The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-29
BURNING COAL ASHES.
Delusive Plans to Restore the Value of
Spent Fuel.

Every now and then one hears of a
scheme to get fresh heat out Of ashes
with the assistance of certain cheap
chemicals. Two such propositions have
recently attracted attention. One, orig
mating in Altoona, Pa, made use of a
little common salt and oxalic acid. mix
ed with a gallon of water. The fluid was
sprinkled upon another mixture, con-
Sisting OF one part ashes and two parts
new coal. The inventor tried to make
people believe that by this means more
steam could be generated in a boiler
than If pure coal alone was used. Rumor
said that the various persons owning
steam engines had tested the compound
and found that they did not need so
much fuel as before. Another inventor
used yellow powder which he said was
cheap. He scattered it over a mixture
of ashes and new coal.
Well, it is possible that these inven-
tors were honest, but experts declare
that the plans themselves are ridiculous
Similar attempts have been made be-
fore. They excite momentary attention,
but after q little while nothing more Is
heard of them. OF course, If they ac-
complished what their authors aimed at,
they should steadily grow in favor
Previous failures. therefore make the
utmost caution necessary in trusting
new projects of the same class.
Every watchful housekeeper knows
that coal is not always thoroughly con-
the ashes contain three things-dust, or
easily pulverized material hard clinkers
and cinders. The clinkers are not good
for anything, but the cinders, which are
nearly black, make good fuel. Only
a part of the carbon they possessed has
been burned, and 1t would be wasteful
to throw them away. 1t is safe to say
that any new heat obtained from ashes
is produced by the carbon left in Gin
ders, and it could be secured without any
fflT
the stuff the second time. Strangely
enough, these inventors always want to
use new coal with the ashes. If their
ideas were correct their chemicals ought
to work with clinkers and dust alone, If
not with sand and gravel.
DR.. A. H. Gill, professor of chemistry
in the Massachusetts Institute of Tech
nology lin Boston,, looked at one of the
stories of the Altoona mans process and
laughed at 1t. He remarked that with
certain kinds of coal the addition of
little water was considered advantage
eous, but he ridfculed the other sub
stances employed. He denied that eth
er soda I've or acetylene gas could be
generated by any change in the mixture,
as has been asserted. Then he added.
evidently as the result of some recent
experiments of mis- own:
When the mixture comes into the
furnace the fire appears brighter from
the volatilization of the salt, which col
ors all the flames intensely yellow; this
salt condenses on the cooler parts of the
boiler and economies and corrodes
them. The exalic acid is broken up by
the heat Of the fire into steam, carbonic
acid and carbonic oxide-al1 products of
combustion, and, with the exception of
the latter, valuelesS as fuel. The guam
tity of carbonic oxide produced is about
two f1fths of an ounce, equivalent in
heating value to piece of coal the size
of pea"
Tho Altoona formula CaJ1o5 for
two ounces of oxalic acid We do not
just now remember the cost of this
amount of oxalic acid. but it is certainly
many times greater than that Of piece of
coal no bigger than a pea .Oxalic acid
does not enable any other substance to
evolve extra heat I'm burning. but 1t can
be burned itself Still, from what DR..
Gill says. it would appear to be pretty
expensive fuel. considering the heat 1t
produces. Besides. the injury which a