The Owosso times., 1922-07-28
peat MAY BECOME
THE MODERN FUEL
ENGINEERS ARE SAID TO HAVE
FOUND METHOD TO UTILIZE
IT WHEN RAW OR WET.
H PRODUCES POWER CHEAPLY
water Content Called an Asset, Not
a'LiabIllty-country Has Vast Guam
titles Of Peat, Chiefly In North Gen.
!, traI States. .
BY JAMES ?. HoRNADAY

BY JAMES p. HoRNADAY
Washington.-The United States ge-
illogical survey, the bureau of mines
and the bureau of standards are watch
ing with keen interest the development
OF process by persons not connected
with the government service for utiliz-
Ing raw or wet peat for power pur-
poses. The process, 1t is asserted, mas
been developed to point where sue
cess Is reasonably assured. The un-
dertakipg is to convert the moisture
content and the combustible content
or peat into steam and gas by means
Of a pressure engine.
Reports have recently been made to
the three government bureaus above
mentioned that engineers appear to
have discovered: (1) That peat of a
high water content can be burned in
definitely as fuel and used for all the
power processes Of manufacturing
plant; (2) that water In the peat is an
asset and not liability; (3) that 80
cents worth Of peat will produce as
much power as ton of bituminous
coal; az that the process would re-
cover large per cent of by-products,
including coke, ammonia, light and
heavy oils and tar for dye base !;
(5) that other carbonaceous fuels
might be employed the same as peat.
The government experts In the geo.
logical survey, the bureau of mines
and the bureau of standards say that
IL the process that is being developed
turns out successfully, the effect will
be to turn to commercial uses the i'm
mense peat beads which are to be
found In some twenty states. The larg-
est of these beds. according to the geo.
logical survey, are In Minnesota, Wis
consin, the Dakotas, Michigan and In
diana. The lake beds In northern Indi-
ana are nearly all composed Of peat.
Vast Quantities of Peat.
1t Is estimated by the bureau Of
mines that the peat available In the
United States is approximately 12,O00,-
100000 tons, and that about half Of
this amount Is In Minnesota. 1t has
also been estimated that there are be-
tween two and three billion tons Of
peat available In the state of Wiscon-
sin- The total swamp area of the
United States, exclusive of Alaska, Is
about 139, 1856 square miles. The geo.
logical survey estimates that 8 per
cent of this area has peat beds of good
quality. The depth of peat over this
vast area Is assumed to average at
least nine feet, giving 200 tons of dry
fuel per acre for each foot of depth.
The geological survey has for many
yenrs been calling attention to the
enormous supply of peat-a supply
that thus far has practically remained
untouched-and has all along main
tained that the time would come when
this supply would be utilized as a SUBJ
stitute for coal and fuel oil. From time
to time the survey has asked the con-
gress for money with which to expert
ment with the use of wet peat as well
.as dry peat, but the legislative body
mas never shown any interest in these
requests. and 80 It remained for engi-
sneers In their private capacities to
take up the work.
Development VIII Be Rapid.
The fact that most of the peat con-
tains about 80 per cent of water in ite
natural state has, the government ex-
perts say, held back the development
Of the peat fields; and II, as seems
probable, engineers are successfully
developing process under which the
water In the peat can be converted
Into steam while the dry peat can be
converted into gas, and the two powers
utilized together, 1t will not be great
while until development of peat bodies
will be undertaken on large scale.
The Wisconsin geological survey has
complied some interesting statistics
showing the value of the peat deposits
Of the country on the basis Of full de-
veIopment including by-products: Peat
coke. 8,R08. SOC, 900 tons. value $28OO5,-
$4,000; Illuminating OILS, 257 1900, 900,
&0.743, 100000; lubricating oils, co.
100000, $4,47420O.OOO; Parafin wax,
88,7O0, 900, $3,497, ,9O0, 900; phenol, 1877.
10000, see, ,345, 100000; asphalt, 35,-
10000. 1924, 900. 600; wood alcohol, 43,
10000. 1854. 100000; acetic acid &c.
100000; ammonium sulphate. 39,9O0,.
OoO. $2.777. .400, 900; and combustibIe
Gases. 7S8. .4O0. 900. $6,GO1, 100000.
Obviously, II q substitute for the
fuels now available, cheaper. more
widely distributed and more readily
ovallable, could be discovered, the
0Ace of industrial life would be
transformed. For years chemists and
engineers have labored to increase the
Gflcleacy Of electricity and steam and
60 cheaper the processes whersby they
are produced. A still cheaper com.
u0dlty than coal or oil Is water. but
0(ten water cannot be employed for
Uower unless It is impounded, and the
lmpounding js very expensive. Is there
of hand, lying under the eyes and
uDoss and feet Of mankind, q fuel
ufill better adapted for power pur.
Doees than coal, oil or waterf
Better Crop Reporting Planned.
Important changes n the crop re-
uortfng system Of the Department Of
AU1colture are about to Be made