Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-27
GOVERNMENT MAKES MANY
INTERESTING FUEL TESTS
Chemical Analysis Made of Samples
of Coal Selected from Different
Fields of the United
States

The results of the work done at the
Forest park, st. Louis, from January
/, 1906, to June 80, 1907, are presented
in report just issued by the United
States geological survey as bulletin
No. 1892.
The scope of the work during the
period covered has been largely re-
stricted to series of comparative
tests made under conditions as nearly
uniform as possible on bituminous
Goals and lignites selected from differ
ent fields of the United States as
representative of known extensive de-
posits. Chemical analyses were made
of samples of these fuels collected at
the mines by United States inspectors
sent out for that purpose, and also of
samples taken from cars, from the
fuel as fired to the boilers, as fed to
the producers, before briquetted, be-
fore and after washing, and before
coking. Samples of briquetted coal
and coke were also analyzed, and the
results of the entire series of analyses
and tests are presented in the report
The tests to which the fuel samples
were subjected comprised steaming
tests, to determine the calorific value
of the fuel and the relative amount of
energy it will furnish when used under
boiler in connection with a steam
engine as compared to the energy
obt,.inable from the same fuel when
used in a gas producer and gas ma
| chine, and also to determine methods
| of burning fuel without smoke, and in
such manner as to secure the highest
| efficiency in the combustion cham
ber, washing tests, to determine the
| possibility of improving the coal by
washing and the availability of such
washed coal for the production of
coke; coking tests, to determine the
| possibility of utilizing the various
Goals in this way or of improving cox
! ing practice; briquetting tests, TO de-
| termine the extent to which slack or
waste coal can be economically mado
| into briquets; and steaming tesrs on
briquets, to determine the relative
and absolute efficiency of this form of
fuel as compared with that obtained
with other forms.
Make Producer-Gas Tests
The producer-gas Investigations have
| continued to show the availability of
bituminous Goals and lignites and
peat rich in volatile matter for the
| production of power, and have also
| indicated the lines along which i'm
provements in gas-producer construc-
| tion might reasonably be expected in
/ advantageously all varieties of btu
minous coal, and especially low grade
| fuels that are now being wasted
The briquetting plant has developed
| new possibilities in the utilization OF
slack coal and anthracite culm as an
efficient fuel for use on locomotives
both in express service, where smoke
| less fuel is required on entering large
cities, and in heavy freight service
where high efficiency in hauling over
steep grades is required for limited
period. Experiments are now being ex-
tended with view to determining the
value of briquetted coal for use in the
nav-l vessels of the United States.
Papers Are in Report
The report comprises an Introduction
by Prof. j. A. Holmes, who has charge
of the technologic branch of the sur
vey's work; an account of the field
work, by Messrs. Edward w. Parker
and j. Shober Burrows; the work oi
the chemical laboratory, by N. w
Lord; steaming tests by l.. p. Brecken-
ridge, producer-gas tests by Robert III
Fernald, washing tests by G. r. Della
mater, coking tests by A. w. Belden
cupola tests on coke by Richard Mold
ienke, and br1quettlng tests py =. L
Malcolmson. The results of tests are
arranged by states. All the work of the
various plants is now directed from the
Washington office.
The plant at Forest park was dis
mantled in March. 1907. The sections OF
steam, producer gas and briquettine
were transferred to new plant erected
at Norfolk, Va, and those of cokine
and washery were transferred to new
plant at Denver. The principal chemi-
cal laboratory of the fuel testing plant
has been removed to Pittsburg, but a
branch laboratory will also be main
tanned at Norfolk for the purpose OF
experimenting on the gases in different
portions of the combustion chamber OF
! steam boilers and of gas producers
| The smoke-abatement Investigations al
public buildings will be supplemented
by more detailed experiments at tbs
Norfolk plant