Water Gas.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3256, 15 July 1889, Page 2

Water Gas.

An exhibition of the properties of water gas has been given at Glasgow. To admit ol the experiments the room had boea darkened, and two jets were lit, at one of which ordinary coal gas was burned, while from the | othor issued llio new illuminant, One noticeable characteristic of the water gas is its intonse heat, a piece of copper wire being readily fused, while at the other jet the same wire was only heated red, But whilo the water gas is said to hum at a temperature five times greater than that of ordinary gas, the purity of the atmosphere of the room is not deteriorated to anything like the same extent as it is at present. Whilo coal gas burns ten thousand cubic (eefc of atmospheric air in an hour, water gas only burns two thousand feat, or a proportion of one to five. This is due to the perfection of the combustion Burned in its ordinary state the water gas has a blue flatno, like that from a Bunsen burner, but lor illuminating purposes, what is called a Fahnejclm magnesia comb is used, which causes an incandescent (lame, absorbs the heat, and, if the flame bo blown out relights it, Ono of these combs lasts for one hundred hours, and at present tho-cost of each comb is Id, although it is expected tho cost will be reduced by ono half. Tho maintenance of the purity of the air of tho apartment, and tho steadiness and brightness of the light are the chief advantages claimed for tho invention, There is also the importaut element of cheapness, for while ono ton of coal will produce 10,000 cubic feet of gas, the same quantity of coal used to generate water gas will produce 35,000 cubic feet, For cooking and for heating of every description, water gas is admirably adapted.