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Heating, Lighting, and Refrigeration: Welsbach
Cost of Lighting Systems. An average period for the burning of artificial light per twenty-four hours is perhaps from 6 to 10 P.M., or about four hours. A careful comparison of the cost of different systems of lighting shows that each twenty-four can HEATING, LIGHTING, AND REFRIGERATION dle power of light produced from gas at $1 a thousand with a Welsbach burner, or from gasoline gas with a Welsbach burner, would be cent for four hours, or about $2.46 a year; the same candle power produced from acetylene would be for four hours, or $5.85 a year; from kerosene. 2% cents a day, or $8.76 a year.
From gas at $1 per thousand without a Welsbach burner, 3 cents a day, or $10.95 a year; from incandescent electric lamps, 5 cents a day, or $18.25 a year. But of course allowance must be made for varying prices and other local conditions. persons.
Effect of Artificial Light on Health. -It is not commonly known that most ordinary lights vitiate the atmosphere of living rooms to a greater extent than does the breathing of several The incandescent electric light has a great advantage in this respect, as it is inclosed in a vacuum, and so consumes no oxygen and gives off very little heat. The next least injurious form of lighting is the Welsbach burner with any illuminating gas, which consumes about the same amount of air as three persons.
The ordinary gas jet without the Welsbach burner vitiates the air about as rapidly as the breathing of five persons; the common oil lamp, about the same as that of eight persons; and the ordinary tallow candle is equal to the breath of twelve persons in the amount of atmospheric oxygen it consumes.
COAL GAS, GASOLINE GAS, AND ACETYLENE --- Gas.
Gas for illuminating purposes was invented by William Murdoch in 1792 at Redrutch, Cornwall, England. It was first used in the United States in 1806 by David Melville, of Newport, R. I. It was introduced in Boston in 1822, and in New York the year following. Gas is now used for heating and cooking as well as for illuminating purposes by upward of half the population of the United States. As its convenience and economy become better known, the number of towns and villages to introduce gas will no doubt steadily increase.
Coal gas is made by distilling bituminous coal with heat in a retort, condensing and separating it from the water, vapor of tar, and other solid substances, and purifying the resulting product to remove the compounds of sulphur and carbonic-acid gas. A by-product of this process is coke, about one-third of which is required for heating the retorts; the rest is sold. Other by-products are ammonia water and coal tar.
Illuminating gas consists of nearly equal parts of hydrogen (which burns with a blue flame, giving heat but no light), marsh gas, and other hydrocarbons (which burn with a luminous flame, but deposit soot if not fully consumed), and small quantities of carbonic oxide, and nitrogen, which are impurities and diminish the illuminating power of the gas. Gas, after being purified, is usually stored in a cylindrical tank with a conical top made of iron plates floating in a cistern of water. This is so arranged as to exert a uniform pressure on the gas equal to that of a column of water 6 inches high. The pressure serves to distribute the gas in the mains. These are usually made of cast iron from 24 inches down to 3 inches in diameter and laid about 3 feet under ground. The mains are connected with the buildings of consumers by service pipes, which should be below the frost line. Otherwise they may be closed by hoarfrost caused by the freezing of the watery vapor contained in the gas. The gas is measured by means of a house meter before being distributed.
Gas Meters. The gas meter is not constructed like a clock, as the dial seems to suggest; hence, contrary to common belief, a gas meter in good order cannot run either too fast or too slow. The meter is an engine in which the gas is the motive power.
Unless the gas actually passes through the meter, the latter does not move.
The dials mechanically and actually record the number of revolutions in cubic feet. The popular notions that gas meters are often inaccurate, and that an increased pressure or the practice of turning on the gas with full force when first lighted may make the meter spin faster and record against the consumer, are erroneous.
Of course the meter records all gas which passes, including that which is wasted as well as that which is used.
Hence gas jets should be regulated so as to prevent "blowing" or the passing of unconsumed gas. This regulation neutralizes the effect of any in crease in the pressure in the gas mains.
Contrary to common belief, most injuries to a meter work against the company. Any apertures caused by use in the interior of the meter may allow the gas to get through without being recorded. Not infrequently the valves of a meter become fixed so as to let gas through without being registered. Hence meters are tested at intervals by inspectors, who pass a certain number of cubic feet through them and note whether or not the dials make proper record.
Amount of Gas Consumed. -Learn to read the gas meter and thus note what amount of gas is being consumed. The ordinary flat-flame burner should consume 5 or 6 feet of gas an hour. If badly adjusted or of faulty construction, it may consume 10 to 15 cubic feet an hour. A Welsbach burner uses only about 3 feet an hour.
A medium-sized two-oven range with all burners lighted consumes about 60 feet an hour. A gas cylinder stove about 24 feet an hour. At least once a month make a test by reading the gas meter in the morning, noting carefully the time each burner is lighted, and again reading the gas meter at night. If the quantity consumed is greatly in excess of the above figures it indicates that the burners are poorly adjusted. In that case notify the gas company, whose duty it is to regulate the burners, and to keep them in order. Gas is the most economical of fuels if used with intelligence and care.
To Burn Gas. - There are a right way and a wrong way to burn gas.
In other words the illumination obtained from the gas burned depends 3FT. TIP) SFT. TIP "A Right Way and a Wrong Way." upon perfect combustion at the burner tip. And this combustion cannot take place unless the tip itself is in good condition.
The picture on the left shows a 5foot tip; the shape of the flame is full and regular, giving the fullest illuminating power of the gas consumed. On the other hand, the picture on the right shows a 3-foot tip burning 5 feet of gas per hour and giving poor light; the flame is irregular and the combustion imperfect, due to the use of a burner tip not designed to burn over 3 cubic feet.
It is obvious, then, that it is highly important to see that the burners and tips are intelligently selected and that they are kept in good condition, if gas is to be used economically, and the full illuminating power of the gas consumed obtained.