Description of the Process of Manufacturing Coal Gas, for the Lighting of Streets Houses, and Public Buildings / With Elevations, Sections, and Plans of the Most Improved Sorts of Apparatus Now Employed at the Gas Works in London and the Principal Provincial Towns of Great Britain; Accompanied With Comparative Estimates, Exhibiting the Most Economical Mode of Procuring This Species of Light

by Friedrich Christian Accum

An argand burner seven-eighths of an inch in diameter, perforated with eighteen holes ¹⁄₃₂ of an inch in diameter, consumes when the flame of the gas is three inches high, four cubic feet of gas in an hour, and produces a light equal in intensity to six tallow candles, eight in the pound.

When the flame obtained by these kind of burners rises to a greater height, than what has been stated, the combustion of the gas is imperfect, the intensity of the light becomes diminished, and there is a waste of gas. The same holds good with regard to the size of the holes from which the gas issues; if the holes be made larger than ¹⁄₂₅ part of an inch in these kind of burners, the gas is not completely burnt, and its illuminating power decreases.

The height of the glass which surrounds the flame, should never be less than five inches, and the interval for the current of air within and without the flame, ought to bear the usual proportion adopted for the combustion of oil in the common argand lamps of similar diameters.

Ventilation of Apartments lighted by Coal Gas.

Before means had been devised for the effectual purification of coal gas, a disagreeable odour was found to attend its combustion in an impure state, and hence an opinion became prevalent, that the benefit of this new species of illumination must be confined to open places, and that it could not with any regard to pleasure or salubrity, be adapted to private dwellings.

The art of purifying coal gas, has at length however, been carried to such a perfection, that every possibility of a disagreeable odour arising from its combustion has been wholly removed, in all cases where attention is paid to the perfect combustion of the gas, by keeping the flame of the same of a proper magnitude.

And since this improvement, the use of coal gas, as a means of illumination has become as general, and has been found attended with as superior advantages within doors as without, and hence a vast number of dwelling houses are now lighted throughout with gas.

Although there is no occasion therefore, to make provision for ventilating apartments where gas light is employed, on account of any odour which it can produce when honestly used, so that the combustion is perfect, yet on other accounts such means of ventilations are very salutary and necessary.

The flame of coal gas produces a degree of heat,[52] which in some places, such as large public offices, and warehouses of dry goods, is a strong additional recommendation in favour of its use, ([page 15],) while in others, on the contrary, such as small rooms numerously frequented, and shops containing commodities requiring to be kept cool, it can only be used beneficially when means are provided for conveying away the heated air.

[52] Mr. Dalton’s method of ascertaining the comparative effect of heat evolved during the combustion of inflammable gases, and other substances capable of burning with flame, (Dalton’s System of Chemistry, vol. I. p. 76,) is simple, easy, and accurate. It is as follows: