University Missourian., 1914-12-13

waste or loss exists, that can De
eliminated or reduced, the managers
of plants are desirous of knowing
it and where the expenditure of GER.
tain sums on improvements would
give larger returns in reduced op.
Grating costs, the city administra.
tion as well as the manager would
be glad to be informed.
The following facts may serve
to bring to light some unsuspect.
ed losses that may find easy remedy
as soon as recognized.
| Careless firing of furnaces may
consume anywhere from 10 per cent
to 80 per cent more coal for a given
amount of power than would be
necessary with proper firing. Equal
ly large losses may result from
poorly designed furnaces.
In a recent test on several zoo
b. p. boilers it was found that the
installation of set of mechanical
stokers reduced the amount of coal
used to produce definite quantity
of steam fully Is per cent below
that used under conditions of good
hand firing.
From 25 per cent to 35 per cent
of the heat in the coal ordinarily
goes up the chimney and is lost. I'm
der proper conditions such loss
should not exceed 20 per cent. Why
allow it to reach 25 per cent or 80
per cent in the ordinary case and
frequently a much higher figure?
Badly arranged steam piping, neg
lected leaks, and improper tagging
will often waste as much as Is per
cent of the steam that the boiler can
produce. In such cases the remedy
is obvious, but often long neglected.
Some engines require four times
as much steam as some other to de-
velop the same amount of power.
Often a change in value adjust
nent will affect material economy
N the use of steam. The engines
hat are most economical of steam
are usually more expensive to in
stall. Will it pay you to buy a
higher grade engine? There is
nearly as much energy available
N the steam that is being exhaust
ID into the atmosphere as has al
ready been utilized in the engine.
This energy may be utilized if con-
lensers are installed. Or the ex-
laust steam may be used for heat
ng purposes at a profit.
A considerable proportion of the
electric plants of the country gen.
rate so per cent more power than
hey sell. What becomes of the so
,er cent that is unaccounted. for?
Many lighting ana power COM
anies find that they make larger
'rofits by selling power to all-day
sers at &C a kiloWatt hour than by
elling power for lighting at 1Oc
,ilowatt hour. That is because
,ower costs less to produce in the
morning when the load is light
han in the evening when the light
ng load is heavy. What does your
1orning and evening power cost
ou and what should you charge
or such service in order to encour-
ge business and at the same time !
lake your plant pay? :
These questions state problems
-hich can be answered only by
areful tests, and experiments, and r.,
v utilizing the experience gained
/ the field of general practice. The
lanager of an electric light and
over plant in a small town is
irely in possession of the neces- .
Try apparatus for testing his ma
linery, nor does he have the op- >,
1rtunity to travel about and learn Z
first hand what is being done in :,
her places. =
The University of MissourG b
trough it's Engineering Expert
ent Station here, offers to give
;sistance of this special kind to
of the state who de-
re to avail themselves of it. The
alton can not undertake to design. n
supervise the construction of |
ants, but it is prepared to offer,
rough correspondence, the bene-
s of such special knowledge as
at its command and to send COM
,tent men to make tests of ma 2
linery and equipment IL neces-
.ry to determine sources Of N
astes and to suggest possible I'm Il
iii