2.
Gas
(a) shall not be supplied containing any trace
of sulphuretted-hydrogen,
(b) shall be supplied at 2" water pressure in
mains or any connected pipe 2" in diameter or
upwards.
The only other reference to the quality of the gas
is in S. Rand 0 142 of 1922 which reads
The Gas (Carbon Monoxide) Order 1922, 16th Feb.
Made by the Board of Trade under sect. 2 (4) of
the Gas Regulations Act 1920, Limiting the pro-
portion of Carbon Monoxide which may be supplied
in gas used for domestic purposes.
(2) No gas undertakers as defined in the Gas
Regulation Act 1920 shall supply gas for domestic
purposes containing carbon monoxide unless such
gas possesses the distinctive pungent smell of coal
gas,
No existing regulation requires analysis of the gas
with regard to its corrosive elements. It is widely
recognised that the oxygen content of the gas
should be kept as low as possible with the view of
preventing internal corrosion of the holders and
to this end large undertakings such as the Gas
Light and Coke Co. maintain an oil film on the surface
of the water in their water-sealed holders to
minimise the amount of aqueous vapour taken up by
3.
the gas.
The maintenance of gasholders comes under the Home
office and Inspectors of Factories have powers
under the Factory Act to make an external inspection
of gasholders. Reports of such inspections are for-
warded to the Chief Inspector and I am informed
that as a result of these reports on an average one
له
Page
Page
3
age 9
9
4.
gasholder per annum has been condemned as unsafe.
This action has generally been taken where severe
corrosion was evident and/or where holders had an
abnormally large number of patches.
In the absence of legislation the position between
the Home Office and the Gas Industry has been in
the nature of a "gentleman's agreement".
Recom-
mendations have from time to time been submitted
by the Institution of Gas Engineers and if no
objection to these is taken by the Home Office
they are passed on to the Undertakers with the
understanding that their non-observance may lead
to legislation which in the past the Gas Industry
has been anxious to avoid.
The present position regarding maintenance of
gasholders cannot be regarded as satisfactory and
is not so regarded by any of the above-named gentlemen
interviewed. At my first interview with Mr. Pollard
on 23rd July, whilst admitting the desirability of
ascertaining the internal surfaces the opening up of
holders was, he said, a proceeding fraught with danger
and several accidents arising therefrom had caused some con-
cern. The Home Office have approved of a voluntary
set of rules drawn up by the Institute of Gas Engineers
(enclosure 1), and these rules are included in the
1st Report of the Research Executive Committee (enclosure 2).
In this connection it may be observed that in America
it is common practice by means of compressors to purge
the holders with inert gas and practise has recently been
introduced in England by the Gas Light and Coke Co. of
London.
5.
The Gasholder Sub-Committee appeared fully alive
to the necessity of drawing the attention of all
age 9
Page
Page
ge 10
10
4.
undertakings to the desirability of ascertaining
the condition of their holders especially as regards
internal corrosion in view of the disasters at Hong Kong
and Barrow-in-Furness.
The Sub-Committee have drawn up recommendations
for the maintenance of the various types of gas-
holders which have now been submitted to the Home
Office. Those relating to water-sealed holders
which I believe is the only type erected in Hong
Kong, are contained in a confidential draft (encl.
I understand the Home Office will not raise any
objection to these recommendations and they will
be published by the Institution of Gas Engineers
at an early date.
The inspections recommended in the draft have for
some years been carried out by Mr. Birks, who is
also a member of the Sub-Committee. The periodical
removal of small discs of the sheeting and
carefully recording the results has much to
commend it and there is no doubt if such methods
were conscientiously carried out by all undertakings
the necessity for legislation would not be immediate.
The question of the percentage decrease in thick-
ness of sheeting allowable cannot arbitrarily be
laid down, it is a matter of calculation and experience,
but both Mr. Pollard and Mr. Birks expressed
the opinion that general wastage approaching a
decrease of 50% in thickness would undoubtedly
warrant the renewal of that particular sheeting.
The most valuable of the draft is contained in
the final paragraph, for had such examination
been general practise among gas engineers many
serious accidents would have been avoided.
At an interview with Mr. Pollard on the 11th Sept.,
I learnt that the National Gas Council have been
ge 10Page 11
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.