New-York tribune., 1918-02-04
One Cause of Coal Waste
An Engineer Finds Many Cases of
Defective Consumption

TO the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: For nineteen wears I was connected
with certain public institution which is
maintained by this city. and have constantly
observed the ash dumps from the various
heating plants. After shower of rain these
ash dumps look like veritable coal piles. The
ashes being washed off exposes complete
layer Of coal, somc Of it partly burned on one
side and much of it as good as it, came ou.
of the mine.
have observed the same condition in ash
cans as 7 pass them mornings, only this is
not as conspicuous, since the of ashes
are seldom exposed to the washing effect of
the rain, but the fact that men, women and
boys pick over the tops Of ash cans and Sc
cure great bags Of coal is evidence that 1t is
there.
In the aforesaid city institution there are
Il great number Of boilers, nino different
kinds, and they in charge Of n skilled
marine. fireman with force Of men as good
as usually employed in such work. hut
every boiler is doing the same criminal waste
made most thorough search for the cause
and found it.
The typical heating plant boiler is made up
of sections like an inverted U. so shaped that
when they are put together they form deeply
corrugated sides to the frebox
The cold water returns to the legs at the
sides Of the firebox and the lack of draft re-
tards or prevents combustion Of all coal
which lies in these corrugations. so that when
fires are cleaned these large and small Jumps
Of coal come out with the slate and clinkcr.
and wasted.
I wrote letter about this to the various
n he
acknowledgements of the letter. with the typical
remark: I'VE have never had any complaints
about our boilers But few years later a
representative came to and reminded me
OF my letter of years ago, and said he wished
to give US boiler to test
The boiler was installed and sheets of mica
we're inserted in position to afford observa-
ton of the combuston and the first days
lun of ashes kept on exhibition for
long time Not only was there not a trace Of
coal found in the ashes, but all slate and
c'nkers were burned, and not only was the
coal burned, but all the gas generated was
burned for the reason that the gas had to
pass through the fire to reach the hues A
quantity of blacksmth's coal was burned
without a trace of black smoke issuing from
the chimney.
The boiler in question was a modification
OF down draft" boiler 1t has the regular
shaking CRATES in the bottom of the Grcbox
for the removal Of ashes only. water crate
at the back below the fire line. and tn, draft
is admitted above the coal. Since the intro
duction of this boiler by one progressive
manufacturer other manufacturers arc begin
ming to make similar boilers, but they are
Tot the cheapest to install, and the average
man who builds for speculation and the man
who does not want any "new" thing or "lets
we'll enough alone" would not be interested
IN it, and if the purchasers of boilers and
architects dc not care certainly the manu-
facturers do not have TO pay for the coal
wasted, and do not care.
am convinced that great saving Of coal
could be effected in the ordinary boiler BY
setting frcbricks against the cold water legs
of tho boiler to the depth of the fire, and
much could be done with small boilers by
putting small quantities of coal on the fire
at time, not allowing it to spread to the
Edes Of the iireboX. CIVIL ENGINEER
New York, Jan. 21, 1913.