The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-01-23
u. S. BUREAU TELLS
HOW BEST TO CARE
FOR HOUSE FURNACE

WASHINGTON. ID. c. Jan. ga
Advice to operators OF house-heatinr
furnaces. who. under the keen urge
Of the chill blasts OF January. have
applied TO the Bureau OF Mines for
a solution Of difficulties experienced
In caring for their fires over night. Is
given in q statement made by o. p.
Hood. chief mechanical engineer OF
the bureau.
There are several ways OF manag-
Ing a furnace. as there are several
ways OF driving a horse. says Mr.
Hood. The general principle Is quite
obvious. but that principle can be
applied in different ways. In the pro-
cess OF combustion two Quantities
must be supplied-coai and air. The
coal we pay for. the air We get for
nothing. but the quantity OF air re-
quired in weight is from twelve TO
twenty times as much as the quantity
OF coal required. II we had to pay for
the air we would pay a great deal
more attention to the supply OF this
necessary material.
Given a bed OF Goals that are red
hot. the fire VIII burn Just in pro-
portion as air Is fed through the fuel
bed. Tho question OF keeping a fire
over night is one OF having a bed OF
fuel large enough no that at least
the center OF II can keep red hot
without being chilled by the cold
sides OF the furnace, or the cold ash
pit below. II absolutely no air was
fed through the fuel bed. In time the
fire would 90 out because OF loss OF
heat. The problem. then. is to feed
Just air enough through the fuel
bed TO maintain temperature. The ash
pit Of most furnaces leaks enough
air so that II there was considerable
draft OF suction above the fuel bed
producsd By the chimney. more afr
would leak into the ash pit and up
through the fuel bed than enough to
simply maintain the temperature.
Too 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 numerous ways: one can put
on q large amount OF coal and cover
the top with very fine coal. or even
with ashes. This increases the resist
ance through the fuel bed. so that
only small amount Of air flows. An
other way. and good way too. Is
TO allow ashes to accumulate on the
crate to add TO the resistance OF the
flow Of air. While this is a good way
In mild weather It is not so good in
severe weather. because one cannot
get as much coal into the fire-box.
and II Is usually best to keep the fire
boz completely filled with fuel Even
when the resistance through the fuel
bed is increased. II the draf. is main
tanned there is apt to be too much
leakage through the ash pit and too
vigorous fire. By opening the check
draft SO that air can flow up the
chimney without flowing through the
fuel bed. the air passing through
the fuel bed Is greatly reduced. 1t
makes little difference whether this
is done by opening the check dra't In
the chimney. or done by opening the
damper In the door. sllowlyg the air
to flow above the fuel bed. In the
latter case. however. the air is drawn |
through tho boiler and helps to cool
of the boiler IN addition to checking
'he flow Of air through the fue, bed.
Detailed Instructions regs riding the
economical operation OF house-heat-
NJ furnaces are given in certain pub
ieations on the subject. which may
% obtained on application to the
'ureau Of Mines. Washington d. C,