Evening star., 1923-03-11

, a powerful engine Of destruction.
Mortality through explosions is said
to be higher in laundries because the
girl workers are grouped closely
together.
Inspection through the code also
Will be extended to big manufac-
turing plants in which air tanks
are widely used. Air is compressed
and distributed through pipes in all
kinds of manufacturing processes, it's
use embracing the operation of many
types of air tools, drills. hammers.
etc. Air tanks in stores operating
pneumatic tubes also will be safe
guarded by the code
Dangerous as Dynamite.
The steam boiler, according to the
engineers, is. under certain condi-
tions, as dangerous as dynamite and
has caused q heavy toll of human
life, as well as enormous property
damage through faulty construction
and operation. The air tank is
capable Of an explosion almost rs
violent as that of the boiler because
of the expansive force OF air when
highly compressed.
Ammonia and other pressure tanks
employed in refrigerating apparatus
will be governed by the code. y
good many explosions occur among
these tanks, which handle ammonia
md water at very high pressurcs.
! ZEN they explode the release of
am r1nia gas creates the extra haz-
ards f asphyX and fire. Am
monia tanks are becoming widely
used Even the corner grocer and
the household are installing refrig-
Grating apparatus, requiring tanks
for ammonia and other noxious gases
that are utilized in refrgerating and
allied industry.
Another marked development is the
use of air tanks in street cars, Gle
waited trains and subways. The tank
is placed under the floor of the car.
functioning in the operation Of the
airbrake. Tanks used in this class
of transportation are not inspected
now.
The kitchen range boiler-the hot
water tank that sits in the Kitchen
is another type of unfred pressure
vessel. Around it also will be
thrown the safeguards of the code:
Divided Into Two Classes.
Two great fields will now be occu-
pied by the boiler code committee
that of the steam boiler, described by
the engineers as a vessel which has
fire or heat applied TO it to generate
vapor or steam, and that of the un-
fired pressure vessel, described as
any other kind of vessel used to
carry pressure The whole family of
pressure vessels. one OF the biggest
in the art of mechanica engineering.
is thus divided into two classes, heat
ed and unheated.
Enormous opportunities for me-
cha nical development We're opened
up by the war. and, the engineers dc
clare, industry is largely centerinG
around the steam boiler. Mammoth
steam plants are being constructed.
and the four biggest power stations
built in this country in 1922 were of
steam. These were designed for pub
lie service supply of electricity.
The subcommittee in charge of the
new code for unfired pressure vessels
is composed of +. +. Fish. st. Louis.
chairman; William II. Boehm, New
York city; G. f. Bronson, Kewanee,
ILL.,; E. c. Fisher. Saginaw, Mich:
S. F.. Jeter. Hartford: William F. Kie
sci. jr., Altoona Pa; James Neil,
United States bureau Of mines. Pitts
burgh, and III. V. Willie. Philadelphia.
The annual spring meeting OF the
society, at which Il wide range of
topics picturing progress in the .art
of mechanical engineering will be
discussed, will be held in Montreal,
Nav 2S-3l