The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-14
TO PREVENT
COAL WASTE.
Edison Working Hard on New
DevIce Of Great Possibilities
Ne EMPLOYS COMPRESSED Air.
Ihls Raised 10 a Temperature Of About 45O
Dsersss-Tm Lose Of Energy Is Only
About One Per Cent.
he EMPLOYS COMPRESSED AIR.


New York, Nov l4-Thomas a. Edison,
working day and night in his wonderful
laboratory at West Orange. is perfecung
an invention which promises an economic
revolution for the industrial world.
IL is a plan TO utilize all the energy
stored in coal.
At present 30 per cent and more OF this
energy is lost In the process Of conbus-
tion-carried of in the form OF smoke and
gases through the chimneys OF factories
and the smokestacks OF motor engines.
Mr.. Edison's invention aims to control
the lull energy OF coal by means of COM
pressed air and. II successful. will solve
q 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
reyolutionize motive power on land and
sea-. cutting down the cost OF operation TO
figures undreamed OF by the most hope
ful economist.
AS yet Mr.. Edison has perfected his
new invention only in the heating or
compressed air. thus doubling it's potency
sumed This OF itself is notable
achievement, and already the officials OF
a street railroad in this city are negotiat-
ing to utilize the invention in heating
their cars this winter.
THE GREAT WORK AHEAD.
But to apply the principle 10 the indus
trial field, to make II run the mighty en-
gines of manufacture, to propel steam
ships to drive heavily laden locomotives
and to reduce the cost OF electricity TO a
nominal point are the problems upon
which Mr. Edison Is now Gt work.
Already he has applied his compressed
air device to several steam drills and one
engine with splendid results.
Upon the weil-known principle that
compressed air heated to a temperature OF
45O degrees Fahrenheit has twice it's origi-
nal 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 Is
inches In diameter Is quite large enough
for use In q street car. provided the coal
supply be replenished twice or at most
three times during the "a hours.
The inner chamber. smaller by two In
ches, than its cover. Is constructed with
strong walls equipped to withstand
mighty heat pressure. Circulating air
cools the walls of the outer chamber.
which ~ result may be made thinner
and lighter.
This outer chamber 70 connected by q
pipe with q reservoir OF compressed air
On the opposite side Of the chamber at
the top Is another pipe through which
the air IL carried with all Its giant driv-
ing power to the engine which is to be
operated.
100 FEET TO SQUARE INCH.
Compressed air has a force of 1Co feet
20 the square inch. which would be the
force exerted by this current OF COM
pressed air from the reservoir to the
point Of application without the applica-
ton OF heat. But from the pipe connect
Ing the compressed air reservoir with the
outer chamber OF the device there Is a
small branch pipe leading to the bottom
Of the inner chamber.
BY q simple mechanical arrangement
the main pipe may be choked on and the
compressed air carried down into the In
ner chamber. reducing the pressure from
100 feet per square inch to oS feet.
The coal 10 In this inner chamber and
the per cent. OF air feeds the combus-
tior-making II gradual but complete.
Red hot are the walls OF the inner cham
ber, but the walls of the outer chamber,
cooled by vertical air currents, are only
} comfortably warm to the touch of bare
hand.
There is no outlet for the smoke and
gases, which accumulate In the inner
chamber, except small pipe which
opens into the large Pipe through which
tho power Is transmitted direct to the en-
gine 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.
IL is reported that the revolutionary
idea which promises to work economic
wonders In this new device was suggested
10 Mr.. Edison by little Chinese foot
warmer
KEEP WARM FOR A WEEK.
II was one Of the tiny metal sort into
which you put a burning lump OF pulp
charcoal no bigger than a rife ball, and
which generates heat for a week or more.
A small hole In one end OF the metal CYL
inder allows the air to enter. Another
needle-point hole at the opposite end per-
mits the gases of combustion to escape
One OF these foot warmers helped Mr.
Edison to the utilization OF a principle
which he had been striving vainly for
months to reduce TO practical application.
Up TO the appearance OF this Oriental toy
on the scene Mr.. Edison has been won
dering how ne could burn coal under n
same time avoid the mighty and seeming
IL inevitable escape OF energy up the
chimney.
Not ready to talk yet" said Mr.. Edi-
son yesterday.