PETROLEUM AS A LIGHTING AND COOKING AGENT
From times immemorial, petroleum has been utilized as a lighting
agent. Fifteen hundred years ago we have records of its use in the Far
Eastern countries, and in the seventh century one of the Emperors of
Japan ordered that his temples should be illuminated by the sacred oil
light. And from that long distant date to the present times, petroleum
has played a not insignificant part in the provision of artificial
light throughout the world. For centuries, petroleum, as a means of
artificial light, had the field to itself, and, though the Ancients
consumed large quantities for lighting purposes, the apparatus used for
burning the oil were of a most primitive type, giving results which
to-day would be considered far from satisfactory.
About the middle of the last century, when the petroleum industry was
making steady advance in several European countries, and a little
later, when the United States entered upon its era of oil progress,
there was marked development in the use of oil for lighting purposes.
The more modern oil lamp was introduced, and it is worthy of record
that in one year alone over fifty patents were taken out in the United
States for oil lamp improvements. The Germans, too, were not behind in
this respect; in fact, it is very largely due to the numerous German
improvements that the general governing principles of present-day oil
lamps became so popular.
There is no doubt that the ordinary oil lamp has often been, and still
is, unjustifiably condemned for certain defects which are not inherent
in it. It necessarily demands attention if it is to give a satisfactory
light, but, unfortunately, this attention is not adequately bestowed
upon it, and complaints are the result. I have frequently argued that,
just as it is possible with inattention to make the most improved
pattern of oil lamp operate unsatisfactorily, so is it possible, with
a little care and common sense, to get a really good and satisfactory
light from the cheapest oil lamp obtainable.
In days gone by, the quality of the oil was, in many cases,
unsuitable for burning in the ordinary lamps; its lighting power
was very inferior, and it gave off a distinctly unpleasant smell.
To-day, however, the illuminating oil sold throughout the world is a
first-class article, and its flash-point has been so raised that it
can be used freely without there being any suggestion of its lack of
safety. One still hears of the “dangerous” paraffin lamp, but, to all
intents and purposes, whatever danger was attendant upon the use of oil
lamps has long ago departed, though, of course, care must always be
exercised, a remark which naturally applies to every illuminant. It is
not within my province to give a series of hints to the ordinary user
of illuminating oil, but it is well to draw attention to a point which
is frequently overlooked: that is, to see that lamps should be kept
well filled. It has been established that the light from an oil lamp is
greatly affected by the quantity of oil in the reservoir. An increase
of 20 per cent. can be secured in the illuminating power of the lamp if
only the oil is kept to a good level in the container. This is due to
the assistance given to the capillary action of the wick by the higher
level.
The advent of gas, and, at a later period, electric current, for
illuminating purposes has, to an extent, restricted the use of oil as
an illuminant, yet the reader will be surprised to learn that at least
2,000,000 oil lamps are nightly lighted throughout Great Britain. The
inhabitants of the majority of our villages have to fall back upon oil
lamps after nightfall, and even in remote spots where enterprising gas
companies have laid gas mains large numbers still keep faith with oil,
no doubt by reason of its cheapness in normal times.
The greatest improvement made in regard to oil lighting has been in
connection with the introduction of the incandescent mantle. As a
result of this innovation, several elaborate designs of lamps have
been placed on the market, and to-day oil is frequently used in large
residences in preference to the more modern illuminants. This is due,
without doubt, to the fact that oil light is particularly soft, and,
while giving a great illuminating power when consumed under the best
conditions, lacks that dazzling brilliancy which causes injury to the
eyes.
One of the earliest methods of utilizing petroleum under an
incandescent mantle was the Kitson system, according to which
illuminating oil is compressed to about 50 lb. per square inch in a
suitable vessel, forced through a soft brass tube of very small bore
into a heating chamber, and, subsequently, through a needle orifice to
a Bunsen burner. The Kitson system, which has found many adherents in
the United Kingdom and abroad, is particularly adapted for lighthouse
illumination, and in such cases where large units are essential. It is
interesting to record the fact that for some time one of London’s main
West-end thoroughfares was illuminated by incandescent oil lamps, and,
though they are now superseded, no tangible reason was given as to why
these highly economical means of illumination were ever removed.
Space forbids my referring to the various designs of oil lamps on the
English market to-day: they may be counted by their hundreds, while
still a larger number of those which have either been unsuccessful or
have found no sale may be found in the records of the Patent Office.
During comparatively recent times, devices have been brought forward
whereby remarkably good results have been achieved by the use of
gaseous vapour for portable lamps. In these cases, motor spirit is
vapourized and used under an incandescent mantle. The best known
of these lamps is the “Petrolite.” In this lamp, a porous stone is
impregnated with suitable hydrocarbons--motor spirit--and a current
of air is introduced, the necessary draught being provided by the use
of a fairly long chimney. The great advantage of the “Petrolite” lamp
is that of its perfect safety, for if by any chance the lamp becomes
overturned and the chimney displaced or broken, the draught ceases, and
with it, the generation of the inflammable vapour; the lamp, therefore,
immediately going out.
But while this method of utilizing motor spirit for illuminating
purposes has been adopted to a very large extent by means of portable
lamps, a greater field has been developed both in this and other
countries in connection with the domestic and industrial use of petrol
air-gas for lighting purposes. These apparatus in the main possess
but slight differences. The essential principle of each is that motor
spirit is carburetted and then, in the form of an oil gas, conducted
through pipes in the same manner as coal gas is burned, to the rooms
in which it is required. The carburetted air-gas is automatically
produced, and the small cost at which these automatic plants can be
supplied has rendered this system of lighting deservedly popular.
Its great economy also is an important point, for 1 gallon of motor
spirit will yield almost 30 cubic feet of vapour. This vapour, in
order to form a lighting agent, is mixed to the extent of over 98 per
cent. air and less than 2 per cent. petrol vapour, so that 1 gallon of
motor spirit will produce, approximately, 1,500 cubic feet of air-gas.
The plants, which are usually worked by a small hot-air engine (or,
alternately, by the use of weights), supply only the demand created,
and their control is automatic perfection.
[Illustration: THE ANGLO-AMERICAN OIL COMPANY’S OIL COOKER]
To-day, petroleum plays quite an important part in heating
arrangements, and several stoves are upon the market which burn the
ordinary illuminating oil. The prettily designed heating stoves of the
“Perfection” or “Reform” make are largely in use, the efficacy and
economy of these being responsible for their popularity. Various makes
of oil cookers are also in large demand. These range from the small
variety like the “Primus” stove, which burns illuminating oil under
pressure, to the oil cooking stoves of the Anglo-American Oil Company,
Ltd., which are quite competent to meet the requirements of practically
any household. These latter stoves consume illuminating oil by means
of the circular wick arrangement, and are in several sizes, one of the
best being that containing three lighters. Two of these are under the
oven, and one at the end can be used for boiling purposes. Speaking
from several years’ experience of these stoves, I can say that they are
truly perfection. They are very economical, are easily cleaned, and
when in full operation give off not the slightest odour. The oven is
more readily heated than with the coal gas apparatus, and the properly
diffused heat cooks all kinds of food most readily and perfectly. The
illustration of the stove given on the preceding page will afford the
reader a good idea of the apparatus, which deserves to be even more
popular than it is at present.