UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



. 747 



JW?"*¥W%» 



Contribution from the Bureau of Animal Industry 

 JOHN R. MOHLER, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



January 9, 1919 



THE ECONOMICAL USE OF FUEL IN MILK PLANTS 

 AND CREAMERIES. 



By John T. Bowek, Technologist, Dairy Division. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Importance of reducing waste 1 



Comparison of fuel consumption in different 



creameries 2 



Construction of boiler settings 6 



Construction of furnaces. 10 



Hand firing of boiler furnaces 18 



Air leaks 23 



Page. 



Belt-driven pumps 26 



Steam leaks 27 



Heat losses from bare pipe, ". 27 



Selection of power 28 



Utilizing the exhaust steam . . : 31 



Distribution of heat energy from combustion 



of.coal 42 



IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING WASTE. 



The rapid increase in. the cost of fuel and. the probability that the 

 present high price will continue makes the efficient use of fuel in com- 

 mercial plants a question of the greatest importance. In the produc- 

 tion of steam power, even in the most up-to-date plants, fuel is by 

 far the largest item of expense. The boiler room, consequently, is 

 the most important part of the plant so far as the cost of produc- 

 tion of power is concerned and therefore should receive careful 

 attention. 



It should be the aim of every person in charge of a power plant to 

 obtain the greatest efficiency possible, which means the elimination 

 of waste — waste of fuel and material, waste of energy, and waste of 

 time and effort. In order to determine the source and the amount 

 of loss it is necessary to keep records and make tests, and- then, one 

 must devise means to eliminate the losses or reduce them to a mini- 

 mum. After determining the total of the various losses the question 

 is whether or not it will pay to correct them. The limit to the capi- 

 tal and labor that should be expended in making changes and re- 

 pairs is the point where the interest on the money invested in mate- 

 rial, labor, repairs, and depreciation balances the saving in operation; 

 expense. Beyond that point it is commercially not good policy to go. 



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