ARTIFICIAL VENTILATION OF VINEGAR GENERATORS. 73 



CHAPTER VIII. 



ARTIFICIAL VENTILATION OF THE VINEGAR GENERATORS. 



THE first experiments in conveying direct air to every gene- 

 rator were made in England ; but though this step towards 

 improvement in the fabrication of vinegar must be considered 

 an important advance, the English process failed of being ac- 

 cepted in practice on account of the inadequacy of the apparatus 

 used. 



In the English factories by a special apparatus a current of air 

 was sucked from above to below through every generator. As 

 shown in Fig. 20, the tall generators are open on top and 

 divided by false bottoms, upon which the shavings, etc., rest, into 

 several partitions ; above each false bottom holes are bored in the 

 circumference of the generators. In the bottom of the generator 

 is inserted a pipe which is connected with an arrangement for 

 sucking in the air, a blower or air-pump being used for the 

 purpose. 



As will be seen from the illustration, the suction of air through 

 all parts of the generator cannot be uniformly effected by the use 

 of this apparatus, the current of air being much more checked 

 in the upper portions, by the false bottoms and holes in the 

 circumference, than in the lower. Hence the effect of the air- 

 pump or blower will chiefly assert itself in the lowest partition. 

 This evil might be remedied by leaving out the false bottoms 

 and placing no air-holes in the circumference of the generator 

 entirely open at the top ; by these means the air would be forced 

 to pass in a uniform current through the entire layer of the filling 

 material. 



That the passage of the current of air from above to below is 

 entirely incorrect, because contrary to all theoretical requirements, 

 can be readily explained : In a generator in full activity, oxida- 

 tion of alcohol must already take place in the uppermost portion, 



