PLANNING AND LAYING OUT OF GASWORKS 35
For a complete gasification plant the outlay would be approximately the same as above. Considerable saving could, of course, be efEected by taking the gas direct from the generator of the water-gas plant to the coal gas mains, the two undergoing purification, etc., together.
DISTRIBUTION
Without knowing the general outlines of the district and the system of distribution to be adopted, whether high-pressure mains will be run in addition to low-pressure, or whether “ boosting ” will be necessary, it is difficult to give anything more than an approximate figure under this item.
With present high prices a great saving can be effected by adopting high pres-sures on the trunk mains in combination with reducing governors on the service mains. Thus, if there are 10 miles of district mains—varying from 12 to 24 inches diameter—the cost of installing these would now be about £80,000. On the other Land, gas could be distributed by high-pressure mains of from 6 to 8 inches diameter at a cost of about £35,000.
As regards services, no undertaking can now afford to instal 40-feet services free of charge, and in many instances the builder or consumer pays the whole or a substantial portion of the cost. Free internal carcassing may now be said to be a thing of the past for consmners through ordinary meters, although some portion of the expense may be borne by the gas undertaking in the case of slot consumers.
The following figures may be taken as typical. In their Compilation consider-ation has been. given to the above-mentioned factors.
Mains .
Services .
Meters
Cookers, Eires, etc.
About 100 miles ; these would vary from about 8 inches high-pressure trunk mains to 4 inches for the smaller service mains______________
To supply 6,600 “ ordinary ” and 8,500 “ slot ” consumers, also for industrial purposes part cost only....................................
“ Ordinary,” 6,500, including fixing, at £4 10s. each......................................
Prepayment installations, 8,500 at £12 10.?. each, inclusive of meter cooker, 3 fittings, part cost of piping, etc...............................
For “ ordinary ” consumers (including fixing) (say) 6,500 ...............................
£
200,000
17,000
29,250
106,250
40,000
Total, cost of distribution equipment
£392,500
N.B.—Columns and lamps for public lighting are usually the property of the local authority; but, if rented from the gas Company, the cost to the latter would be about £12 10s. per lamp complete, including column, lantern, and service. In the