At the recent Congress of the Societe Technique de l'Industrie du Gaz
en France, M. Meizel, Chief Engineer of the St. Etienne Gas Works,
described a new exhauster devised by him on the reciprocating
principle, and for which he claims certain advantages over the
appliances now in general use. Exhausters constructed on the
above-named principle have hitherto, M. Meizel says, been costly to
fit up, owing to the necessity for providing machinery and special
mechanism for the transmission of motion. This has prevented the
employment of cylinders of large dimensions; and, consequently, when
the quantity of gas to be dealt with has been considerable, the number
of exhausters has had to be increased. The result of this has been
inconvenience, which has led to a preference being shown for other
kinds of exhausters, notwithstanding the manifest advantages which, in
M. Meizel's opinion, those of the reciprocating type possess. The
improvement which he has effected in these appliances consists in the
application to them of cylinders working automatically; and the
general features of the arrangement are shown in the accompanying
illustrations.
[Illustration: IMPROVED RECIPROCATING GAS EXHAUSTER.]
The principal advantages to be gained by the use of this exhauster are
stated by M. Meizel to be the following: Considerably less motive
force is necessary than is the case with other exhausters, which
require steam engines and all the auxiliary mechanism for the
transmission of power. By its quiet and regular action, it prevents
oscillation and unsteadiness in the flow of gas in the hydraulic main,
as well as in the pipes leading therefrom--a defect which has been
found to exist with other exhausters. The bells, being of large area,
serve the purpose of a condenser; and as, owing to its density, the
tar falls to the bottom of the lower vessels, which are filled with
water, contact between the gas and tar is avoided. Although the
appliance is of substantial construction, its action is so sensitive
that it readily adapts itself to the requirements of production. It
may be placed in the open air; and therefore its establishment is
attended with less outlay than is the case with other exhausters,
which have to be placed under cover, and provided with driving
machinery and, of course, a supply of steam.
The total superficial area of the exhauster above described, including
the governor, is 150 square feet; and its capacity per 24 hours is
230,000 cubic feet. It works silently, with an almost entire absence
of friction; and consequently there are few parts which require
lubrication. Exhausters of this type (which, M. Meizel says, could be
made available for ventilation purposes, in case of necessity) may be
constructed of all sizes, from 500 cubic feet per hour upward.
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