A NEW THEORY OF COMBUSTION.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2974, 6 October 1882, Page 2

A NEW THEORY OF COMBUSTION.

At a soiree of the Society of Chemical Industry at Owens College in July last, a new theory of combustion was practically illustrated by Mr Thomas Fletcher, of Warrington, the results being so totally unexpected that mayy present would, aud in fact did, go away with the impression that some deception was being practised. Taking a ball of iron wire about 3 lbs in weigh., Mr Fletcher placed it on a slab of fireclay and directing a blowpipe flame on it for a few seconds, lie suddenly blew the flame out. The temperature increased so rapidly that in a few seconds the wrought irou fused and ran into drops, and this temperature was steadily maintained. The room was darkened, but the closest examination did not show a trace of flame, although the fact that the gas was burning was proved by repeatedly relighting and extinguishing it. The same experiment was repeated in another form by directing the flameless beat into a small fireclay chamber, in which a refractory clay crucible, made specially for nickel melting, was partially fused and worked into a ball like soft putty, tbe sides of the fireclay chamber being at the same time fused. The heat was so tremendous that the blowpipe laboratory which was given up to Mr Fletcher for the evening, was much too hot to be agreeable, in spite of open windows and ventilators. How fur this discovery can be utilised remains to be seen, but it would appear,that the presence of flame, usually considered to be a sign of combustion, is really an indication of im. perfect results, and the best duty is to be obtained only when the flame is totally absent. It is certain that such temperatures as obtained by Mr Fletcher without flame have never previously been obtained with the fuel used, which was nothing more than a small gas supply fur a quarter-inch pipe, assisted by an air blast.