This will require gasholders of a capacity sufficient to supply all lights installed for the maximum lighting period, without the necessity of generation of gas at night or by artificial light.
In the operation of generators of the carbide-feed type it is important that only a limited amount of carbide be fed into a given body of water. An allowance of at least one gallon of generating water per pound of carbide must be made in every case, and when this limit has been reached the generator should be drained and flushed, and clean water introduced. These precautions are necessary to avoid over-heating during generation and accumulation of hard deposits of residuum in the generating chamber.
(Rule 14, referring to the storage of carbide, has been quoted in Chapter II. (page 19)).
RULES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF GENERATORS.
The following Rules are intended to provide only against the more hazardous defects usually noted in apparatus of this kind. The Rules do not cover all details of construction nor the proper proportioning of parts, and devices which comply with these requirements alone are not necessarily suitable for listing as permissible for use. These points are often only developed in the examination required before permission is given for installation.
Class A.--Stationary Apparatus for Isolated Installations.
15. GENERAL RULES. GENERATORS.--(a) Must be made of iron or steel, and in a manner and of material to insure stability and durability.
(b) Must be automatically regulated and uniform in their action, producing gas only as immediate consumption demands, and so designed that gas is generated without producing sufficient heat to cause yellow discoloration of residuum (which will occur at about 500° F.) or abnormal pressure at any stage of the process when using carbide of any degree of fineness.
The presence of excessive heat tends to change the chemical character of the gas and may even cause its ignition, while in machines of the carbide-feed type, finely divided carbide will produce excessive pressure unless provision is made to guard against it.
(c) Must be so arranged that during recharging, back flow of gas from the gasholder will be automatically prevented, or so arranged that it will be impossible to charge the apparatus without first closing the supply-pipe to the gasholder, and to the other generating chambers if several are used.