The copper era., 1910-05-06
Fuel Oil Firing.

"The essential difference between steam power plant practice in the east and west is in the fuel employ ed. Coal, either anthracite or bitu minous, is burned uuder the majority of the boilers in the east, while on the Pacific Coast crude oil is the most important fuel. Ia certain numbering localities, particularly in the northwest, sawdust is also used as a power source. The cause for this sectional preference is distinct Iy one of cost. Eastern coal is cheaper than eastern oil; western oil is cheaper than western coal. Cheap fuel is indispensable to industrial progress, and it is only since the de- velopment of it's abundant oil and water resources that the Pacific Coast has done mitch manufacture ing," says an editorial iu the Journal of Electricity, Power aud Gas (San Francisco, Cal.)
 "Additive to it's western cheapness and compensative for its eastern ex- pensiveuess there are certain advan- tages that attend the use of fuel oil. It burns without a residum There are consequently no clinkers and no ashes to obstruct the grate; inter- fere with the air supply and cause incomplete combustion. It is the most concentrated of fuels, occupy ing minimum of space and giving maximum of heat, weight for weight. It takes less time to get up steam with oil than with coal. This practically eliminates the necessity for banked fires or reserve in steam drums Oil usually gives a larger overload capacity and is thus pre- eminently invaluable as an emer- gency fuel. Auxiliary oil firing is therefore frequently employed in plants burning lampblack or sawdust.
 "Oil is practically self stoking and greatly lessens the work of the fire man, one oftimes replacing several in a plant containing many boilers. This does not necessarily mean that the freman's job thus becomes sine cure, but rather it changes his work from that of a mere coal pas,er, a machine, to that of an integral factor in the economic and efficient operation of the power plant.
 By properly regulating the press ure and the amount of oil and by correctly adjusting the pressure and quantity of steam or air, the fireman can reduce the volume of oil neces sary to generate given amount ot steam. In single boiler plant, sucr as a locomotive, the fireman helpl the engineer and thereby lessens the possibility of accidents.
 "To properly utilize the advant ages above suggested, hundreds O. oil burners have been devised, eacl better than the other. In general they are all based upon a means o atomizing the oil and distributing i
 in the furnace either by compressed air or steam, theoretically the form CT, practically the latter. Crude oi does not burn readily until it ha
 been subdivided into minute par ticles. It is possible to drop light ed match into a tank filled with oi without burning the oil, but whel each individual particle is properl, mixed with air it is readily ignited Experience shows that q burner whicl gives success with one type of boile
 is not adapted for another. Prope furnace construction is of paramoun
 importance with the type of burne, with which it is equipped, and eacl class of boiler installation require
 the special attention of an expert t, give the best results"