generator of the water gas plant, and these are more complex in the
case of the Van Steenbergh plant than in those of the Lowe type, and,
for that reason, yield a gas of more satisfactory composition.

Taking gas as made by the Lowe or Springer process, and contrasting it
with the Van Steenbergh gas, we are at once struck by several marked
differences.

In the first place the hydrogen is far higher and the marsh gas or
methane lower in the Van Steenbergh than in the Lowe process, this
being due to the sharper cracking that takes place in the short column
of cherry red coke, as compared with the lower temperature employed
for a longer space of time in the Lowe superheater. Next we notice a
difference of 10 per cent. in the carbon monoxide, which is greatly
reduced in the Steenbergh generator by the carbon monoxide and marsh
gas reacting on each other as they pass over the red hot surface of
coke with formation of acetylene, which adds to the illuminants, this
action also reducing the quantity of marsh gas present.

Lowe Van Steenbergh
gas. gas.

Hydrogen..................... 27.14 46.75
Marsh gas.................... 25.35 11.27
Carbon monoxide.............. 26.84 18.65
Illuminants.................. 14.63 7.59
Ethane....................... ---- 6.82
Carbon dioxide............... 3.02 0.50
Oxygen....................... 0.15 0.17
Nitrogen..................... 2.87 8.25