THE TAYLOR GAS PRODUCER.

Progress, Volume I, Issue II, 1 September 1906, Page 298

THE TAYLOR GAS PRODUCER.

From time to time reference has been made in our columns to the great economy resulting from the use of producer gas and gas engines. The Taylor gas producer has found considerable favour with power users, on account of its ease of management and low cost of running. The Taylor plant consists of a generator, washer, expansion box and vaporiser, which are so compactly arranged that the plant for a 14-b.h.p. engine occupies a ground space of only 6 sq. ft. Any gas or oil engine can be utilised with the Taylor producer, the action of which is as follow? ' — The suction of the engine piston draws air and steam through a mass of incandescent coal nuts in the generator, and the gas thus formed is purified by passing it through coke sprayed by a jet of

water within the washer. The gas then passes through the expansion box, and from there direct to the engine. The indescribably small amount of steam necessary is supplied by the vaporiser, through which the products of combustion from the coal immediately pass after leaving the furnace. Messrs. Sargood, Son & Ewen have recently erected a Taylor gas producer in their Dunedin factory, where it drives a 26-35-b.h.p. Otto gas engine, and is giving the greatest satisfaction, and which they will be very pleased to show to those interested. Carefully prepared tests show that the consumption of coal is 1, 100 lbs. in a working week of 45 hours, which, allowing a half hour per day for lighting and starting, equals 48 hours running ; this represents a consumption of about two tons of coal per month. It will be obvious that even with the most costly coal procurable enormous saving is effected over the use of town gas. The plant consumes its own smoke and does not require any chimney, and, as the gas is produced under atmospheric pressure, in only the required quantity, and immediately before it is consumed, there is no danger of explosion. JT^Our illustration shows a plant such as is in use at Messrs. Sargood's factory in Dunedin. Upon the left hand is shown the washer in which the purification of the gas is effected ; in the centre is the vaporiser which supplies the small quantity of steam to the generator which is necessary in the purification of the gas ; and upon the right hand is the generator to which the attendant is supplying coal through the hopper at the top. This hopper is automatically closed by a bell valve, so that there is no danger of escape of gas.