The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-01-14
HAS SUGGESTIONS /
FOR FURNACE MEN
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
at Ames Suggests How to Con-
serge Energy and
FIRE OFTEN AND LIGHT
In This Day Of Conservation It is I'M
perative That Professional Ideas
be Followed in Boiler
Rooms.
FIRE OFTEN AND LIGHT

Never before has the winter fuel
problem weighed so heavily upon the
great mass Of our people, say B. p.
Fleming, professor of mechanical en-
cheering at the state university,
With means of production and distri-
button now being taxed to the utmost
and the severest part of the winter
still ahead, Iowa faces a situation
which makes the man with only ton
Of coal in his cellar think seriously.
The need for making every pound OF
coal count is imperative.
The highest efficiency so far OBJ
tanned with the largest and most per-
feet combustion apparatus was In
the neighborhood of so per cent, &C.
cording to this heating expert. Con.
sequently the waste in the small
house heating furnace or steam boil
er is enormous. Tests have been
conducted upon small house heating
boilers fired as they are usually fir
ed in which it has been found that
the efficiency was less than 40 per
per cent, which means that about so
per cent of the heat value Of the coal
was dissipated and lost.
The most important source Of loss
is from imperfect combustion or the
allowing of unburned gases to pass
up the chimney Wherever dense
clouds of smoke issue from house
heating plants using soft coal, use
less waste of coal Is indicated, for
smoke is an infallible sign Of inef.
ficient combustion. 1t Is important
that we learn what causes smoke and
see how it may be prevented, Pro-
fessor Fleming points out.
When soft coal is thrown upon the
fuel bed in the furnace little Jets of
dark colored gases and vapors arise
and pass up the stack without being
ignited. They are the product of
of the volatile matter Of
the coal and comprise from 30 to 40
per cent of the weight of the coal.
Upon reaching the open air these
vapors condense to form the dense
smoke with which we are too familiar.
How to keep these valuable vapors
from escaping unburned is the big.
gest problem in the matter of fuel
and civic improvement.
The most effective way in the ordin-
airy furnace Is to fire light and fire.
quently. Have a bed of incandescent
coke not less than six inches thick
On the CRATE and upon this in small
quantities throw the fresh fuel Jumps
are best because the vapors are dis
Tiled off more slowly and better OPP
oortuntty is provided for their heating
10 the ignition point.
AS this coal passes into coke break
It up and spread it evenly. Add more
fresh coal and shake down the ash
which has accumulated on the sur
ACE of the CRATE. Unless the ash lis
it prevents the free passage
If air up through the fuel bed in sucn
Quantities as to insure the combus-
necessary amount of heated air for
would otherwise pass up the stack as
smoke.
Prospects for fuel saving by those !
Who fire only three or four times a,
lay are not bright, the university man
ays. For such cases a magazine |
ype Of furnace which feeds fuel in |
mail and regular amounts as 1t is |
consumed is the only type on the |
market which extends to the house |
lolder any hope of economical use OF |
'oal. The advantage of this system !
les in the fact that the coal is no. ,
'iled In large amounts upon the fuel |
,ed.
The former and more efficient plan
equires more care than the latter,
md would probably be Impractical |
Except in extreme cases, says Pro-
essor Fleming. Every person who |
ends a furnace, however, should |
now that frequent firing is essen
ial to the obtaining of the greatest |
egree of usefulness from coal.