The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-12
COAL The BEST.
A Wichita Packing Company
Gives Some Figures.
Cannot Afford Cost of Install
mentS for Oil.
WOULD SAVE S. DAILY.
But New and Necessary Equip
ments to Cost $4,000.
Oil the Cheapest for Small Con-
sumers, 1t Is Claimed.
WOULD SAVE S. DAILY.

tWlCnlIa, July IZ-Ihe fuel test at the
Dold Packing compdnys plant, the re-
suit of which has Just been made pub
lie, shows that oil is more economical
for the small consumer of fuel, but for
the bold plant it will be of advantage
to continue the use of coal. Where
there is ample boiler capacity, as at
Dold's the cost of installing new equip
ment for use of oil. would not Justify
the changes under present conditions.
The saving, as shown by the figures
compiled by Superintendent Darrigand,
would be about IS per day; the cost of
installing the new equipment would be
$4,000. Therefore, it would take 800 days
20 pay for the equipment out of the saw
ing. Because of the uncertainty of
freight rates and cost of oil. it is impos-
sible to get a long time contract that
would justify making the change at the
expense of $4,000.
Speaking of the test. Mr.. Darrigand
said; 1T shows that the small con-
sumner. who has only one boiler and
who is required to use it at full pres
sure to make sufficient steam, would
find it to his advantage to use oil. We
have ample boiler capacity and could
not advantageously make the change
under present conditions
Five distinct tests were made, in three
of which oil was the fuel and in the
remaining two, coal was used. A return
tubular boiler size &c X IS, was used.
These boilers are equipped with "a tubes
4 inches in diameter, rated at 145 horse
power per hour on what is known as
the Haswell basis of computation.
The ]. Tate and Company burner was
used when oil was burned, which gave
way to fiat CRATES during the use OF
coal Wayside ana Neodesha oil of re-
spectively "a and % degrees of gravity
was used The former weighed 1857
pounds per gallon and the latter Z sc.
The results of the five tests were as
follows:
The first test covered a period of
sixty hours and forty minutes during
which time 23,707 pounds of oil were
consumed, resulting in an average OF
142 horse power. At the start the boil
ers were hot and the steam gauge re-
corded eighty pounds Of steam. the
amount of water evaporated was found
to be 276,2 27 pounds, or an actual evap-
Grafton of 1912 pounds to every pound
of oil consumed. The observed evapor-
alton was II, 2295 and the average steam
produced was 100 pounds, While the
average feed water resulted in 175 de-
grees.
The second test extended over a period
of 121 hours. During this time 1920
pounds of oil, producing an average of
1856 horse power, was consumed. At start
of the test boilers were cold and $780,
$50 pounds of water were evaporated.
This is an observed evaporation of 49,
726 pounds per pound of oil, or an ac-
Iudl evaporation OIL 14,cfz. III llAlS tSSL
22.3 degree oil was used, weighing 1855
pounds and netting an average steam
pressure of 120.11 pounds.
The third test employed the same de-
gree oil, averaging 1856 horse power over
a period of ninety-four and one-half
hours. At start the steam gauge re-
vealed 12O pounds. The water evaporat-
ed was 505000 pounds, at an expenditure
of 35,296.25 pounds of oil. The observed
evaporation was 1881 and the actual
was 5,484 per pound of oil. The feed
water average was 175 degrees.
Test number four was conducted with
coal instead of oil, but employing the
same boilers. 1t covered period of
ITO hours. during which time the aver
age horse power produced was seventy
eight, at an average of 122 pounds of
steam. The amount of coal used was
800 pounds, evapOrizing 8, 103.15 pounds
of water per pound of coal The coal
used is known as E. Kansas slack. The
observed evaporation was 1856 per
pound, and at start of test there were
100 pounds of steam. The average feed
water was 1856 degrees, and all together
548 $50 pounds were evapOrated.
The fifth and last test extended over
the space of 122 hours, at an average
Of 106,427 horse power per hour. The
steam pressure showed an average of
s6.7 pounds. and at the beginning of
test, the gauge recorded eighty-five
pounds Of steam. The coal used was of
the same kind as in the previous test,
but 241 600 pounds were used in evap-
orizing l 662, 40S pounds of water. This
was an average evaporization of 7.34.84
per pound of coal or an observed
evaporization Of $3.50 per pound. The
average Stes m pressure for the time was
but SCI and the feedwater was 1871
degrees.