--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hill, George E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 2 number: 7 published: 1899-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hill, George E., "The Wonders of Liquefied Air," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 7 (May 1899): 497–502.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera27unse start_page: 497 end_page: 502 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse publication_year: 1899 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Wonders of Liquefied Air THE WONDERS OF LIQUEFIED AIR. BY GEO. E. HILL. " Wonders shall never cease." This is the dispensation of the fullness of times, during which the powers of God will be made manifest, both in regard to religion and also in science which go to minister to the comfort, convenience and happiness of man's temporal life. Upon each great new discovery being made we are led to exclaim, "has not the limit been reached?" But each succeed- ing invention and achievement in a measure prepares us for what- ever may follow, and to a great extent the people of today are rather inclined to believe the incredulous, and what may appear at present impossible, by reason of the great things which have been brought about in the recent past and so they are somewhat prepared for surprises. The Latter-day Saints believe that God will, during this dispensation, reveal everything that will work to the betterment of humanity's condition, whether it be of a religious or scientific nature. They account the sudden and new strokes of ideas 'given to various renowned inventors and discoverers, prompting them in their researches, to be the inspiration of the Father from whom all intelligence emanates. It is an .erroneous jdeato believe I that God is merely the source of that which strictly pertains to the spiritual welfare of his children; and is indifferent to their material or temporal welfare. If God is the author of all good we must accredit him with all things brought to light for our 'happiness. We will have to admit that more scientific knowledge has been 498 IMPROVEMENT ERA. diffused among the inhabitants of the earth in this our day, than has apparently ever been the case in all preceding ages. For proof of this statement read the following table of inventions and discoveries: NINETEENTH CENTURY. 1. Railways. 2. Steamships. 3. Electric telegraphs. 4. Tele- phone. 5. Lucifer matches. Gas illumination. 7. Electric lighting, 6. 8. Photography. 9. The phonograph. 10. Roentgen rays. 11. Spectrum analysis. 12. Anaesthetics. 13. Antiseptic surgery. 14. Conservation of energy. 15. Molecular theory of gases. 16. Velocity of light directly measured, and earth's rotation experimentally shown. 17. The uses of dust. 18. Chemistry, definite proportions. 19. The meteors and meteoric theory. 20. The glacial epoch. 21. Cell theory and embryology. 22. Germ theory of disease, and the function of the Leucocytes. ALL PRECEDING AGES. 1. The mariner's compass. 2. The steam engine. 3. The telescope. 4. The barometer and thermometer. 5. Printing. 6. Arabic numerals. 7. Alphabetical writing 8. Modern chemistry founded. 9. Electric science founded. 10. Gravitation established. 11. Kepler's laws. 12. The differential calculus. 13. The circulation of the blood. 14. Light proved to have finite velocity. 15. The development of geometry. Why all this? The answer must be given in the light of the prophecies contained in the scriptures concerning the latter dispensation: God has a great work to perform in this dispensation relative to the redemption of mankind; his work is to be cut short in righteousness; there is a greater amount of it to be done and less time in which it can be accomplished now than in any other age of the world, hence the rays of intelligence given to many individuals — in other words, the Spirit of invention and discovery is and for some time past has been poured out upon the people, thus keepi ng pace with the revealed Gospel and its progress as to the salvation of the children of men, both proceeding hand in hand, each working for the benefit of the other, and all for the glory of God and the consummation of his purposes in these last days. THE WONDERS OF LIQUEFIED AIR. 499 The subject of this article, as far as it is understood at present, promises to revolutionize the world in respect to power, and possibly in regard to explosives. Attempts have been made for many years to liquefy air, but with little success. When the element has been produced heretofore, it proved to be too costly to materially aid man. It remained for Mr. Charles E. Tripler, of New York City, to successfully produce liquid air in a sufficient quantity to be of practical service as a means of power. He has been working upon this problem for about fifteen years and hai yrecently demonstrated that he can liquefy air in unlimited quantities. By intense cold is he able to accomplish this result, and not by pressure, the method heretofore used. The machine by which the air is liquefied appears to be nothing but a felt and canvas covered object about as large around as a barrel and possibly/ fifteen feet high. The bottom is set about the height of a person's! shoulders above the floor, and there is a little pipe beneath, upon] opening a frosty valve from which the liquefied air bursts out through/ a cloud of icy mist. Back to the compressor engine lead two sets of pipes and they both carry air under a pressure of 2,500 pounds to the square inch. By compression the heat is removed by passing these tubes containing air through coolers filled with running water, causing the air to enter the liquefier at about fifty degrees Fahrenheit. The air to be liquefied is contained in the first of said pipes, while the other carries the air that is to do the liquefying. In turning the valve at the lower end of the apparatus the air is allowed to escape through a small hole in the second pipe. This causes it to rush out over the first pipe expanding rapidly and taking up heat. The liquefier is so high that it acts like a chimney, drawing the icy cold air to the top, following the first pipe and eagerly extracting its heat. Continuing this process until such a degree of cold exists in the first pipe to liquefy the air and cause it to drip down into a vessel, only making it necessary to turn a valve and the liquefied air pours out ready for use. To produce liquid air a temperature oj 312 degrees below z ero^ is necessary. The average temperature in which we live is about sixty-five or seventy degrees above zero, and could it be possible for people to live in that temperature necessary to liquefy air, they 500 IMPROVEMENT ERA. would shrivel up if compelled to live in the temperature surrounding us. Alcohol which freezes at 202 degrees below zero and is used in high grade thermometers, will freeze solid if placed in liquid air, making such instruments no longer reliable when brought in contact with this fluid. Mercury, which freezes at about thirty-eight degrees below zero, can be frozen so hard by being placed in liquid air as to render it almost as hard as granite. Quantities of mercury have been frozen round and on the end of a stick in the shape of a hammer so hard that nails could be driven into wood with them. Portions of it have been frozen sufficiently hard as to sus- pend the weight of a man for about a half hour upon it. If liquid air be placed in a kettle and placed over a fire it will boil violently, causing a frost to appear all round the outside of the receptacle, even where the flame plays most fiercely upon it. The cause for this is, that the liquid air is, possibly, 500 degrees colder than the fire, so when it comes in contact with that element it boils, yet the cold is so great as to cause a white frost to form right over the blaze. This same kettle may be placed upon a large^cake^of^ice and the liquid air will continue to boil with almost as much force as when over the fire. The temperature of the ice is about 32 degrees fahrenheit, while liquefied air is 312, which makes ice 344 degrees warmer than liquid air and consequently causes it to boil vigorously. Liquid air will freeze iron and other metals so hard that /they become brittle like unto glass, and will break quite as easily if ^dropped. The tin cups in which it may be handled must be used very carefully. Liquid air is not quite as heavy as water and is about the same in appearance. When left in an open vessel a dense mist arises from it and will evaporate and go back into its original element. The hands can be dipped into it without injury, and it does not feel wet to the touch, still it must not be allowed to remain upon the fiesh as it would soon begin to burn like a white-hot iron. It is believed it will be well adapted to surgical uses for eating out diseased flesh, etc. It is absolutely pure and will doubtless act as a disinfectant when used in hospitals. It is also very vitalizing as it is composed largely of oxygen. In the near future who will venture to say that this strange substance cannot be utilized in the home and hotel, for the purpose of cooling our living apartments ' THE WONDERS OF LIQUEFIED AIR. 501 at will! In other words, cannot we have our rooms as cool as desired, thereby making it unnecessary to go to the mountain resorts in the summer season? AS A POWER PRODUCER. Mr. Tripler, to whom must be given the credit for this discovery which makes it possible to manufacture this substance at a cost that will probably make it an article of common use, has_suc^ cessfu]ly^5nj;Jen;horse^jpower engine with liquefiedair, and if this is possible, why cannot it be done on a larger scale? He is confident that it can be, to which end he is now working. Liquid air can be produced in unlimited quantities, and three gallons of it poured into this experimental engine will run it and the necessary attached machinery to produce ten gallons more, thus making a clear gain of seven gallons. Now apply this principle to railway engines and think of the possibilities. Such a locomotive would need no supply of coal or water; no fire or fireman; no large boiler and no water tanks and coal sheds filled with fuel along the line, but on the contrary, the engine as it sped along would gather its power-producing force from the unlimited supply of air which exists | everywhere upon the earth. All of the objectionable features in 1 respect to smoke, dirt, etc., would be done away. What a boon this would be, for stationary engines would draw their force from the air that fills the room in which they operate, and thereby obviate the dreaded smoke-nuisance and filth! Again contemplate what a blessing this new discovery would be to our great ocean steamships! It would be unnecessary to load them down with tremendous boilers, or use half the vessel as coal bunkers filled with thousands of tons of coal; and many other things used in connection with the present system could be dispensed with, and freight and passengers carried in lieu thereof, because the material used as motive power could be gathered on the way. Some fail to see how liquefied air can be used as a power producer. When understood the method is very simple. The confining of gas with its expanding qualities is what produces mechanical | power. Water is taken and by applying heat is converted into) — 502 IMPROVEMENT ERA. steam— gas, which being confined and desiring to escape, produces power. This is an expensive method because the gas has to be manufactured. Now, why not take air (which is gas,) in its orig- inal state and by confining it, produce power thereby. This is simply whaFMrTTripler has done. He reduces air-gas to a liquid, then while it is confined it expands, going back into its original state gas —which, having equal if not greater propensities to expand than steam, produces like or greater power, doing away with the great cumbersome boilers, coal, etc., the machinery for liquefying the air being very simple and light comparatively speaking. The danger of explosions is greatly lessened also. Air isjtojiguefied air as wat^;_^_to_steani. The gas is taken and reduced to a liquid, which can be handled much easier in this form than water can be after it is converted into steam (gas,) hence its utility; while the cost of its production is nominal as compared with the production of steam. Immediately upon liquid air being poured into the engine it begins to work vigorously, requiring only about ten minutes time . ' before liquid air begins to drip down from the liquefier into its re- ceptacle. This is almost instantaneous when compared with the slow and expensive method of "getting up steam" and starting a steam engine. First, fuel has to be obtained and lighted; water must be applied and then after a long delay steam sufficient for the running of machinery is at length obtained and the engine started. Note the economy of time, means and labor in favor of this latter power. There is a great waste of time and materials in all that man undertakes, and when he is enabled to avoid vio- I lating the laws of economy, then will he enjoy more perfect things / for his good upon this earth. Surely we are drawing nearer and / nearer to this goal and the intelligence of man is increasing and / his knowledge expanding. It is also believed that this new discovery will make serial navigation possible in the near future. The trouble in the past has been the over-weight of the necessary machinery to propel air ships, but with this new power this objection is overcome. It is thought that by a proper mixture of liquid air with cot- ton, wool, glycerine or any other hydrocarbon, an explosive of enormous power could be produced. The possibility of accidental explosion is or will be eliminated, because unlike our fighting vessels