POWER AND FUEL

Otago Witness, Issue 3890, 2 October 1928, Page 51

POWER AND FUEL

WORLD CONFERENCE OPENED. NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTED, LONDON, September 24. Lord Reading presided over the third World Power and Fuel Conference which opened at the Imperial Institute before delegates representing 48 countries. Mr Faraker (with the science research delegates), and Messrs L. J. Rogers and P. R. Duggan, represented Australia, and Mr R. J. Harvey (Government Engineer) New Zealand. Sir Robert Horne, in his presidential address, said that coal was the potential saviour of every country, whether bituminous, anthracite, or lignite, which involved electricity, gas, and chemicals. With the exception of Canada, which had vast w’ater power, the other dominions like Britain, were dependent on coal. He denied the possibility of oil superseding coal. Most important developments were proceeding in low temperature carbonisation, hydrogeneration, and pulverisation, which separately or together were destined to revolutionise coal. Germany w’as leading the world in the utilisation of brown coal. PULVERISED COAL. - LONDON, September 25. Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister (President of the Board of Trade) at a banquet in connection w’ith the world fuel conference, expressed the opinion that there is a great future for pulverised coal. He emphasised the point that the interests of the coal producer and the consumer were practically identical, and undercutting should be stopped. He stressed the importance of a progressive gas industry in the industrial areas and announced that an inquiry would be held into the use of coke gas for power purposes. The Government was considering a network of gas mains to supply gas for industrial purposes throughout the area extending from Leeds to Liverpool. FIFTEEN HUNDRED EXPERTS. RUGBY, September 25. The world fuel conference, which is now being held in London, is in somo ways the most remarkable international gathering held here since the war, Fortyeight nations are represented by 1500 technical experts from every part of the world where industry on modern lines has been developed. One feature of the conference w’hich underlines its importance over earlier gatherings of power and fuel experts, is that each delegate -represents some authoritative body in the country wdience he comes. In his opening address yesterday, Sir Robert Horne Said he -thought that a new era was beginning with the more economical use of coal. The pouring of raw coal into furnaces and domestic grates was a tragedy from which a way of. escape had to be found. His own faith in the future was based on the development of low temperature carbonisation. Premature claims in the past had created scepticism, but papers to be read at the conference would show that encouraging progress was now being made in the commercial operation of various processes in Britain and elsewhere. He referred proudly to the distillation of lignite in Germany and the use of residual fuel in connection with the generation of electricity, to the experiments on similar lines with ordinary coal in Britain, and to the growing use of pulverised fuel both for industrial and marine furnaces. There were cheers when he suggested that it was an inspiring. picture to see representatives of nations which not long ago were interlocked in conflict now gathered together to discover ways of mutual help. WORLD’S OIL SUPPLIES. RUGBY, September 26. At the World Fuel Conference, which is now being held in London, Mr Egloff, one of the United States delegates, ridiculed the suggestions that the world was nearing the end of its oil resourc/i, and he predicted that there would be no ■world shortage of gasolene for at least another 3000 years. NEW USE FOR WATER. LONDON, September 27. Mr Walter Von Hohenau, a Brazilian scientist, informed the Fuel Conference that after 30 years of research h e had discovered a method of using water as fuel at a fraction of the cost of present fuels and replacing coal, which henceforth would be useful only for its component chemicals, which have hitherto been wasted. Mr Von Hohenau claims the ability by high-frequency electro-magnetic vibrations to release large volumes of hydrogen from separated oxygen at an expenditure of energy much less than hydrogen would produce. One horse-power expended by his machine, working on low vibrations, releases hydrogen generating 265 horsepower in heat units, producing from 800,000 to 6,000,000 vibrations per second. High alternations would produce 779 horse-power, but he did not recommend these industrially, because an increase much above 5,000,000 decomposes hydrogen and renders water explosive. The plant, occupies a small space. The existing engines and boiler can be retained owing to their adaptability for gas burning. Mr Van Hohenau intends informing the British and German Governments of his discovery, and will install a plant gratis, charging the consumers half the amoj”»* payable for present power