100 REPORf — 1844. 



On the Consumption of Fuel and the Prevention of Smoke. 

 By William Fairbairn, Esq. 

 There is perhaps no subject so difficult, and none so full of perplexities, as 

 that of the management of a furnace and the prevention of smoke. I have 

 approached this inquiry with considerable diffidence, and after repeated at- 

 tempts at definite conclusions, have more than once been forced to abandon 

 the investigation as inconclusive and unsatisfactory. These views do not 

 arise from any defect in our acquaintance with the laws which govern per- 

 fect combustion, the oeconomy of fuel and the consumption of smoke. They 

 chiefly arise from the constant change of temperature, the variable nature of 

 the volatile products, the want of system, and the irregularity which attends 

 the management of the furnace. Habits of oeconomy and attention to a few 

 simple and effective rules are either entirely neglected or not enforced. 

 It must appear obvious to every observer, that much has yet to be done, 

 and much may be accomplished, provided the necessary precautions are 

 taken, first to establish, and next to carry out a comprehensive and well- 

 organized system of operations. If this were accomplished, and the manage- 

 ment of the furnace consigned to men of intelligence properly trained to their 

 respective duties, all these difficulties would vanish, and the public might 

 not only look forward with confidence to a clear atmosphere in the manu- 

 facturing towns ; but the proprietors of steam-engines would be more than 

 compensated by the saving of fuel, which an improved system of management 

 and a sounder principle of operation would ensure- Under the hope of the 

 attainment of these objects, I shall endeavour to show, from a series of ac- 

 curately-conducted experiments, that the prevention of smoke, and the per- 

 fect combustionof fuel, are synonymous, and completely within the reach of 

 all those who choose to adopt measures calculated for the suppression of 

 the one and the improvement of the other. 



On a former occasion I had the honour of presenting to the British Asso- 

 ciation an inquiry into the merits of Mr. C. W. Williams's Argand furnace 

 compared with those of the usual construction. On that occasion it was 

 found, from an average of a series of experiments, that the saving of fuel (in- 

 clusive of the absence of smoke) was in the ratio of 292 to 300, or as 1 : 1039, 

 being at the rate of 4 per cent, in favour of Mr, Williams's plan. Since then 

 a considerable number of experiments have been made by Mr. Houldsworth, 

 Mr. Williams and others ; and having occasion in the course of this inquiry 

 to refer to these researches, it will be unnecessary for the present to notice 

 them further than to observe, that they have been made with great care, 

 and present some curious and interesting phsenomena in the further develop- 

 ment of this subject. 



The complex nature of the investigation has rendered it necessary to divide 

 the subject into sections, for the purpose of observing, not only the relative 

 tendencies and connexion of each, but to determine, by a series of compara- 

 tive results, the law on which perfect combustion is founded, and its practical 

 appHcation ensured. j 



Keeping these objects in view, the heads of inquiry will be — 



I. The analysis or constituents of coal and other fuels. 



II. The relative proportions of the furnace, and forms of boilers. 



III. The temperature of the furnace and surrounding flues. 



IV. The oeconomy of fuel, concentration of heat, and prevention of smoke 

 Lastly. General summary of results, 



I. The Constituents of Coal and other Fuels. ' H 



The first practical inquiries into the nature and constituents of coal, are i 



A 



