Abstract
FROM the time when Mr. Frederick Siemens first introduced regenerative gas-burners, now ten years ago, down to the present day, this method of burning gas for illuminating purposes has been adopted all over the world, and has come to the assistance of the gas companies by illustrating the fact that, with proper appliances, gas can produce the same brilliant effects as are ordinarily produced by means of electricity, at much less expense both as regards first cost and working. We would explain that in regenerative lamps the heat which is usually wasted in ordinary burners is to a great extent returned to the flame. The manner in which this result is brought about is by intercepting, by means of a regenerator, the heat passing away with the products of combustion, and applying the heat thus saved to raise the temperature of the air which feeds the flame, thus increasing the temperature of the latter, and its illuminating power; for it may be admitted that the higher the temperature of a body rendered incandescent by heat, the greater is the proportion of light rays emitted out of the total amount of energy radiated. This being the case, the amount of heat carried from such a source of illumination to the surrounding atmosphere by conduction and convection must be less than in the case of a burner consuming the same quantity of gas burning at a lower temperature, which circumstance, combined with the well-known economy resulting from the use of these burners, accounts to a great extent for the popularity which regenerative lamps have attained.
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A New Form of Regenerative Gas-Lamp. . Nature 40, 82–83 (1889). https://doi.org/10.1038/040082a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/040082a0