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By Vard H. Johnson

IN 1943 the U. S. Bureau of Mines undertook drilling in an effort to develop new reserves of coking coal in an area near Paonia, Colo., as a part of an attempt to alleviate the shortage of known coking coal of good quality in the western United States. Geologic mapping of the area was undertaken by the U. S. Geological Survey with the purpose of first furnishing guidance in location of drillholes and later aiding in interpreting the results of the drilling. The drilling program was under the general supervision of A. L. Toenges of the U. S. Bureau of Mines. J. J. Dowd and R. G. Travis were in charge of the work in the field. Geologic mapping was started by D. A. Andrews of the Geological Survey in the summer of 1943 and was continued from the spring of 1944 to 1949 by the writer. The first few holes drilled failed to locate coking coal, but in the summer of 1944 coking coal was discovered by drilling 6 miles east of Somerset, Colo., the site of present mining. In the succeeding years, 1945 to 1948, 100 to 150 million tons of coal suitable for coking were blocked out by drilling. The ensuing discussion of the geologic controls on the distribution of coking coal in the area is based on the geologic mapping as well as the drilling done in the Paonia area, more complete descriptions of which have appeared or are in process of publication."' In order that the possible geologic controls affecting the present distribution of coking coal may be considered, it is necessary to discuss briefly the indicators of coking quality coals. Coking Coal Coal that cokes has the property of softening to form a pastelike mass at high temperatures under reducing conditions in the coke oven. This softening is accompanied by the release of the volatile constituents as bubbles of gas. After release of the contained gases and upon cooling, a hard gray coherent but spongelike mass remains that is referred to as coke. This substance varies greatly in physical properties and, to be suitable for industrial use, must be sufficiently dense and strong to withstand the crushing pressure of heavy furnace loads. Western coals have a generally high volatile content and therefore form a satisfactory coke only when they attain a rather high fluidity during the process of heating arid distillation in the coke oven. When this high degree of fluidity is developed, the volatile constituents escape and leave a finely porous coke. On the other hand, when the degree of fluidity is low the product is an excessively porous and therefore physically weak mass that is called char." Small quantities of oxygen present in coal are believed to decrease the fluidity of the material during the coking process and to favor the development of char rather than coke. In consequence, coal chemists have for some time considered the possibility of developing an index to coking qualities by inspection of chemical analyses of coals.' A formula has now been developed that does permit a rough preliminary estimate of the cokability of coal on the basis of the analysis on an ash and moisture-free basis. Coals may be eliminated as possible coking fuels if the oxygen content is greater than 11 pct. Similarly the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen must be greater than 0.5 and the ratio of fixed carbon to volatile constituents must be greater than 1.3. If the coal, on the basis of these limiting factors, appears to have possible coking qualities, the following formula permits determination of the coking index: a+b+c+d Coking index = -------- 5 a equals 22/oxygen content on ash and moisture-free basis, b equals two times the hydrogen content divided by oxygen content on moisture and ash-free basis, c equals fixed carbon/l.3 x volatile matter, and d equals the heating value on moist, ash-free basis/13,600. Coking indices higher than 1.0 suggest that the coal will coke, and indices above' 1.1 indicate good coking tendencies. Although generally usable, this formula 'is not completely satisfactory because the percentage of oxygen shown in ultimate analyses is derived only by difference; i.e., by subtracting the sum of the percentages of the constituents determined analytically from 100 pct. Although the coking index indicates the coking tendencies of coal, it is necessary to make physical tests of coke before its industrial value can be determined. The U. S. Bureau of Mines has developed a standard procedure for determining the approximate strength of coke that would be formed from a given coal. In this test one part of ground coal, mixed with 15 parts of carborundum, is baked to form a standard briquette. The weight, in kilograms, necessary to crush the briquette is termed the agglutinating index. This test determines the relative fluidity attained in the coking process by measuring the cementing strength of the coal in the briquette. A

Jan 1, 1953

By Carroll F. Hardy

The day by day loss of industrial plants to gas and oil is chiefly by default. The coal industry is not selling its superior economy, safety, and other advantages to its customers. THE position of the coal industry has been affected by a wide variety of developments in the production and use of energy. The tempo of development and change has been increasing and the end is not in sight. Legislation is currently being proposed for commercial use of atomic power, and the employment of atomic energy in significant quantity will probably occur about the same time as the decline in production of petroleum and natural gas. But these developments are in the future and have little immediate effect on utilization and marketing of coal. While no one should try to suppress or retard the development of a new and economical source of energy, both the coal and private utility industry should be allowed to question how the nuclear power is to be used, who is to use it, and who is going to pay for it. The taxpayers have a monopoly on fissionable material and the knowledge to employ it. Any commercial use must stem from this source. It is not hard to visualize either taxpayer-subsidized private utility atomic power plants on one hand and super TVA's on the other. In view of the gains of gas and oil in the home heating field, it is interesting to compare the 1940 and 1950 census reports on the kind of fuel used for heating in occupied dwelling units. Table I shows that whereas coal provided 77 pct of the fuel for central heating (furnaces and boilers) in 1940, it was down to 45.4 pct in 1950. However, only about 1 1½ million units were lost in this 10-year period. In the non-central heating category, which principally includes stoves, the percentage declined from 39.2 to 25.6, but the units declined about 2½ million in number. The big increase was in heating units designed to burn gas and oil. Use of wood for central heating declined about one-third. Data on amount of fuels used for residential heating are not available, but information is on hand for residential and comnlercial space heating, see Table 11. Commercial space heating includes office buildings, churches, schools. and similar structures. The annual use of bituminous coal in these two categories declined about 1 million tons in the 10-year period. Other forms of solid fuel showed greater losses, except wood, which remained the same. Domestic stokers reached their high point in 1948 with about 1,200,000 in use. At the end of 1951 there were approximately 1,116,790 stokers in use. Conversions to gas and oil have been from hand-fired heating plants in the ratio of about 7 to 1 compared to stokers. In other words, for every one stoker which has been converted to gas or oil, seven hand-fired units have been converted to gas or oil. A bare recital of these data would indicate that the coal industry is holding its own reasonably well. However, 93.4 pct of the new homes built in 1951 were heated by gas or oil. Oil-burning equipment was installed in 37.8 pct and gas equipment in 55.6 pct of the new homes. This indicates that the public prefers gas when it is available, and that oil is second choice, with all forms of solid fuel apparently used when it is unavoidable. It must be pointed out, however, that during the period of rapid expansion of gas pipelines gas has been sold for house heating at prices that are in some cases actually lower than coal prices, or very nearly on a par. Gas has been sold at wells at far below the comparable price for oil produced from the same wells, and far below its actual worth. This situation is being remedied at the present time by increases in gas prices at the wells. For example, the wellhead price of gas in Texas averaged 7.494 per Mcf in 1952. In 1949 it was 4.59c per Mcf. This increase in price is being reflected in pipeline gas prices, and in most of the markets served by the pipelines the tendency is to get it out of the bargain basement type of sales. The American Gas Association estimates that at the end of 1952 there were in the United States about 11 million customers for gas house-heating, and the Association expects additional gains each year until around 18 million homes will be heated by gas in 1975. By 1975 there should be 60 million dwelling units to be heated in the United States, if dwelling units increase at the same rate as the population. If the gas industry heats 18 million dwelling units by that time, this still leaves 42 million units to be heated by some other fuel. If oil is used to heat 18 million dwelling units in that same year, 24 million would of necessity be heated by coal, coke, wood, electricity, or another fuel. The total number of dwelling units using coal listed in the 1950 Census was 18,776,000, so it would appear that coal has a chance at least to stand still in the tonnage sold for domestic use. In the first quarter of 1953, 2044 domestic stokers

Jan 1, 1955

By G. E. Keller, G. D. Coe

Several methods have been devised for rapid determination of sulfur in coal using a high-temperature combustion furnace. The fundamental principles of the various methods are similar but the techniques vary widely. The method described herein is no different in principle from some of its predecessors but varies considerably in technique. Originally devised to overcome the low-accuracy criticism leveled against the others, the tube-furnace method has proved successful for limited applications. Work is being done to widen the applicability of the technique. Subsequent to the work of A. Vita1 in 1920, a number of investigators have published data dealing with the rapid determination of sulfur in coal using a high-temperature combustion furnace.2-5 These, together with several unpublished methods, involve wide differences in technique although they are all similar in principle. Investigation of typical details of procedure showed that poor precision or accuracy could be attributed to one or more of the following: 1) inadequate quantity of sample to be representative, 2) a delivery tube temperature too low to confine condensation to a washable area of the tube, 3) no provision for back washing the delivery tube, 4) incomplete absorption of the sulfur compounds due to inadequate bubbler, and 5) the false assumption that all of the sulfur is evolved as sulfur dixoide. The method herein discussed is no different in principle from some of its predecessors; the differences are in technique. Although the method is rapid—a determination can be completed in 5 min— accuracy has riot been sacrificed in order to achieve speed. MATERIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL WORK Fig. 1 shows the arrangement of the equipment. A metered volume of oxygen is passed through calcium chloride for removal of moisture, then through Ascarite for removal of carbon dioxide, and thence through a glass tee to the feed end of the combustion tube. Connected to the side arm of the glass tee is a rubber tube that is closed with a pinch clamp during combustion of a sample. The products of combustion are expelled through a Vycor bubbler, the end of which is submerged 3 cm below the surface of a 1 pct hydrogen peroxide solution contained in a 300 ml high-form beaker. At the completion of the 4-min combustion period the contents of the beaker are titrated to a yellow end point, using a methyl red indicator, with 0.05 N sodium hydroxide (or sodium tetraborate). The pinch clamp on the tube leading from the tee in the oxygen line is then opened and mouth suction applied to draw the hydrogen peroxide up into the bubbler past the ell, almost to the rubber tube connecting the bubbler to the combustion tube. This washing of the bubbler is repeated until no further acid reaction with the indicator is obtained. The hydrogen peroxide-sul-furic acid solution is then titrated to the final yellow end point. Test work conducted at the Robena Laboratory disclosed the following critical conditions that had important bearing on the precision of the method: Weight of Sample: Several series of tests wherein the sample weight ranged from 0.1 to 0.5 g of -60 mesh coal showed that the lowest variance (standard deviation squared) resulted from the use of 0.5-g samples; the variance was slightly greater when 0.3-g samples were used, and with less than a 0.3-g sample weight the variance increased rapidly with decrease in weight. Although the use of a 0.5-g sample invariably resulted in a very slight explosion as soon as the sample entered the hot zone of the combustion tube, this did not detract from the precision of the method. Temperatures: Mott and Wilkinson5 found that a combination of low temperature (1250°C) and low oxygen flow rate (less than 700 ml per min) tended to give high results due to formation of oxides of nitrogen. Although the method herein employs a much higher oxygen rate than 700 ml per min, as an additional precaution to assure accurate results, 1315°C (2400° F) is recommended as the most desirable furnace temperature. The temperature of the elbow of the bubbler should be at least 75°C to minimize condensation

Jan 1, 1961

By Cloyd M. Smith

A few years ago, the Ventilation Committee established the practice of resenting one topic each year for discussion at the annual meeting. The practice has met good response on the part of committee members and I suggest that it be continued. The topic chosen for this year, "Underground Anemometry," is a topic which has bothered me for more than 20 years. It seems to me that the coal industry is content to rely on slipshod methods for measuring the rate of flow of air underground, so I prefaced my discussional charge to committee members with the statement that I regard air measnrements made in the usual way, with hand held anemometer, as no good. Agreements and disagreements came in from more than a dozen engineers, some of whom are with operating companies, coal and metal; some with manufacturers; others with government agencies. The statement was accompanied by a questionnaire on the use of the rotating vane anemometer and by one describing two methods of using a mechanically held anemometer. The questionnaire will be considered first. The questionnaire and statement are as shown on pages 5 and 6, the committee members and respondents are given on page 4, and the general comments of the latter on page 5. Questionnaire 1. Has your company or agency issued written instructions for care and use of anemometers? If so, please enclose a copy with reply. Only one answer, McElroy's, was affirmative. It gave reference to Bureau of Mines publications1'5 which recom- mend the hand held anemometer for rough measurements and indicate that am accuracy of 5 pct can be had if calibration and method factors are used. Mathews said that instructions are principally oral while Maize reported that state inspectors of his department are well trained in use and care of anemometers. 2. Are your anemometers calibrated periodically? If so, by their manufacturer? or by? Are calibralion corrections applied to all observed mean velocity readings? Only one respondent, Lee, answered negatively as to calibration. This means that anemometers are generally calibrated but the questionnaire failed to ask how often this is done. As no one volunteered the information, we have no data on this point. In six cases the instruments are sent to their manufacturers for calibration. but Krickovic reports that his company limits manu-facturers' calibrations to anemometers which are used by operating personnel; those used by the engineering department being calibrated by U. S. Bureau of Standards. The Anaconda Copper Mining Co. has its ventilation engineers calibrate its anemometers. Most of the respondents say that a calibration correction is applied to each mean velocity reading, but Krickovic limits this to surveys made by the engineering department. Since Lee does not calibrate, he has no correction to apply. Maize reports that his department has its anemometers calibrated but does not apply corrections. 3. Do your men hold the anemometer by hand in measuring air flow? for 1 min? or traverse the section? for 1 min? or at? points for 5 sec each? Of 10 replies, 6 were "yes," 3 were "no," and one was "seldom" with respect to holding by hand. Among the six hand holders, four hold in a central position in the measuring section for a minute, except that two of them, Krickovic and Matthews, traverse the section by hand for survey or fan test. Their operating personnel hold by hand, centrally, for routine measurements. McElroy sometimes traverses with hand-held anemometer in rapid survey work. 4. If the anemometer is not held by hand, how is it supported? Augustadt supports the anemometer on an adjustable rod, Condon on "a rod of sufficient length to reach all points with observer standing in one position throughout traverse and at arm's length from plane of traverse." I presume that arm's length must be interpreted liberally enough to allow for arm movement, otherwise it would be impossible to manipulate the anemometer throughout the traverse section. Mancha upholds Condon in this method of traversing. Glanville hangs the anemometer on the end of a 4-ft staff by the hasp at the top of the anemometer frame. McElroy mounts it on the end of a rigid square shaft, 12 in. long, the staff being at right angles to the axis of the instrument. He traverses the section in two halves, holding the anemometer 3 feet from his body.

Jan 1, 1950

By Cloyd M. Smith

B. F. TiLLson*— The manifold difficulties of accurate anemometry in irregular sections of mine passageways, the irregular distributions of velocities in cross sections of the same, and the disturbing influence of the observer upon the air flow, all indicate an undesirable inaccuracy of results obtainable by any standardized method of traversing the section by an anemometer. It seems obvious that another, and simpler, method should be used to determine the volume of air flow in mine passages, namely: 1. At appropriate locations cement or calked framework rings should be installed permanently to equalize the irregularities of sectional contour and provide a place and means of attachment for a temporary cloth brattice which bears a rigid orifice. 2. The measurement of the velocity of air flow through the orifice may then be by anemometer or, preferably, by Pitot tube measurements of the differential pressures on both sides of the orifice in accordance with the standard practices available in engineering 1iterature. † The constants may be determined for various measuring positions in relation to the resulting "vena contracta." 3. The position of the person who makes the measurements is behind the brattice out of the air stream. The Pitot tube does not offer as disturbing an obstruction as the anemometer. A recording gauge may be employed to integrate fluctuations in air flow through that portion of the mine. No traverses are required because the reading may be at a single central point. An anemometer can be used with an orifice flow. The orifice will increase the air velocity at the measuring point, with correspondingly more accurate measurements where the normal air velocity through the passageway is low. Portable brattices might be devised with the cushioning rims which would seal against irregular rock surfaces where permanent rings were not available or feasible. The development by the Ventilation Committee of standard procedures and devices for the orifice measurement of the flow of mine ventilating air might be a desirable project for this coming year. C. M. Smith (author's reply)—Thank you for your discussion of my paper on underground anemometry. Your suggested method of measuring underground air flow is a novel one which might be applicable in some situations. It should be tested along with other suggested methods in any investigation of this subject. G. E. McElroy*—In spite of the adverse publicity that vane-anemometer methods of air measurement have had in the past and that contributed by the present paper, I endorse Mr. Erickovic's statement that anemometer traversing "has proved to be widely applicable, expeditious and simple" and add that available methods are accurate enough for the purposes for which they may be used. The fact that the great majority of minor mine officials assess relative changes in rates of air flow by comparison of crude vane-anemometer measurements, known to average 20 to 30 pct high, has no important bearing on this subject, because state inspection standards were based originally on such methods of air measurement. Federal inspection standards are based on actual rates of flow as determined by traversing, and interest in traversing methods is rapidly increasing. In considering traversing methods, three aspects are of major importance: (1) the absolute accuracy of calibrations; (2) the degree of interference with normal flow conditions introduced by traversing methods designed for accurate measurement by shaft-mounted instruments; and (3) the proper "method" factor to use for approximate measurements by hand-held instruments. With respect to absolute accuracy of calibrations, we have always placed reliance on calibrations made by the National Bureau of Standards, with which manufacturers' calibrations have usually agreed very closely. It is therefore particularly disturbing to find7 that calibrations made previous to June 1947 are presumably about 5 pct in error because of excessive registry caused by the thin flat plates on which anemometers were mounted for calibration. Velocities corrected for calibration have therefore averaged about 5 pct low in all probability. In this connection, it is interesting to note that an anemometer calibrated against Pitot-tube measurement by a single-point method in the Bureau of Mines experimental coal nine in 1923 indicated this same difference of about 5 pct and that the same instrument calibrated by a traversing method in a metal mine some months later indicated a difference in the same direction of about 4 pct. These results are reported by the Bureau of Mines.8 Regarding the degree of interference, or changes in velocity distribution, caused by the position of the observer's body in traversing operations, misconceptions seem to be especially prevalent, resulting in increasing advocacy of methods, such as the "clear section" method outlined in this paper, that cause just the type of interferences that they are designed to avoid. The degree of interference for any method may be gauged easily by a few experiments with a velocity-pressure gauge connected to a Pitot tube or with an indicating velocity meter such as the Velometer. In an experiment cited by McElroy and Richardson,# a decrease of 5 pct was noted at ten widths upstream from a 6-in. plank, whereas an observer's body at about the maximum practical distance of 6 ft downstream from the instrument is only about four widths away. In the Bureau of Standards paper previously mentioned, it is recommended that supports used in calibrations be at least 16 widths downstream. In practice, therefore, a downstream position of the observer is ruled out as far as accurate measurement is concerned. Operation of the anemometer by rigid shaft support from a point outside the section is seldom practicable; however, accurate results can be obtained, with the anemometer rigidly attached to a short shaft and held at arm's length, by an observer advancing across the traversed section while he faces the opposite wall and stands sideways to the current, provided that he keeps the instrument at least 3 ft away from his body at all times and traverses the entire section with it. If the traverse can be started with the observer in a side recess, the entire section can be covered in one operation. Normally, it would be covered in two half-sections. The presence of the observer's body does not, as is commonly supposed, increase the average velocity throughout the remaining part of the section. Rather, the velocities 1 to 2 ft on either side of his body are increased, but the distribution of velocities throughout the rest of the cross section remains normal, and a traverse made as stated gives a true average velocity for normal-flow conditions. Regarding the proper "method" factor for accounting for interference in the approximate methods of traversing with hand-held instruments, here again confusion prevails, for which the writer must assume some of the blame. Comparison of consecutive traverses made by shaft-held and hand-held 4-in. anemometers in field work after the tests reported by McElroy and Richardson' gave method factors

Jan 1, 1950

By J. D. Forrester, Erich Sarapuu, T. C. Cheasley

Electrocarbonization of coal will produce cheap fuel for electric power plants. The complete electrification of industry and domestic power consumption of gas generated as fuel in situ is a worthwhile goal for the coal industry. Production of synthetic oils, gasoline, and coal chemicals from coal gas will create additional new markets for the coal industry. RANKING high in the nation's wealth of natural resources, readily available liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons are nevertheless falling steadily in supply, while industrial requirements for hydrocarbon compounds are greater today than during the peak period of World War 11. Theoretically, several processes will increase the future supply of liquid and gaseous fuels, but the practical application of these methods depends on two controlling factors: 1—that enough carbon-bearing material be available to warrant industrial exploitation, and 2—that the given process be physically, chemically, and economically applicable. With regard to the first factor, the Western Hemisphere is fortunately well supplied, see Table I. Table I not only shows the extensive occurrence of many fuel sources, but also the wide discrepancy among quantities of fuel substances in various materials. Great quantities of potentially available fuel have not been recovered. Many coal seams and other hydrocarbon-bearing deposits are so situated that production is uneconomical by present-day mining or oilwell pumping methods, and even in many exploitable deposits where the most efficient production methods are used a large proportion of material is never recovered. Industrial production of hydrocarbon liquids and gases must be better balanced, and processes must be developed which will convert coals, oil sand, and oil shales into fabricated commodities. Among the techniques employed by scientists and engineers to secure fuel masses not economically available at present are several processes of underground gasification. These are all concerned with converting raw materials into gaseous products by thermal treatment of source substances while they are still in the ground and therefore require that a subsurface heat (fire) zone be induced to affect pervasively the buried raw fuel deposit. This is possible only where sufficiently high temperature exists and where the fuel material is satisfactorily opened or channelized. Also, to compete successfully with common mining or oilfield practices, a given method must be controllable and must not involve greater operational expense than regular methods. Preferably, it should be less expensive. Since the close of World War 11, England has continued field studies of underground gasification methods. Experiments have also been conducted in Sweden, Estonia, France, Belgium, Italy, and Germany. The U. S. Government has sponsored field studies at Gorgas, Ala., and because gasification in situ is vitally important to establishment of the nation's fuel resources, the mining engineering department at the Missouri School of Mines has been actively interested in developing the process of underground electrocarbonization. Research was conceived by Erich Sarapuu, and preliminary experiments in treating bituminous coal were begun at the school in September 1947. The work consisted of laboratory experimentation until June 1948, at which time, through a cooperative agreement with the Sinclair Coal Co. of Missouri, pilot plant studies were instituted at the Tiger mine of the Hume-Sinclair Coal Co. near Hume, Mo., to test the encouraging laboratory findings. This comprehensive field program was pursued continuously until the beginning of 1952."'" The broad term underground electrocarbonization describes a unique gasification process that releases by electricity the desired economic constituents from a raw carbon-bearing material, converting the substance of such deposits into deliverable form and greatly reducing the cost-of-mining factor. Underground electrocarbonization is not subject to the major limitations of many other underground gasifi-

Jan 1, 1955

By J. J. Pfeiffer, A. A. Oming, J. W. Myers

The method used to process washery refuse for use as a building material aggregate is described. Results of studies made in investigating this process are summarized. The Bureau of Mines, in cooperation with two commercial coal producers, studied the feasibility of using coal washery refuse in manufacturing lightweight aggregate for building materials. Lightweight aggregate is used in making masonry products of lower bulk density than can be produced from conventional aggregate such as sand, gravel, and crushed rock. Among the advantages of lightweight masonry are reduced deadweight loads which reduce materials cost, lower cost of construction labor, and improved thermal and sound insulation. A process for making lightweight concrete aggregate from coal-washery refuse appeared attractive because of the availability of raw material which contained sufficient fuel to carry out the processing. Vast quantities of such refuse have accumulated throughout the coal-producing areas of the U.S. Generally it is stored in unsightly piles, creating a problem of air pollution and using space that could be devoted to other purposes. Conversion of the refuse to lightweight aggregate could remedy these conditions and effectively utilize a material normally considered waste. The first part of the program was conducted in cooperation with the Truax-Traer Coal Co. to determine the feasibility of utilizing refuse from the company's coal preparation plant at Ceredo, W. Va., in manufacturing lightweight aggregate. The aggregate was to be used in making cement blocks comparable to those known in the building trades as cinder blocks. This project was completed in 1954. Based on the results of this work, the cooperator began commercial development and formed the Trulite Corp. for this purpose. A plant capable of handling 120 tpd of refuse was constructed for approximately $120,000. It began operating on June 1, 1955.' In 1959 a similar study was made, under a cooperative agreement with the Carbon Fuel Co. of Charleston, W. Va., to rrscertain the suitability of refuse from its plant for conversion to lightweight aggregate. Under this program various modifications of equipment were made, and the investigation of process variables begun in the previous project was extended. PROCESSING METHOD The formation of lightweight aggregate from coal-washery refuse js governed, in part, by the fusion characteristics of the mineral constituents of the refuse when heated above their softening temperatures. The heat required for this purpose is supplied by the combustihle matter in the refuse. Some of this combustible matter is coal with high ash content, but most of it is carbonaceous shale. Whereas the density of aggregate prepared from clay or shale depends largely on expansion, the density of aggregate made from refuse is reduced by burning out the combustible matter and, to a lesser extent, by expansion of the residue in the fuel bed. A chain-grate stoker with an updraft air system was chosen for the conversion process in preference to a downdraft sintering machine or a rotary kiln. In down-draft sintering, which operates on the overfeed burning principle, the volatile matter from the refuse would distill off without burning, resulting in inefficient combustion and interfering with proper operation of the equipment. The rotary kiln is designed primarily for processing material that lacks, or is low in, combustihle matter with the heat of reaction supplied from external sources. Washery refuse, which is relatively high in carbonaceous material, could burn at the wall of the kiln causing clinker formation with resultant decrease in throughput and increase in production cost. With an up-draft air stream on a chain or traveling-grate stoker, the volatile matter would be carried into the ignition and burning zones where the heat could be utilized more efficiently. The combustion procedure in this type of unit may be considered as consisting of four periods: 1) initial ignition of the top of the bed by furnace radiation, 2) ignition travel through the bed until the whole bed is ignited, 3) burnout of the combustible material with high air rates to fuse and expand the residue, 4) a cooling period. Investigation of the process required a study of the variables that affect both

Jan 1, 1962

By E. Swartzman, G. C. Behnke

THE free-swelling index, a numerical value for the free-swelling properties of coal, is being used to an increasing extent in specifying coal for burning in various types of equipment. The empirical standard ASTM method for determining this index uses, as a source of heat, a gas burner which requires frequent calibration because gas pressures are not constant, relatively small changes in gas pressure resulting in rather wide variations in the temperature attained in a crucible and thus in the resultant size of the coke button. Furthermore, the quartz crucibles specified for the test are not standard equipment, and relatively small variations in dimension and wall thickness from those specified often result in rather wide variations in the resultant size of the button. A method of analysis to be satisfactory not only for a scientific laboratory but also for use in industrial control laboratories under varying conditions should employ equipment which is rugged, easily calibrated, and readily replaceable by standard materials. Gas is not universally available as is electricity, and it is generally easier to calibrate and control a simple electric furnace or heater than a gas burner, the voltage not usually fluctuating to the degree that gas pressure does. Quartz crucibles are fragile, and the size specified in the test is not normally used for any other purpose in the laboratory. Although more expensive, the 15-cc platinum crucible, available in all laboratories where volatile matter in coal is determined by the standard ASTM method, is sturdy and standard and easily replaced. Because of these considerations, a modification of the standard method has been developed which employs a standard laboratory 350-w cone heater and standard 15-cc platinum crucibles. The results of numerous tests conducted with such apparatus show conclusively that the free-swelling index values as judged by the buttons produced with this equipment are exactly the same as those obtained by the standard gas burner method. Thus it is suggested that this electric cone heater method employing standard 15-cc platinum crucibles be considered as an alternative to the ASTM method, Designation: D720-46. The free-swelling index of coal is determined by means of the ASTM method, D720-46. This method, which is an adaptation of the crucible swelling test for coal of the British Standards Institution, consists of heating 1 g of coal in a special covered quartz crucible in a regulated gas flame for a period of not less than 2.5 min in which time the temperature of the inner surface of the bottom of the crucible reaches a temperature of 82025°C. The residual coke button is then compared in size and shape with a series of standard profiles shown in Fig. 1 and designated by number from 1 to 9 in increasing order of size. As the method is empirical, it requires rigid standardization of the apparatus and repeated calibration of the gas burner. The dimensions of the low form quartz crucible recommended must be rigidly adhered to as small variations in diameter or wall thickness result in variations in the rate of heat transmission and thus in the resultant size and shape of the coke button. The gas burner must be calibrated almost every time a new set of determina-

Jan 1, 1952

By Percy Gillie

THE Tralee preparation plant, owned and operated by the Semet-Solvay division of Allied Chemical and Dye Corp., is located on the Virginian railway, near Mullens, Wyoming County, W. Va., and the mine, which is in the Winding Gulf district, produces coal exclusively from Pocahontas No. 3 seam. The property, comprising 4900 acres, is leased from the Pocahontas Land Corp. Prior to 1930 four separate mines were operated in this tract, some having been started about 1916. Plans for the preparation plant were formulated soon after World War 11. Construction began in the spring of 1948, operation early in 1950. The plant was designed to be operated with minimum labor. It was equipped for production of first quality graded sizes of coal for house heating and 3/8x0-in. slack suitable for high-standard metallurgical coke. In the beginning, a thorough investigation was made of the property by means of core drilling, prospect openings, and sections from shallow mines on the property, as well as sections and analyses from mines in the immediate vicinity. After the extent of desirable coal had been established and the average seam section and nature of overlying and underlying strata had been determined, it was decided to install a system of mining which would load the full seam and would clean the product mechanically. Pocahontas No. 3 seam is characterized by draw slate and bone and rock partings. It was not known what the washing difficulties and cleaning plant requirements would be for processing the raw product of full mechanical mining. Arrangements were made, therefore, through the courtesy of the property owner, to obtain a large sample from a section of the mine along the adjoining property line. The

Jan 1, 1954

By T. Gleason

Problems involved in applying wet scrubbers to gas cleaning coal dust from thermal dryers are reviewed. Careful consideration of all the elements going into a modem coal preparation plant is required in view of the increasing difficulty of applying suitable gas cleaning equipment. This problem arises not only from the presence of finer coals to be handled, but also from the pressures applied by both the general population and the plant operators to improve the standard of gas cleaning performance. The Peabody scrubber is presented by the author as a machine designed to help improve this cleaning operation. Wet scrubbing of fine coal from thermal dryers poses a number of problems in adapting the gas cleaning equipment to the fine particulate matter. Among them are: 1) Dust in gases leaving the thermal dryer cyclones is often extremely fine with high percentages of total dust loading less than 1p in size. 2) Flue gas entering the scrubber is corrosive since the coal fired in the thermal dryer furnace is in the range of 0.7% by weight sulfur or higher. Therefore, comparatively high cost stainless steel alloys or corrosion resistant linings are required for a satisfactory service life. 3) Requirements for residual coal loadings leaving the gas scrubber are continually being lowered, while modern coal preparation operation is imposing heavier burdens on the collection system through introduction into the thermal dryer system of very fine coal previously not recovered. The advent of flotation systems in increasing numbers is typical of this trend. 4) Installation of a scrubbing system on thermal dryers is made primarily to reduce air pollution and product recovery value is of little or no value. Therefore, the operating costs of gas pressure drop and water requirements must be held to a minimum. We have, then, the basic situation which calls for comparatively high cost stainless steel alloy wet scrubbers, which must be highly effective in removing coal fines particularly in the 0 to 5-p size range. Further, the standards of scrubber performance are continually being raised towards the level where gas discharged from the scrubbers must be essentially free of any coloration due to residual dust. In view of the highly refractive nature of fine coal dust, residual loadings of 0.01 grains per cu ft or less are required to provide a color free discharge gas. In the present specifications under consideration a residual coal loading of 0.05 grains per cu ft would be considered color free, since the discharge gases are saturated in the range of 150°F. The steam plume acts as a masking agent at the point of discharge, and upon dissipation of the 150° saturated vapor stream, the effluent gas stream could be essentially color free. The specification under consideration calls for residual solids loading of 0.05 or less grains per cu ft, given a coal size distribution shown in the basic data in Table I. It is noted that the dust laden coal stream has a size distribution by weight of 33% in the 2 to 5-p size range and 55% in the 0 to 2-p size range. The particle size distribution given in the specifications does not detail the percent by weight less than 1-p in size, and more important, the size distri-

Jan 1, 1963

By Paul Averitt

The U. S. Geological Survey has been actively engaged in work on coal for more than 50 years. During this long period we have released more than 300 publications containing information about coal and coal reserves, including details on the thickness, distribution, and quality of coal, and the structure and stratigraphy of the coal-bearing rocks. We have also cooperated with state surveys on many similar publications. For many areas these reports are the only reliable published data on our resources of coal. During the last several years we have substantially increased our activities above the wartime low. We now have field work in progress, or reports in preparation, on 13 detailed mapping projects distributed as follows: 1. Pennsylvania anthracite field 2. Casselman Basin, Md. 3. Leslie County, Ky. 4. Deep River field, N. C. 5. Coosa field, Ala. 6. Powder River field, Mont. 7. Spotted Horse field, Wyo. 8. Yampa field, Colo. 9. Paonia field, Colo. 10. Trinidad field, Colo. 11. Durango field, Colo. 12. Chaco River area, N. M. 13. Lewis and Thurston County fields, Wash. For two of these areas; the Paonia field, Colo., and the Coosa field, Ala., we have published recently preliminary reports, and final reports are in preparation. In addition, we are nearing completion of a coal reserve study of Montana, and are beginning similar studies in several other states, as part of a program of revising our estimate of national coal resources on the basis of presently available data. Factors Involved in Making Estimates Our responsibilities include detailed field mapping to secure information on areas of outcrop of coal beds, their range in thickness, nature of roof rock, amount of overburden, correlation of the beds, stratigraphy and structure of the coal-bearing rocks, and the preparation of coal reserve figures based on these data. The computation and estimation of resources of coal in the ground, like that of resources of other mineral commodities, involves consideration of many additional purely geological factors that can be appraised best through such regional studies. Regional variations in the thickness and texture of rocks overlying and underlying coal beds, for example, give evidence as to the probable position of the edges of the basin of coal deposition, or may aid in the delineation of sand-filled channels that sometimes cut out coal beds. It is apparent that the detailed field studies, in which data are gathered, are the basis for coal reserve studies, and in our present program these two phases of work are being carried on together. Previous Coal Reserve Estimates For many years we have been aware

Jan 1, 1950

By Paul Averitt

require both time and money. Any attempt to secure a quick answer will yield a figure that very likely cannot be substantiated, and certainly will not yield information in the detailed form now desired. It will be about 10 years before a completely new estimate can be prepared for the coal reserves of the United States at our present rate of progress, though of course, much information will be available in the interim. We would like to present such information as we obtain in the form most acceptable to the industry, and to that end we are working closely with coal resource committees of the AIME, the National Bituminous Coal Advisory Council, and the Bureau of Mines. DISCUSSION G. H. Cady*—Mr. Averitt's description of the nature of the coal resources investigations of the United States Geological Survey and the progress of this work is very timely in view of the general interest in the subject of coal resources. The Federal Survey is obviously taking the "long view" with respect to the appraisal of the coal resources as part of the preparation of the general geological map of the country and the attendant determination of the quantity of all mineral and fuel resources. It is apparently for regional surveys of the conventional type that the detailed procedures employed by the Federal Survey are applicable. Even if so it is somewhat unexpected to find the same criteria for evaluation will be applied to the country as a whole. The work on coal resources appraisal has been proceeding at various rates in a number of coal producing states for various periods. Undoubtedly since there has been no common practice in the method of appraisal the states each have worked independently and independently of the Federal Survey, and each has adopted certain practices to meet local conditions. I do not know how much consideration has been given by the U. S. Geological Survey to these practices. It seems probable that such consideration might result in important modifications of the standards which apparently have been set up by the Federal group in line with local requirements. It is the practice in some state surveys to present the facts in regard to the occurrence and distribution of coal beds and their variations in thickness down to thicknesses of 1 to 1 1/2 ft in relatively narrow stages up to maximum thickness. It is then possible for any one using such figures to compile quantitative estimates of workable coal at various minimum thickness limits. This is a desirable objective where surveys are detailed and information correspondingIy good. However, vast quantities of coal lie in beds that are relatively thin about which little information is available and the quantity of such coal might affect the final appraisal to the extent of several thousand million, depending upon the minimum limitation observed. Thus in the case of Illinois a difference of 1 ft in average thickness of coal in the coal field would make a difference of approximately 35 billion tons in the estimated quantity present. One is dealing with a very large area and small differences in thicknesses are very irnportant in the overall picture. The estimate of 10 years to accomplish the sort of detailed appraisal outlined by Mr. Averitt is viewed somewhat skeptically and certainly would require many more trained geologists than seem to be available. The requisite detailed mapping and study are very time consuming not only because of the geological field work required, which is difficult in certain seasons, but also in order to assemble data from company and personal files, and to study drill records and cores, and to sample and analyze the coal. Unless the staff of geologists could be increased in the order of several hundred per cent the prospects are that the appraisal of the type suggested will require many decades not just one. The permanent value of such appraisal, however, is not questioned and it should be expedited as rapidly as means allow. Satisfactory appraisal is not easily achieved and will vary from time to time. The main function of a geological survey is to collect and present the facts that will make possible appraisal in terms of existing conditions by individuals, particularly engineers, qualified by training and expcrience for making such estimates. Thickness and character of the coal bed, nature of the overlying and underlying strata, position, thickness, and character of "partings," relationship to other coal beds, and a variety of other factors must be assembled by the geologist in order to present a complete picture of the geological setting. The economic and engineering factors are in general outside the field of geological experience. The geologist should see to it that the pertinent geological facts are available; much more information than simply thickness and depth of the coal beds is essential to meet all the requirements of appraisal in the future as well as at present. With respect to the present demand by engineers and coal mine operators and others for a rapid re-appraisal of the available coal resources, in the light of existing practices and those in immediate prospect, the Federal procedure of systematic mapping and appraisal is scarcely in line. It will be necessary for those particularly interested in having such an estimate made to establish standards with respect to the various factors involved so that the scope of the geological work can be definitely restricted for the various coal fields. There is little use in setting up general standards since no such standards will be applicable to all fields. Thus it is folly to establish a standard minimum thickness to be generally applicable which is one-half to one-third the minimum minable thickness in some fields. The greatest difficulty in appraisal of the presently actually workable coal bed lies in the variation in the importance placed on roof, floor, structural conditions, bedded impurities. sulphur content and other factors that affect judgment relative to the value of a coal bed. It is doubtful whether any appraisal will have universal approval in view of the variable factors involved. For this reason if none other, the facts should be carefully and painstakingly assembled after the manner of a systematic geological survey such as that advocated by Mr. Averitt. Only upon the basis of sucb information can reliable estimates be made in line with selected conditions. Paul AveRitt (author's repty)— In this paper I discussed, but did not define as such, two major phases of our activities on coal, which are closely related, and which normally we in the U. S. Geological Survey see as an integrated whole. It is understandable, therefore, that Dr. Cady should assume that my remarks applied only to the current work on coal reserves with which I am directly concerned. In view of Dr. Cady's discussion, however, I think a brief summary of the two phases of U. S. Geological Survey activities on coal will be appropriate. The long-term function of the U. S. Geological Survey on coal investigations is to make detailed geologic studies, involving the preparation of detailed geologic maps showing the outcrops and correlations of coal beds, direction and dip of coal-bearing rocks, nature and thickness of overburden, location of faults and fold axes, and similar features. Such studies also yield many measured sections of coal and associated strata, which show variations in the thickness of the beds, and the intervals between coal beds. Taken as a whole, detailed geologic studies provide much useful information for mine operators and engineers. As Dr. Cady points out, this type of geologic work is arduous and time consuming, but it provides the basic data that are necessary both in the development of our coal fields, and also in the preparation of coal-reserve estimates, which are discussed in the next paragraph. The U. S.

Jan 1, 1950

In 1991, environmental issues related to coal mining continued to be an integral part of managing a cost-effective operation. Environmental regulations and their implementation can create considerable cost burdens on operating mines. Environmental responsibilities require management decisions to be made on a whole systems approach that is comprehensive in costs and consequences. Most of the regulatory activity in 1991 that affected coal was related to reauthorization or revision of several pieces of legislation. Issues related to the reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act (RCRA) and Abandoned Mine Land. Clear Water Act considerations will encompass discharge standards, wetlands issues and proposals to regulate ground water quality at the federal level. Discussion regarding RCRA includes efforts to expand regulatory authority into the area of coal mine waste. That is currently regulated by the Office of Surface Mining (OSM). Another RCRA consideration will be the disposal of coal combustion byproducts. Abandoned Mine Land reauthorization continues the Abandoned Mine Land tax on coal operators. This tax has been in effect since 1977. Regulatory revisions were also proposed by the Department of Interior on valid existing rights, subsidence, federal coal leasing programs and OSM's troubled Applicant Violator System. Industry officials have been critical of the revisions. A federal appeals court found that evidence supported claims by Whitney Benefits, Inc. that the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) deprived the owner of full economic use of its property. Before SMCRA's passage, Whitney established an operating agreement with Peter Kiewit Sons Co. to mine coal.

Jan 1, 1992

By M. M. Williams

WESTERN CAN ADA'S coal industry has experienced a serious set-back since 1949, following a pattern well known to its counterpart in the United States. The loss in coal markets in Western Canada has been particularly severe as the discovery of large reserves of oil and natural gas and the subsequent construction of re-fineries and pipelines roughly coincided with the dieselization of both main railways. While the coal industry will have to face a further decline in markets of long standing, others with a large growth potential can be se-cured if present marketing methods are changed where needed and if fundamental and applied research programmes are actively pursued. The energy and chemical potential of Western Canada's coals will eventually find their place in the ever-growing needs of industry and electric power producers. Electric power generation would appear to offer the largest and most immediate market for coal. If the coal industry is to serve this market adequately and gain as much of it as possible, coal operators ? must have a good knowledge of certain characteristics -of the electric utility industry and its fuel requirements. This paper is prepared primarily to set out some of these characteristics, but also discusses other probable markets for coal.

Jan 1, 1958

By John J. Laffin

"Nova Scotia Department of Mines and Energy Throughout the history of Nova Scotia, trends in the production and use of its coal resources have resulted in major impacts on the economy and society of the province. Current trends in coal demand locally, nationally and internationally are having and will have an increasing positive effect on Nova Scotia over the next twenty years-in terms of energy supply, job creation and general economic development. Coal for electrical generation is an immediate and key objective of Nova Scotia's energy plan; and, in the long term, coal-derived fuels will meet the province's needs for transportation fuels. Demand for metallurgical coal is also expected to increase, especially if the merchant coke plant currently under investigation becomes a reality.Meeting these coal supply and utilization objectives in the face of increasing environmental, social and economic constraints poses a tremendous technical challenge. Work has begun on projects to expand coal production capacity and to adapt new technologies for coal preparation and utilization to the specific needs of Nova Scotia; much more work will be required in the coming decade in order to succesfully tap this resource.IntroductionThe energy problem facing Atlantic Canada has a few unique features not found in the rest of the country. Canada, as a whole, has access to a diverse mix of energy resources, including crude oil, natural gas, coal, hydro and uranium, with the result that crude oil supplies only about 40 per cent of Canada's primary demand. In contrast, foreign crude oil dominates Atlantic Canada's energy mix, supplying over 70 per cent of the primary energy demand.This results in important differences in various sectors. Nationally, about 5 per cent of the electricity is generated from oil whereas last year in Nova Scotia approximately 40 per cent of the electricity generated was from imported oil. Residential, commercial and industrial space heating, and industrial process heating in Atlantic Canada was almost 100 percent dependent on foreign oil. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in central and western Canada, which have access to secure domestic natural gas, oil and hydro electricity."

Jan 1, 1982

The State of New South Wales is highly favoured in having vast deposits of coal adjacent to and within easy reach of the coastal Ports. Not only is the quality of the fuel generally superior to any found in the other States, but it is greater in extent than in any other part of the Continent. For interesting and reliable details of the history of the discovery of coal, the geology of the coal bearing strata, analysis of the various coals and other valuable data, the readers are referred to the book recently issued by the New South Wales Government, entitled The Mineral Resources of New South Wales, by Edward F. Pittman, A.R.S.M., etc., by the direction of the Hon. T. L. Fegan, Minister for Mines. The mining community is indebted to the Minister for having had published the most valuable condensed record of the mineral resources of the State extant.For the purposes of this paper we will only give such a general description of the coal fields as will make it intelligible in connection with the subject of the coal mining in the State of New South Wales.

Jan 1, 1904

By W. W. Odell

Once it was believed that anthracite or coke were the only fuels generally available and suitable for the generation of water gas, particularly so when this gas was made in the generators of standard carburetted water-gas sets such as are commonly used in the manufacture of city gas. During the past 8 years, practice has changed considerably and it is now common to find gas plants operating without anthracite or coke and using bituminous coal in the generator. This change in fuel has appreciably increased the marketability and sales of certain coal producers' products; accordingly it is of interest to coal operators and others to know the reason for this change, the present trend in practice and the adaptability of various coals for generation of water gas. This paper briefly discusses these conditions and some of the factors relating thereto. Bituminous Coal not Ideal but Cheaper than Coke In spite of many changes which have been made in both process and generating apparatus for using bituminous coal as generator fuel more efficiently, in general it is not an ideal fuel for this purpose. It is supplanting coke because it costs less; it is so much cheaper per ton delivered at the gas works that water gas made therefrom costs less per unit-volume than that made from coke, even though the quantity of generator fuel consumed per therm (100,000 B. t. u.) of gas made is greater with coal. This is the reason why so many city gas plants, as well as others, are using bituminous coal instead of coke. Conditions Favoring Change from Coke to Coal The conditions which have made it possible and feasible, as well as economical, to supplant coke with coal may be summarized as follows: (1) Changes in methods of operating and alteration in generating apparatus; (2) lowering of the calorific standards for city gas, and (3) availability

Jan 1, 1927

By AIME AIME

DATA in this report enable comparisons to be made within the bituminous coal industry and comparison as well with copper and steel in respect to capacity and overdevelopment. The conclusions reached from the data will tend to correct numerous current misconceptions. The data have been prepared by various members of the Coal and Coke Committee of the A.I.M.E., from the most authentic sources avail¬able, and cover the period 1913-1924 wherever possible. CAPACITY AND OVERDEVELOPMENT Table 1 shows statistics for the industry, mainly from the U. S. Geological Survey sources, but partly from the U. S. Coal Commission reports. The mine capacity with equipment and labor as of given date is calculated for each state by obtaining the total man days worked as reported by the operators, and dividing this figure into the total production, getting the production per man day; this figure times the number of men employed times 308 (a theoretical full working year) equals estimated full-time capacity. Two major objections are made to this method-one that the total number of men employed is used instead of the number actually working, and the other that the number of days used only deducts Sundays and five holidays. Covering the first, the same number of men is used in estimating capacity as is used in actual production, and this condition exists at all times. Regarding the second, the opinion is general among coal men that 280 days is as great a figure as should be used, as it is practically impossible to keep any mine working full time at the same daily rate as when it is working part time. The capacity, as estimated on this basis, is much more nearly the true capacity, although even with present railroad efficiency this amount of coal could not be moved.

Jan 1, 1926

By B. N. Nandi

This paper is a study of the application of the science of coal petrology to the use of coal in the iron and steel industry. The petrography of coal is given the most attention, with some mention of coal palynology. The history of the petrographical analysis of coal is first out-lined, with a description of the various coal entities, and then the apparatus and experimental techniques employed for coal evaluation are discussed. The coke stability factor and the relation of coke strength to petrographical data are also covered, and some space is given to the new science of coke microscopy, in particular its use in following the oxidation of coals.

Jan 1, 1966

By W. W. Mason

The United States began exporting coal in the late 1800'5, at first in very small quantities to Canada and beginning in 1897 and 1896, to the east coast of South America. Shipments to European countries began on a very limited basis in 1902 and these shipments increased gradually until World War One when shipments overseas increased from the 8 million tons per year level to 22 million tons. After the war exports dropped as fast as they had increased and, with the exception of exports to Canada, remained at very low levels until just after World War 11 when the United States again emerged as a major coal exporter. World War II left the coal industries of Europe in ruin. As the United States was the only country able to supply the large quantities of coal at reasonable prices needed for reconstruction of the European economy, the U. S. coal exports overseas expanded rapidly to 42.5 million tons in 1947. Additionally, we shipped 25 -2 million tons of coal to Canada In that year for a total export of 68.7 million tons. Unfortunately, that level was not reached again until 1957 when exports reached an all-time high of 76 .4 million tons- -a high I might add that has not been reached since.

Jan 1, 1980