The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-15

maximum demand on the lines north
of Scipio in coolest weather, II the pres
sure is maintained. In other words, IL
there is sufficient compressor capacity.
There are eight compressors at Pc
trolia, six operated by gas and two by
steam. They are supposed to be equal
capacity, each of 1000 horse power.
On the day of our visit, the four com>
pressors running at Petrolia We're de-
liverfng at the rate of 73,930,S09 cubic
feet in each "A hours. At full effi-
cheney the eight pumps located at Pc
trol1a should deliver twice this amount
OF gas. We therefore conclude that
the pumps or compressors at Petrolla
and the mains to Scipio are sufficient
TO supply the maximum during the
coolest weather.
There are three compressors at
Scfpio operated by gas, each of 1000
eHlc1ency, would deliver 90,412.204
cubic feet of gas in each "a hours.
assuming that the pressure at OF
tawa were only 100 pounds per square
inch, Mr.. Moeser finds that the pres
sure at Topeka city limits would be
20 pounds to the square inch. and this
pressure, if maintained. would deliver
in Topeka 14,886.000 cubic feet of gas
in "a hours. We conclude that the
main leading from Scipio to Topeka
mas adequate capacity to supply more
than our maximum demand in coolest
weather, which would be approximate
Iy 100000 cubic feet daily, the de-
livering capacity of the main. as
figured above, being 14,S86,00 cubic
feet, leaving US a surplus of 4,SS6,O
cubic feet.
Cause of Inadequate Supply.
.'Why, then, is our supply deficient
in moderately cold weather? The an
swer is apparent when we know that
the maximum capacity of the three
compressors at Scipio, working at full
efficiency, is only 90,472, 204 cubic feet
in "a hours. while the maximum de-
mand on all the lines north of that
point is approximately 1O3,000,o00
cubic feet of gas in each "a hours; and
it is our opinion that a period of pro-
tracted zero weather would show even
greater maximum demand. The
mains or pipe lines being filled during
warm temperature to a high pressure
AFFORD an immense storage capacity,
which Of itself will carry the maximum
load for short period, perhaps a day.
Protracted cold weather would ex-
haust this storage capacity and re-
quire greater COMPRISING or delfv-
ering capacity from the compressor
station at Scipio. In cold weather. the
demand will increase and the flow OF
gas, due to the cold, will be more slug
gfsh on account of the contraction OF
the gas, and though we will get the
same number of heat units, we will not
get the same volume. At the freezing
point, the loss is 81 per cent, and ii
the temperature of the pipes is re-
duced to zero, and that temperature
maintained for any considerable length
of time, the loss will be 1913 per cent.
I'm accordance with your instruc-
tons, we made specific inquiry as to
whether our factories could depend
upon a sufficient gas supply for manu-
featuring purposes during the winter
months. Mr.. J. c. Mcdowell, gem
era1 manager of the Kansas Natural
Gas company. replied frankly and
openly that his company would not
and could not furnish gas for such
purposes during the winter months;
that all manufactures who attached
during winter months must do SO sub
ject to being cut off without notice at
any time. He, however, stated that
manufa cturers could safely count on
gas for fuel from April to October
1, or perhaps to November 1. Our
factories must therefore provide fuel
accordingly.
City Mains.
I'VE have not figured on the
capacity of our local city mains. We,
however, know that last winter many
of our factories were connected with
and using large amounts of gas; we
also know that, due to this fact, the
maximum consumption last winter
during our coolest weather, was
greater than our maximum con-
sumption this winter has been during
our coolest weather, and that last
winter we received an abundance OF
gas, while this winter there has been
a marked shortage in the supply
About 20Oo small concerns have been
added during last summer and this
winter but they are largely in oak
land and in outlying suburbs. The
CITY proper is surrounded by ten
inch high pressure distributing main
The consumers added during last
summer and this winter have been
chiefly connected with new mains laid
from this large distributing main.
For this reason, the added number OF
consumers would not affect the de-
Hvering capacity Of the old mains.
From the above facts, we are of the
opinion that the local or city mains
have adequate capacity to deliver gas
to all consumers, provided that
sufficient pressure is delivered at the
city limits; but the fact Is that the
pressure which we received at ene
CITY limits this year was SO low in
our coolest weather that the city
mains had little or nothing to do. and
however great their capacity they
would not under such conditions
have given us sufficient gas.
Conclusions.
"Our conclusions are:
81. That there Is present sufd-
Gent natural supply OF gas Tor all
reasonable demands.
t2. That the pipe lines are of sufh-
ctent capacity to supply the maxi
mum demand in cold weather for do
nestle purposes.
"3. That the compressors at Pc
trolia are of sufficient capacity to
supply the present maximum demand
ia That the composers at Scipio
are inadequate and do not have
capacity to supply the maximum de-
mand in protracted cold weather,
though they will supply the demand
at ordinary temperatures.
SIS. That it will do Topeka no prac-
tscaj GOOD to limit the number of con-
suners who may attach to the local
mains, unless Kansas City and other
towns attached take the same ac-
ton. This is because of the fact that
the method of equalization or dis
d. caal,.