MASTERTON GAS WORKS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 7241, 23 August 1902, Page 2

MASTERTON GAS WORKS.

Tho following is a copy of a report on tho condition' of tho Masterton Gas ' Works, furnished to the Borough Council by Mr 11. Birch :— ( "It. Buown, Esq., ' Town Clerk, 1 Masterton. Sm, —In accordance with your in- ' structions, I havo niado a thorough ex- 1 lunination of the Masterton Gas Works, ' as far as it was possible to bo done at ' this time of tho year without suspending tho gas manufacture, and in reporting tho results, I will endeavour to make tho ' statement as brief as possible, consistent ( with clearness. You desired me to re- ' port on tho works and its management, ( and I therefore divide my remarks under - appropriate headings. ' GENEUAI, DESIGN. With two or threo exceptions, tho works arc well planned. The retort- ( house is well arranged, and of suitablo : dimensions, as arc also the condensers, washer and scrubber. Tho station-meter is a very good one, and tho purifierhouse is too small, and the purifier's : centre valve is very much cramped. Tho position of the gas-holder should have been better chosen, and unnecessary expense has been incurred in the erection of a costly chimney. The capacity of the tar and liquor storage-well is 1679 gallons. It would have been better if this well had been constructed of a larger size. PIIESKNT CONDITION OF TOE WORKS. I regret to report that tho present condition of tho Gas Works is very unsatisfactory, the principal defects being: Ist—Bad condition of the retorts; 2nd —Heavy seal in hydraulic main ; 3rd— Foul condition of gas and purifiers; and 4th—Serious condition of gas-holder tanks. Ist. There arc three settings, each containing three round retorts, size 15ffc x Bft liin. These retorts I found to be in a bad state owing to there being encrusted with carbon to such an extent that the top retort of No. 1 setting is practically useless in its present condition, while the remaining retorts with one exception were half filled with carbon. This state of things would never bo allowed to exist in any properlymanaged gas-works, and I did not obtain any satisfactory explanation from the Manager to account for this extraordinary accummulation of carbon, as a result of which, 40 per cent, of the retort power is not available for gas manufacture, the charges of coal having to bo reduced to suit the contracted area of the retorts, and consequently an unnecessary number havo to bo in action, in order to keep the town supplied, and, in addition, the wear and tear on tho works is considerably increased. 2nd. Gas having been evolved from coal in the retorts, ascends by means of pipes to the hydraulic main. In this main the end of each pipe is sealed in liquor, to prevent the return of gas, when retort mouth pieces arc open. The . depth of this seal varies in gas-works, | according to the amount of back-pres- . sure experienced from the gas-holders, purifiers, etc. This seal, oven in works like yours without an exhauster, should never exceed 4in., but I found the seal in your works to be and you will ■ readily understand how this excessive back pressure would militate against the production of gas, and cause rapid accumulation of carbon in the gas retorts. I estimate that, were tho retorts free of carbon, and the seal reduced, six retorts , would yield the same amount of gas now ' obtained from nine.

!3rd. In regard to the gas and purifiers. On the morning of Friday, Bth instant, before proceeding to the gas-works, I tested the gas as supplied to consumers, and found it to be in a foul condition, being impregnated with sulphuric hydrogen. Upon questioning the Manager as to tho reason of this, ho attributed it to the unsatisfactory working of the centre change valve, which regulates the current of gas to the purifiers. I was unable to verify this statement, but must frankly say I do not consider it to bo the true reasou. I find that the purifiers were tested only once each week, instead of daily. Therefore, I am of opinion that the purifiers have been allowed to become foul, and to pass gas in that state without the Manager discovering its condition until too lato to allow of its rectification. In addition to this, the water-lutes, grids and sides of purifiers were in a dirty condition, and full of imimpurities. 4th. With-respect to the gas holder tanks. As I have previously informed you, I think enough has been said and written in reference to tho condition of No. I holder-tank, and I only mention it now in order to remark that in my opinion it would be useless for your Council to expend any further moneys upon this tank. I consider it to be beyond repair. No. 2 holder-tank, which contains the holder purchased from the Wellington Gas Company appears to be strongly built of bricks, and cementmortar, but a mistake has been made in not rendering the face of the tauk with a coating of Portland Cement. I found No. 2 holder was not in use, and the only reasou tho Manager appeared to give for this was that the tank leaked a liith. In addition to the fore-going deteeis, tho fittings about tho Works bear an aspect of neglect. Even the testcocks ou tho purifier covers were immovable. Thero is only one gas engine fixed in the Works, and that belongs to the station meter. MANAGEMENT. The Gas-works books and accounts are kept in the Council Chambers, and the meters are read aud consumers accounts rendered by an official under your direction. This I consider satisfactory. The Manager and a stoker attend to the business of gas manufacture, and I found that Mr Robinson had an excessive amount of manual labour to perform. For a Manager to bo at work twelve hours daily (Sundays included) and havo Ito charge nine retorts twice over during j.that time, besides attending to the various dutiosof his position, is unreasonable, and while so much is expected from him, the probability is that some portion of his duties will bo neglected.

If tho Manager had exercised sufficient forethought, and had his plant in better order, his work would not havo been so heavy; but independently of this consideration, I am of opinion that during the winter months, say, May to August, it would be advisable to engage a second stoker, leaving the Manager free to attend to the purifiers, tho watering of consumers, meters aud other necessary duties. Under the present arrangement just when the Manager's attention is most required outside the retort house, he is least able to leave it.

I consider it advisable that tho Manager should report monthly direct to the Chairman and members of tho Gas Committee, stating what amount of gas has j been manufactured ; condition of plant; , number of services and meters fixed; quantity of coke and tar sold ; and other information which it is necessary the , Committee know, tho Gas Committee, in return, to convey their instructions to . the Manager through the Chairman only. , HECOIUIiENDATIOXS. 1. I suggest that the Manager be instructed to fix a temporary 2in. W.J. ■ pipe to the hydraulic main to relieve the I excessive seal, and that during the sum- ■ mer months the regulating seal valve be 1 lowered 3 or 4 inches, it being of little use iv its present position. 2. That immediate action bo taken to 1 ensure the removal of tho carbon now in the retorts, which is seriously interfering with their usefulness. 3. That the condensers bo examined and put in working order, because I found the gas travelling through tho byepass only, aud the condensers out of action through some stoppage. 4. That some instructions bo given for tho daily testing of tho purifiers, in order to avoid a repetition of tho recent complaints of foul gas being dolivercd to consumers. I 5. That the Manager be instructed to 1 put No. 2 holder in action at once, or give an explanation in writing to the Chairman of the Gas Committee, why tliis is not done. 6. That a book be kept at tho ( showing amount of coal carbonized daily. ' Such book to bo posted from a slate hung up in retort-house, on which tho i stoker marks the weight of coal as it is used. 7. Tliat on tho 81st March each year, an account be taken of all coal, coke and/, tar in stock. ) 8. That when stock of tar is excessive, j it bo used by the Council for spreading j over tho footpaths of the outlying streets g of tho Borough, and covered with coarso fc sand, as is done in Auckland and other a places. I enclose three photographs ■' showing method of laying. P 9. That in order to economise lime, ° sufficient oxide of iron be obtained to fill j! three-fourths of the purifiers, leaving only bottom tier for lime. J! 10. That when the manufacture of gas ( j ( roaches four irillions per annum, an ex- C( haustor and steam boiler be obtained aud st fitted up in the works. l'r 11. Tho Council having no plans of tho G

works or mains in their possession, it would bo advisable, as a first stop to correcting this mistake, to mark on a plan tho position and sizo of tho street mains, also tho main syphons or traps, and valves, if any, in order to avoid further confusion. 12. That a suitable residence for tho Manager, upon, or near, tho works, be provided by tho Council. Should No. 9 recommendation bo adopted, it would be necessary to propaiMi, piece of asphalted ground in order tßtßj able to spread tho oxido of iron for rovivification on its removal from tho purifiers. I trust that irnmediato stops will bo takon to givo effect to tbe first and second recommendations, which will havo tho offect of reducing the wear and tear c f retorts, prevent a waste of fuel, and increase tho make of gas, which I find from Ist April, 1893, to 81st March, 1894, only amounted to 7,775 cubic foot per ton of coal.-~I am, etc. H. Birch. Note.—No. 1 retort is taken to mean that nearest tho east side of tho retorthouse. After discussion on tho report, it was resolved, on tho motion of Cr Feist, seconded by Cr Cullen, that one month's notice of the termination of his I uiont as Maoager be given to Mr Jlßjfhson. An amonduiont moved by Cr. Hornblow, that two months' notice bo given, was lost on tho voices. It was resolved to advertise for a working manager in Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland, at the same salary as now paid. Instructions were given to employ extra men to clean retorts, and to carry out recommendations 1 and 2 in Mr Birch's report immediately.