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The future of oil fuel
May, I914.]
CURRENT TOPICS.
591
T h e F u t u r e of Oil Fuel. B. REDWOOD. (J. Roy. Soc. Arts, lxii, IO3.)--The world's output of petroleum has increased from 22,ooo,ooo metric tons in I9OI to 46,5oo,ooo metric tons in 1911, or from 2.8 to 4-3 per cent. of the world's output of coal. The United States supplies about 63 per cent. and Russia about 19 per cent. of the total output, the remaining 18 per cent. is supplied by Mexico, Roumania, Dutch East Indies, Galicia, India, and about I per cent. from other countries. The demand is increasing more rapidly than the supply, and the course of future developments depends on the extent to which supplies can be increased, and also upon the way in which the oil is used. The supply from Russia is likely to increase, as there are large areas still undeveloped. The supply from Mexico will become much greater, but it may be entirely absorbed by the United States. There has been a great increase of production in California, which State is being rapidly transformed from an agricultural to a manufacturing country. Increased supplies may be expected from the Dutch East Indies, Roumania, Peru, Alberta, Persia and Trinidad. Oil fuel is at present used as motor spirit, in place of coal for raising steam, and in Diesel and semi-Diesel engines. The increasing demand is most marked in the case of motor spirit, and methods of increasing the yield of petrol, of obtaining motor spirit from coal tar and from shale oil, and the use of alcohol in place of petrol are discussed. The consumption of petroleum for naval purposes is rapidly increasing, the oil being used for raising steam and for driving Diesel engines. All new warships for the United States Navy are designed for oilfuel, and an area of about IOO square miles of oil-bearing land in California has been set aside as a reserve supply. Large quantities of oil-fuel are used on locomotives on the Russian State Railways, and the advantages are such that oil would be largely used in Great Britain if adequate supplies could be obtained at a moderate price. In view of the limited supplies, the principal development in the near future, apart from naval requirements, will be in the use of Diesel and semi-Diesel engines, since the high thermal efficiency of these engines makes it profitable to use oil-fuel at a price which would be prohibitive for steam raising. If the market value of oil-fuel becomes established on this basis, it will not be possible to use oil to any great extent in place of coal for raising steam. l~luorspar in Glass. L. SPRINGER. (Sprechsaal, xlvii, 4, 2 1 . ) The use of fluorspar in glass is not recommended except in special cases and under favorable circumstances. It attacks the hearth and walls of the furnace and makes the exit gases more injurious. By the formation and decomposition of silicon fluoride it produces a scum of silica on the surface of the glass, and alters the constitution of the glass in respect of the proportion of acid to base. On the other hand, it is said to impart brilliancy to bottle glass, and to increase its resistance under pressure.
CURRENT TOPICS.
591
T h e F u t u r e of Oil Fuel. B. REDWOOD. (J. Roy. Soc. Arts, lxii, IO3.)--The world's output of petroleum has increased from 22,ooo,ooo metric tons in I9OI to 46,5oo,ooo metric tons in 1911, or from 2.8 to 4-3 per cent. of the world's output of coal. The United States supplies about 63 per cent. and Russia about 19 per cent. of the total output, the remaining 18 per cent. is supplied by Mexico, Roumania, Dutch East Indies, Galicia, India, and about I per cent. from other countries. The demand is increasing more rapidly than the supply, and the course of future developments depends on the extent to which supplies can be increased, and also upon the way in which the oil is used. The supply from Russia is likely to increase, as there are large areas still undeveloped. The supply from Mexico will become much greater, but it may be entirely absorbed by the United States. There has been a great increase of production in California, which State is being rapidly transformed from an agricultural to a manufacturing country. Increased supplies may be expected from the Dutch East Indies, Roumania, Peru, Alberta, Persia and Trinidad. Oil fuel is at present used as motor spirit, in place of coal for raising steam, and in Diesel and semi-Diesel engines. The increasing demand is most marked in the case of motor spirit, and methods of increasing the yield of petrol, of obtaining motor spirit from coal tar and from shale oil, and the use of alcohol in place of petrol are discussed. The consumption of petroleum for naval purposes is rapidly increasing, the oil being used for raising steam and for driving Diesel engines. All new warships for the United States Navy are designed for oilfuel, and an area of about IOO square miles of oil-bearing land in California has been set aside as a reserve supply. Large quantities of oil-fuel are used on locomotives on the Russian State Railways, and the advantages are such that oil would be largely used in Great Britain if adequate supplies could be obtained at a moderate price. In view of the limited supplies, the principal development in the near future, apart from naval requirements, will be in the use of Diesel and semi-Diesel engines, since the high thermal efficiency of these engines makes it profitable to use oil-fuel at a price which would be prohibitive for steam raising. If the market value of oil-fuel becomes established on this basis, it will not be possible to use oil to any great extent in place of coal for raising steam. l~luorspar in Glass. L. SPRINGER. (Sprechsaal, xlvii, 4, 2 1 . ) The use of fluorspar in glass is not recommended except in special cases and under favorable circumstances. It attacks the hearth and walls of the furnace and makes the exit gases more injurious. By the formation and decomposition of silicon fluoride it produces a scum of silica on the surface of the glass, and alters the constitution of the glass in respect of the proportion of acid to base. On the other hand, it is said to impart brilliancy to bottle glass, and to increase its resistance under pressure.