All About Engines

The Oil Engine 245 Diesel engines are used for pumping by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, which has a 5,000 horse- power pumping engine at work; by the Manchester Ship Canal Co., and at numerous waterworks. It is especially useful for intermittent work, because it can be started within a couple of minutes, whereas a steam engine can only be started quickly and at short notice when steam is kept up in the boilers. Its value in electric light stations depends partly upon this fact and partly upon the fact that there is less difference in the efficiency of large and small Diesel engines than in the efficiency of large and small steam engines. The problem in electricity generating stations is how to deal with the “ peak load.” In the day time current is required only for the trams and power ; at night it is only required for light. But there are short periods, especially in winter, when it is required for power, light, and a heavy tramway traffic all at the same time, and the resources of the station are severely taxed. The difficulty has been met by installing a Diesel engine to meet the extra demand when it occurs. And if the station is supplied entirely with Diesel engines, there may be several of small size, and just so many employed at once as are needed to meet the demand. When the Diesel engine was first introduced there were great hopes of its application to the propulsion of ships. In no case is space so limited and so valu- able, and the prospect of reducing by 30 per cent, the space for fuel, and of running the engines with a