The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-17

When the supply of candles became
inadequate. whales came: when whale
oil became inadequate. Kerosene came
when Kerosene and gas became mad
equate. electricity. Just so, too, II has
been with mechanical power. When the
water wheel became Inadequate. the
steam engine came; when wood for this
engine was lacking. coal came knock
ing at the engine door: when coal went
out OF Europe. then came electric pow
er. 1t has been long written that ne
cessfty Is the mother Of invention. 1t
may therefore be that these things
came because men must have them. and
so began looking about, and thinking
out, the problems. AT all events things
them. Just now there comes news Of
an invention in Germany which may
well stagger even the imaginatfons OF
men. Ut is in utilization OF exhaust
steam from*the steam engine. Nothing
comparable TO II. since the invention of
the steam engine. has even taken place.
A way has been found by which "the
exhaust steam from 1000 horse power
central station engine should furnish
power to drive an additional 1000 horse
power engine which can be connected
as an extra cylinder TO the steam en-
gine or run. independently, and thus In
crease by 80 per cent. the pow
er developed without adding a
pound to the quantity OF fuel con-
sumed.' Such a discovery coming just
upon the eve ef coal famine gives
emphasis to the notes at the beginning
OF this paper--when the time came the
man. was ready. A recent writer has
said that notwithstanding the incalcu-
liable services OF the steam boiler and
engine to mankind, 1t was nevertheless
q most wasteful and extravagant de-
vice for converting the energy stored
in fuel into mechanical power. A SIM
pie high pressure engine hardly util-
ICES per cent. OF the value of the fuel
consumed; a. compound engine. after
the fuel condensing the steam. utilizes
under the most favorable condition 13
per cent. OF the value OF the fuel con-
sumed. Now comes this great discov-
cry and utilizes so per cent. of the
power, by running with no cost another
engine one-half as powerful as the first.
1t has been thought until today. that
with the much improved cut of and a
compound engine, the practical limit
new discovery comes to revolutionize
all mechanical business. IT would be
quite impossible for us to attempt a
description OF this discovery. We will
therefore let the authority from whom
we have derived the fact describe it:
There is always an important and in
evitable loss of heat energy when the
steam, having done its work. is dis
charged into the open air or changed
back to water by contact with cold
water in condenser. When the ex-
haust In in the open air, the steam has
a temperature OF about PIP r.. when II
passes into a condenser the steam has
a temperature OF 140 to 100 r., according
10 the vacuum. The corresponding la
tent heat OF steam given up upon
tutnkt VI loIun AfOifi cttdU 10 not Wa
ter. has hitherto -Sn to waste in the
condenslng or cooling water, or in the
air. This discovery was the Joint WORK
OF q. Behnend. a Hamburg engineer
and Dr. Zimmerman OF Ludingshafen
and these gentlemen attacked The prob.
lem OF this wasted calorlc by employ
ing II 10 create a new supply OF steam
by eyaporating some liquid which has
a lower boiling point than water; they
finally chose. after a great many ex'
periments. sulpurous acid H2SO3
which ~ not only cheap and easily OBJ.
tanned. but has the further advantage
OF viscous consistency. and lubricates
the inner working surfaces Of the ma.
chlnery without corrodlng them. The
demonstrations OF these gentlemen. al.
though not practically conclusive. Were
no promising that Professor Josse Of
are Royal Technical High school al
E>>rlottenburs, technical author.t,
.. . .