Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-07-11

items In Switzerland OF the tnoueih
method of making liquid gas and OF It's
utilization:
While the principle of producing
liquid gas was discovered nearly
century ago. and such chemists as
Faraday (1S23). Andrews (1S6i, ana
scieatific Investigators like Cailietet.
OF Paris. and Picet, OF Geneva (lsti],
left valuable records relating TO the
subject. they succeeded In establish
ing only a theory that "ali gases pass
into a LIQUID condition. provided that
they are submitted to sufficiently
low temperature and a sufficient nigh
pressure" To make practicai april
cation CT this theory. and work out a
process by which liquid gas could be
utilized for general purposes and pro-
duced at cost that would make II
A commodity OF commercial value. has
occupied the attention OF various IN
yentcrs In recent years.
The constantly increasing scarcity
of natural fuels, and the consequent
advance in the cost have increased
Internationally the interest In and the
inheritance OF substitute or arificiai
fuels or substances for producing light
and heat.
The first plant for the manufac-
ture of liquid gas as commercial
commodity was established In Augs-
burg. Bavaria. In 1904. under pro-
cess invented by Herr Blau. Consid-
cradle success has attended the enter
Prise, great many installations for
heating and lighting having been made
by the company in Germany. and
some of the German railways have
adopsed Il as a means of lighting pas
senger coaches.
In 1907 q stock company for the
manufacture OF liquid gas was organ
lied in Zurich, under the name of the
swiss Liquid Gas Company lScn-
weizer Fluessig- Gas Fabfik, l.. Wolf.
A. G.. and a factory, with capacity
of $50 pounds of liquid gas o day. was
at Bassersdorf, near Zu-
rich. The apparatus for the purpose
of transforming crude oil into liquid
gas. with which the factory is equipp-
ed. is the invention OF l.. Wolf. resi-
dent of the village of Basserdorf. the
product is described by the company
as "a transportable liquid. which is
simply evaporated as used. and can
be used for lighting, heating. cooking,
soldering. and welding purposes"
Factory Equipment.
The factory guiding is a plain one
story stone structure, 40 by ~ feet,
and was built at cost of $4,000. IL
Is equipped WITH one 12-hSrsepower
sxnlosion gas engine, which furnishes
the motive power which drive the
working at high speed
The engine is supplied with gas pro-
d,,ced In the process OF reducing the
crude oil to liquid gas. The furnaces
in which the retorts are heated are
also partially supplied from the same
source, about one-half of the fuel con-
sumed being surplus or exhausted
gas. The application of this by-pro-
duct reduces the cost of fuel for oper-
ating the plant to the minimum IN
addition to the residue OF gas, con-
siderable residum OF tar is secured IN
the process. From the tar may be
extracted iubricating oils. benzoie,
creosote. and materials suitable FOR
street and road dressing as a dust
The material from which the liquid
oil il produced in the Bassersdorf rae
tory Is the residue or refuse or crude
oil after various ingredients such as
.bepxine- vaseline, etc. have been ex-
tracted. 1t is imported from AUS
tria. At the factory the crude oil Is
transferred from a reservoir into the
Swiss company's factory is about
per cent gallon.
After passing through the process
of heating. condensation. and COOLING
and the various carbcnizing and other
substances have been separated from
il. the liquid gas IS placed in steel
.ubes of. various sizes holding 2o.4O,
60 and so pounds each. In which form
il il ready for use The tubes con-
tanning tie material are accepted
bv that railways and the other carry
ing companies without restrictions or
speciai provisions, as the gas Is non
poisonous and Is three times less ex-
piosive than ordinary gas The iiuuia
gas Is utilized by attaching one OF the
tubes 10 the special apparatus man.
ufactured BY the company. which con
sains a regulator. gagt. cts.
The Bassersdorf concern, when
has passed beyond the experimental
stage. nox has over Zoe installations
IN different towns and cities in swift
eFlsnd. all Of which are declared to be
entirely satisfactory TO the purchasers
In a descriptive circular regarding the
production CT liquid gas. its uses. etc.
the company says:
The liquid gas is obtained by the
dry Gisr..lIaficn Of raw petroleum ana
of by-products II the Ignite and OIL
Industries. The raw materials are de-
composed in retorts BY the acticE OF
a high temperature; the vapors and
gases produced then pass through the
Tar sepsrafors and the cleaner. losing
here the easily condensible gases ttar.
benzine. etc.D. as vel as any deleter-
ions and maicdorcus by-prcducts that