A manual of the mechanics of engineering and of the construction of machines Volume 2, pt. 2; Designed as a text-book for technical schools and colleges, and for the use of engineers, architects, etc

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1884 Excerpt: ...The smallest opening through the tubes or flues. "If a man starts out with these principles in view, he may obtain the best results with almost any arrangement of setting, but unfortunately he needs another thing, namely, a large bank account. The problem of obtaining equally good results with a smaller investment of money, is the problem which presents itself to the practical man. "If a builder has unlimited capital at his command, he can scarcely devise any arrangement of boiler setting by means of which he can evaporate more than 12 pounds of water for a pound of anthracite coal after the ashes and cinders are deducted, and when the feed water is fed in boiling hot (212). On the other hand, the poorest possible arrangement of setting, and the least amount of boiler surface ever used in practice, will almost always show an evaporation of at least 8 pounds of water evaporated by one pound of anthracite coal after the ashes and cinders are deducted and when the feed water is fed in boiling hot (2120). This difference, 50 per cent, is the greatest ever found in practice. Between these two limits boilers generally vary. Any man who has the most wasteful boilers may make them the most economical by reducing the amount of steam he draws from them, and by checking the draught by closing the ashpit doors, provided no cold air leaks in through cracks in the brick-work. "Generally manufacturers do not have any more steam than they need. The cases where they have a spare boiler which is not used, being held in reserve in case one of those in use breaks down, are extremely rare; and indeed it is not desirable that there should be a spare boiler, for, if well built and properly cared for, the boilers are not more likely to break down than the other mach...