Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-06-29
TO HEAT The TOWN.
Hot Water Supplied From Waste
steam OF un Electric I'iant.

steam OF un Electric Iiant.
II our forefathrrs were To visit Della
ware, o., they would admit that the
modern way of doing things las its ad-
vantages. UnqueStionably the most in
tereSting 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
and 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 win
bc rnTrely hot water, ana heat will hc
culIdlrtcd 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 Oh
toward the residence portion. stopping
at various business lou rs on the way
through maze of pipes ANA radiators
and finally returning to the station to
Dt dSulu SldIlCt On It's
warmth giving journey.
The steam is first used In ten engines.
after which il 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 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-
phere, no back pressure ever being
placed by the engines. The effect
then. Is to condenSe the exhaust steam
and to heat the water in the system.
To circulate the water throughout
the streets and buildings n pump is
used. This pump is Of the centrifugal
type and is driven 10y hcit 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 its
heat in a slight degree. then returns to
the station to be rehcated, thus keep.
ing up Il 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,
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 a minimum, and the pow
er expended to maintain the circulation
Is very slight. BY a complete system
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
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
at each building outlets are provided
for connections.
The control of the heat supplied to
the consumer is secured by rheostat
which, when moved certain way, af-
fo!ds a 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.