Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-04-12

washington, April 12.~-For ton
months past = small power plant
within the enclosure OF the washing
ton Barracks in this city hiss been
operated by burning water In conneo-
ton with oil. Water, looked upon
az tho other extreme from hre, ano
the great factor In putting out hres.
In actually being burned under a
boiler to produce heat.
Scientists until very lately have do
clared this 10 DO impossible. However,
there IL q patent record in the archives
In this city showing that Mrs. Frances
Dowdsil Shaw secured a patent for a
kind OF burner in 1916. in which oil
with common. ordinary water and an
intensely hot fame produced at a
low coat
Mrs. Shaw, who Is personally In
charge Of the power plant at the
Washington Barracks under contract
with the Government. has tried out
her Invention In many ways. and
says that her records show n saving
OF moro than 80 per cent over supply
Ing power from burning coal. and a
so per cent saving over using fuel oil
In tho usual way.
To secure tho heat desired at the
Barracks plant about three parts Of
oil are used TO ono part OF water.
Ridiculous as u mny sound. IL more
water were used, tho hame would bs
10 hot that tho brick foundation
/ a.
Mrs. Shaw has erpermented with
greater quantities az water, and found
tho heat so terrific that ordinary
brickwork melts down quickly.
Mrs. Shaw mas been engaged in
manufacturing bricks and tiles for
some time. 10 Was an accident in
connection with her work that showed
I her that water could 10 combined
with OF ~ A fuel. ef1ecting o con-
siderable ssvinz over rho ordinary Use
~ fuel oil or coal. II happened IN
/ this way: Mrs Shaw Was drying out
a Kiln. ard for this purpose was
/ burning kerosene under -. Some Of
/ tho kerosene cans had been s,andins
Tor quite a while, and water had sc-
} cumuistsd IN th-m. by sccidept, IN.
whole combination va. used. and ar
Immensely hotter fame vas pro
dgee6.
scientists have declared until YER
.stely." says Mrs shaw. that Il &
% course lnpos-ihis 20 burn water
a scientist. kept on erpsrimentin;
a scientist. kspt on -rpsrirnsntin,
unH ! found out what .as happen
lng. The Oxygen Ard hydrogen gas 81
water was being burned. and after
; pad perfected a burner. patented IN
thing"
one % Mrs. shav's oil and wate
burners mas boon operating ar i8
. 900 horse power plant In Texas "a
. some time. This 10 The only bi
private plant using the inventio
{ thus far.
Uses Any Kind ~ OIL
: Mrs. shaw has used everything
the way q oil from kerosene 20 Il
y very poorest grades Of crude oil. "a
Of dirt and foreign substances. ST
: has yet 20 record a failure. Natura
~, the Government Il taxing a kes
Z interest IN this development and
making tests periodically TO dete
: mine exactly how much Of sayir
= over other fuels can be effected The
. tests have not been completed al
= the figures therefore are not ava
- able.
Mrs. Shaw says that IN its prese
>, form the invention is practicable
, plants. office buildings. locomotive
> and ships. Il has been successful
+, tried out on a ship. but until It Is
bit more refined probably will :
come into general use. Mrs. Sh
n herself is authority for this stateme
II Il will install the thing and get ste
|. up for them, but want to leave
ship before It leaves the DOCK" /
II declares.
Ill The best kind of oil for use in y
II Shaw's invention has proven 20
II good fuel oil or the oil known
II Navy special" However. practices
II every kind OF oil has been tried {
II and II has been found that the v
II lowest grades will work all right
II they are heated so that they will
II freely. In using the heaviest gra
II Of oil, steam pipes are run through
I tanks TO heat the oil in cold weatl
II In really warm weather this exp
II ent doubtless will be unnecessary
Ill One great advantage claimed
/ ----