[PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENGINEERS' CLUB OF PHILADELPHIA.]




RELATIVE COSTS OF FLUID AND SOLID FUELS.

[Footnote: Read June 20, 1885.]

By JAMES BEATTY, JR., Member of the Club.


During the past twenty-five years there have been numerous efforts to
introduce fluid fuels as substitutes for coal, for the evaporation of
water in boilers, metallurgical operations, and, on a small scale, for
domestic purposes.

The advantages claimed for these fuels are: Reduction in the number of
stokers, one man being able to do the work of four using solid fuel.
Reduction in weight, amounting to one-half with the better classes.
Reduction in bulk; for petroleum amounting to about thirty-six per
cent., and with the gases, depending on the amount of compression. Ease
of kindling and extinguishing fires, and of regulation of temperature.
Almost perfect combustion and cleanliness.

Siemens used gas, distilled from coal and burnt in his well known
regenerative furnace.

Deville experimented with petroleum on two locomotives running on the