1931-10-31 — Page 2

THE EXPRESS LIFT CO., LTD.

WET HE WHICH, IS INCORPORATED THE BUSINESS OF

SMITH, MAJOR & STEVENS, LTD.

EXPRESS SMS

LIFTS

MODERN LIFTS

FOR

MODERN BUILDINGS

SPEEDY RELIABLE SERVICE

FOR DETAILS APPLY TO

THE "G.E.C., QUEEN'S BUILDING, CHATER ROAD.

The

EVERYTHING (SE.C.). ELECTRICAL

anright

gour guarantee

POMPEIAN ENAMEL

a.

Berger Product

FOR ALL HOUSEHOLD

PURPOSES.

STOCKS CARRIED IN 7 COLOURS.

W. R. LOXLEY & CO.

YouK BUILDING, CHATER ROAD.

L.B. Atkinson

Falusive FeenGETS

Modern of the LM;A

HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1931.

ENGINEERING AND

THE BRITISH

PROBLEM.

FUEL

SYMPOSIUM HELD AT THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

ABOLITION OF USE OF RAW COAL FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES URGED.

The Chemical Section of the from coal, 1,200,000 B.Th.D. from

BUILDING

use of oil was dietated by reasons of a severely economie nature, the special character of miployment and the power/cost ratio of all to coal at the various ports at which shipa normally bunker being the dotermining factora. The

many

Hydrogenation.

might be expected to be about 8fd. 'u gallon. This via a fair compari- The hydrogenation of coal pre-son of the two prouesses provided sented far more practical method the capital costs and the type of than low-temperature carbonization of producing oil in quantity from cool at no higher cost bat in get sibilities of this process, the first ting some broad ideas of the pos-

point of interest was the total eon- duce a ton of oil In addition to sumption of coal necessary to pro

the processed coal, large quantities

tative figuron had been made avail- and hydrogen needed. No authori-

would probably not be far wrong ablo on this vital point, but it

the plant were comparable, on the basis of

output. The capital

energy depreciation costs of the hydro- found to be much higher than those genation plant would probably be

of electricity generating stations, reason, but rather because of lack not boonuse of any fundamentai

of experience of large-scale work

technical advantages of oil for were required to provide the powering over a number of years, I naval purposes had been frequently

therefore appeared possible, though emphasized, · but sufficient stress

not at present likely, to produce had not been laid on the greater

petrol by the hydrogenation of coal fexibility of supply obtained from

at a cost of Bd a gallon. the use of oil fuel. The Navy could now get its oil fuel supplies at many bases in the Seven Seas at a rate which Welsh steam coal could pos- On this busis the process could be per ton actually less than that at

was not more than 25 per cent, sibly be supplied.

For industrial purposes he was convicted that the future held out

to assume that five tons of con were consumed in the manufacture).

all thermal efficiency of the process that the over one ton of oil-ort

(

The process could be established on a large scale in England only under the protection of a tax whiole

years the competition of natural would virtually exclude for many

oil. The cost of producing heavy oil by hydrogenation was not likely to be much lower than the cost of? producing petrol. Eventually the

British Association held a sympo- guš, 1,020,00 B.THU, from coke, siam on the British fal problem, and 27,300 BTU from electricity the chief contributors being Sir 2 total of 8,031,000. B.Th.U. On David Milne-Watson, Sir John this basis the relative proportions Cadman, and Mr. H. T. Tizard. of useful heat became from coal

Sir David Milne-Watson said that 634 per cept., coke 23.8 per cent, Prospects of gradual diminution of per tent. The production of relativo” demand of light oils an

883 20.3 per cent., electricity 0.5 in whatever competitive activities per cent. It would be noticed that might now exist between coal and the service received from the com-oil Coal had been distributed by bustion of raw coal was rather Nature in many countries through more than the combined returns re out the world. Oil was found ceived from gae and coke. Further sometimes in regions possessing re- more the iss of gas and coke was serves of coal, sometimes in those proportionate to the quantities otherwise unendowed with fuel. A

the home use of cohl was divided into two categorics-the first where in the ultimate consumer employed coal in the raw state to secure the necessary heat, light, power," or other form of energy, and the second, where coal was treated by carbonization, gasification, or can version to clectricity by public manufactured. It followed that if time would come and it mightnot utility companies, to supply energy the present consumption of gas and be very distant-when coal and oil to the consumer. The first cate- coke for domestic purposes were would be marketed upon a basis gory accounted for the greater pro- doubled, the use of raw coal could of utilizable, thermal units, with portion, seeing that the use of coal be almost abolished. This would direct reference to the geographical as town gas, producer gas, coke. entail the carbonization of some location, and they would be con- or electricity absorbed only some 24,000,000 tons of coal in additionsumed in manners which would 50,000,000 tons out of approximate to the present quantity, giving an extract the maximum thermal ly 170,000,000 tons. The industrial additional yield of 130,000,000 efficiency from each. At a "given use of coal showed a steady fall, gallons of tar oils and tar deriva-place and at a given time the partly through trade depression and, tives. Most of the smoke in the use of coil would be more econo partly through improvements in atmosphero would be removed, and mical than that of oil. Conversely, the country would benefit from the circumstances elsewhere or at other increased production of oils. “-- times would operate in favour of the liquid fuel, He look forward dompetition of Coal and oil.

in the future to an ever-increasing measure of harmony and co-ordinat, Sir John Cadioan pointed out that the home consumption of coaled action in respect of the con-

170,000,000 tons and of petro-sumption of coal and oil. leum, Bay, -6,500,000 to 3,000,000"

methods of use.

Future Possibilities,

"Mr. Bizard said that the position

No oficial figures for the use of coal, gas, etc., for domestic pur- poses only were available, but it! would appear that an approximate estimate of the consumption of energt for domestic purposes other than lighting, per head of popula-ba Lion would be 10cwt. of coal fons. The latter figure included a (equivalent to 32,400,000 3.Th.Umillion tons of fuel oil used as 4,500 cu. ft. of gas (2,160,000 ships banker's and. & million tons as regards the home consumption B.Th.U.), Zlewt. of coke (3,400,000ed within the country for of coal could be summed up by B.Th.U.), and 10 units of electricity

industrial and domestic purposes.saying that all indicationsTM pointed. | (34,120 B.Th.U.). The relative em- In respect of those uses oil com to a decrease in demand. Would ploynient of fuels for heating and peted directly with coal, and it this be counterbalanced by n re- cooking in the home was thus, in might be of interest to examine thevival of the export trade! In ship- terms of potential heat, coal 80 circumstances and implications of ping he thought it must be taken per cent, coke 12.2 per cent., gos that competition." 67 per cent, and electricity 0.1 per

cent.

that oil would continue to replace The average, cost of producing coal," So far as rail transporté in one ton of flowing erude oil and sparsely populated countries were bringing it to the surface of the concerned, the Diesel engine was The very different efficiencies earth might be estimated at one-agnin likely to be a serious rival. obtained in the of these quarter the expense entailed in So far as general industrial "par"

made various fuels

mining and raising a ton of coal poses were concerned, the urge for it neces-

That ratio would probably subsist fuel economy, obvious enough in sary, however, in order to get

for a number of years. At the well this country, had naturally been a trup picture, to take into com-head and the pit head coal and oil intensified in all countries which sideration the amount of heat use-yere, virtually, the raw materials depended on imported coal, over - fully received from them. Assun of fuel. Con needed little prepara- the supply and price of which they tion for the market, though the had no control. It was not reason- ing mein average efficiencies in uso tendency among consumers was to ably possible to be optimistic about as 12 per cent, for coal, 60 per require more careful grading and a permanent revival in the export cent, for gas, 30 per cent. for coke, clearing, "Ol, on the other hand, trade. The only event likely to and 60 per cent. for electricity, the needed a complete range of treat-bring this about quickly was

ment before it was available as a general revival in the inditstrial amount of domestic heat usefully fuel. Moreover, by reason of the prosperity of the world; and even employed per head of population location of oil deposits in areas then it must be recognized that per annum became 2,088,000 B.Th.U. which were. often distant from the natural tendency of every centres of consumption, the clement civilized country was to make itself af transport, and its cost, often self-contained in supplies of heat bulked somewhat largely in the and power. price paid by the consumer., Ulti- mately, therefore, petroleum pro- ducts were more costly, for equal weights, then coal; anil since their value in terms of heat was greater higher price had economic justi- fication

COMPLETE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

toith

C. M. A. CABLES.

Advice and Estimates given free on all types of

LIGHTING & POWER INSTALLATION

by an experienced

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

retained at our Hong Kong Branch

The General Electric Co. (of China), Ltd.

QUEEN'S BUILDINGS, HONG KONG

·

Low-temperature" Garbonization.

There were

F

two developments which had occupied the public mind during the last 10 year, and onc which was beginning to occupy it In England: coal was cheap and The first two were low temperature carbonization and electrication; plentiful, and its energy was avail- able in the form either of solid the last was the hydrogenation of fuel or of gas and electricity. Oil, coal. Of low-temperaturo carboni therefore, had made little headway: zation the chief objects were to The annual internal use in Great produce a solid smokeless fuel for Britain of 1,000,000 tone of fuel oil domestic and industrial use, and a was insignificant in comparison home supply of fuel oil. It had with a consumption of coal amount had every chance of demonstrating that it could do so successfully, but ing to 170,000,000 tons. Moreover

over 10 years of concentrated work, that oil was chiefly used for special which started with the beneff of purposes to which coul was unsuit a great deal of experience previouss

regarded as ons for producing tron coal and water a concentrated forma of energy at a thermal oficiency

electricity was an exactly similar process in principle from coul and heavy oils must be considerably water a concentrated form of

modified. Ultimately then, if not energy-electrical energy--was pre- immediately, the competition of duced at an efficiency which might manufactured oil with natural oil must depend on the cost of pro quite easily reach 25 per cent Under these conditions the cost of duction of heavy oil, not of petrol. producing electrical energy con The exclusion by taxation of im tinuously at full load might be re

ports of heavy oil into this country would have even more sérioux, vont duced to about 0.20. per unit. Ex sequences than the exclusion of pressed in thermal units this corresS- petrol from natural sources. Bus ponded to a cost of Bd. per therm. of the importance of encouraging A gallon of petrol hon a lower heat further experimental work there of combustion of 1.4 to 1.5 therms, could be no doubt. At the least so that if the costs of these two the process could rightly bo re processes of equal thermal efficiencygarded as a valuable insurance for were the same on a thermal basis; the futuro, the cast of production of petrol "Lontinued on Page 3).

Use Green Island Cement

for

Constructural Work of

Every Description.

HOW GREEN ISLAND CEMENT IS MADE

Green Island Cement is manufactured from hard limestone and clay. It is necessary that these materials should be finely ground in order that they may come into intimate contact with one another in the burning process.

The finely pulverised materials are mixed in a certain definite proportion, roughly, one part of clay to- three of limestone, and are fed to the Rotary Kilns.

In these kilns they meet the hot gases and flames generated by pulverised coal blown in the other end of the kilos, and after various chemical actions have taken place, they combine to form Portland Cement Clinker...

at

The Clinker is ground down with a small percentage of gypsum to regulate the setting time, and Green Island Portland Cement is thus produced.

Although sounding so simple, in reality the process is an intricate combination of mechanical, physical and chemical operations, needing great skill and care. Nothing but constant and

dcare accurate supervision will yield the results so well-known with Green Island Cement, namely, strength, uniformity and reliability.

GREEN

ed; and it was improbable that itely collected, bad resulted in failure GREEN

to produce anywhere in this coun try satisfactory evidence of a com mercially successful plant. As a self-contained commercial enter prise on the large scale it must he regarded as dead, though it might yet find in a modified form a useful

consumption would greatly expand It was part of our natural fuel problem that certain types of ships in the British mercantile, marines and almost all important types of naval ships were dependent on oil place in conjunction with existin fuel. In the mercantile marine the gas undertakinge.

USE GREEN ISLAND CEMENT

Issued by

ISLAND CEMENT CO. LTD,

ISLAND

2ND FLOOD

EXCHANGE BUILDING,