Bethlehem Steel (Bethlehem, PA) | Engine #3

This is a view looking north, into the carcass of engine #3. These engines were powered by waste gas produced by the blast furnaces. The gas, mainly carbon monoxide, had a low thermal value (100 BTU per cubic foot), which was approximately one tenth that of natural gas. Because of the low power output of the gas, the engines were built with extremely large cylinders. Large cylinders enabled more gas to come in, thus using increased quantity to make up for quality. In order to ignite the fuel, a ring of 4 to 6 spark plugs (the same type used in radial aircraft engines) encircling the cylinder were used. The fuel entered from the top and exhausted from the bottom.

- information provided by the National Museum of Industrial History
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Photograph taken in 2009 at the abandoned Bethlehem Steel complex in Bethlehem PA by Matthew Christopher of Abandoned America. The Bethlehem Steel site has since been incorporated into the Steel Stacks and Sands Casino.