7 cubic feet of
acetylene per hour.
ACETYLENE MOTORS.--The question as to the feasibility of developing
"power" from acetylene, _i.e._, of running an engine by means of the
gas, may be answered in essentially identical terms. Specially designed
gas-engines of 1, 3, 6, or even 10 h.p. work perfectly with acetylene,
and such motors are in regular employment in numerous situations, more
particularly for pumping water to feed the generators of a large village
acetylene installation. Acetylene is not an economical source of power,
partly for the theoretical reason that it is a richer fuel even than
coal-gas, and gas-engines would appear usually to be more efficient as
the fuel they burn is poorer in calorific intensity, _i.e._, in
heating power (which is explosive power) per unit of volume. The richer,
or more concentrated, any fuel in, the more rapidly does the explosion in
a mixture of that fuel with air proceed, because a rich fuel contains a
smaller proportion of non-inflammable gases which tend to retard
explosion than a poor one; and, in reason, a gas-engine works better the
more slowly the mixture of gas and air with which it is fed explodes.
Still, by properly designing the ports of a gas-engine cylinder, so that
the normal amount of compression of the charge and of expansion of the
exploded mixture which best suit coal-gas are modified to suit acetylene,
satisfactory engines can be constructed; and wherever an acetylene
installation for light exists, it becomes a mere question of expediency
whether the same fuel shall not be used to develop power, say, for
pumping up the water required in a large country house, instead of
employing hand labour, or the cheaper hot-air or petroleum motor.
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