Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910: Federal Investigations of Mine Accidents, Structural Materials and Fuels. Paper No. 1171Wilson, Herbert M. (Herbert Michael)
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Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers, vol. LXX, Dec. 1910: Federal Investigations of Mine Accidents, Structural Materials and Fuels. Paper No. 1171
Wilson, Herbert M. (Herbert Michael)
Building materials; Civil engineering -- Periodicals; Coal mines and mining -- Safety measures; Fuel
_Determining the Completeness of Combustion._--The completeness of
combustion in the successive cross-sections of the stream of gases is
determined mainly by the chemical analysis of samples of gases collected
through the openings at these respective cross-sections. The first of
these cross-sections at which gas samples are collected, passes through
the middle of the bridge wall; the others are placed at intervals of 5
ft. through the entire length of the furnace. Measurements of the
temperature of the gases, and direct observations of the length and
color of the flames and of any visible smoke will be also made through
the side peep-holes. These direct observations, together with the gas
analysis, will furnish enough data to determine the length of travel of
the combustible mixture to reach practically complete combustion.
In other words, these observations will determine the extent of the
combustion space for various kinds of coal when burned under certain
given conditions. Direct observations and the analysis of gases at
sections nearer the stoker than that at which the combustion is
practically complete, will show how the process of combustion approaches
its completion. This information will be of extreme value in determining
the effect of shortening the combustion space on the loss of heat due to
incomplete combustion.
_Method of Collecting Gas Samples._--The collection of gas samples is a
difficult problem in itself, when one considers that the temperature of
the gases, as they are in the furnace, ranges from 2,400° to 3,200°
Fahr.; consequently, the samples must be collected with water-cooled
tubes. Thus far, about 25 preliminary tests have been made. These tests
show that the composition of the gases at the cross-sections near the
stoker is not uniform, and that more than one sample must be taken from
each cross-section. It was decided to take 9 samples from the
cross-section immediately back of the stoker, and reduce the number in
the sections following, according to the uniformity of the gas
composition. Thus, about 35 simultaneous gas samples must be taken for
each test. The samples will be subjected, not only to the usual
determination of CO_{2}, O_{2} and CO, but to a complete analysis. It is
also realized that some of the carbon-hydrogen compounds which, at the
furnace temperature, exist as heavy gases, are condensed to liquids and
solids when cooled in the sampling tubes, where they settle and tend to
clog it. To neglect the presence of this form of the combustible would
introduce considerable error in the determination of the completeness of
combustion at any of the cross-sections. Therefore, special water-cooled
sampling tubes are constructed and equipped with filters which separate
the liquid and solid combustible from the gases. The contents of these
filters are then also subjected to complete analysis. To obtain
quantitative data, a measured quantity of gases must be drawn through
these filtering sampling tubes.
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