Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-28
THE NEW POWER PLANT
Public Printer Palmer Describes 1t in a
Letter to Mr.. Babcock.
The Chairman of the District Com
mittee Thinks other Depart
ments Might Do So.

Upon a recent visit to the government
printing office Chairman Babcock of the
House District committee was much I'M
pressed with the new power plant of that
institution.
1t is one of the finest plants in the coun-
try" he said and its operation shows how
cheaply electricity and electric light can be
produced.
Mr.. Babcock thinks that if one bureau OF
the government can establish its own plant
and obtain its power. heat and light so
cheaply there is no reason why this could
rot be done in all the department buildings.
Mr.. Babcock asked the public printer to
send him description of the plant, and has
received the following letter:
/ have the honor TO give below the infor-
nation asked for in your letter OF February
10 concerning the power plant of this office:
The boiler plant consists of four Scotch
type marine boilers twelve feet in diam
eter and thirteen feet long. rated at .aN
horse power each They are each fitted
with two Morison's suspension furnaces
and doors. McClave shaking CRATES. and
provided with economizers. seven feet
in diameter and ten feet high. which rest
above the boilers upon steel supports.
The economizers are used for a double
purpose-iirst, as reservoir which is at all
times kept filled with water at the same
temperature that in the boilers. by cir
culating pumps drawing water from the
bottom of the boilers; also by feed pumps.
which draw the water from the hot well,
passing it through a meter and heater into
them. The water returns to the boilers by
gravity through a copper pipe from the top
of the econonizers. Second. for the utifiza-
ton of the flue gases. They pass from the
combustion chambers through the tubes in
the boilers into the uptakes, then through
the tubes of the economiZers Battle plates
are used to cause them to pass through
three times. By this means all available
heat units of the flue gases have been com
sumed previous to their entering the stack.
The consumption of coal during twenty
four hours for power, lighting and manu-
featuring purposes during the summer
months averages four and eisht-tenths
tons. When heat is on the building it aver
ages ten tons. The coal consumption for
heating and manufacturing purposes is
five and thirteen-hundredths pounds per
horse power per hour. while that for the
engine plant flor power and lighting only
is two and thirteen hundredths pounds per
horse power per hour.
Direct radiation is used for heating the
building instead of exhaust steam. All the
condensatio from the heating system and
a portion of the discharge from the engine
condensers are returned to the boilers. the
balance of the discharge being utilized in
the toilet rooms throughout the office.
In the power plant there are three engines
OF 40, I'M and 30 horse power. respective
Iy- All direct connected to the gener-
ators.
previous to installing its own plant.
At the present time there are about 800
sixteen-candle-powe incandescent and six
are lamps used for lighting. Power is fur
nished for ~ printing presses. 10 elevators
and motors of the following horse power
for various purposes: Twelve of five, five
of ten. three of fifteen and one of forty;
a'so numerous small ones ranging from
one-fourth TO one horse power. for ruling
machines and ventilating fans.
When the electrical portion of the plant
was installed provision was made for its
complete duplication, or, in fact, crib
system. The switchboard Is fitted with all
modern Instruments for the purpose of as
pertaining the varying loads and detecting
any irregularity in the transmission of GER
rent through the numerous lines of cables.
In the engine and boi'er plants due care
was exercised to have them as economical
In their output possible. The ooiieTs,
while of the Scotch type, are provided
with a nearly complete system of circu!a-
ton. making them equal to any type OF
boiler for the work of the Office. The en-
gines. running at $50 revolutions per min
ute, have certain features introduced in
their construction which make them -,ery
satisfactory in the duties they have to
perform.
All pipes and valves in both plants are
so arranged that repairs can be readily
made without any stoppage to the work
OF the office F. ". PALMER,
Pubic Primer.