Let us take the steam engine, and see what we are now doing by
luminous combustion. Good Pittsburg coal contains 87 per cent. of
carbon, 5 per cent. of hydrogen, 2 per cent. of oxygen and 6 per cent.
of ash; we therefore have in one pound of such coal:
8,080 × 9 14,544 × 87
--------- = ----------- = 12,653 units in carbon.
5 100
34,662 × 9 62,391 × 5 3,119 units in hydrogen.
---------- = ---------- = ------
5 100 15,772 units in coal.
15,772 × 772[2] = 12,175,984 foot pounds of energy is occluded in the
static caloric contained in one pound of such coal.
[Footnote 2: Dr. Joule--foot pounds in one unit.]
A horse-power is estimated as capable of raising 33,000 pounds one
foot high per minute, and for this reason it is termed 33,000 foot
pounds per minute. So we have 33,000 × 60 = 1,980,000 foot pounds per
hour, as a horse-power.
The best class of _compound condensing_ engines,[3] with all the
modern improvements, require 1.828 pounds of coal per 1 h.p. per hour.
Thus we have--
12,175,984 × 1.828 .................22,257,699
Foot pounds in one h.p. .............1,980,000
----------
Foot pounds lost per h.p. ..........20,277,699
Per cent utilized per h.p. ..............8.94
Per cent lost per h.p. .................91.06
------
100.00
[Footnote 3: "American Engineer," Vol. II., No. 10, page 182.]
In the ordinary practice of stationary non-condensing engines, from
three to four pounds of coal are required per horse-power per hour.
Now, taking the best of this class at 3 pounds, we have--
12,175,984 × 3 = 36,527,952
One h.p. 1,980,000
----------
Loss per h.p. 34,547,952
Per cent utilized per h.p. 5.42
Per cent lost per h.p. 94.58
------
100.00
From these facts it may be assumed that after making due allowance for
variable qualities of the coal, the steam engine process, as at
present practiced, will not utilize more than from 5 to 10 per cent.
of the energy contained in the fuel used. It will thus be seen that
the process of converting static to dynamic caloric by luminous
combustion, by means of the steam engine, is an exceedingly wasteful
and costly method, and leaves much room for economy.
Taking an ordinary grade of petroleum as consisting of 13 per cent.
hydrogen, 78 carbon, 6 oxygen, 3 nitrogen and ash, we have as its
energy in foot pounds per pound of oil--
62,391 × 13 }
----------- = 8,110 H. }
100 }
} 19,454 units.
14,544 × 78 }
----------- = 11,344 C. }
100 }
19,454 × 772 = 15,018,488 foot pounds. Thus, while our best coal
contains twelve million, the petroleum contains fifteen million foot
pounds of occluded energy in each pound, which is equal to 118,000,000
foot pounds, or 60 horse power for one hour, from one gallon of such
oil.
At present electricity is generated by two methods, and both of these
are _second powers_. Metals are smelted by luminous combustion as a
first power, and then oxidized by non-luminous combustion as a _second
power_, and coal is consumed by luminous combustion, by which steam is
generated as a first power, to drive a dynamo-generator whereby
electricity is obtained as a _second power_. Now, of the two methods,
the latter is much the cheaper, and as I have shown that the best
compound condensing engines only utilize 8.94, and a fair average
single cylinder condensing engine only utilizes 5.42 per cent. of the
energy of the fuel consumed, and as at the best not over 70 per cent.
of the foot pounds obtained from the engine can be utilized as
electricity, from which we must deduct loss by friction, etc., it will
be readily seen that not more than 5 per cent. of the energy of the
fuel can be developed by the dynamo-generator as electricity by the
present method.
The great want of the present age is a process by which the static
caloric of carbon or a hydrocarbon maybe set free by non-luminous
combustion; or, in other words, a process by which coal or oil may be
oxidized at a low degree, within an insulated vessel; if this can be
accomplished (and I can see no reason why we should not look for such
invention), we would be able to produce from twelve to fifteen million
foot pounds of energy (electricity) from one pound of petroleum, or
from ten to twelve million foot pounds from one pound of good coal,
which would be a saving of from 90 to 95 per cent. of present cost,
and leave the steam engine for historical remembrance.
Electricity may be generated by water or wind power to great
advantage, and conveyed to a distance for motive power. The
practicability of generating electricity at Niagara by which to propel
trains to New York and return may be considered almost settled; and I
conceive a second invention of importance which is now needed is an
apparatus by which the rising and falling tides may be utilized for
driving dynamo machines, by which electricity may be generated for
lighting the coast cities, and it is not unreasonable to expect that
such an apparatus will soon be provided; and in such an event gas
companies would suffer.
It is a well known fact among electricians that the volume and tension
of electricity vary both in the earth and in the atmosphere at
different sections of the earth's surface, and I conceive that we may
yet find means of utilizing this differential tension of electricity;
indeed, it is reported that during a recent storm the wires of an
ocean cable were grounded at both ends and a sufficient current for
all practical purpose flowed from the European to the American
continent, with all batteries removed, showing that the tension was so
much greater in Europe as to cause the electricity to flow through the
copper cable to this side in preference to passing through the earth
or the sea. It is also said that during an east-going storm it was
found impossible to work the telegraph lines between New York and
Buffalo, but on taking off the batteries at both ends and looping the
ends of the wire in the air, that a constant current of electricity
passed from Buffalo to New York, and the line was kept in constant use
in that direction without any battery connection until the storm
abated. Now, how far or to what advantage we may be able to utilize
this differential tension of electricity in the earth and the air, we
cannot now say; but I think that we may justly look for valuable
developments in this direction.
If, as I verily believe, a process will soon be discovered by which
dynamic caloric can be produced by the oxidation of petroleum with
non-luminous combustion in an insulated chamber, as we now oxidize
zinc, electricity will then be obtained from so small a weight, and at
such a low cost, as to insure aerial navigation beyond a doubt. Not
with balloons and their cumbrous inflations, but with machines capable
of carrying the load, and traveling by displacement of the air at high
velocities. Therefore we may expect that aerial navigation will be
developed in the near future to be one of the greatest enterprises of
the world.
And lastly, will it pay to use luminous combustion as a first power
for generating dynamic caloric for use as a second power, as is now
practiced?
At the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, gas is consumed in
an Otto gas engine, which drives a Gramme generator; and the lecture
room is lighted with electricity, and I am informed that the light is
both better _and cheaper_ than when they used the gas in the ordinary
gas burners. Hence we may expect to see gas consumed to advantage for
producing electric lights.
Considering the difficulties of transmitting steam power to a
considerable distance, and the comparative great cost of running small
engines, it is more than likely that electricity as at present
generated will be found to be economical for driving small motors.
Having thus endeavored to explain what electricity is, and the laws
which govern the occlusion of static caloric, and the development of
dynamic caloric (electricity), in conclusion I call the attention of
the inventors of the age to the great need of a process for oxidizing
coal or oil at a low degree, within an insulated vessel. With such an
invention electricity would be obtained at such a low cost that it
would be used exclusively to light and heat our houses, to smelt,
refine, and manipulate our metals, to propel our cars, wagons,
carriages, and ships, cook our food, and drive all machinery requiring
motive power.
* * * * *