View report page

50
31.. SMOKE ABATEMENT.
Conditions prevailing in the factories of the district are so
improved by the introduction during recent years of better methods,
and the greater application of gas, electricity and what was previously
waste heat, that, except for mechanical breakdowns or
faulty stoking, there are few occasions for complaint. Also, the
knowledge that any offence is likely to be the subject of a notice
from the Local Authority acts as a deterrent. During the year 115
smoke observations were carried out on factory chimneys and notices
were served with respect to the 24 offences registered.
The question of grit emission from the chimneys of the
generating station at Creekmouth continues to cause anxiety.
The trouble is of a serious character, bristling with technical
difficulties.
The grit emanating from the pulverised fuel plant of the undertaking
is of so fine and impalpable a nature as to be difficult to
distinguish from ordinary fumes, and therefore difficult to arrest
with the usual type of grit arrestor.
It is estimated that, working under the best conditions and
with fuel of low ash content, at least one half ton of this fine dust
is discharged into the atmosphere every hour. Most of this falls
over the site of the generating station, but, given unfavourable
winds, neighbouring properties and the Creekmouth cottages do
at times suffer from this emission.
Experiments are proceeding with a view to remedying or
mitigating the nuisance.
The question of gas washing is receiving consideration. In
view of the difficulty of introducing to a large existing plant equipment
for this purpose, the possibility of a solution on these lines is
unlikely unless engineering research finds some way of dealing with
the gases during the high velocity flow. The enormous storage
chambers required whilst the gases are being reduced from high to
low velocity make impracticable the provision of gas washing plant
in any building not specially designed to accommodate such chambers.