Page:International Library of Technology, Volume 93.djvu/121

 iron produced per hour, and it is evident that every blast furnace produces an enormous amount of power that might profitably be utilized.

85. Tables of Heat Values. — Following are given two tables of heat values, which will be useful in comparing the values of various gases for gas-engine purposes,

TABLE XII HEAT VALUES Gases, Vapors, and Other Combustibles Heat Units per Pound Heat Units per Cubic Foot Foot-Pounds of Work, per Cubic Foot Crude petroleum, West Virginia, Sp. Gr. .873 18,324 Light petroleum, Pennsylvania, Sp. Gr. .816 17,933 Benzine 18,448 Gasoline 19,800 Water gas, American 185 143,930 Gasoline vapor 19,800 1,240 966,472 Natural gas, Leechburg, Pa. 1,051 817,678 Natural gas, Pittsburg, Pa. 892 770,976 Ethyl alcohol 28,500

ALCOHOL

86. Alcohol as a Fuel- — In the past alcohol has not been used in the United States as a motor fuel on account of the high internal-revenue tax imposed on it. This tax having been removed, its use will no doubt soon become quite common. In other countries, particularly in Germany, it has become an important engine fuel, and is used also for heating, and, with incandescent mantles, for lighting. For such use, it is denatured, or rendered unfit for drinking, by the addition of poisonous ingredients, such as wood alcohol, some other hydrocarbon distilled from petroleum, and sometimes coloring matter.