Document pRoqkoeryQrmkj6aokZj1ya

'Wfcct'jra rM#k Mivy'n matft f( tabber?" mattered Hio cbltf to tiimMlf. (deal Combination FOR TOP SELF-CONTAINED STEAM /GENERATOR EFFICIENCY Marmaduke's Rubber Condenser Tubes "BlLCBWATBQ ON ENCINBKItS WITH strait-jacket minds!" roored Marmaduke Surfaeeblow aa I barged into O'Houllhan's Mechino Shop and Engine Works last week. "If you don't have imagination and a naturol savvy of ma chinery, then steer clear of power plants." 1 had started to climb the rickety stairs to the old consulting engineer's office'when I heard that familiar fog horn voice above the machine shop's lapping and squeeking leather belts. A letter from A W Shepherd of San Diego, California, had brought me here looking for seme information. Entering the machine shop, I saw. Mnrmy surrounded by O'Houlihan, Pete Jacobs, the foreman, and aome machin ists in greasy overalls. O'Houlihan was checking a blueprint and measuring a large half-machined casting. Then he shook his bald head sadly--evidently the job had been spoiled. But Marmaduke kept sounding oil, so I walked inside and listened. "Here's what I mean," bellowed Mormy, paying no attention to O'HouIihan's heodeche. "Back In 1916 1 was maintenance foreman at the Pacific Cas A Electric Co in San Francisco. We had several large condensers of 6000 tubes apiece. About 400 tubes had been leaking in one condenser, so they were plugged from both ends with tapered brass plugs. My Job was to retube that condenser. "Chief engineer Jake Dnimmerhouser was on edge because the plant couldn't supply enough power as it was, so he wanted that retubing job done in record lime. And he made it dear that nothing was to prevent smooth sailing once the new lubes arrived and we ahut down. "I doped out o schedule and drilled my men so every move would count when we finally got the new tubes. Each man practiced a job on a small scrip eon. denser until he could do his part with hU eyes closed. After several weeks the long botes arrived. I had them stowed near the condenser so they'd be handy. "Jake gave me the green light a few doys later. We were to ahut down sad start retubing on Sunday morning. We'd work around the cloek until that con denser was buttoned up. To mske thing* interesting, I promised my boys s dam bake, with all the beer they could drink,, if we made knots. "Soon os the condenser was cut out my gang heaved to like on old time Navy bucket brigade. They spun those ono-lnch nuts off the water-box cover studs so fast the threads smoked. Not* were dropping to the door-plates like s hailstorm rounding Cape Horn. In no time we hoisted the water box cover out of the way and started reamiog ort the old tubes. "My plan was to have each now tube guided in by following an old tube es we pulled it out. The new tubes were 1-in. Admiralty bronre, 20 ft long- Bat the first oew tuba didn't quite reach tn opposite lube sheet. That scuttled the works. " 'Maybe she's a short one that Into the shipment,' someone reasoned. But the next tube didn't reach eitherA quick check showed everyone e( lboe 6000 lubes 3 inches short. (Continued on page 222) 1*. PLANT OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SECTION rowu WATER TREATMENT SCALE AND CORROSION PREVENTION With a Nalco Service Policy and Nalco Chemicals to fit your water treatment requirements, you can keep your self-contained boilers operating indefinitely at top efficiency -- without aoy of the costly difficulties caused by scale and corrosion. This part of the Nalco System was designed expressly to provide small boiler users with the same complete water treatment services enjoyed by thousands of the country's largest power plants. A new 4-page bulletin gives complete details on The Nalco System as applied to the modern selteontained boiler. Your copy will be sene promptly, without obligation. Write for Bulletin 49 ^^SR-1 -155 FUEL OIL ADDITIVE FUEL SAVING... CLEAN BURNERS Nalco SR-l 53 is a complete fuel oil additive. It replaces two, three or more 'ingle-purpose additives to: (1) keep storage tanks, fuel lines and .turners free of sludge and gum; (2) prevent soot forma tion in the firebox and flues; (}) inhibit corrosion throughout the fuel system; and (4) act as a combustion catalyst to assure com plete burning of oil. Fuel savings and reduced maintenance costs usually more than repay the cost of continuous SR-153 treatment -- and very little SR-133 is needed per 1,000 gallons of fuel oil! Details on Nalco SR* 133 will be sent on request. Write for Bulletin 46 the NATIONAL AlUMINATE CORPORATION 6222 West 66th Place Chicago 38, Illinois Canadi*inquiries should he addressed to AUhtm Limited, Burlington, Ontario SYSTEM Serving Industry through Practical Applied SeleaM DECEMBER I9U