I Got Some Free Coal, Can I Use It Though?

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Bear038
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Post by Bear038 » Thu. Mar. 24, 2011 1:05 pm

Need to come back to the experts for a little more advice. I was helping the neighbor getting a no-till grain drill ready for spring and the subject of heating with coal came up. Said I was going to have to get a little more with the current cold snap. My friend said he had several bags down in the grain room that I could have. Turns out to be about 500-600 pounds, just what I thought I was going to need. Probably been there for a good bit of time, at least 20-30 years judging from the bags.

I think it is anthracite, but not really sure. Two questions, is there some easy test to tell, like breaking some up and see how it behaves. Looks like nut, but has lots of dust in it, but I can deal with that. Second, if it is not anthracite, will it hurt anything to run it through the stove? What should be done differently if it is bitum or bit? Should I just mix it with known anthracite?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 
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Berlin
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Post by Berlin » Thu. Mar. 24, 2011 1:15 pm

try it, see how it burns; orange flame bit, blue flame anthracite, very simple. Bit won't hurt anything in your stove, many people burn bit coal in harmans. Remember, there is a large amount of variability when it comes to bit coal, some is great, some is ok, and some just doesn't burn well in a hand-fired stove. Try it, see how it burns, if it is bit, expect a yellow flame and some soot production (bit only produces powdery non-flammable soot). It will likely burn best if you "bank" the fuelbed, fill either the front or back of the stove higher, and, on the next firing, fill the valley you didn't fill in with coal before; it's important to leave a good area of glowing coals exposed and allow the gasses to light off gently- just like anthracite, if you smother the fuelbed with no exposed coals you are setting yourself up for a puffback. The small sizes and fines in that coal (should it be bit) will make things less nice, but, if it's good coal, it will burn easily for you.

 
Bear038
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Post by Bear038 » Fri. Mar. 25, 2011 8:10 pm

Thanks Berlin, the stuff burns just fine with nice blue flames. Only problem is this nut coal contains lots of rice and dust. The first batch I tried with the heavy coal dust, almost put out the fire. I have started sifting the coal to clean it up. Little bit of a pain, but free coal, well worth it. Out of the first 200 pounds I got about 60 pounds of dust and rice. Any suggestions on what do do with this? Driveway filler maybe? By the time I am done there may be several hundred pounds if the rest of the bags are the same way.


 
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Duengeon master
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Coal Size/Type: Anthracite pea and nut mix. Bituminous lump

Post by Duengeon master » Fri. Mar. 25, 2011 8:24 pm

I have burned free coal for a while now. It's the nature of the beast, You have to sift through it. It's best to do it over a few beers! :cheers:

 
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VigIIPeaBurner
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Post by VigIIPeaBurner » Fri. Mar. 25, 2011 11:37 pm

Free is good. I don't have trouble burning fines if they make up ~ 20% of my bucket load. My stove is a top loader so the fines end up on top of the load. I take a piece of flat stock and run it down through the load in three or four places until I hit or pass between the grates. This creates air channels to help the air move up through the charge. Works for me.

I've read somewhere in this forum that some put fines in brown paper bags. I assume lunch size or the next size up. They place the bag of fines on top of the fire when it's going good.

 
Bear038
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Post by Bear038 » Sat. Mar. 26, 2011 2:49 pm

Those are some really good ideas. What I may try is taking news paper and rolling up like a log, as I do not have any lunch bags around, but that is a great idea. And then when the second idea kicks in, drinking a few beers, it will not matter as much if the first idea of coal dust logs does not work as nicely as imagined. The idea sounds pretty good though on a good hot bed, an hour or so after getting it going. Thanks for the ideas gents.

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