THE DRIVING POWER

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 11

THE DRIVING POWER

SOMETHING OF THE MACHINERY FERTILISER MAKING. As may bo supposed- from tho above sketch of the building outlay involved in the Imlay Works, the machinery equipment is of the latest and best in each department, really an essential, as nothing must bo left to chance in arranging the driving power in such a vast hive of industry. The refrigerating plant comprises two steam-driven ammonia compressor's, .with 200 tons refrigeration per twenty-four hours. That is to say, that if both engines were devoted to ico-makiug they would turn out 200 .tons of ice every twenty-four hours. These are two of the largest ammonia- compressors in the Dominion. Each of them weighs 00 tons; the flywheels are 1G feet ill diameter, and each of them? weighs 13i tons. The temperature of the fourteen freezing chambers is controlled by four large ammonia pipe batteries, ihat are situated in the'centre of the building over the freezing rooms. Tho temperature of tho two largo storage chambers is controlled by the direct expansion of 40,000 feet of ammonia piping. In the caso of the beef-chiller the temperature is controlled in tho same manner—by direct expansion. Tho machinery, for! the various departments will be driven by electric motors, and tho power motors will.be supplied by two steam-driven electric generating plants situated ill the main engine room. The steam for the plant is generated by two large Babcock and Wilcox watertube Boilers, with automatic mdvo-on chain grate .furnace floors. A Green ooonomiser for heating the feed water is fitted in the main flue, calculated to give, a constant flow of hot water. The cooling water for the ammonia and steam condenser's will bo pumrJed-, from the-river by motor-driven centrifugal pumps, placed in a houso at the end of the wharf. The fresh water required throughout the works will bo pumped from the reservoir (artesian bore supply) to' tho elevated 10,000-galloit steel tank. , ~,'i ~ , in the western block the beet slaughterhouse is fitted with motor-driven friction hoists. In the mutton slaughterhouse tho skins are dropped through' pot-holes into metal-lined shoots, which throw them on to trucks in waiting on a concrete platform. -The trucks moveon and deliver their loads to tho washing dolleys on tho ground floor, and after being thoroughly scoured .the skins aro conveyed to electric-driven hydro-extractors, which take out- the moisture. ' Then they aro chemically treated, and stacked ready for the'next process. This takes place in tho wooli pulling room, where the wool is scraped ' off the skins and sent on- to the wool > driers, and the skins follow their des-

[tiny in the pelt room. Tli'o residtre of the carcasses is sorted out on huge;concrete tables, and delivered to tho various departments for treatment. .'Tho greater portion goes to the vat room to be boiled,down into usefulness. From the vats tho tallow floats away to the tallow: ' department, and , the "gravy" is r delivered to the evaporation room, whence it is dried off and powdered into • fertiliser. The solids from the vats aro raked! through perforated cages into /cast-iron tanks, whence they are subjected to immense hydraulic pressure, in order to extract any tallow or 'moisture' that may'remain. The stuff is then raised by means of an inclined electric-driven elevator to a platform which supports four largo Stamp-Powell rotary steamjackotcd cylindrical driers, and after going through the mill tho dried mattor is conveyed) to a revolving disintegrator. Then it is elevated ■.■ to a screen,- 'and after that is sent on to the musing room to bo amalgamated

with phosphates, etc.,- from which it emerges' the valuable fertiliser of commerce. The blood from the : sheep is treated in'much the same manner. For such, fertiliser there is an unlimited demand—one that will' never cease so long as ground is turned and seeds are scattered for tho boiiefit of mankind. Tbo cooperage is equipped with every facility lor the making of tallow and pelt casks and boxes for preserved meats. The meal-preserving denart-

incut, which will not commence operations before the Now Year, will also have an extensive and \ip4o-date plant. The whole of the machinery is m the hands of Mr. H. I. Boyd, lately Now Zealand manager for J. Wooklridgo and Sinclair, Ltd., licensees for the Linde refrigerating machinerq Mr. Boyd has had the unique experience of his tender being accepted tor tho supply of tlio machinery, and then, on being appointed chief engineer, has had to erect his own "goods.' Ho is popular, obliging, energetic, and knows the refrigerating business from A to'Z.