Book excerpt: The Efficient Use of Energy, Second Edition is a compendium of papers discussing the efficiency with which energy is used in industry. The collection covers relevant topics in energy handling and describes the more important features of plant and equipment. The book is organized into six parts. Part I presents the various methods of heat production. The second part discusses the use of heat in industry and includes topics in furnace design, industrial heating, boiler plants, and water treatment. Part III deals with the production of mechanical and electrical energy. It tackles the principles of internal combustion engines, generators, and the use of nuclear energy. Total energy systems and heat salvage are covered in Part IV. Part V elucidates on the use of refractory and insulating materials and the importance of instrumentation and control in the regulation of energy consumption. The final section focuses on the environmental aspect of energy production such as the control of pollutants emanating from plants during production. The book will be of use to engineers and plant production managers.