The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-05-29
rests OF steam Turbine.

When the attention OF engineering
experts was first drawn to the pcssi-
biiities of the steam turbine, as illus
trated by the British torpado BOAT de-
stroyerS Viper and Cobra. its chief
merit was the high power developed In
proportion to the space occupied by
the machinery. 1t now Eeeins probable
that. under certain conditions, Mr.. Par
sons famous device will exhibit an ad-
ditional virtue-economy In Iuel con-
sumption A large engine OF this kind
has recently been Installed In an
electric light stItion in Hartford.
Conn, and The Iron Age learns Lnat
the new motor develops a horsepower
for every one and one-fourth pounds OF
coal burned. The significance of that
statement will be better appreciated
when one remembers that the best
compound condensing engines of the
reciperocating type, in service on
steamships and In waterworks. call for
at least one and one-half pounds. while
In many power plants fully three
pounds OF coal are consumed hourly
for every horsepower. In making such
comparison. II is desirable to know
something about the grade OF fuel uDcd
Much depends, too. on the continuity
OF running Again, a saving may he
effected merely by careful stoking, and
| II Is not incredible that the Hartford
experiment represents an effort to
make a record In that and other re-
spects.s All the same. there seems to be
a good prima facie case for economy.
II this is we'll backed up by later ex-
perience. the steam turbine will havca
fresh claim to favor.
II has long been automatic in marine
practice that every steam engine has
one particular rate of running at which
the development 1of power Is less ex-
pensive than at any other. Nth tor
pedo boat destroyers this happens to
be their maximum velocity. In conse-
Quence, the Yelox Is to be provided
with two sets OF engines for cruising.
II follows that II the work which an
engine on land was called upon to do
was very variable the turbine might
not prove any more economical tnan
any other, type. The demands made
upon an electric light station for Gu,
Trent fuctuate widely In the course of a
day, and ten or fifteen years ago this
fact worried tAe managers of such
establishments greatly. A remedy has
been found for the evil. however Stor-
age batteries now accumulate the en-
ergy when there Is a surplus. aud rein
force the dynamos when the require
ments are excessive. thus they
'equaliEe the load" and facilitate thst
uniformity Of output on which econ
omy depends. An even bolder venture
than that In Hartford will be the In
stallation OF ten two thousand horse
/ az q Ems In. In he
plant OF Mr.. Yerkes' underground cleo
tric roads In London. for which the
contracts have Just been let II this
experiment works as we'll as the other
the effect will be almost revolutionary.
Whatever be the future OF the steam
turbine on land, itE popularity for
marine service is already pretty well
assured. The great saving OF space
which II makes possible Is G much
greater advantage In the latter sphere
OF usefulness than In the former. That
recommendation alone is sure to be
highly influential. During the current
season the Parsons engine will he tri led
on several new craft Something like
half dozen yachts are to be equipped
with II, az least one OF them having
been ordered by an American. Refer
ence has just been made 20 the VeloA
now In process of construction. Nor is
II any news that the success of King
Edward on the Clyde last year has led
to the construction of another small
passenger boat to be propelled by a
turbine. As yet the new motor hes
not been put on board a vessel displae-
ing more than few hundred tens. I'm
til II has actually been tested on 4 big
liner the result cannot be predicted
with certainty. but strong hopes OF its
success are justihed.-NeW York Tri-
1 buua