A NEW FURNACE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2057, 27 September 1880, Page 3

A NEW FURNACE.

A new furnace for heating iron, for forging or smelting iron for castings has just been completed for the Railway Department at the Port Chalmers workshops. We take the following description from the “ Otago Daily Times The furnace is on the modern gas regenerator principle, by which the fuel is first converted into gas, and the gas used for heating the furnace. It is the first one of the kind introduced into the Australasian colonies. The arrangement is very ingenious. The fuel is placed in a hopper in the ground, and thence passes into the gas furnace, where it is converted into gas. The gas passes thence through tubes into the regenerator, where it is heated almost to the point of ignition, and is mixed with atmospheric air, which is also heated to a very high temperature. The proper proportion of the admixture of gas and air is regulated by valves in the gas and air chambers. As soon as the combination of air and gas is effected the mixture ignites in the furnace. The old fashioned furnaces burn Newcastle coal of best quality, and a difficulty occurs in heating the iron uniformly. _ It frequently happens that part of the iron in process of heating becomes burnt, while another part is underheated. By the new furnace any kind of coal refuse or dross can be used, and thus a saving of something like 80 per cent, in the cost of fuel is obtained. And again, the supply of gas can be so regulated by the operator as to ensure an oven heat, and so a superior quality of iron and an increase in the quantity turned out are further secured. With a furnace of this description the manufacturer is not dependent on the supply of any particular kind of fuel. Anything that will burn can bo turned to account, whether coal, coke, coal dust, wornout sleepers, saw dust, old boots or hones—nothing comes amiss. Such advantages of the new system can bo appreciated by those quite unacquainted with iron manufacture. All descriptions of iron and steel work will be facilitated by the new furnace, such as the manufacture of railway waggon and locomotive wheels, tyres, axles, buffers, crankshafts, cylinders, &c., and many other descriptions of railway and marine ironwork. The reduction of cost will enable the department to compote with American and English manufacturers.