Gas Manufactured from Water.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 213, 9 December 1873, Page 7

Gas Manufactured from Water.

The city of Chichester is now lighted with. I this new materiel. The process consists in I passing water through a retort, causing it to flash into steam, and then to superheat it. I The water is returned into the retort, in the i presence of coke. It is then passed on to a purifier, which contains a collection of iron j scraps, iron chains, short and broken pieces, i and then through a washer, and then through I a purifier containing oxide of iron, by which means the sulphur is taken out. Then it is passed into a reservoir containing petroleum spirit, the gravity of which is less than 0.630. It is then passed to the gasholder. From a ton of coke in the retort 182,000 feet of gas can he obtained. The gas consists of a compound containing hydrogen, carbonic acid, and carbonic oxide, and the quantity of spirit required is I', gallons. Labour, wear and, tear, and materials might he put down at 7h per 1000, spirit Is., and coke sd. ; the whole being 2s. Ol- per 1000. It is stated that 13-candle gas can be made from water, with the aid of coke and petroleum spirit, at a cost of la. Bd. per 1000 cubic feet, as against coal gas costing 3s, Gd, per 1000 cubic feet.