Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-16

In a general review OF the subject of
future power Dr. J. V. Stanford, profess
sor of mechanical engineering at the
University of Pennsylvania, has made it
apparent that this need, impelling the re-
searches of so vast body of expert
mentors as are toiIing in both hemis-
pheres. must bring some marked ad-
vances. although those which are most
startling and highly endorsed may prove
to be futile compared with means al
ready recognized.
AS power is at present generated :"
said Professor Stanford, with coal as
the most common source. it involves an
expense of mining. grading, transporta-
ton, loss and waste which lessons grave
ly the actual energy value nature has
put into the fuel. In the present stage Of
electrical machinery the near future may
bring about the burning of the coal at
the mines for the generation of steam
and the conversion of the steam power
into electricity for convenient transmits
sion. The saving here would be trans
portation and a generally economical
production of power.
Another possibility is the use of the
coal at the mines for the making of pro-
Queer gas, the gas that results from the
partial burning of the coal. It's heating
value per cubic foot is less than that of
illuminating gas, but the transformation
can be effected at less cost. Producer
gas contains about three-fourths of the
heat that was originally in the coal. and
it can be used directly in producer gas
engines with an efficiency of Is per cent.
of It's own energy or about three
sixteenths of the energy originally in the
coal. That amounts to IS per cent, a
trine above the efficiency of the steam
engine at it's best and more than twice
as much as is saved by the average
steam engine in service now. So pro-
Queer gas is even now immensely more
economical than steam. But the gas
engine has only very recently been de-
veloped to its needful measure of relia-
bility, and steam power plants have
their own special uses, such as the heat
ing of buildings. for which producer
gas is not directly adapted.
"From present indications, the use of
coal for power will work out In the form
OF producer gas made at the mines with
its power transmitted to the farthest
practical radius by means of electricity =
How will this country be effected by
the changer" Professor Stanford was
asked
at must prove one of major import
ance to the United States, he replied.
From Illinois on through the Middle
Western States there exist immense
beds of Ignite never yet exploited in
proportion to their ma gnitude. although
the fuel is used locally to a limited ex-
tent Ignite is coal bed in the earlier
stages of formation. btuminous coal
too young to be entitled to the term Bit
luminous. Its color is brown instead of
black: its density Is between that of
bituminous coal and peat that resembles
rotted leaves packed under pressure.
1.-THE liguite beds are of enormous ex-
tent. and they represent coal energy in
quantity as distinguished from quality
The heating value is about 20 per cent.
of the heat in bitumineus coal. The
difficulties of mining it are much less;
but the handicap of its greater bulk and
weight for the fuel energy it provides
has hitherto made transportation charg-
es too high. while forms of utilization
have been inefficient commercially.
Now. however, prodnces gas plants have
been devised which work as well with
Ignite as with btuminons coal in con-