RURAL KN(JINEKR1N(1. 591 



a tlicniiodyn.-iiuic thoor^y of ;i 2-<:ycl(' iilcohol motor with water injection during 

 the compression stroke. This theorx- is liased upon facts (h'awn 1 rom (wpei'i- 

 ments with such a motor of his own invention. 



Efficiency tests .of a producer gas engine direct-connected to centrifugal 

 pump (KiKjiti. lice, o.'f {WOii). A'o. 20, p. ~)i;fl, fig. I). — The results are given 

 of tests upon a producer gas i(umi)ing plant, which is one of a number of low- 

 lift i)umping stations reiiuired to handle lai-ge (piantities of water under the 

 flood conditions sometimes prevailing in the drainage system of New Orleans. 

 The gas producer has a rated capacity of 100 hj). and supplies gas to a 12.5 by 

 13 in. :>-cylinder. 2-cycle gas engine connected to a 24-in. centrifugal pump rated 

 at 27 to ."'.O cu. ft. per second against a total measured lift of 14 ft. 



IMttslmrg nut anthracite coal, of a heating value of 14,500 British, thermal 

 units i)er 1 lb., was employed, this producing a gas of 115 British thermal units 

 per cubic foot .at 00° F. and 700 nmi. pressure. The average of the principal 

 results obtained during the O-day test are as follows: 



Kevolutions per minute of engine, 29G.G ; brake horsepower, 70.0; engine 

 efRc-ieney, 78 i)er cent; pump eflJiciency, 71 iK>r cent; discharge, 30J cu. ft. per 

 second ; mean velocit.v of water in pipe, (>.21 ft. i)er second ; total head, 13.36 ft. ; 

 coal per hour ])er brake horsepower, 1.093 lbs. ; average duty, 119.G million 

 foot-pounds i)er 100 lbs. of <'oal. 



Wood-gas for power purposes {MascJi. Zt(;., Jf {J906). Xo. If!, pp. JSfl, 

 190). — A producer plant using a species of oak as a fuel is in use at Nacozari, 

 Mexico. The operation consists first in getting a thick bed of glowing coals of 

 light wood and c-oke. on which the heavier wood is then thrown to a depth of 2 

 ft., after which the jiroducer is connected to the engine. The preliminary o])er- 

 ation re(iuires from 4 to 5 hours. When consuming daily about 15 tons of wood, 

 the .generator nmst be cleaned every 5 days. The average heating value of the 

 gas was found to be 1,028 calories, and the consumption of wood and coke 2.57 

 lbs. and 0.11 lb., respectively, per electrical horsepower hour. It is stated that 

 consideralde advantage is found In this type of plant fi'om the standpoint of 

 economy in fuel consumption, but that in other respects it does not compare 

 favoralily with a steam pl.int. 



Denatured alcohol. Inv^estigations in Europe of its cost and use. — What 

 may be expected in the United States iDnihi Consular aud Tnulc h'pls. 

 [r. S.], 1906. -Yo. 2606. pp. 1-3). — A denatiuang establishment in lyondon is 

 described, consisting merely of tanks arranged on the second, third, and fourth 

 floors of a building and con'municating by means of a system of pipes with tanks 

 on the first floor. The tanks on the second, third, and fourth floors contain ethyl 

 alcohol, wood alcohol, and methylated materials, respectively, and the mixing 

 is done in the tanks on the first floor. 



It is stated that the idea that alcohol corrodes the cyUnders and valves of 

 engines is scoffed at in Germany. With referenc-e to the use of alcohol for illu- 

 minating purposes, the following is stated: "Industrial alcohol is now used in 

 Germany in small, portalile lamps, which give it all the effects of a mantel 

 burner heated Iiy gas. The exi)ense for alcohol is only about two-thirds as nuich 

 pel- candlei)ower as is the cost of kerosene. p]ven at 25 or 30 cts. a gallon, dena- 

 tured alcohol can successfully com'peti; with kerosene as a means of lighting." 



Potato evaporating plant and auxiliary operations on Hammer domain, 

 Kr. Wohlan, Ki;ia-KU) (Mascli. ZU/., J, {V.lOd), Xo. IS, pp. 20.'), 2UG).—A 

 description of a plant devised to use a portable steam engine of 10 to 12 horse- 

 power, with a boiler of l(;-s(iuareineters heiting surface. The exhaust steam 

 of the engine is used for the evaporation of the potatoes, and the power deliv- 



