Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-06-20

peat resources Is now bflhS uHueI-
taken by the geological survey. not
only as to the amount Of peat and Its
location. but also its use. Professor
Charles A. Davis, Of the Technolog'c
branch, has general charge Of the IN
: designations, While Professor Robert
II Fernald, consulting engineer in
charge Of gas producer tests. is en-
d%eavoring to find the value of peat az
a fuel for heating an dpower pur-
poses. The latter but recently re-
turned from a trip to Europe where
he Investigated the uses OF peat ana
I found the older countries much far
Their advanced along his line than
the United States. Professor Fernall
returns with the belief that peat VIII
soon be extensively used in the United
States. In Ireland, he found tha.
peat was being used generally for
domestic purposes, but not by
the manufacturing establishments.
sweden is dotted with peat deposits
and its boys are now being extensively
utilized for power purposes, says
Professor Fernald. During the last
eight years new boys have been con-
stantly added to the list until boys
producing from 1000 to 5000 tons
Of dry peat for power purposes per
! year are found on every hand, The
consulting engineers who have In
stalled some of these plants are UNI
questionably working in the right di-
rection. placing the power plant d.
rectly in the peat bog and transmit
ting the electric current to the sur
| rounding towns. The current is be.
ing used for manufacturing purposes
and also for lighting both the streets
and houses. The installation of the
power plant in the bog or at the mino
has been advocated in this country by
the T~echnologlc branch Of the surv y
for installation of several thousand
horsepower only. yet THIS principle IL
applied in Sweden to small plants and
may be feasible IN certain parts cr
this country"
another development in the line
of peat industry which promises
splendid returns is the use OF peat in
by-product recovery gas plants. From
these plants both gas for power and
sulphate OF ammonia can be obtained
in commercially paying quantities.
Both the utilization of peat as a pro-
Queer of gas and for the recovery Of
sulphate OF ammonia are perfectly
feasible with American peats. Al
though the work done on peat at the
survey experiment plant has boon
limited. 1t has been demonstrated that
gas for power can be made easily
from both Florida and Massachusetts,
peat"
Professor Davis. who has Just Is
sued Jointly with Edison A. Basin a
bulletin on peat is optimistic on the
future OF peat, yet he believes the
development OF the industry should be
accompanied by great caution.
"The operation of a gas engine At
the experiment plant on peat in u
or two tests has shown THAI this fuel
Ia but little inferior to many grades
OF soft coal now on the market and
superior to some in the quantity of
power gas produced" says Professor
Davis. Il believe the day IS coming
soon when citlcs located near the
peat hogs and away from the corl
fields will obtain their power and
light from peat | understand that
Florida is to have a power plant soon
that will use peat as fuel and VIII
transmit the electricity to Jackson
willie,
"in the development Of this indus
Try. however. il must be remembered
that peat contains from 50 to 30 per
cent water as IL comes from the hogs,
All but Is or 20 per cent can be
dried out by exposure OF the peat 30
the air. In burning peat in gas pro-
ducers to make power gas. this peat
win burn successfully with 40 per
cont moisture. which is impossible m
Il furnace.
The burning Vt peat for power.
heat. or light is but one of its many
uses. The by products of great value
coke. Illuminating oils, lubri-
oils. paraffin wax. phenol, as
phalt. wood alcohol. acctic acid. am
sulphate and combustible
gases of good furl value. II used Toe
fuel gas there is enough nitrogen
stored in the peat of the
10 supply six hundred aud
forty-four million tom with a value
Of thirty-slx billion dollars in addi-
ton 10 the gas. Peat is capable or
potential substitutes for
in various departments OF m
dustry. and may relieve to a censid-
extent the drain upon the van-
lshlng forests. Paper Is now being
made from peat in Michigan Pos
sihlv s per cent OF the total peat in
me United states. or $4,000. 600 ton,
IL suita BILE for the manufacture Of
coarse paper and pastehoard. which
viii reduce the consumption Of wood
Whatever amount II d~isplaces
In the manufacture Of such
n ~rtIcles