Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-20
THEY WILL USE OIL.
Navy Officials Favor Change in Type
Of Warship Fuel.

navy On1ciaiS Favor Sndn9e IN type
Of Warship Fuel.
Washington, June 19.-In answer to
a strong demand from manufacturing
and commercial interests throughout
the United States, the navy department
has made public the conclusions de-
rived from experiments with oil fuel
by a board consisting of COmmander
]. r. Edwards, Lieutenant-C Commander
w. H. Parks and Lieutenant-C Com
mander Bailey. The more important
conclusions are as follows:
THAT no difficulty should be expert
enced by an intelligent fireroom force
in burning oil in Il uniform manner.
while the use of steam as a spray
ing medium will undoubtedly prove
most satisfactory for general purposes,
the result of the tests show that the
consumption of fuel Oil cannot be forced
to as great an extent with steam
er as the atOmiZing agent as when
highly heated compressed air is used
for this purpose. AS the warship is de-
signed to be operated at short notice
under the severest forced draught con-
ditionS, the question will have to be
considered whether it is not more advis-
able to fit air burners that would be
found most efficient for the day of bat
tie rather than effect an installation
of steam burners that are most desir-
able for general cruising.
THAT in every oil fuel installation
special provision should be made for
the removal of the water that will COL
ha no
tom of the supply tanks.
THAT the evaporative efficiency of
crude and refined Oil is practically the
same, no matter from what locality the
oil make come. The danger of using
crude oil is much greater.
I'm order to provide a uniform sup
ply of oil to the burners the oil should
be heated by some simple means.
where the use of liquid fuel in
stallation is projected, there should be
a reserve of burners installed and these
burners should be of a design that
would permit rapid examination, thor
ough overhauling an easy renewal of
special parts by the fire room force.
'In view of the liability of every form
Of burner to clog, the necessity of maxi
ing special provision for straining the
oil was emphatically shown. Extended
experience in the burning of crude oil
will confirm the opinion that the SIM
pier the furnace, the greater it's eff
cheney.
THAT no design of oil fuel installa-
ton should be permitted for marine
purposes which would not permit the
renewal within a hours of all crate
n ~, In n
coal could be accomplished with a rea-
sonable time in case of failure of oil
supply.
where it is used as a fuel in Scotch
boiler. the introduction of retarderS in
the tubes will undoubtedly increase the
evaporative efficiency of the boilers.
Gan important point established has
been the calorimeter openings of wa
ter tube boilers should be less than that
in the case of Scotch boilers, whether
coal or oil be used as a fuel.
Marine firemen are not ill-dispOsed
toward the use of oil. 1t will be essen
tial, however. particularly for marine
work, to secure intelligent men for the
operation of the burners. 1t will be
found that resulting financial economy
will ensue by entrusting the manage
ment of oil fuel installations to men OF
skill and judgment.
Where crude petroleum has under
gone a slight refining or distillatiOn. nc
ill effects result to modern steel boilers.
From the standpoint Of endurance of
boiler, the advantage, if any, is with
oil. Crude oil. however, by reason of its
searching and corrosive effects, has a
greater tendency than refined oil to
attack the seams and tubes of modern
boilers. For marine work, therefore,
no crude petroleum should be used, and
particularly for ships making long
voyages. the fuel oil should undergo
some mild distillation before being
placed in the tanks.
.'In the slowing of liquid fuel on
board vessels, whether taken on board
for fuel purposes or for transportation
in bulk. the compartments containing
the crude product should be as few as
possible, both for reason of safety as
well as for facility of delivery and dis
charge.
Under forced draft conditions, and
with water tube boilers, and with the
use of oil as fuel, the solution of the
smoke question is nearly as remote as
ever. Where a limited quantity of oil
is burned in a Scotch boiler, however,
and retarders are used in the tubes.
crude petroleum should be smokeless.'