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COAL-GAS CONVERSIONS.

18th April 1918, Page 20
18th April 1918
Page 20
Page 20, 18th April 1918 — COAL-GAS CONVERSIONS.
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Recent Developments, Improvements, Hints and Wrinkles.

Why Not Suction Gas?

The present restriction concerning the use of coal-gas for motor vehicles should prawe a golden opportunity for those possessed of brains, and who only regard the erection of one harrier as a stimulant for investigation in atipther field. In these circumstances, one naturally asks whether those fertile of thought are seriously considering the possibility of utilizing auction gas as the alternative to coal-gas. There is every inducement for such activity. Vast quantities of eoke have been, and still are being, accumulated at our ga-sworks, so that there is a plenitude of raw material ready to hand, albeit possibly somewhat expensive, that is in relatIon to the figure it commanded in pre-war days.

Some years ago a compact self-contaMed suction gas unit, especially designed for installation upon a mechanically-propelled 'vehicle, was introduced to the market. But it made its appearance at an unpropitious moment: petrol cheap and plentiful commanded the situation.

One objection raised against the idea at the time was the low calorific power of the resultant fuel, but seeing that in this respect it coincides with much of the coal-gas at 'mead obtainable.; and Which low calorific gas has proved perfectly suitable to the -contemporary internal-combustion :engine, this objection cannot be said to pre vail any longer. Another ad

verse .feature, if we .remember rightly, was the' impure condition of the gas thus generated, but this is merely. a matter for refinement and improvement in the details of the purifying: equipment; it is a • drawback which can be overcome: • 1 The circumstance that suction -E.'

gas can be produced from several low grade fuel Materials should also serve as a spur to in ventive effort. Notwithstand ing the keyed-up endeavour to utilize waste as far as possible, there is a heavy deficit in the direction of fuels to be made good.

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£5000 for Experiments.

That experimental work in the field of the more profitable exploitation of waste heat is not being stultified by official restriction is evidentfrom the announcement by a company specializing in the utilization of this commodity to the effect that it has allotted the sum of B5000 essentially for experimentai. work during the coming year. This particular concern concentrates its efforts upon the reclamation and economical utilization of gases from fuel, which would otherwise he lost, and the fact that it pays 8 per cent, upon ha capital goes to prove that it is indeed a profitable venture. The successful, prosecution 'of the investigations under way inay exercise a farreaching influence upon the metor fuel situation as a whole, and, inventors would be well advised to maintain an alert mind, since it is inevitable that from ORO idea should spring many others.

The New Murphy Carburetter for High-pressure Gas.

The inventor of the Murphy "Safe" cylinder, Mr. S. J. Murphy, of Drogheda, Ireland, has now placed his carburetter (we use his own description of the device, a description to which he adhered in an argument with us on the subject) on the market. It receives gas, from the cylinder into which it is compressed, at the pressure at which it happens to be in tire cylinder, and it feeds it into the induction pipe of the engine only when the pistons a.re moving, and thereby creating a minus pressure in the induction pipe. To put it in another way, unless the pistons are Moving the compressed 4gas cannot pass as -.atmospheric pressure alone is insufficient to open the valve.

The gas is led to the orifice (A) by pipe from the cylinder, passes into the body of the carburetter and out at the port

(B). A diaphragm of large diameter (p) is acted upon by the pressure of the atmosphere through a series of apertures which extend all over the face (D) of the body, the diaphragm being supported by a boss (E) in the centre, which in turn is supported in the centre cup of the face (D). The bosa has slight perforations at the base, so as to allow air to pass through, otherwise, of course, the central cup being closed,' the vacuum

created would prevent the diaphragm

from operating. These slight perforations, howeVer, wire-draw the air admitted or expelled, and so a clashPot action 'is set up which prevents fluttering of the diaphragm. The diaphragm bears on the lever (F) which operates lever (G).

When the pistons of the engine exert a suction effect the pressure in the induction pipe and in the body of the carburetter is lowered below that of the atmosphere, the diaphragm is moved inwards, opening orifice (A), and gas is 'allowed to pass through to mix with the air admitted through the disc-closed orifice at G. The three adjustments provided are (1) the screwed plunger (I), which 'ex7 efts pressure on the lever (0) sufficient to keep the inlet -(A) closed under any pressure that; may exist in the cylinder, (2) the feed control (f(), which adjusts . the quantity of gas required 'to' cashuret the" air, "and (3) the screwed plunger (K), acting. thrciugh a spring on the blade of the air intake. port (H), controls the quantity of airadmitted to the engine. The 'diaphragm is sufficiently loose in fit to allow some air to be drawn in around its periphery, which fact to an extent justifies the uso . of the term carburetter.

The apparatus is extremely simple, and is sensitive in action, thus giving the required flexibility to the engine without any wiredrawing of the charge, yet, at the same time, it exerts a positive closing effort on the gas inlet, so that there is not the lea.st escape of gas when the engine is idle.

Tags

People: S. J. Murphy
Locations: Drogheda

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