BENZOL MOTOR SPIRIT

Hokitika Guardian, 21 September 1928, Page 4

BENZOL MOTOR SPIRIT

BY-PRODUCT OF TAR, CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 20. For several weeks past Air F. W. J.’ Belton, engineer to the Christchurch Gas Company, has boon producing benzol spirit from tar and using it successfully in the company’s cars. The benzol is purely a by-product of the tar and is extracted during the refining process, and although it has proved entirely suitable as a motor spirit,' Mr Belton has no expectations of being able to produce it in marketable quantities. In explaining the method of producing the benzol, Mr Belton stated yes-

terday that in the distillation of tar for‘reading purposes a certain * series of oils was recovered. The heavier portions of those oils were used by tho company in the manufacture of a disinfectant, a wood preservative, and a w.fced killer. The lighter portions of tlio oils was then used in the production of ibcnzol which the company was mixing witli first-grade petrol in equal proportions and using for driving its cars. Tho mixture was the same as that produced by the National Benzol Association in England and was made to a definite •specification.

ATr Bolton said that he had not yet •worked out the coat of producing the benzol as he had only recently commenced the filial rectification process, although ho had boon storing the crude oil for some time past. Ho did not expect that with t'ho company’s output of tar it would be possible to produce more than about 1500 gallons a year. The process was not new and in many of the larger gas works in the Old Country 'benzol had been produced for some years past. The Christ-* church Gas Company had installed a tar distilling plant in onler .to produce distilled tar to comply with) the British Mood Board’s specifications. In this way it was able to produce distilled tar for supplying to the City Council and also obtain a number of valuable by-products. Tho company was also making refined naphthaline for use in the preservation of skins. The benzol produced at the gas works, said ATr Belton, was richer in carbon than ordinary petrol, and in

using it in motor cars it was necessary to work to a liner adjustment of the carburetter. As a tost one of the cars at tho works had been running on benzol only for about a month and the results had been entirely satisfactory.