These are large receptacles in which the gas
is permitted to expand. By such expansion heat is absorbed and the
temperature of the surroundings is lowered. From the coolers the gas
returns to the absorber, from which it is pumped, in liquid form, into
the retort, to be again heated, the gas expelled and the process
repeated. As the gas passes through the different processes, being
heated under pressure, cooled, expanded again, more or less
decomposition takes place, presumably from a combination of a small
portion of the nitrogen with vegetable, animal, or mineral matter that
finds its way into the system. Such decomposition, with the loss of
nitrogen, leaves a small portion of free hydrogen, which is the gas
that can be drawn from the top of the absorber, ignited and burned.
The presence of hydrogen gas in the absorber is not necessarily
detrimental to the effectiveness of the system, but as hydrogen does
not possess the qualities of absorbing heat in the same way and to the
same extent as ammonia, the presence of hydrogen makes the operation
of the apparatus somewhat less efficient.--_Stationary Engineer._
* * * * *
The refrigerating apparatus illustrated and described in the
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT of June 25, No.
Pages:
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179