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Using Reinforced ConTHE storage of heavy
cre te Tan ks for 'mineral oils in reinforced
Volatile Fuels . ,concrete tanks entails no
special difficulties, but in order that petrol or alcohol or other volatile fuels can be so. stored special. precautions must be taken, Because of the considerable difficulties experienced, the, use of such tanks for the, more volatile fuels has not become. widespreadTwo systems of construction have been developed for the purpose, namely, one involving the use of water chambers and the other the Bersari, entailing the use of water-filled troughs. (As all alcohol fuels are hygroscopic, watersealing cannot be employed for these substances, but heavy oil, in which alcohols are virtually insoluble, might be employed.) Both systems ensure the maintenance of the necessary moisture in the concrete walls. As an impermeable coveringa special plaster is used, or otherwise the tank is tiled with glass plates on one side. For the preservation of the petrolimpermeable special plaster, as well as for the glass tiling; the moist concrete backing is technica4 and structurally ideal. In the water-chamber-type container rectangular vertical water chambers are arranged around the neutral zone of the cross-section of the tank; they communicate with a waterpermeable layer in the tank foundations. By bringing. the surrounding walls of the tanks above the level af the tank cover it becomes possible to flood this alto, thi net result being that the petrol or other
volatile fluid in the container is entirely surrounded by water. It is interesting to compare the respective behaviour of a steel petrol tank and a. reinforced concrete petrol tank, constructed on the Borsari system. Both tanks were situated in a petrol store at Vitry, near Paris, which was badly damaged as a result of enemy action. The Borsad tank, full of petrol, remained undamaged, whilst the iron container was completely destroyed. If the aboveground Borsari-type tank has demonstrated its virtues so efficiently it is to be' anticipated that the underground tank should be even more successful.
THE comparative dearth of timber in Britain makes difficult the production of large quantities of charcoal, which fuel is considered by many experts to be the ideal for suction-gas producers, but; possibly, a reasonable supply could be rendered available here. As an example of what is being done elsewhere, the Swedish. Co-operative Wholesale Society has recently erected in Lapland a large plant which consumes about 100,000 cubic metres of birchwood a year. It is calculated that, in addition to charcoal, it will be possible. to obtain 1,800 tons of tar, 500 tons of raw spirit and la.tge quantities oie acetic acid; front the last-named product it would be possible to obtain 500 tons of acetone.
Can We Develop Charcoal for Producer Plants ?
Appearances Are Not (NE of our friends is an Always SufficientlY '-"artist, and during recent Deceptive, months he has been engaged in camouflage work. A few days ago he had completed his work of obscuration on a " pill-box," and stood back to admire his handiwork. However, the balloon was soon pricked, for one of two passing yokels turned to the other and remarked, " Jarge, that's the first time I knowed that affair was a fort."
Ford Food Vans Being I INITS of the fleet of over
Used in Many 400 mobile food vehicles, Spheres owned by the Ford Emergency Food Vans Trust, set up to administer the funds given by Messrs. Henry and Edsel Ford, for the purpose of providing hot food under war conditions, are being employed in various important capacities. Some, as at Bath, are being used, in the Government's National Plan, for feeding school children. All meals are cooked in central kitchens set up by the Ministry of Food or by local authorities, and are delivered to schools some distance away in the insulated containers forming part of the equipment, and which keep the food hot for at least three hours. In other districts the vehicles are providing hot meals for employees in vital war factories and for farm workers.
is This U.S.A. Product nNE of the most powerful
the Largest Oilforms of road tractor yet Engined Tractor? . . produced is being built by the Diamond-T Motor Co., of Chicago, for the British Army. Designed to deal with the transport of Tanks, it will haul a load of over 70 tons. Its oil engine alone is said to weigh more than a conventional 30-cwt. vehicle; its tanks hold half a ton of oil fuel, and, complete, it weighs 12 tons. .It is, of course, a multi-wheeler and is mounted on large pneumatic tyres. We understand that large numbers will be available.