The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-08

Washington, D. c., April s.-For
10 months past small power plant
within the enclosure of the Wash
ington barracks in this city has
been operated by burning water in
connection with oil. Water, looked
upon as the other extreme from
fire, and the great factor in putting
out fires, is actually being burned
under boiler to produce heat
Scientists until very lately have
declared this to be impossible.
However, there is a patent record
in the archives in this city showing
that Mrs. Francis Dowdall Shaw
secured a patent for a certain kind
of burner in 1916, in which oil of
practically any kind is combined
with common, ordinary water and
an intensely hot fame produced at
low cost.
Mrs. Shaw. who is personally in
charge of the power plant at the
Washington barracks under con-
| tract with the government, has
tried out her invention in many
ways, and says that her records
show a saving of more than so per
cent over supplying power from
burning coal, and so per cent saw
ing over using fuel oil in the usual
way.
To secure the heat desired at the
barracks plant about three parts
of oil are used to one part of water.
Ridiculous as it may sound, if more
water were used, the fame would
be SO hot that the brick foundation
under the boiler would melt down.
Mrs. Shaw has experimental with
greater quantities of water, and
found the heat so terrific that ordi-
nary brickwork melts down quickly.
Mrs. Shaw has been engaged in
manufacturing bricks and tiles for
some time 1t was an accident in
connection with her work that
showed her that water could be
combined with oil as fuel, effect
ing considerable saving over the
ordinary use of fuel oil or coal. It
happened in this, way: Mrs. Shaw
was drying out a kiln, and for this
purpose was burning kerosene IN
der it. Some of the kerosene cans
had been standing for quite while,
and water had accumulated in them.
was used, and an immensely hot
ter fame was produced
Scientists have declared until
very lately" says Mrs Shaw, that
it is of course impossible to burn
water. However, 1 had done it, and
not being a scientist, kept on ex
perimenting until l found out what
was happening. The oxygen and
hydrogen gas in water was being
burned, aud after l had perfected
burner, l patented the thing"
One of Mrs Shaw's oil and water
burners has been operating an
Is, 800 horsepower plant in Texas
for some time. This is the only big
private plant using the invention
thus far.
Uses Amy Kind of Oil.
Mrs. Shaw has used everything in
the way of oil from kerosene to the
very poorest grades of crude oil,
full of dirt and foreign substances.
She has yet to record a failure. Nat
urally, the government is taking a
keen interest in this development
and is making tests periodically to
determine exactly how much of a
saving over other fuels can be ef-
iected. There tests have not been
completed z Ad the figures therefore
are not avi liable.
Mrs. ShS " says that in its pres
ent form the invention is practicable
for plants, office buildings, loco
motives and ships. It has been sue
cessfuIly tried out on ship but
until it is a bit more refined prob
ably will not come into general use.
Mrs. Shaw herself is authority for
this statement. Il will install the
thing and get steam up for them,
but / want to leave the ship be-
fore it leaves the dock" she de-
clares.
The best kind of oil for use in
Mrs. Shaw's invention has proven
to be good fuel oil or the oil known
as Navy special" However, prac-