MAORI, AN OIL BURNER

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1923, Page 3

MAORI, AN OIL BURNER

j UNION COY’S FERRY STEAMER. j Although the Maori has been thoroughly overhauled in all depui Intents it is in her engine-room that most chaime has ialien pin, o. fn the .stokehold, working conditions are now totally different. ,-niil there is a notable ahs.'rre 111 til,, grime of coal dust, as was Hie ea-o when hoi files were coal-fed. Ihe instnlhil ion of oil lias m,( necessitated any great si *■ imi hrai changes, and where water halhi-t was eaii'i.-d • Mol e. in the ship's double-bottom tanks beneath the engine-mom, the vessel now carries her supply, which amounts to some If)0 tons of nude oil, auIIiI-; I•: 11 to keep the Mum i st mi ini ng in the terry run for about a week. Besides effecting an economy in the

smaller engine-room staff now required. ihe .Maori now burns considerably less oil (ban .-h,, would coal to attain the saute speed. Oil is slightly mine expen.-ive than on!, hut owing to the difference of combustion of hoih fuels, the using of nil a- against eoai give.a fair margin of economy. From Wellington to Lyttelton, ill-' Al.-iori consumes approximately 35 ions of nil. as i gainst about 50 tons of coal. AN INTERESTING PROCESS. Tin- process by which the oi! is burnt is interesting t-avs the “PosC’i.

After it has heel! pumped from the tanks, the oil. which is then (old. ieleansed by means of strainer, and after the amount of the flow has heel) measured, it is heated, ii- the oil in its cold State would lint combust. Tile cylindrical heaters, which are three in number, contain coil-, surrounded by steam, and in tin- coils the oil circulate-. I: enters cold, and pa-se- out at a temperature of 255 degree I’., at a pres-urc of Dillh to the square inch. It is then subjected to further straining after which it is conveyed in pile- to the four boilers, two of which are dniiMe-endvd. that is 'with fires at either end, and the remaining two are -ingle-euded. '[ ho-e boilers are ln-ated b-.- IS tiros, and tin- oil is iransmiltod direct to the furnace through a burner, a hollow cylindrical pipe about IS inch"- long. | leveed with a hole about thiv.'-qiiui ters of an inch in diameter. Here the oil is again -trained. ami ft out it specially (le.-igned head on the burner, which gives to tho fuel a revolving motion, i- ejected from a l.in-lmle opening less than one 1 thirrysoeoml of an inch in diameter. and burns wle-n mixed with a torc-ed <li a light of air. in perfect combustion v. it h a- cone--h.'iped llauu- beneath the boiler. AYhen it is desired to increase the ship's speed, which usually means larger fuel consumption, a burner with a larger hade is H-e l. While at |*ort Chalmers. the Afrori had a new starboard turbine installed, which, together with the port and

wince turbine-, complete the ves.-el - pro; idling power. The (Clitic turbine j- the main driving force, and can he operated only ahead. The wing pro p'el let's are auxiliary to the main turbine. and being able to he reversed, allow of the cilicient handling of tho steamer.