The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-21

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1t was seldom found feasible to oper-
| ate engines of more than 10 horse
/ power on this fuel.
The theoretical possibilities of the in
Iternal-combustion engine operated up
on cheap fuel promised 50 much that
the practical difficulties were soon
| overcome, with the result that the in
ternal-combustion engine at once be
came a serious rival of the steam en-
| CINE. The development of the gas en-
1 CINE in point of size has been exceed
| ingly rapid. 1t was only a few years
ago that a 600 horse power engine ex-
| hibited ut the Paris exposition was re-
/ garded as a wonder, but today four
cycle, twin-tandem double-acting gas
engines run as high as 5000 horse
power.
Immense Possibilities.
Robert Haywood Fernald, professor
/ of mechanical engineering, Washing
ton university, st. Louis, Mo, and en-
; gineer of producer gas tests of the
! United States geological fuel-testing
| plant, sees immense possibilities in this
new mode of power production. In
| speaking of the results of the investi-
cations he paints a rosy picture for
the future. not only in the cheaper
| ing of production. but also in the abate
ment of the smoke nuisance throughout
4
makes no smoke in its generation of
! power
The value of the results of these in
vestigations is, of course, not limited
| to the coal producing section of the
country" says Professor Fernald, but
extends through every state and terri
| tory where coal or other mineral fuel
is used as a source of power. Thus
in the New England states no coal is
mined, but in the year 1902 the steam
power produced through the cOnSump-
/ ton of coal and used for manufacture
/ ing purposes in these states cost ap
proximately 000 The develop
ment of this power through the more
efficient method suggested by these in
VestigatiOns would mean a saving to
| the manufacturers in. these states of
! SIS 900. COG to $40, 600 per annum.
Again. the total consumption of
! coal in St Louis, Mo-, for industrial
| purposes alone amounts to more than
! {, 600 600 tons annually. If gas pro-
| ducers and gas engines were substi-
tuted for the steam plants, this ton
mage would be reduced 100000 TO 3,000,-
! 900 tons, and at the same time smoke
would be practically eliminated.
Further, if gas producers can be
| introduced on ships and river boats not
only will millions be saved in coal. but
far less room will be required on board
| for its storage. With this much
cheaper gas operation steamboats, and
river traffic will, no doubt, become a
much more powerful competitor to
! railways than heretofore.
Poor Coal Can Be Used.
/ Another important fact is that many
fuels that are not fit for use under
ordinary steam boilers have been used
with the greatest ease in the gas pro
duCer This opens the way TO the
utiliza ton of many fuels that have
| heretofore been regarded as practical
| " of 10 value Several of the poorest
grades of bituminous Goals have shown
remarkable efficiency in the gas pro-
| ducers and the lignites and peats have
! responded with great readiness to the
| demands of this new generator. A re-
! markable feature of the tests was that
North Dakota and Texas brown Ignite
and Florida peat yielded more power
/ in the gas producer than the very best
West Virginia coal under the steam
boiler The ignite fields of North Da
kOta and Texas are almost ineXhausti-
/ BILE and as very little use commercial
/ " has been found for the Ignite in the
past this Will develop a new industry
| for those states that will grow into
/ immense proportions a few years
| hence.
power have been received with such
| confidence and enthusiasm by engi-
neers and managers Of large plants
| that there are already in the United
States alone over $50 gas producer in-
stallations ranging in size from 1,500
/ to 5000 horsepower. The number of
installations and the persistent in
crease has led the national board of
| fire underwriters to issue special rules
and requirements for the "construc-
| ton, installation and use of coal gas
| producers" The economical success Of
these plants and the possibilities of
using vast fields of coal, ligniJeS ard
peats heretofore considered Of little
value for industrial purposes are a
strong indication that the gas pro-
Queer form of power WILL within the
next few years, develop far beyond
present calculation.
Prevention of Smoke.
There is no better smoke preventer
on the market today than The gas pro-
Queer After the plant is in working
condition, there is an absolute freedom
! from smoke. The general adoption of
this economical system of power pro-
duction will mean the almost complete
| elimination of smoke.
! 1.-The great reduction n tine cost of
power production made possible BY the