The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-11-20
WHEN COAL WILL 7
DO WONDERS.
Edison Will Soon Have His In
ventiOn Ready
TO PRESENT TO THE WORLD.
The Wizard Is Now working Steadily On
the Plan at His Wonderful Lab
oratory In West Orange,
New jersey. l--

for the industrial world. tt
1t is plan to utilize all the energy
stored in coal
At present 80 per cent and more of
this energy is lost in the process of com-
bustion-carried off in the form OF
smoke and gases through the chimneye
of factories and the smokestacks Of
motor engines. es -.
Mr.. Edison's invention aims to con-
troll the full energy of coal by means
of compressed afr and, IL successful,
will solve problem which for years has
occupied the attention of scientists the
world over. ~
BY this means power enough could be
extracted from a pound or two of coal
to carry a man around the world. 1t
would revolutionize motive power on
land and sea, cutting down the cost of
operation to figures undreamed of by
the most hopeful economist.
AS yet Mr.. Edison has perfected his
new invention only in the heating of
compressed air, thus doubling it's. po-
tency and minimizing the volume of
coal consumed. This of itself is a nota-
bic achievement, and already the Off
cials of street railroad in this city are
negotiating to utilize the invention in
heating their cars this winter.
CREATES WONDERFUL POWER.
But TO apply the principle to the in
dustrial field, to make 1t run the mighty
engines Of manufacture, to propel
steamships, to drive heavily laden loco
motives and to reduce the cost of cleo
tricity to a nominal point are the prob
lens upon which Mr.. Edison is now at
work.
Already he has applied his compress
ed air device to several steam drills
and one engine with splendid results.
Upon the well known principle that
compressed air heated to a temperature
of 450 degrees Fahrenheit has twice its
original power rests the power of this
simple yet wonderful device.
Two chambers, one inclosing the
other are the essential parts of the
heater, varying in size according to
the volume of coal used.
For example, an outer chamber fifteen
inches in diameter is quite large enough
for use in a street car, provided the
coal supply be replenished twice or at
most three times during the twenty
four hours. ,-,..,,, .,.
The inner chamber, smaller by two
inches than Its cover, is constructed
with strong wall equipped to Withstand
a mighty heat pressure. Circulating air
cools the walls of the outer chamber
which as a result may be made thinner
and lighter.
This outer chamber Is connected by q
pipe with reservoir of compressed air
On the opposite side of the chamber at
the top, is another pipe through which
the air is carried with all its giant driv-
ing power to the engine which is to be
operated.
Compressed air has force of 100 feet
to the square inch, which would be the
force exerted by the current of com-
pressed air from the reservoir to the
point of application without the appIi-
cation Of heat. But from the pipe con-
Meeting the compressed air reservoir
with the other chamber of the device
here Is small branch pipe leading to
the bottom of the inner chamber.
BY simple mechanical arrangement
the main pipe may be choked off and
the compressed air carried down into
the inner chamber, reducing the pres
sure from 100 feet per square inch to SO
feet.
IN THE INNER CHAMBER.
The coal is in this inner chamber and
then 2 per cent of air feeds the combu3-
tion--making 1t gradual, but complete
Red hot are the walls of the inner
chamber, but the walls of the outer
chamber, cooled by vertical air cur
rents, are only comfortably warm to the
touch of a bare hand.
There Is no outlet for the smoke and
gases which accumulate in the inner
chamber, except a small pipe which
opens in to the large pipe through
which the power IL transmitted direct
to the engine that is being operated.
Enormous heat and almost trebled
power are the results.
Not more than per cent OF the entire
energy stored in the coal is lost.
1t is reported that the revolutionary
idea which promises to work economic
wonders in this new device was sug-
gested to Mr.. Edison by little Chinese
foot warmer
1t was of the tiny metal sort, into
which you put a burning lump of pulp
charcoal no bigger than q rifle ball, and
which generates heat for week or
more. A, small hole in one end OF the
metal cylinder allows the air to enter.
Another needle-point. hole at the oppo-
site end permits the gases OF combus-
tion to escape.
One Of these foot warmers helped Mr..
Edison to the utilization of principle
which he had been striving vainly for
months to reduce to practical applica-
tion. Up to the appearance Of this ORR
entail toy on the scene Mr.. Edison has
been wondering how he could burn
coal under chamber OF compressed air
and at the same time avoid the mighty
and seemingly inevitable escape OF en-
ergy up the chimney.
mot ready to talk yet" said Mr..
Edison yesterday.