12 



SIEAM BOILER TESTS — RORB. 



by their engineers and ordinary assistant's, but it is preferable to 

 have an occasional test made by a professional engineer who has 

 had experience in making such tests, as he will have gained 

 special knowledge which will enable him to detect and locate im- 

 perfections in the generator more readily than those unaccus- 

 tomed to such work. 



The writer would suggest to steam users the following prac- 

 tice : that one or more tests be made by an expert to determine 

 the efficiency of the generator, and that he may direct any neces- 

 sary repairs or corrections in the generator. After this has been 

 done and a standard of efficiency established a good water 

 meter should be inserted in the water supply pipe, so that a 

 record of the water used may be continuously kept and the 

 stoker or engineer should keep a log and make daily reports 

 of the coal consumed and water evapoiated. ihe meter read- 

 inu;s will need correction if absolute accuracy is desired, but 

 for practicable purposes this may not be necessary. It may 

 seem like unnecessary labor and expense to weigh all the coal 

 used, but a short trial will undoubtedly prove its value, as it 

 will not only indicate constantly the condition of the generatoi', 

 but to a certain extent be a check upon the working of the engine 

 and the amount of power used by the establishment, and it will 

 furnish a constant incentive to the engineer, stoker, and those in 

 charge of the steam machinery, to improve its working and reduce 

 the rate of fuel consumption to its lowest limits. A general 

 practice of this kind throughout the country would induce a 

 rivalry in the saving of fuel, parallel to that found in marine 

 practice, where it is claimed a horse power is produced by from 

 one and a half to two pounds of fuel per hour, instead of four to 

 ten pounds, the last named quantity being not uncommon in or- 

 dinary steam plant, and would in the course of a few years cause 

 an enormous saving to the country as well as to individual con- 

 sumers. 



Rules governing the standard system of boiler trial, adopted 

 by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, may be found 

 in the transactions of that Society, Vol. VI, 1884. The follow- 

 ing simple instructions will enable any steam user to conduct 



