PROCEEDINGS 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



JANUARY 18, 1860. 



Phofessor Anderson, tlie President, in the Chair. 

 Mr. A. S. H. Peterson, merchant, was elected a memljef. 



On Incrustations of Boilers using Sea-Water. By Mk. J. R. Napier. 



In Volume IV. of the Proceedings of this Society is a paper by 

 Mr. James Napier, Chemist, on the Incrustations of Steam-boilers. 

 Feeling much interested in his suggestions, his method was tried on 

 board the Islesman, on a voyage to the north of Scotland in 1858, 

 in order, if possible, to see the effect. At 9h. 30m. half a pound of 

 dissolved soda ash was forced into the boiler along with the feedr 

 water; at llh. 30m. another half pouijd was forced in; at 3h. 30m. 

 one pound was forced in; and at other times, more was put in. 

 The only effect observed by these operations was making the water 

 in the gauge glass of a milky appearance, within a few minutes after 

 the soda was introduced, and it continued so for probably an hour 

 after each injection, a small pipe near the surface of the water allowing 

 a continuous discharge from the boiler. These experiments showed, 

 that if the system proved economical, a simple plan could easily be 

 arranged for carrying it out. But as Mr. Napier, in his paper, states 

 " that this sort of crust (sulphate of lime) cannot be avoided by care 

 or mechanical means, except by keeping the salt in the water under 

 its crystallizing quantity, which would necessitate such an amount of 

 blowing off and supply as woidd render it expensive," tlic expense of 

 Vol. IV.— No, 4. 2 N 



