[modeleng] Re: Char

My neighbour who works at one of the last 3 mines in Nottinghamshire gets 
his free coal from Poland & supplies me.

E.W.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "alan Stepney" <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 8:53 PM
Subject: [modeleng] Re: Char


> Coal is probably THE best fuel, if, and it is a big IF, you can get the
> right quality.
> From being one of the largest coal producers, we now import most of our
> supplies.
> Some from Poland, some from Argentina, from China, and other places.
> The quality is very variable, and that causes many of the problems we 
> suffer
> from.
>
> The industrial char you mention, must have a lower calorific value than 
> coal
> (decent coal) as brown coal itself, has a lower calorific value.
>
> As for charcoal, apart from the expense, (dear, over here) that too has a
> lower calorific value than coal.
>
> Of course, cal val isnt everything.
> Clinker causes problems, as does the amount of tar in the coal. Much also
> has inclusions of stones of various types, which cause problems.
> The original Welsh steam coal  had quite a lot of tar and would cake
> together to a red hot mass of fire, that would then continue to give off
> amazing amounts of heat for a long time, before falling apart into dust.
> Unfortunately, Welsh Steam Coal  is now used generically for a wide range 
> of
> coals, hardly any of which come from Wales, and all of which have 
> different
> properties.
>
> As for the bit about carbon monoxide, this is always present with
> combustion, and far worse with coke.
> Given the correct air ratio it should all be burned in the firebox, but
> rarely do "we" have the exact ratio or air to do so.
>
> Alan Stepney
>
>
> http://www.alanstepney.info
> Model Engineering & steam engine information pages
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Lee Grant" <leegrant@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 7:45 AM
> Subject: [modeleng] Char
>
>
> I have been reading the thread about Titanium grates on the modeleng.org
> board.  First I must state that what I know about raising steam and 
> driving
> a model steam locomotive you could tattoo on to a tadpoles todger but it
> seems to me that burning coal is more trouble than its worth with holes
> burnt in grates and arches, clinker,
> excess residue, fire going out, driver feeling a bit crook after a days
> steaming.
> The most popular fuel used here in Oz seems to be industrial Char made 
> from
> brown coal.  There was a comparison test done by Hornsby M.E.S and 
> reported
> in A.M.E issue 119 on Welsh Steam Coal and they thought that Char was
> better. As there may not be a similar product available in the U.K. I 
> though
> about solid BBQ fuel. From what I can find out its a very similar product
> only a bit more refined with all the nasty bits taken out Its clean their 
> is
> no smoke no smell (cooking food with char can poison You)  This stuff is
> sold everywhere in Oz Supermarkets, service stations, hardware stores. A 
> 4Kg
> bag at my local supermarket costs $6.50 Probably cost less than half that
> wholesale. Tel told me he has used it in a vertical steel boiler without 
> any
> problems. If this product is available in the UK it may be a viable
> alternative. Anybody else have any thought's on this.  I will keep asking
> around somebody must have tried it in a loco.
> Maybe there is a business opportunity here.
> http://www.auschar.com.au/index.html
> Lee
>
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