The use of hot water
pipes heated by gas may also be occasionally advisable, but, unless for
some special reason, it is much more economical to use coal or coke, as
the bulk of water makes an exceedingly good regulator, and makes a fire
practically as steady and reliable as gas, thus superseding the more
costly fuel.
For one of my own purposes I need hot-water pipes, having very little
variation in temperature night and day; and using coke for economy's
sake, I get a regular temperature by heating a large quantity of water,
about 200 gallons, with the fire, and inclosing this in a tank jacketed
with slag wool. My circulating pipes run from this tank, and a
practically steady temperature, night and day, can be obtained with the
most irregular firing, and occasional extinction of the fire for several
hours at once.
For the heating of liquids, the greatest economy is to be obtained
from one single flame, of as high a temperature as can conveniently be
obtained, and the flame must be in actual contact with the vessel to be
heated.
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