THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2055, 13 July 1893, Page 49

THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE.

By Apabata Bbnata.

London is the city of all others in the world that would derive the most benefit by using bydrogen as fuel. All the black oxide could be utilised reconverting into iron, and tbe scrap iron required could be bad in any quantity and cheaper than in any other city in the world. London has talked of using gas exclusively for fuel for many years, and probably the time is not far distant wben Bhe will be able to do so. The effect of using hydrogen in London exclusively for fuel would be a vast diminution of the density of its noted fogs, and a general improvement in its atmosphere, and once it bad been used extensively and successfully oxygen would soon come to the front to make a combination with it for generating the most intense heat that can be manipulated successfully, and which is coming daily into more general use for fusing and welding such metals as platinum. This combination of oxygen and hydrogen is used now for many special purposes, and I shall try to briefly explain tbe mode and ' effect, and in such a manner as to make it easily understood by the ordinary reader. Toe flame produced is called the oxyhydrogen flame. The oxygen is made by one of a number of processes, all more or less unsuitable for making large quantities, and placed iqt} a gasometer. Another gasometer is also filled with hydrogen. Two pipes with stop cocks are attached to these. The pipes are supplied with platinum gas jets, which are joined together at the ends where it?is meant to produce the flame. As the two gases will only (combine to form water when brought together in a certain volume, the hydrogen jet is lit first, and the oxygen one is then supplied by turning on the stop cock slowly till such time as it begins to burn or chemically unite with the hydrogen. This union of the two gases is a continuous explosion, and complete combustion takes place without requiring a supply of oxygen from the atmosphere, as with other ordinary flames. The heat caused by this union of the two gases is so intense that most metals are fused or burnt up by ! it. Steel watch springs and steel wire burn like wooden matches, throwing off most beautiful sparks till the steel is all consumed. Platinum, which is tbe most difficult of all the metals to melt, although it is a soft

metal, melts like a piece of sealing wax if it I is placed in the flame. It will be -noticed that I have said very ] little about how to make oxygen. The truth i 3 I do not know of any very satisfactory process, but I believe that we are on the eve of learning of a process whereby ozone or condensed oxygen can be made from ordinary air. Seeing that our atmosphere is composed of a mixture of oxygen and nitro- 1 gen principally, and these not in chemical union, but in a common "mixture like salt in the ocean, it follows that there must be some means of separating tbe two and using the oxygen for economic purposes to a greater advantage than is possible at present. Ozone or condensed oxygen is really the most interesting and useful element engaging the attention of chemists and scientists at tbe present day. Any discovery in connection with it is looked forward to with more than usual interest, and the man who really discovers an easy, safe, and inexpensive mode of making it will be regarded as a second Faraday. At present the oxy-hydrogen flame is used for too many purposes to be mentioned here, and |manyof these purposes remain eecret3. It can be turned into a powerful illuminating agent, only to be rivalled by electricity, by introducing an incombustible body such as lime into it The flame assumes such a brilliant glow that the naked eye cannot look at it. This fact is made use of for night signals in trigonometrical surveys, and as an interesting experiment in chemistry. What has been written so far goes a long way to prove that in tbe near future a great revolution will take place in heating our abodes, .&c. Directly the electric light takes its proper place coal gas will be discontinued, and it nas been proved cheaper than coal for heating purposes in many cases. What will be the use of our gas mains when this takeß place?. Could they be utilised for the purpose of transmitting heating gas to our cities profitably? Ie is almost a certainty they could, and in many oases there is no question about if.. What is the consumption of fuel in. a household 1 One fire for cooking purposes alone comes to £8 a year. Say the average cost .for a family is £15 a year, or, in other words, that every 10 individuals use this muc\i. Our city, for reckoning the outlay, contains 50,000 inhabitants, who consume £75,000 worth of fuel every year. Presuming the corporation of a city undertook to supply heating gas to a, town of the above population, how much of ; this £75,000 worth of fuel would they supply ? Say two-thirds. Would it pay i interest on the outlay 1 Most people would : think bo, and there is no idoubt that sooner or later a great deal of light wi 1 be thrown on the subject, and hydrogen will in fact be the fuel of the day.

' My own experience in' making hydrogen was gained very simply. Iron pipes were placed horizontally in a sort of an improved firecan made square. The steam was generated on top of the firecan, and passed through the iron pipes, when thay and the scrap iron in them became red hot. The hydrogen gas was collected in galvanised iron gasometers. When the iron pipes were too much corroded to use again they became scrap iron, and new pipes were put in their place. This simple mode of making the impure hydrogen gas is very useful for inflating balloons. The gas is really pure enough for all ordinary purposes. Any chemical student who wishes to try any of the means mentioned above to produce a result should.be sure to have a good book on chemistry at hand, or the experiments might cost too much for his purpose. Books on chemistry have, as a rule, gocd illustrations, and explanations, however clear, are of little use when not accompanied by something more than mere words to guide the novice.