Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1922-03-02
CHEER FOR FURNACE TENDERS
Bureau of Mines Expert Gives Al
al vice on Firing

Advice to operators of ouse-heat-
inc furnaces, who under the Keen
urge of chill blasts of winter have
applied to the bureau Of mines for
solution of difficulties experienced In
caring for their fires over night, Is
given in a statement by o. p. Hood,
chief mechanical engineer OF the bu-
reau.
There are several ways of manag-
ing a furnace, as there are several
ways of driving horse, says MI.
Hood. The general principle is quite
obvious, but that principle can De
applied in different ways. In the
process of combustion two quantities
must be supplied-cOal and air. Inc
coal one pays for, the air one gets
for nothing, but the quantity OF air
re0uired in weight is from twelve TO
twenty times as much as the guam
tity of coal required. If one had 10
nav for air he would pay great deai
more attention to the supply OF this
necessary material, Mr.. Hood says.
Given a bed of Goals that are red
hot, the fire will burn just in pro-
portion as air is fed through the
fuel bed. The question of keeping
a fire over night, Engineer Hood as
serts, is one of having bed OF fuel
large enough so that at least the CEN
ter of it can keep red hot without
being chilled by the cold sides OF the
thn an1h ash ntt below,
If absolutely no air was fed through
the fuel bed, in time the fire would
90 ont because of loss of heat me
problem, then, is to feed just air
enough through the fuel bed to main
tain temperature.
The ash pit of most furnaces leaks
enough air so that if there was
considerable draft or suction ABOVE
the fuel bed produced by the CHM
new. more air would leak into the
ash Dit and up through the fuel bed
than enough to simply maintain the
temperature, Mr.. Hood explains. To
much air fed through the fire would
burn up the coal and the fire would
not keep. The problem, then, is to
cut down the flow of air through the
fuel bed. This can be done In num-
erous WAYS; one can put on a large
amount of coal and cover the top
with very fine coal, or even with
ashes. This increases the resistance
through the fuel bed, so that only
small amount of air flows. Another
way, and a good way too, according
to Mr.. Hood, ia to allow ashes to ac-
emulate on the CRATE to add to the
resistance of the flow of air. While
this is q good way in mild weather
IL ia not so good in severe weather,
because one cannot get as much coal
into the fire-bOx, and 1t rs usually
best to keep the fire box completely
filled with fuel. Even when the re-
distance through the fuel bed Is In
creased, IL the draft is maintained
there lie apt to be too much leakage
through the ash pit and too vigorous
a fire. By opening the check draft
50 that air can flow up the chimney
without flowing through the fuel
he'd. the air passing through the fuel
he'd ia greatly reduced. 1t makes
little difference whether this is done
bv opening the check draft In the
chimney. or done by opening the
damper i'm the door, allowing the air
to Cow above the fuel bed. In the
latter case, however, the air Is drawn
through the boiler and helps to cool
ofr tte hoiler I'm addition to check
Ing the fiow of air through the fuel