134 
OPERATIONS OF FUEL-TESTING PLANT IN 1905. 
The figures are given, however, for what they are worth, as they furnish an approximate 
idea of the possibilities of peat fuel in the gas producer, although they can not he 
regarded as official results. It is impossible to tell exactly whai portion of the gas was 
due to the Illinois coal and what portion to the peat alone. 
The results of the tests of the Massachusetts peal were as follows: 
PRODUCER-GAS TEST. 
Test <>7. Massachusetts No. 1. 
Average elect rical horsepower '-'(H). 
Average B. T. I', gas, per en hie fool 1 ('>(>. 6 
Total pea t fired pounds . . 6, 480 
PEAT CONSUMED i\ PRODUl EB i"i NDS ill: HORSEPOWER PER HOUR). 
Test '»7. 
Peal as 
fired. 
Dry 
peat. 
Combuj 
tible. 
Per elect rical horsepower: 
Available for outside purposes 
Developed ;it switch board 
Per brake horsepower: 
Available for outside purposes 
i (eveloped ;it engine 
:\. 77 
3. no 
:<. 20 
3.06 
l.S'.l 
1.81 
1 . * , l 
1.54 
1.44 
1.88 
1.22 
1.17 
WAl.t SIS. 
Test 97. 
1 est '.17. 
Peat. 
19.80 
27. 21 
10.88 
L2.05 
100.0(1 
0.34 
(lis by lolume. 
Carbon dioxide (CO2) 
10.5 
Volatile matter 
22. 5 
13.9 
Ash 
Methane (( | | ,v 
2.1 
51.0 
Sulphur 
100.0 
In connection with this tot of a small quantity of Massachusetts peat it is deemed advis- 
able to refer briefly to a more elaborate test of peat bricks obtained from Florida, t he results 
of which test have been obtained in time to he mentioned here, although the test was run 
subsequent to the date covered by the body of the report. In the producer-gas test of the 
Florida peat the producer was maintained in operation for fifty hours, and no difficult 
whatever was experienced either in maintaining the load or in handling the fuel bed. The 
peal was furnished by the Orlando Water and Light Company and was secured from a hog 
near the city of Orlando, Orange County, Fla. 
In starting the producer test the fuel bed was built up entirely of the Florida peat , and the 
usual preliminary run was conducted before the official test began. The total amount of 
peat consumed in the producer in the fifty-hour run was 29,250 pounds, or 585 pounds per 
hour. The average calorific value of the gas produced was 175 British thermal units per 
cubic foot. During the entire run the average electrical horsepower developed al the 
switch board was 205. The amount of peat used pet electrical horsepower per hour avail- 
able for outside purposes, including the estimated quantity required lor the generation 
of the steam used in the operation of the producer, was 3.16 pounds, while 2.69 pounds 
were required per brake horsepower hour at the gas engine, available for outside purposes. 
