Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-12-18

motive boiler on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad while the train was run
ming 20 miles an hour has drawn atten-
ton to boilers generally and has in
vested with additional public interest
the subject of measures to be adopted
to prevent such occurrences. Station
airy boilers of various types are used
in many places. All large buildings
contain batteries as parts of heating
plants, and if the dangers attendant
upon the use of high or even moderate
steam pressure could not be readily
obviated, the presence of a boiler would
furnish good ground for constant an
prehension.
But in the opinion of experts there
Is no cause for alarm The employ
ment of competent engineers and fire
men and the observance of well-es.
taoHshed rules reative to which there
| can be no room for misunderstanding
| VIII lender boilers practically safe and
| reduce the risk incidental to the en-
pIoyment of such appliances to a min
| imum.
y steam boiler inspection and insur-
ance company has had printed care
tully drawn rules for the management
OF steam boilers. A chief inspector
explained the rules to be followed in
preventing explosions.
First determine the pressure at
. which boiler is safe to be operated, >"
said he. This is obtained bv caIcu-
latlon. Find what is the bursting pres
sure, and then the working pressure
should not be more than one-fourth of
that. Having ascertained these facts.
we adjust the safety valve on the boiler
SO that it will blow off freely when the
pressure reaches that point, to prevent
the working pressure from being eX-
, ceeded. After this one of the most
important points in the MANAGEMENT of
boiler is to see that the safety valve
is always in working order and kept
IN such condition, so that a safe pres
sure can never be exceeded.
The most common cause of boiler
explosions is OVerpressure, due to the
failure of safety valves to act properly.
and they are most disastrous with the
boiler having the full quantity of
water in it. Another important point
in tie care of boilers is the keeping Of
sufficient water in them. No part of
a boiler should be exposed TO fire I'M
less there is water on the other side to
prevent the overheating of plates.
When explosions occur from shortness
OF water supply they are not nearly
so destructive as those from Overpres-
sure. In the case of so-called water
explosions the metal becomes red-hot
and in this state so soft that it gives
way gradually under pressure and
there is not the water liberated to give
the dynamic force which we find in
cases of Overpressure explosions
Another point is to have regular in
oVeraccumulation of scale matter
which might permit of overheating.
and likewise to see that all parts of
the structure are sound and do not give
evidence of Weakening Interval in
spections should be made at least once
a year and then at intervals of about
three months boilers should be ex-
amined when in operation to see that
the safety valves, water gauges. feed
ing appliances, etc, are all in good
condition. If a boiler is
properly constructed and the safe
pressure is not exceeded.
safety valves are kept in good working
~
his pressure, water gauges Indicating
when feeding appliances are kept in
'epair and the boilers regularly clean
I'd and inspected by a competent in
'pector, boiler explosions would be a
yery rare thing.
Explosions are not as frequent AS
ew years ago, owing to better con-
truction. Formerly cast-iron was
lsed, but now it mas given way al
most entirely to steel, except in the
ase O. heating boilers in buildings
nd residences, where cast iron is still
argely employed, but the pressure in
his case is always so very low that
disastrous explosions can hardly occur.
hough occasionally we do hear of
hem. The greatest number of exDlo-
ions occur in threshing machines and
ountry saw mills, where the manage
1ent is more reckless than in the case
large plants where they have thor
ughIy experienced men to run them.
Boilers in railroad locomotives. if
roperly constructed, kept clean and
aretully inspected, are no more liable
explode than any others. Defective
I'd inferior workmanship in the con-
ruction Of boilers sometimes leads
explosions"