Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-06-30
TO HEAT THE TOWN.
Hot Water Supplied From Waste
Steam of IN Electric Plant.

Hot Water Supplied From Waste
Steam of IN Electric Plant.
If our fOrcfathcrS were to visit Della
ware, o.. they would admit that the
modern way of doing things has its adj
vantagcs. TnQueStionably the most in
tcrcstng bit of history connected with
Delaware is the fact that light, heat
and power can be furnished from one
central point. that the era of stoves
md furnaces Is almost at an end and
that fires, ashes and dust are facts
connected with past history. says the
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The new plant of hot water heating
Is receiving attention from various
parts of the country. The system will
be entirely hot water. and heat will be
conducted to all parts of the city
through protected pipes from the Della
ware Electric Light and Power cOmpa-
ny's plant in the southern part of the
city through the business center and on
toward the residence portion. stopping
at various business louscS 90 the way
through a maze of pipes and radiators
be rchcatcd and again started on Its
warmth giving journey.
The steam Is first used In ten engines,
after which II passes as exhaust
through an ingenious device which
heats the fresh supply of boiler water.
This is called the feed water heater be-
cause it heats the boiler feed water. The
feed water abSorbS only 10 per cent
of the exhaust steam, the remainder
then passing to a large steel heater
which is full of small tubes. Ten tubes
are surrounded by the water in the
heating system. and the exhaust steam
passes through the inside of the tubes,
and the surplus goes free to the atmos-
pherc, no back pressure ever being
placed by the engines. The effect,
then, is to condcnse the exhaust steam
and to heat the water in the system.
TO circulate the water throughout
the streets and buildings Il pump Is
type and is driven by belt from the
main line shaft. One pump is kept In
reserve In case of accident.
After the water IS passed through
the stationary apparatus it then goes
through the system and through the
buildings connected and gives up it's
heat in n slight degree then returns to
the station to be rchcatcd, thus keep
ing up a continual circulation, the wa
ter being used over and over again.
Each building is supplied with what
is termed 'shunt." The water flow
ing is like electricity and will follow
the easiest path of least resistance. 1t
will be seen that water flowing rapid
ly through the main artery will divide,
and II small portion will pass through
the ''shunt' or side circuit. Enough
will do this to heat the building, and
yet the quantity so ''shunted' Is SO
small in comparison to the flow in the
main artery that the temperature of
the main flow is not materially reduc-
ed by the water returned from the
buildings.
BY this scheme of piping the friction
Is reduced to Il minimum, and the pow
er expended to maintain the circulation
NNlS SllSht. ny ColllDltlt SttIl
of thermometers and gauges at the
central plant the temperature Of the
water going out from the station may
be read off at any time and also the
net pressure against which the pump is
working
1t IS found that in zero weather the
pressure required to circulate the wa
ter is only Is pounds, and an engine Of
II horsepower is required to drive the
pump.
The water is only cooled off in the
circuit degrees E.-that is, the wa
ter comes back to the station but 8
degrees cooler than it leaves, and the
entire heating is done with the exhaust
steam.
The covering is wood pipe, heXagonal
In form, consisting of several layers Of
wood and corrugated paper. The pipes
are laid three feet underground, and
Mt each building outlets are provided
for connections.
The control of the heat supplied to
the consumer is secured by n rheostat
which, when moved n certain way, af-
fords higher temperature or greater
circulation of hot water and when
moved another shuts off the rapid
circulation, thus lowering the supply
and reducing the temperature. The
heat produced is steady, and shortly
Delaware will be supplied with light,
power and heat all from one central
plant.