BAGASSE AS FUEL 



471 



of the same water content, have practicalh* identical values ; air-dried 

 wood usually contains from 20 per cent, to 30 per cent, of water and from 3 

 to 3-5 tons are equal to a ton of average coal. Molasses are of verj' similar 

 value to wood, the predominant factor being, of course, the water content. 

 Cane straw contains as a rule about 10 per cent, moisture and from 2-5 to 

 3 tons are equal to a ton of coal. A table giving a comparison of fuel values 

 follows : — 



Fuel. 

 Welsh Steam 

 Pennsylvania Anthracite 

 Newcastle 

 Lancashire 

 Scotch 

 Australian 

 Indian 

 Patent Fuel 

 Air-dried wood 25 per cent, moisture 

 Green Bagasse 45 per cent, water 

 Cane Straw 10 per cent, water 

 Molasses 25 per cent, water 

 Petroleum 

 Carbon . . 



Gross B.T.U. 



per lb. 

 15,000 — 16,000 

 15,000 — 16,000 

 14,000 — 14,500 

 14,000 — 14,500 

 13,000 — 14,000 

 13.000 — 14,000 

 13,000 — 14,000 

 15,000 — 16,000 

 4,500 — 5,000 

 4,500 



7.500 

 4,500 

 16,000 — -17,000 

 14,400 



Fuel Value of Molasses. — Atwater found 6956 B.T.U. per pound of dry- 

 matter ; Xorris'* obtained 4759 and 5137 B.T.U. for molasses containing 

 20 • 8 and 21-9 per cent, of water and 14 • i and S • 4 per cent, of ash. Hooge- 

 werf* found 5275 B.T.U. for a sample with 19-4 per cent, of water. 



The great trouble that has always been experienced in burning molasses 

 in combination with bagasse is the formation of a large amount of ash and 

 clinker. During the campaign of 1914-15 special molasses furnaces and 

 boilers were erected in Hawaii both to burn the molasses and to recover the 

 potash in the ash. 



The molasses were burnt on a hearth in an extended furnace, the ash in 

 part remaining on the hearth and in part being deposited on the flues. 

 Under a i6-ft. X 6-ft. horizontal fire-tube boiler there was burnt per hour 

 8S0 lbs. of molasses, which afforded 1,476 lbs. steam and 77 lbs. ash. 



It will be tound, however, that it is only wnen the cost of fuel is exces- 

 sively high, or when the value of molasses is abnormally low, that it is 

 economical to burn this material, even allowing for the recovery and sale of 

 the potash. 



Fuel Value of Cane Straw. — Hoogewerf^^ found 7S41, Koenig and Bien- 

 fait'^ 7409. and Norris^ 77S0 B.T.U. per lb. of dry matter. 



