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Some years ago, when I first became interested in the subject of compressed-air pumping, I endeavored to obtain a book, or literature of some sort, that I could use as a guide in the design and installation of plants of this kind. I found comparatively little of any definite value; in fact the only information I could gather was obtained from air compressor manufacturers’ catalogues, a few brief articles in technical society journals and engineering periodicals, and some data in works on compressed air which were either more or less are petition of that contained in catalogues, or were of a purely theoretical nature.

It was evident that I would have to depend upon my own efforts and experiments in the field for any practical working data that I might need. I was very fortunate in that I had the opportunity to install and test a number of air lifts operating under a wide range of conditions and have consequently amassed a large volume of data. This data I thought of sufficient interest and value to condense and publish.

In preparing this book, I have endeavored to place in the hands of the student a comprehensive theoretical study of the subject, and at the same time instruct the operating engineer in the practical economy essentials of the actual installation. To realize the first, I have quoted from the works of Professors Elmo G. Harris, George Jacob Davis and Carl R. Weidner, and to realize the last, I have incorporated an article by Mr. Arthur H. Diamant together with my own data obtained as before stated.

To thoroughly understand compressed-air pumping, it is necessary that some knowledge of hydraulics and thermodynamics be had. In the later chapters, I have given briefly the