The Indianapolis journal., 1902-11-09
COST OF FUELS.
A Comparison Made on a Strict scien-
tifc Basis.
Philadelphia Record.

Philadelphia Record.
A good deal of misinformation is being
promulgated at the present time in re-
special stoves or burners) for fuel in pla re
or anthracite even at normal prices for
the latter. The only way to get an intel
hgent understanding of the problem is
TO figure on the basis of the number of
heat units contained in the several fuels.
The combustion, or burning, of a given
weight Of any substance develops a GER
tain number of units of heat, no matter
what form of furnace or burner is used.
Ihls maximum quantity of heat may
produce more heat than others; that is,
may approach nearer the theoretical heat
equivalent of the substance burned, but
can never exceed this maximum amount
under any circumstances. At given prices,
therefore, the problem is simply this:
What is the cost of one thousand or ten
thousand heat units when developed by
such fuel?"
Illuminating gas, for instance, does not
contain more than 600 heat units per cubic
foot; refined oil, such as is ordinarily sold
for Illuminating purposes, contains as many
as DOOO heat units per pound; and anthra-
cite coal, say 1900 heat units per pound.
Heat is an accurately measurable quantity
and no appliance can produce more than
the above figures, and all produce less, as
the combustion is never perfect, and con-
siderable heat is always lost in chimney
gases when stoves or furnaces are used.
Taking gas at one dollar per thousand
cubic feet and allowing the full theoretical
ing that it is to be burned in a gas stove
which has no fiue connection with the outer
air so that all the heat is available, an
thracite coal at $500 per ton, and admitting
that only so per cent. of its heat is available
for useful heating, the balance being lost
up the chimney, and illuminating oil at 8
cents per gallon, weighing approximately
six and one-half pounds, and figuring only
80 per cent. of the heat available, sup
posing the burner to be used in a range
CRATE, or furnace, and not in a blue flame
oil fhnt1 ncti with he
atmosphere, then by simple proportion 1t
follows that one cent expended for the
various fuels will yield heat about as
One cent expended for coal at $500 per
ton will yield $4,000 heat units.
One cent expended for oil at cents per
gallon will yield 1850 heat units.
One cent expended for gas at 81 per 1000
cubic feet will yield 5000 heat units
A number of other factors enter the
problem, however, for 1t is quite evident
from the above that anthracite coal at SIS
to $40 per ton is cheap compared with the
other fuels. where heat is desired contin-
uously. Of course, in industrial plants the
cost of firing the fuel and removing ashes,
in the case of coal, have to be considered,
but in any case these are not determinable
factors and for the household they are
minor considerations.
The advantage to which both gas and
oil owe their well-merited popularity are
the ease with which they can be applied
directly to heating where desired and their
freedom from ash or its equivalent. An
oil stove can be carried about from room
TO room. When burning ii radiates all its
heat into the room, all of which is, there
fore, available, so that the above figures
for oil in such case should be increased
20 per cent. The same is true of gas, but
in lesser degree as regards portability.
Oil or gas can be applied instantly and as
quickly extingushed whereas when a coal
fire is kindled in a stove or furnace IL
usually is allowed TO burn itself out, al
though the heat may only be desired for
a limited time, in cooking, or other
household service. Each fuel has its own
limited sphere within which il is cheapest
and supreme. Fuel oil for burning in fur
naces or ranges at cents per gallon is
about as cheap as the regulation prices
for domestic sizes of coal, but up to the
present time no satisfactory fuel oil burner
has been devised for household use.