Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Thursday 16 August 1923, page 21


Subiaco v. South Fremantle: Snaps of Last Saturday's Match.

THE RETORT HOUSE FROM THE NORTH-EAST.

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE RETORT HOUSE.

VIEW OF STEEL RAILWAY STRUCTURE.

PURIFIEES IN COURSE OF ERECTION.

PERTH'S NEW GAS PLANT.

(See Illustrations, Page 21.)

In 1913 the Perth City Council de-rided to erect an up-to-date gas plant

on the site at the corner of Kensington-street and Trafalgar-road, East Perth, and to make no further extensions of the old gas plant in Wellington-street.

Early in 1914 a contract was placed with Messrs. Clayton and Sons, Leeds, England, for the erection of a spiral

guided gas holder with a capacity of (50,000 cubic feet, and an 18in. cast iron main was laid to connect the new holder with the old gas works. It was intended at that time to proceed at once with the erection of a vertical retort plant and other necessary work, but, owing to the outbreak of war in August, 1914, within a few meeks after the gas bolder was ordered, it became, impos-sible to proceed with the other work and the use of the old plant had to be continued to provide the gas required by the public. Two additional retort beds were added to the old plant and with that equipment the management of the Gas Department have, with great difficulty, been able to supply the de-mand. Owing to the war, coal supplies were frequently very short and at one time jarrah and white gum to the extent of 1,000 toms were used to assist in keep-ing up the supply. For a considerable time after the termination of the war the coal supplies were unsatisfactory, and, owing to the plant being so heavily overloaded, only the fact that a small carburetted water gas plant was avail-able and oil could be purchased enabled the supply to he maintained.

On account of financial difficulties the shortage of materials and the great rush there was in England and else-where for equipment immediately after the war, it was impossible to resume the construction of the gas plant until 1920. In the beginning of that year contracts were let for a reinforced con-crete coal store, piling and foundations and the steel railway viaduct, the former work being carried out by Messrs. Vincent Bros., and the steel work by Messrs. Elder, Smith and Company. The concrete work, which was considerably delayed through the difficulty in obtain-ing broken metal, cement, etc., was not finished until January, 1922. In Octo-

ber, 1921, the contract for the erec-tion of the Woodall-Duckham vertical retort plant and retort house, coal and coke handling apparatus; etc., was

placed with Messrs. Gibbons (Aus-tralasia) Pty., Ltd., with the expecta-tion that the work would he finished in Octoher, 1922, and contracts were placed with Messrs. Hoskins and Com-

pany, Ltd., A. T. Brine and Sons, W. Fairweather, Saunders and Stuart, Pty., Ltd., and Messrs. Todd Bros.. for other portions of the work. Owing, however, to the various delays in shipping, short-age of material, and the engineering strike, the work was held up for many

months and, although it ls now proceed-ing actively, the plant will not be in working order for gas making purposes until the end of the year.

When the plant is completed Perth will possess one of the most up-to-date and efficient, gasmaking plants in the Commonwealth. The lay-out of the plant is such that it will economise greatly in the handling of materials. The coal will be dropped direct from the railway trucks, which run in on the elevated railway siding into the coal store. From there it will be handled by a two-ton electric self-tipping truck into the hoppers of the coal breaker, and after passing through it will be taken by travelling elevator to the bunkers located in the top of thc re-tort building above each retort, from where it will be charged through chutes into the retorts. After the carbonisation process is completed the coke will drop from the bottom of the retorts into the coke conveyor for re-moval. The Woodall-Duckham vertical retort system has given highly satisfac-tory results in England, Melbourne Ade-laide and elsewhere, and through its high efficiency will increase the make of gas from 15,000 to 18,000 cubic feet per ton of coal as against 10,000 to 12,000 cubic feet as obtained in the old type

of retorts now in use.

The plant will be equipped with the latest type ot washers, condensers, puri-fiers, etc., and there should be no diffi-

culty in maintaining a steady supply with uniform quality of gas. The verti-cal retort plant will have a capacity of one million cubic feet per day, and has been laid out so it can be increased to 1½ million cubic feet when required, all the auxiliary plant being suitable for that quantify.

The design and lay-out of the plant has been made by the Electricity and Gas Department, and the erection work is being carried out under the direct supervision of the gas engineer. Mr. J. Andrew. In anticipation of the comple-tion of the works extensive demands have been made for the laying of mains in different parts of Perth, and the council have authorised the department to proceed with a considerable amount of this work, and substantial local or-ders have been placed for pipe, but ow-ing to thee present plant being overload-ed and not capable of efficiently dealing with the existing connections further ex-tensions and connections cannot be made until the new plant is working. Pre-parations, however, are being made to make the connections desired as prompt-ly as possible after the gas from the new works is available.