADICAL AND VALUABLE CHANGE
The use OF two large boxes in series
for purifying is rapidly gaining in FAVOR
A well-known New YORK gas manager
said not long since: - have never seer
the need for four boxes. We have re-
placed one set of four with two lars'
boxes. and shall use sets OF two mere
after in our works" ] believe that thl'
radical and valuable change in your pun
fying can be accomplished at small eX
nense Very little new pipe and valves
will be required. The principal cost VII
be for the new exhauster in its mousse
This will be aboui 81 800. The labor car
he that of your own men. Five hundred
dollars ought to cover the rest OF IN
new material. unless | am mucn nj
taken as TO the amount OF Oh nldlei'a
Won can use This change VIII give yo'
a large saving in your cost or purllyiiis
only the best Of oXide-and IL can ID
made in your own works-snOulu De uSeu
no lime. Pressure troubles VIII olsap
near and the danger Of blowing DoXe
,,,iu he over. This new house is wei
anuipped to handle oxide cheaply IN
, cher houses are not so equipped. In
new house has provision for plo"er
revivlfv the oxide cheaply. Everythih
favors the use Of this house 10 the eN
, clusion Of the others. II this plan Is
success you will gain much valuaoe
space. I believe the change Will pay 10
itself in the saving OF labor IN one year
You will always know exactly what you
coal-gas and water-gas plants are DOING
and each can be followed much NOR
closely than at present. This knowiedg
will insure you many incidental econo
! mics. 1870
In closing, / wish TO express my apP[e
. citation OF your superintendent MI
S knowles: of the courtesy with which
e was received by all the gentlemen VII
! whom | came in contact. and or IN
S facilities afforded me during my stay a
i vopr works: and, also, Of your beautlII
e and prosperous city.
- Were | the owner of these works
D would do exactly as 1 have outlined |
r Won in this report; and, further l woul
s law aside a fixed sum every year for the
y constant Improvement and extension ]
n the full knowledge that all such outlay
e carefully made, would come back hui
s dred-fold. Very respectfully yours,
u II. L. RICE.