The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-03
Methods Of Burning Fuel Are
10 Be RemodeIcd
GREAT SAVING WILL FOLLOW
Gases That Escape in Smoke Are Val
liable, and Scientific Methods
of Burning Fuel viii
Work Wonders.

Work Wonders.
Washington, February 2-(Special)-
Government experts who have been study
ing the smoke evil of American municipal
tiles have just issued bulletin show
ing how the pollution of the atmosphere
can be avoided and how certain cities are
earnestly endeayoring to solve this prob
lem. The general statement is made that
coal can be burned smokelessly, the
same as gas, gasoline or kerosene oil, it
the furnaces are properly designed and
adjusted. Each of these fuels, it is known,
will smoke if conditions are not favor
able.
The further statement is made that to-
day there are many steam power plants
in the large cities of the United States
burning bitumnous coal practically with
out smoke, and the inference is drawn
that If this is true in certain places, it
ultimately can be true in ALL The pur-
pose of authorizing these investigations
which were carried on by the technologic
branch of the United States geological
survey is to increase the efficiency and
thus to prevent the waste of fuels, es-
pecally such as are used by the United
States government. Mr.. D. T. Randall.
engineer In charge of smoke abatement
Investigations, and the author of the bull
letin, declares that it is a recognized fact
that the more nearly perfect the combus-
ton of any fuel, the greater the ef-
ficiency. With perfect combustion there
is no smoke.
Must Be No Smoke.
with the knowledge that it can be pre-
vented, there has come an increasing de-
mand from the people of the large cities
that smoke shall not be allowed to pollute
the atmosphere" says Mr.. Randall. In
nearly all cities of the United States ef-
forts are being made to abate the smoke.
AS a result of the demands of the public
the ordinances of some of these cities re-
quire that all new plants be equipped
properly and that old ones be remodelled
and permits are now necessary for the in
stallation of all boilers and furnaces.
"At present no city in which consid-
erabe quantity of bituminous coal is
burned is free from smoke. The cities of
the east have avoided this problem by
general use of anthracite coal. For this
reason it is not surprising that the great
est Improvement in the methods of burn
ing bituminous coal has been made in the
central and western states.
stoves, ranges, house-heating boilers
and hot-air furnaces are, as rule. In
tended for the use of anthracite coal or
coke Whenever bituminous coal is
burned in such furnaces, all the principles
of combustion are violated and smoke re-
suits. The supply of anthracite coal is
very limited, and except for domestic pun
poses such coal Is little used outside of
the territory adjacent to the mines. The
larger cities of the eastern states which
use anthracite for power and heating
purposes, now find 1t necessary TO sup
plement this fuel with considerable ton
mage of bituminous coal. 1t Is evident
then that for the most part this country
must depend upon its bituminous coal for
manufacturing, railroad and power plant
purposes This means that we must i'm
prove our usual method of burning BIZ
luminous coal or continue to suffer from
the loss in economy and smoke resulting
from imperfect combustion.
Smokeless Boilers.
ut is now possible to design and operate
boiler plants burning a high volatile coal
which will be practically smokeless under
usual operating conditions, giving of no
black or dense gray smoke except When
a fresh fire is being built.
IAN Of the authorities on the subject
of combustion and smoke prevention agree
upon the following conditions as require
ments for smokeless furnace.
he SnDDliRd
mace in small quantities at frequent IN
tervals. The more nearly the feed ap-
proaches a continuous and uniform sup
ply the better the results.
'.The air supply should be slightly IN
excess of the theoretical amount required,
and be admitted principally through tue
fuel bed with an auxiliary supply admit
ted at the front or rear OF the furnace 10
burn gases from the coal.
The temperature in the furnace should
be sufficiently high to ignite the gases
given off from the fuel bed.
s.rhere should be a fire brick combus-
ton chamber of sufficient dimensions. and
so designed as to cause the thorough mix
ture of the gases and the air, permitting
complete combustion before the mixture
reaches the boiler surfaces.
Escape of Gases.
''The technologic branch has found, as
have other investigators, that, contrary
to general opinion, with extremely nigh
temperatures more smoke is produced
and more unburned gases are lost up the
stack. High temperature is, of course,
due to a supply of air approaching the
theoretical amount, and on account of the
difficulty of obtaining complete mixture
of the gases and air some gas is allowed
TO escape unburned.
s'All authorities agree that sufficient air
must be admitted to the furnace to allow
complete combustion. This means that
ample draft must be provided. Stacks
less than 125 feet high are usually unsat-
isractory. but steam or electrically driven
fans are now very commonly used to pro-
duce either forced or induced draft In
connection with stacks shorter than would
otherwise be required. Provision should
be made for the admission of air above
the fuel bed. 1t is also now generally
conceded that there should be a fire brick
chamber of sufficient length to allow time
for the gases and air to mix and burn
Numerous observations made on power
plants show that it takes an average of IL
seconds for the gases to pass from the
furna ce to the top OF stack 125 feet high.