Gas Burners Part 1

Gas Burners.

by Owen Merriman.

PREFACE.

The little work here presented to the public appeared originally in the pages of the _Journal of Gas Lighting_. In the hope that it may thereby become of service to a wider circle of readers, it has been revised and done into its present shape. The object of the writer will be attained if it is the means of lessening, in any degree, the suspicion and prejudice (born of ignorance) which, alas! yet prevail with regard to gas and gas lighting.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION.

[Sidenote: Gas consumers and gas producers.]

The subject of gas-burners and the development of light from coal gas is of considerable interest, alike to the consumer and the producer of gas. When it is known that one burner may develop twice as much light as another, for the same consumption of gas--the first cost of the one being no higher than that of the other--its importance to the former will scarcely be disputed. To the gas consumer it is obviously of great value to know how he may most effectively and economically develop the illuminating power of the gas which is supplied to him; and so obtain the fullest return, in lighting effect, for the money which he expends.

Not quite so obvious is its relation to the latter. To a person totally unacquainted with the recent history of gas lighting, and ignorant of the policy which has guided the most prosperous gas undertakings to their successful issues, it may appear that the manufacturer of gas is not closely concerned with the utilization of the commodity which he supplies. Such an one might argue, and with a certain show of reason, that the sole business of the gas maker is with its production; that after providing, in the consumer's service-pipe, a full and continuous supply of gas, of the stipulated quality, his care ends; and that henceforth the utilization and management of the illuminant rests with the consumer himself. But, by any one who is at all conversant with the subject, it will be readily conceded that the interest of the manufacturer of gas, in this matter, is only second to that of the consumer. In the gas industry, as in any other business undertaking, the concern prospers or declines according as the interests of the customers are considered or neglected. This has been conclusively demonstrated in the history of many gas undertakings. So long as their management was conducted in exclusive and selfish regard solely to their own internal affairs--looking with supreme indifference or careless apathy upon the needs of the consumers--so long was their career marked by difficulties and embarra.s.sments. No sooner, however, were the claims of the consumers recognized, and efforts put forth to further their interests, than the prospects of the concern brightened; and by adhering to, and extending the same line of action, the goal of commercial prosperity was eventually reached.

Seeing, therefore, that the subject is of so supreme importance to consumers of gas, and that the interests of the consumer are closely interwoven with those of the manufacturer, it is eminently desirable that there should be more generally diffused a correct knowledge of the principles of economical gas consumption, and of the extent to which these principles are applied in the various burners which, from time to time, have been invented. No further apology ought therefore to be required in presenting to the reader the following disquisition on gas-burners. It may, however, be of advantage for me to state in brief, at the commencement, what are the objects I have in view, and what the chief considerations which have led me to write this treatise.

[Sidenote: Waste of gas.]

I purpose, then, to tell of the progress that has been made in apparatus for the development of light from coal gas; to relate how the crude and imperfect devices of the early inventors have been gradually improved upon; and, while not ignoring the drawbacks connected with recently invented burners, or the defects inherent to their construction, to show, in the superior achievements of these burners, how great an advance has been made upon the apparatus formerly in use.

It will be, also, my endeavour to make plain the little understood phenomenon of the production of light by the combustion of coal gas; and to show the extent to which the illuminating power developed is dependent upon the burner employed. That there is need for such information as I propose to furnish must be sufficiently obvious to any one who has considered the waste of gas which takes place through ignorance of the laws of its combustion, and through the use of defective burners. In a report presented to the Board of Trade by the London Gas Referees in 1871, it was stated that a number of burners had been tested, taken from various places of business in the Metropolis; the major portion of which gave out only one-half, and some of them not more than one-fourth, of the illuminating power capable of being developed from the gas. Although, since the time that report was penned, considerable progress has been made in the construction of burners, and in the more general adoption of efficient burners by the public, much yet remains to be done. Doubtless it would still be within the mark to a.s.sert that fully one-fifth of the gas consumed by the public might be saved by the adoption of better burners, and by the observance of the conditions necessary for their satisfactory operation; and when it is borne in mind that the gas-rental of the United Kingdom amounts to a sum of certainly not less than 9,000,000 per annum, the saving which might be effected a.s.sumes truly great proportions.

The field on which I propose to enter can hardly be said to be already occupied. Nowhere that I know of is the subject of gas-burners fully treated of in a manner available for the general reader. With the exception of the admirable chapter contributed by Mr. R. H. Patterson to "King's Treatise on Coal Gas," I am not aware that the subject has been dealt with to any complete extent by recent writers. But, admirable as is that contribution to the literature of the subject, being written for technical readers, it is neither so popular in style nor so elementary in character as to fulfil the purpose which I have in view in writing the present series of articles. Briefly stated, my sole purpose is to make the subject of the combustion of gas for the production of light intelligible to the simplest; and to present an interesting account of the progress of invention in the perfection of gas-burners. While pa.s.sing lightly over many modifications of apparatus which have been of but limited or temporary service, I shall not scruple to dwell at length upon such burners as have done much to further the extension of gas lighting, or whose construction exhibits a considerable advance upon previous attainments. And while it will be my endeavour to clothe my remarks in such language as shall be "understanded of the people," in speaking of the theory of combustion I hope to be sufficiently explicit to enable my readers to form a clear conception of the scientific principles underlying the phenomena of which I treat.

[Sidenote: Progress of gas lighting.]

A further justification--if such, indeed, were needed--for the appearance of this treatise might be found in the remarkable impetus which has been given, within recent years, to the perfection of the details of gas manufacture and the improvement of gas-burners. Of course, I refer to the beneficial consequences to the gas industry which have followed the brief, if conspicuous, career of electricity as an illuminating agent. That the interest in improved illumination which has been aroused by the short-lived popularity of the electric light, and the extravagant claims put forward on its behalf, have stimulated to the development of the resources of gas lighting, is sufficiently obvious to the most superficial observer. And not only has the manufacturer of gas been benefited, but the public have reaped no inconsiderable advantage. At the present day, gas is sold at a far cheaper rate, as well as of a higher quality, than at any former period. Nor is the advent of cheap gas the only direction in which the public have gained. Although not so patent to the majority, the improvements that have been effected in the methods of burning gas, so as to obtain the fullest advantage from its use, are calculated to confer benefits equally real, and not less valuable. It is hardly too much to say that the last few years have witnessed a greater advance in the apparatus employed in the combustion of gas than had been effected during the whole previous history of gas lighting. This being so, it may not be unacceptable if I attempt to pa.s.s in review some of the various burners that have been invented and used for obtaining light from coal gas; showing the successive improvements that are exhibited in their construction, and the extent to which they apply the principles of combustion. It may be that what I have to relate will awaken some minds to the consciousness that gas lighting has not altogether retired into obscurity on the advent of electricity--nay, that it has even a.s.sumed a bolder front; and, with increased resources and accession of strength, is prepared firmly to maintain its position as at once the most convenient, economical, and reliable of artificial illuminants.

CHAPTER II.

FLAT-FLAME BURNERS.

THE FIRST GAS-BURNER.

The first gas-burner was a very simple and unpretentious contrivance.

In one of the earliest works on gas lighting[1] we read: "The extremities of the pipes have small apertures, out of which the gas issues; and the streams of gas, being lighted at those apertures, burn with a clear and steady flame as long as the supply of gas continues."

Familiar as it is to us, and from its familiarity unnoticed, the phenomenon presented by the flame thus produced continuing to burn "as long as the supply of gas continued," was doubtless, to the first experimenters, a wonderful sight. Though we may smile at the question, it is not difficult to understand the incredulity of the honourable member who, when Murdock was examined before a Committee of the House of Commons, in 1809, asked the witness: "Do you mean to tell us that it will be possible to have a light _without a wick_?" "Yes; I do indeed,"

replied Murdock. "Ah, my friend," replied the member, "you are trying to prove too much."

[1] Acc.u.m's "Treatise on Gas-Lights." Third edition, 1816.

[Sidenote: The dawn of gas lighting.]

It was but natural, seeing that oil-lamps and candles were the only forms of artificial illumination in use prior to the introduction of gas lighting, that the earliest attempts at illumination by gas should be in imitation of the effects produced by those means. Accordingly we find that one of the first gas-burners employed was the Argand, modelled upon the oil-lamp of that name, which had been found to give superior results; while in more general use, and for some time almost the sole apparatus available, were single jets, giving a flame similar in appearance to that of a common candle, together with various combinations of these jets. A fair idea of the mode of illumination practised during the earliest period of gas lighting may be gleaned from the following extract from a paper describing the lighting of Messrs. Phillips and Lee's cotton-mill at Manchester, read before the Royal Society, in 1808, by Mr. William Murdock:--

The gas-burners are of two kinds. The one is upon the principle of the Argand lamp, and resembles it in appearance; the other is a small curved tube with a conical end, having three circular apertures or perforations, of about 1-30th of an inch in diameter, one at the point of the cone, and two lateral ones, through which the gas issues, forming three divergent jets of flame, somewhat like a fleur-de-lis. The shape and general appearance of this tube has procured for it, among the workmen, the name of the "c.o.c.kspur"

burner.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 1.--EARLY GAS-BURNERS.

(From Acc.u.m's "Treatise on Gas-Lights.")]

Nor was much advance made upon these arrangements down to the year 1816, judging from Acc.u.m's "Treatise" (before cited), as the subjoined extract from that work, together with the above ill.u.s.trations, will show:--

The burners are formed in various ways--either a tube ending with a simple orifice, at which the gas issues in a stream, and if once lighted will continue to burn with the most steady and regular light imaginable, as long as the gas is supplied; or two concentric tubes of bra.s.s or sheet iron are placed at a distance of a small fraction of an inch from each other, and closed at the bottom. The gas which enters between these cylinders, when lighted, forms an Argand lamp, which is supplied by an internal and external current of air in the usual manner. Or the two concentric tubes are closed at the top with a ring, having small perforations, out of which the gas can issue; thus forming small distinct streams of light.

It is interesting, in view of the present demand for increased illumination, and for burners of high illuminating power, to note the amount of light produced by the burners then in use. In Mr. Murdock's paper we find it stated that each of the Argands in use at Messrs.

Phillips and Lee's establishment gave "a light equal to that of 4 candles (mould candles of 6 to the pound);" and each of the c.o.c.kspurs "a light equal to 2-1/4 of the same candles." From which meagre results we conclude that, besides being burnt in an ignorant and wasteful manner, the gas consumed was wofully deficient in illuminating power.

THE BATSWING BURNER.

[Sidenote: Who invented the batswing burner?]

A notable advance was made when the batswing burner was invented. To whom we are indebted for this invention seems involved in some doubt.

Although Clegg, in the historical introduction to his valuable work,[2]

says, very distinctly, that "the batswing burner was introduced by a Mr. Stone, an intelligent workman employed by Mr. Winsor," it is not so much as mentioned by Acc.u.m, even in the third edition of his "Treatise;" and Acc.u.m, it may be remarked, was for some time closely a.s.sociated with Winsor in the promotion of the latter's ambitious and visionary schemes. Yet, if Clegg's statement be correct, it would almost appear to fix the date of the introduction of this burner as prior to 1816. But to whomsoever is due the credit of its invention, certain is it that the batswing burner was a considerable improvement upon the old c.o.c.kspur. Producing a better light for the gas consumed, it a.s.sisted to demonstrate still further the superiority of gas lighting over other methods of illumination; and as it could be supplied at a trifling cost, and contained no delicately adjusted nor easily injured parts, it enabled the benefits of the new method of lighting to be extended to wherever artificial light was required.

[2] Clegg's "Treatise on Coal Gas," 1841, p. 21.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 2.--BATSWING BURNER.]

[Sidenote: Superiority of the batswing over the c.o.c.kspur burner.]

From the c.o.c.kspur and single jet burners the gas ascended in streams, rising into the air until it came in contact with sufficient oxygen to completely consume it. In order that this might take place without producing a flame of an inordinate length, and without much smoke, the orifices were restricted to a very small size; and the gas issuing from these at considerable pressure tended to draw in, and mix with the air in its course. Besides the loss of illuminating power caused by this mixture of air with the gas flame (similar to what takes place in a Bunsen burner), the cooling influence upon the small body of flame of the ma.s.s of metal composing the burner, operated still further to reduce the quant.i.ty of light which the gas was calculated to yield.

With the batswing the gas was spread out producing, when ignited, a thin sheet of flame, by which means the gas was enabled to combine more readily with the air necessary to effect complete combustion. The size of the flame being, in comparison with that of the c.o.c.kspur, so much larger proportionately to the metal burner, the cooling effect of the latter was not so apparent. The increased size of flame, also, of itself, tended to improve the illuminating power; each portion of flame contributing to elevate and sustain the temperature of the whole, and so to heighten the intensity of incandescence to which the light-giving particles were raised.

[Sidenote: Batswing and Argand burners compared.]

Even with the Argands of that day, the batswing compared not unfavourably. The former burner, having the regulation of its air supply under complete control, gives the best results when the gas is supplied to it at a low pressure; as then the requisite quant.i.ty of air to ensure complete combustion of the gas can be delicately adjusted by means of a chimney of suitable length. When the gas and air have been nicely adjusted to each other, the flame becomes extremely sensitive to any change of pressure in the gas supply; a diminution of the supply, by reducing the quant.i.ty of gas issuing from the burner without at the same time proportionately diminis.h.i.+ng the supply of air, tends to destroy the illuminating power by the cooling action of the surplus air; while an increased pressure, by allowing more gas to issue than the air can consume, causes the flame to smoke. But at the time to which I now refer the principles of combustion were little understood, still less applied in the construction of burners. Besides this, the pressure of the gas in the mains was excessive; and there being no method adopted of controlling it at the burner, the construction of a good Argand was, under the circ.u.mstances, almost impossible. The batswing was not so prejudicially affected by an excess of pressure.

Pressure to some extent was, indeed, required to enable the flame to attain its normal shape; while any excess forced the gas through the flame without permitting it to be raised to incandescence before being consumed, and although necessitating loss of light, caused no inconvenience like a smoking flame. Another important advantage which the batswing possessed over the Argand burner was its simplicity of construction; and the absence of accessories, such as the gla.s.s chimney--dispensing with the cleaning and attention which the latter required. Had the benefits of gas lighting been dependent upon the use of apparatus so fragile, and requiring so much care and attention as the Argand, the range of its applicability must have been considerably limited, and its prospects of commercial success much less a.s.sured. The introduction of a series of cheap but effective burners, however, altered the conditions of gas lighting, and marked the commencement of a new era in artificial illumination. The possibility of obtaining, by means of a burner so simple and apparently insignificant as the batswing, results little, if at all, inferior to what could be obtained by the use of the most complicated and expensive, was of advantage alike to the consumer and the producer of gas. To the former it gave the benefits of an increased illumination, without requiring any corresponding outlay; to the latter it promised a growing extension of the use of coal gas, and thus furnished the surest guarantee of future progress and prosperity.

THE UNION-JET, OR FISHTAIL BURNER.

[Sidenote: Who invented the union-jet burner?]

The batswing had been for some years in extensive use before a burner was produced worthy in any degree to compare with it in respect to simplicity and efficiency. The invention of the union-jet, or fishtail burner, furnished a compet.i.tor equally simple; little, if at all, inferior as regards efficiency; and, to some extent, superior to the former burner in general adaptability. Although so much behind in point of time, the new burner speedily rivalled the older batswing in popular favour; and in its various modifications and improvements may be said, without fear of contradiction, to have received a wider application than any other gas-burner. As in the case of the batswing, so with regard to this burner: few details are recorded of its invention. But, slight as is the information available, such as we have is more satisfactory and more authentic than the meagre notice of Clegg, which is all that is known of the invention of the former burner. It appears to be established beyond doubt that the union-jet is the joint invention of Mr. James B. Neilson, the inventor of the hot-blast, and Mr. James Milne, of Glasgow, founder of the engineering firm of Milne and Son. About the year 1820, or soon after (as in that year Mr.