The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-12

AAAAD lAlS NhSuO VAANC ~
projected the gas GOAL.
In some Of the plants Of the Consolidated
company this work Is done by a machlne
invented by William II. Bradley, 1.-The vereran
chief engineer Of the company. In others
the shovellinR is done by hand. Each
retort holds about three hundred pounds and
as it must be filed quickly 1t is a job requir;
ing q great deal OF alertness and physical
strength.
As each retort Is filed an iron door is
closed over the mouth and locked with gas
tight joints. As the coal is being reduced
to coke by the great heat the gas loaded
with tar and other b~yproducts ascends
through q bell shaped funnel which Is
fastened on the end OF the standpipe leading
TO the hydraulic U shaped main which ID
placed over the long row Of ~retorts.
On the top Of the standpipe there is a
bridge or arch pipe from which hangs. a
dip pipe which 10 bolted to the hydraulic.
Passing down into this main the gas dips
below the ammoniacal liquid with which
the hydraulic main is partly hlled n by
being thus sealed the gas Is prevented from
returning TO the ~retorts. when they are
opened.
WASHING THR A
But his is only one step in the process
through which Illuminating coal gas must
go before it is ready for the consumers.
II lie drawn from the hydraulic main byNan
~eKhauster, which is operated by a rotary
blGtAl III w IOllCNC llC DdCh NoohIC IA
the retorts, thrown by the holders and the
friction Of gas as it passes through the
apparatus.
On the next stage OF the intricate ma
chinery the gas goes to the tar extractor and
has its face partly w~ashed-that is, II is
relieved OF all the heavy tar that was not
dropped in the hydraulic main. By this
time the gas has fallen in temperature TO
about 100 degrees, but it is further cooled
to so or 90 degrees in the condenser.
This part OF the apparatus resembles a
tubular boiler. The water passes through
the tubes in one direction, while the gas
passes outside in the opposite direction
Having been sufficiently cooled the gas
goes to the scrubber for q final bath.
AS near as possible all Of the ammonia
gas is washed u and then the product is
sent along TO the purifiers TO get whatever
sulphur there may be out OF II: These
purifiers are cast iron boxes with covers
sealed in water to prevent the escape OF
gas, They are filled in layers with either
slack lime or oxide Of iron and through
the sulphur behind.
The next journey Of the gas. which ia
now readyfor consumption, ia to the station
meters. huge recording Instruments show
ing precisely how much gas is passing 70
the holders at any minute OF the day. ltis
from these figures that the Consolidated
company gets the gross total of gas made.
The net total Of the illuminant sold is
ascertained from the total of individual
meters throughout the city, and the diher-
ence between the two, making due allowance
for condensation in the street mains. CON
notice men drawing very black and highly
odorous water from a tap in the streets
they will know that the sweet scented
mess was once Illuminating gas which has
condensed in the mains.
STORING THK JAS.
But to 60 back to the journey OF the manu-
featured product. From the station meters
the gas is sent to the holders. the exhauster
still getting ia it's fine work and urginS the
iluminant along the way that leads to gas
bills and many swear words. This holder
proposition is one Of the most puzzling
OF all to the lay mind,
How does the gas get In and how does 1t
get out? Fit is the weight OF the holdertha
forces the gas into the mains, why does not
the same pressure drive back the gas to the
retorts, blowing of the covers and making
a merry time generality Well. here the
exhauster is on the job again.
Ever since the gas left the %retorts in crude
form this machine has been drawing IT away
and forcing IL along all through the appara-
tus. The same force drives it through
the intake of the holder, and prevents. it
from backing up when the gas is pouring
into the mains for distribution.
The giant holders in New York are tele-
ECODlC, d5 Illty ~ III I'LL Wv Ob Shtf~tF
The capacity at present OF the largest 10
often 5000, 600 cubic feet. but there is one in
England which holds 100000.
Gas is admitted to these holders and
drawn from them by pipes which go down
under the foundations and up on the inside
to a point above the water level. The
holders are seated in water which seals
them and makes impossible the escape
of gas from the bottom.
When gas IL admitted 10 a holoer that is
empty it fills first the space between the
closed top and the water in the tank. AS 1t
continues to enter the pressure increases
until it is sufficient 10 overcome the weight
OF the holder. which then begins to rise,
When the supply coming in gets smaller
than the supply going out the holder begins
to 60 down again. The hits which make
the holders telescope are 80 rranged thai
they rest in cups which are filed with suf-
fcient water to seal them just as the main
body Of the holder is sealed.
From the holders the gas passes to the
valve house, where the pressure. is regu-
regulation is lone automatically, but In
most Of the consolidated plants hand levers
and wheels TO turn the valves are used.
The change in the pressure required Ia
often 30 great that it 10 not thought safe to
leave the regulation entirely to automatic
valve house night and day. to listen for the
electric signals showing what b pressure
is below Grand street, for instance. or to
watch the gauges which indicate how strong
the fow is at the plant.
Before the gas gets to your meter II lie
likely TO have beer tested FOR candle power
and the like by City Examiner Love. These
tests must be made at least a mile away
from the plant where, the gas is manu-
featured. II the candle power is too low
or any other defect Is found In the gas
the company is notified and the matter
remedied.
THE MUCH o METER.
The meter which the consumer has in his
house Is constructed on the plan OF q pair
Of human lungs. only that they do not
work together. These lungs are sheepskin
pouches and they control the movements
Of the c~lockworklike machinery which does
the recording.
As one lung expands with gas the other
Is contracting from the flow passing out.
The object OF having these lungs work In
this manner Is to preserve a steady flow
OF gas 20 the burner.
Gas men declare that In the main II IL the
fairest and squareet device that could be
invented to measure the amount Of gas
going through. but there 10 almost a uni
versal belief among householders and other
description OF the machine. They seem
TO be utterly deaf TO all arguments. and
instead OF listening to an explanation that
q vast majority OF meters are inclined "a
run slow instead OF fast, they demand TO
know why their bill for this month is twice
as high as II was in the same period last