Clark's regenerative burner. There is nothing in Clark's burner that calls for special notice. In its main features it appears to be constructed upon similar lines to Grimston's burner, although the coincidence is doubtless only accidental.[ [15] It must, however, be added that in the details of its construction it is much simpler than the latter burner; and certainly it appears to lose very little in efficiency from its greater simplicity, as the following extract from a report by Mr. F. W. Hartley, the well-known photometrist, will show:—"With a consumption rate of 5·3 cubic feet of gas per hour, the amount of light yielded horizontally was equal to 29·79 times that of a standard candle. The light yielded per cubic foot of gas burned per hour was therefore equal to 5·62 times that of a standard candle." And the amount of light delivered immediately downwards is said to be "very sensibly greater than the amount of light delivered horizontally." Like the Grimston burner, it is of the inverted Argand form; the gas issuing from a chamber at the bottom of a tube which descends through the centre of the burner. The products of combustion escape through a chimney; and in so doing give up a portion of their heat to the entering air, which is conveyed to the point of ignition through horizontal tubes that intersect the chimney. The burner is enclosed in a suitable lantern, the lower half of which consists of a semi-globular glass; a similar arrangement being adopted in connection with the Grimston and Thorp burners.
Fig. 24.—Clark's Regenerative Gas-Burner.
The three burners last mentioned have not been before the public sufficiently long to enable a reliable opinion to be formed as to their value in actual and prolonged use. Although there is no reason for supposing that such will occur in the present instance, it so often happens that the results indicated by apparatus in the experimental stage, or while still under the control of the inventor, are not borne out in practice, that it would be unwise to express any decided opinion as to their ultimate worth from existing information. It is, however, to be earnestly hoped that the marked favour with which they have been received will not be impaired on improved acquaintance; but that further experience will justify the anticipations that have been excited by the excellent performances of the burners hitherto, and demonstrate at once their durability and real usefulness.
Since writing the above, considerable activity has been shown by inventors in producing new burners upon the regenerative principle, or in improving upon existing models. Of course, as yet it is too early to arrive at a satisfactory estimate of their actual value or relative worth; but it may be hoped that, from the increased attention being devoted to the subject, some real and practical results will flow, by which the gas-consuming public will be the gainers. So far, the most promising of this class of burners that has been brought into actual use, since the introduction of the Siemens burner, is the one represented below.
Fig. 25.—Bower and Thorp's Regenerative Gas-Burner.
It is a modification, in the direction of greater simplicity, of Thorp's former burner, illustrated and described on p. 69 of this treatise; and as its construction is based upon the same lines as that burner, further description is not required.
CHAPTER VI.