How to Keep Black Dust Down
I used to get coal delivered bulk in R.I., The company went out of buisiness. They offered to apply oil to coal to keep down the dust. Anyone know what kind of oil to use? I think the del.guy mentioned a light machine oil.
- Richard S.
- Mayor
- Posts: 15184
- Joined: Fri. Oct. 01, 2004 8:35 pm
- Location: NEPA
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Van Wert VA1200
- Coal Size/Type: Buckwheat/Anthracite
The place I get my coal at had a barrel of this at one point for a special orders, if I remember correctly it was a vegetable based oil. The barrel was even labeled specifically that it was for coal. Anyhow I wouldn't suggest using anything petroleum based, you'll probably stink the house up if you put it over all the coal. May even stink quite bad while burning, vegetable oil on the other hand at the most would only smell like you're cooking something so it's not exactly an undesirable smell.
If your bin is inside the house the easiest solution is getting a garden sprayer and dampen the coal you're about use lightly with water. The water will not affect the coal in any way, at the most it might cause some small corrosion issues that for the most part would be inconsequential. Being that my deliveries come directly from the breaker all the coal I deliver is at least damp except in the coldest days of winter.
You would also want to dampen the walls and floor of your bin before delivery as well, most of the dust generated during a delivery is caused by the inital shot of coal hitting the floor of the bin. If the coal is dry that is being delivered lighly spraying the coal coming down the chute with garden hose will help a lot.
Of course if your bin is outside most of these suggestions are really not any good and oil would be your only solution, but again I would suggest looking into vegetable based.
If your bin is inside the house the easiest solution is getting a garden sprayer and dampen the coal you're about use lightly with water. The water will not affect the coal in any way, at the most it might cause some small corrosion issues that for the most part would be inconsequential. Being that my deliveries come directly from the breaker all the coal I deliver is at least damp except in the coldest days of winter.
You would also want to dampen the walls and floor of your bin before delivery as well, most of the dust generated during a delivery is caused by the inital shot of coal hitting the floor of the bin. If the coal is dry that is being delivered lighly spraying the coal coming down the chute with garden hose will help a lot.
Of course if your bin is outside most of these suggestions are really not any good and oil would be your only solution, but again I would suggest looking into vegetable based.
-
- Member
- Posts: 179
- Joined: Wed. Jan. 25, 2006 4:05 pm
- Location: NE PA
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Alaska Kodiak Stokerstove 1
Tearrah, I have a basement coal bin and daily dampen the coal to cut down on the dust. I've been doing so for the last 5 years with no ill effect on burning or the stove itself.
I got tired of running a hose from the sink so I cut into a water supply line that just happens to go right over the bin, installed a valve, a quick coupler, a short length of hose, and now its easy to keep the coal damp.
It seems that whenever I get coal delivered it's wet already, so I don't have the initial dust problem when it's shot in.
I got tired of running a hose from the sink so I cut into a water supply line that just happens to go right over the bin, installed a valve, a quick coupler, a short length of hose, and now its easy to keep the coal damp.
It seems that whenever I get coal delivered it's wet already, so I don't have the initial dust problem when it's shot in.