It is within the scope of this work to so present the subjects specified, that the student may classify and arrange the matter into truly scientific order.
MATERIALS.
In entering the steam department, where he is to be employed, the eye of the beginner is greeted with the sight of coal, water, oil, etc., and he is told of invisible materials, such as air, steam and gases; it is the proper manipulation of these seen and unseen material products as well as the machines, that is to become his life task. In aiding to the proper accomplishment of the yet untried problems nothing can be more useful than to know something of the nature and history of the different forms of matter entering into the business of steam production. Let us begin with
Coal.
The source of all the power in the steam engine is stored up in coal in the form of heat.
And this heat becomes effective by burning it, that is, by its combustion.
Coal consists of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen and ash. These elements exist in all coals but in varying quantities.
These are the common proportions of the best sorts: