Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-09
UNCLE SAM MAKES YOU
MONEY.
III.-By Testing Coal.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

that pea coal was better suited to the
particular needs of this institution, and
it was Immediately substituted The
result was a saving of $4,000 a year.
The householders of the city of Wash
ington about all use anthracite coal
for which they pay about Sc ton
They could buy bitumnous coal for 81
ton. Five tons of this bituminous
coal has heat-producing value of six
tons of the anthracite This five tons,
costing $50, would heat an averaged
house for the winter. The six tons of
!! anthracite. costing $35, accomplishes
the same end Each householder, fol-
lowing this program, is wasting SIS
year on his coal bill
The city of New York adopted the
government plan for buying coal on
specifications and testing it upon de-
Livery to find if the requirements of
the specifications were lived up to. I'll
saved 100000 a year on it's coal bill as
a result.
The school board of a Massachusetts,
town had followed the government plan
of writing specifications for the coal it
bought. 1t had, however neglected tol
test the coal on delivery to find II it
were up to standard Finally, it took
sample and tested it. The coal was
below the quality specified. and the
bate of $s7a.
These are examples of very definite
ends accomplished by the work the
go We r m n
Users of Coal has been carrying
- n.pc4 on for the last six
10 Uet benent. years, and which
has as its object the development of
methods of fuel value and the placing
of that knowledge at the disposal of
the users of coal. AS the greater part
of the industry of the nation depends
on coal for its power. and as the ma
jority of the people rely on it to- keep
them warm in winter, the findings are
of wide general interest.
Early in its Investigations the bu
reau of mines began to point out the
differences in Goals and the advisa bill
ity Of using each for the purpose for
which it was best fitted. Goals are as
different in their natures as horses,
and draft horse would make as poor
a showing on the race track as would
thoroughbred pulling heavy load.
There are disable Goals that have as
high as 25 per cent of ash. There
would be Waste in transporting these
Goals long distances or in burning
them. where there was not easy oppor-
| tunity to dispose of the waste. But for
generating power near the point of
economical fuel.
Some Goals are more volatile than
others-they are more easily converted
| into gases. Such Goals may be effec
ton chambers. If the combustion
chamber is low the gas is not all
burned. but escapes and is wasted.
With high combustion chamber. it is
On battleship. for instance. the space
cannot be allowed for the high COM
bustion chambers. Coal for a battle
ship must not, therefore. be too vola-
tile. This one quality. high volatil-
ity. makes it impossible for the navy
to use Vancouver Goals. and it has
therefore upon occasion been forced to
ship fuel for it's use in the Pacific from
the Atlantic seaboard around South
America to San Francisco. The value
Of the government coal in Alaska is
greatly increased because it is suit
able for battleship consumption. ]
A decade ago. coal was bought on its
reputation. A certain mine or a GER
tain region had
Never Any Test become known
Some Years Ago. a as phodu .ort "a
coal. and this sold accordingly. There
was never any test coal that was
far better. but unknown, had difficulty
in getting established.
The bureau of mines began to insist
that the important thing about coal
! was the amount Of heat that was wrap
ped up in it. Other qualities being
equal, the coal with the greatest num-
Der of heat units was the best coal 1t
began the development of a method for
determining the amount of heat in a
ton of coal. This 1t soon reduced to
very exact science. 1t is done in this
way:
vessel constructed on the principle
of the thermos bottle is filled with
water. Into this vessel is lowered a
receptacle which contains a gram of
the coal to be tested and enough oxy-
gen to burn it up. There is an cleo
I trical connection that makes it possi-
BILE to ignite the coal. 1t is set on fire
and burned under water
The temperature of water is known
to the millionth part of a degree before
the coal is lighted. When 1t ia ali
burned up the temperature Of the water
| is again read. The difference between
the temperature OF the water before
exactly how much heat was in 1t. It
is merely a matter of multiplication to
determine the amount of heat in the
| ton.
InlS Is tNc Important test. II there Is
| dirt or slate or water in the coal it will
test fewer heat units. There are GER
tain qualities as, for instance, Its VIOLA
| tility. that are not shown by this test
and that must be provided for other,
| wise. But the important thing is the
amount OF heat 1t contains.
| The government soon learned the
| number of heat units that should be
contained by a
Heat Units Rule good grade of
IN Tes+ NJ coa1 coal. selling at a
| =" ~'' "a VIVA certain price. This
| was taken as a standard. When bids
were asked, it was on the basis of a
given number of heat units. a specified
amount of ash, an absence Of water. 1t
would be impossible for a coal delivery
to hit exactly the mark in heat content.
II it is found to contain more heat than
| the specification calls for. it is paid for
at a specified premium. If it contains
less, there is sliding penalty which