Edward Windsor Richards
Encyclopedia
Edward Windsor Richards was a British engineer
, and steel maker.
He was an apprentice at the Rhymney Iron and Steel Works.
He studied the economy of utilizing the waste heat
in blast furnace gas
es.
He worked as assistant, and chief engineer of the Tredegar Iron Works
.
In 1871, he was general manager of the Ebbw Vale Iron Works
, where he planned the Bessemer Steel
Department.
In 1875, he was General Manager of Eston
Ironworks of Bolckow, Vaughan and Co.
These included three hæmatite
blast furnaces, and his work contributed to the development of the Gilchrist-Thomas process
.
In 1888, he worked at the manufacture of wrought iron
, at the Low Moor Works
.
He retired in 1898.
He was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
in 1896 and 1897, and was President of the Iron and Steel Institute, of which he was an Original Member, in 1894.
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, and steel maker.
Life
He was educated at Monmouth and Christ’s Hospital.He was an apprentice at the Rhymney Iron and Steel Works.
He studied the economy of utilizing the waste heat
Waste heat
Waste heat sometimes called Secondary heat or Low-grade heat refers to heat produced by machines, electrical equipment and industrial processes for which no useful application is found. Energy is often produced by a heat engine, running on a source of high-temperature heat...
in blast furnace gas
Blast furnace gas
Blast furnace gas is a by-product of blast furnaces that is generated when the iron ore is reduced with coke to metallic iron. It has a very low heating value, about 93 BTU/cubic foot, because it consists of about 60 percent nitrogen, 18-20% carbon dioxide and some oxygen, which are not flammable....
es.
He worked as assistant, and chief engineer of the Tredegar Iron Works
Tredegar Iron and Coal Company
Tredegar Iron and Coal Company was a major maker of iron in Tredegar, Wales, which due to its need for coke became a major developer of coal mines and particularly the Sirhowy Valley of South Wales...
.
In 1871, he was general manager of the Ebbw Vale Iron Works
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
, where he planned the Bessemer Steel
Bessemer process
The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass-production of steel from molten pig iron. The process is named after its inventor, Henry Bessemer, who took out a patent on the process in 1855. The process was independently discovered in 1851 by William Kelly...
Department.
In 1875, he was General Manager of Eston
Eston
Eston is a town within the Unitary Authority of Redcar and Cleveland, England. Within the Middlesbrough agglomeration it falls inside the Greater Eston initiative...
Ironworks of Bolckow, Vaughan and Co.
These included three hæmatite
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
blast furnaces, and his work contributed to the development of the Gilchrist-Thomas process
Bessemer process
The Bessemer process was the first inexpensive industrial process for the mass-production of steel from molten pig iron. The process is named after its inventor, Henry Bessemer, who took out a patent on the process in 1855. The process was independently discovered in 1851 by William Kelly...
.
In 1888, he worked at the manufacture of wrought iron
Wrought iron
thumb|The [[Eiffel tower]] is constructed from [[puddle iron]], a form of wrought ironWrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon...
, at the Low Moor Works
Low Moor, Bradford
Low Moor is a village in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England.- History :Before 1790 Low Moor was nothing but a hamlet where a small number of cottages housed a few handloom weavers who sold their produce in places like the Halifax Piece Hall...
.
He retired in 1898.
He was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
in 1896 and 1897, and was President of the Iron and Steel Institute, of which he was an Original Member, in 1894.