Regenerators

Regenerators are large chambers used with gas furnaces in order to make use of the heat which is carried away by the products of combustion and would otherwise be lost. These gaseous products pass through chambers partially built in with bricks, and so heat these chambers to a very high temperature. The direction of the currents of gas and air to the furnace is then reversed so as to pass through this heated regenerator before combustion, while the gaseous products pass through another similar chamber. In this way the heat produced by the burning of the gas is greatly increased, and the application of these regenerators effects a very considerable economy in the fuel necessary.