460 Molesworth’s pocket-book
Liquid Fuel. (H. Aydon, ‘ Min. Inst. 0. 'M.,’ lii.)
No alteration of the ordinary furnace or grate
is necessary. For burning oil, the grate bars are
covered with thin slabs, overlaid with a few
cinders, and the ash-pit doors closed. In a
Cornish boiler 25 ft. long and 5 ft. 6 in. diameter,
With one internal flue 3 ft. diameter, the oil,
American petroleum, was allowed to fall through
a small orifice, about | inch diameter, in a con-
tinuous stream, at the rate of about 3 gallons per
hour. As the oil fell vertically, a jet of super-
heated steam met it and formed it into vapour,
which then took fire, and was consumed in a
perfect manner. The quantity of water evaporated
amounted to 10 cubic feet per hour, or 20‘8 lbs.
of water per lb. of oil. (The average result of
several days’ experiment was 19| lbs. of water
per lb. of oil. With best Aberdare cool, the same
boiler evaporated only lbs. of water per lb. of
coal.) The advantages claimed for liquid fuel in
sea-going vessels are—
1st. A reduction of weight of fuel amounting to 40 per cent.
2nd. A reduction of the bulk „ „ 36 per cent.
3rd. A reduction of stokers in the proportion of 4 to 1.
4th. Prompt kindling of fires.
5th. The fire can be extinguished instantaneously.
6th. Capability for stowage in the place of water ballast, by
which it may be replaced as. consumed, and great
facility for taking in fast.
7th. Its cleanliness and freedom from ashes, cinders, &c.
8tb. The avoidance of loss of heat due to the frequent
opening of the furnace doors.
9th. The ability to command a more intense fire and
management of temperature without forced draught.
10th. Facility for perfect combustion, and rapidity of raising
Stenin.
11th. Freedom from smoke.
In a plate-heating furnace at Woolwich, the same plan of
using petroleum was tried, showing a consumption of 780 lbs.
of petroleum against 2240 lbs. of coal.