The bags should be 18 to 20 in. in diameter. Therefore the cloth should be of such width as to make that diameter with only one seam, allowing for the lap. Cloth 62 in. in width is most convenient. It costs 4 to 5c. per yard. The seam is made by lapping the edges about 1 in., or by turning over the edges and then lapping, in the latter case the stitches passing through four thicknesses of the cloth. It should be sewed with No. 50 linen thread, making two rows of double lock-stitches.
The thimbles to which the bags are fastened should be of No. 10 sheet steel, the rim being formed by turning over a ring of 0.25 in. wire. The bags are tied on with 2 in. strips of muslin. The nipples are conveniently spaced 27 in. apart, center to center, on the main pipe.
The gas is best introduced at a temperature of 250 deg. F. Too high a temperature is liable to cause them to ignite. They are safe at 300 deg. F., but the temperature should not be allowed to exceed that point.
The gas is cooled by passage through iron pipes of suitable radiating surface, but the temperature should be controlled by a dial thermometer close to the bag-house, which should be observed at least hourly, and there should be an inlet into the pipe from the outside, so that, in event of rise of temperature above 300 deg., sufficient cold air may be admitted to reduce it within the safety limit.
In the case of gas containing much sulphur dioxide, and especially any appreciable quantity of the trioxide, the bags should be of unwashed wool. Such gas will soon destroy cotton, but wool with the natural grease of the sheep still in it is not much affected. The gas from Scotch hearths and lead-blast furnaces can be successfully filtered, but the gas from roasting furnaces contains too much sulphur trioxide to be filtered at all, bags of any kind being rapidly destroyed.
ROTARY BLOWERS VS. BLOWING ENGINES FOR LEAD SMELTING
A note in the communication from S. E. Bretherton on “Pyritic Smelting and Hot Blast,” published in the _Engineering and Mining Journal_ of April 13, 1901, refers to a subject of great interest to lead smelters. Mr. Bretherton remarked that he had been recently informed by August Raht that by actual experiment the loss with the ordinary rotary blowers was 100 per cent. under 10 lb. pressure; that is, it was possible to shut all the gates so that there was no outlet for the blast to escape from the blower and the pressure was only 10 lb., or in other words the blower would deliver no air against 10 lb. pressure. For that reason Mr. Raht expressed himself as being in favor of blowing engines for lead blast furnaces. This is of special interest, inasmuch as it comes from one who is recognized as standing in the first rank of lead-smelting engineers. Mr. Raht is not alone in holding the opinion he does.