COST-REDUCING FUEL

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1934, Page 3

COST-REDUCING FUEL

MANUFACTURING OF STEEL. BRITISH INDUSTRY'S CLAIM. An experiment in power economy, started two years ago at the works of Messrs. John Lysaght, Ltd., is likely to assure prosperity for the iron and steel industry of Great Britain, states the London Morning Post. “The result of it all is that steel can now be made in Scunthorpe, which, for the first time in many years, can compete in price with the Continent. If comparisons with the cost of labour in production are made, the cost of steel can not only be as low, but lower than anywhere in Europe.”

This was the statement made by Mr. J. W. Brooke, joint managing director of Messrs. Lysaght, in an interview. “The success of this experiment is an instance of real British enterprise,” he added, “and with the help of the recent Government decision to extend temporary import duties on steel, with out the time limit which would have terminated in October, the iron and steel .industry is in for an era of great prosperity.” The experiment at Scunthorpe (Lines.), has l?een in the use of entirely new coke ovens. The ovens are heated by “lean” blast furnace gas, which by itself has a limited use. This means that the whole of - the rich gas from the coke ovens is left available for use in the works. It is mixed with the lean blast furnace gas to make the equivalent of the gas which previously was obtained by ordinary gas producers, .heated by coal. ' . A The effect is that producers have been done away with, and steel is now being made with mixed gases, the quantity of which can be regulated at a constant flow in the furnaces by meters. The use of solid fuel, with the exception of slack for the ovens, has been abolished.

Steam is being made with waste heat, and goes to augment the main works supply, which is also generated by mixed gases if necessary. The blast for the blast furnaces is made by a gas engine, driven by blast furnace gas, or, alternatively, by turbines driven by the exhaust steam from the mill engines. “The result of this revolutionary change of systems,” explained Mr. Brooke, “is that a ton of steel can now be made with only a ton and a-half of coal. That includes the making of the pig iron, the heating and rolling of the steel, and the coke for the locomotives. This is believed to be lower than anything yet achieved in,the world. "Two years ago we were working on half-time. Now we are working at full capacity, and’ £lOO,OOO more in wages was paid last year than in 1931.”