Preliminary Review of the Heat Potential for Stockton Coal

Post Reply
 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Nov. 16, 2014 8:50 am

This report should have waited until at least the end of November, but my coal consumption vs. HDD's tracking for November has been so spot on (to date at least) that I am willing to make an early assessment of Stockton anthracite pea. That plus I'm a bit impulsive like a kid with a new toy.

I'm presently consuming Stockton in November at the rate of 1.24 lbs. per HDD. I always get my best efficiency for the year soon after the annual clean out, and also right after the T-Stats begin calling regularly and I stop experiencing days whereby the boiler is only providing for the homes DHW. That said, the best I have historically done at this juncture was 1.22 lbs. per HDD with Harmony pea.

To further level the playing field, I have reduced my assumed lbs. per day burned to provide for our homes DHW to 4 lbs. (down from 4.5 lbs.), as 4 lbs. is the figure I used for Harmony. Thus (so far at least) it appears that there is (for all practical purposes) essentially as much heat energy in Stockton pea as there was for UAE Harmony pea.

The 1.24 lbs and 1.22 lbs. per HDD figures are derived after subtracting 4 lbs. per day from my actual consumption, so the figures are for home heating only, and they exclude DHW.

 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Nov. 16, 2014 9:12 am

Between Harmony and Stockton, they may have similar energy (BTU's per lb.) content, but they act very differently. Harmony had a lot of volatiles, and Stockton appears to have very low volatiles. If some percentage of the energy content of Harmony was derived from its volatiles, then I would assume that Stockton has a bit higher carbon content.

 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Fri. Dec. 19, 2014 7:46 pm

Well, after burning it for awhile now it seems that my load of Stockton is settling down to a more Blaschak like overall energy level than a Harmony like energy level. I'm presently hovering at around 1.4 lbs. burned per HDD. But my load of Stockton must have been scraped off the bottom of the pile, as I'm finding loads of fines and smaller chunks in it. I never experienced that with Blaschak.

So far I've made no effort to sift out the fines. Despite the fines it still seems to be burning OK (so far at least), but I'm already contemplating a return to Blaschak for next season.

 
User avatar
McGiever
Member
Posts: 10130
Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Sat. Dec. 20, 2014 12:32 am

My coal this season is exactly as you describe your Stockton Coal.
I can only add that what I am burning is also a very low ash coal, red ash.

With the fines and smaller pieces I have come to appreciate the ability I have to increase the fan speed some (VFD) to help overcome the resistance of this coal to the air flow through it.

I would discourage anyone thinking of running this coal across a flat or inclined grate because of the amount of fines. Under grate cleanings would need done very regularly.

I get some weight in the ash tub from the fines that aren't small or large enough to get burned and then end up getting expelled out from the cyclone funnel cone and dropped in the ash tub. Should have a very cleaned/polished/scrubbed swirl burn chamber all the way from fire pot to breech. :)


 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sat. Feb. 28, 2015 6:29 pm

Stockton now lists the typical analysis of their anthracite on their website.

Stockton Mine Mammoth Vein
Typical Analysis: Proximate Analysis as Received

% Carbon 82.04
% Sulphur 0.61
% Ash 9.34
% Volatile Matter 3.71
% Moisture 5.92
Hardgrove Grindability 29.54 HGI

Heat Value (daf) 14,844 BTU/lb (8,246 kcal/kg)

Heat Value (daf) means on a completely Dry and Ash Free basis.

This shortcut method admittedly isn't quite kosher, but it is a quick and dirty way to get into the "as received" BTU's ballpark:
0.8204 carbon x 14,844 BTU's/lb.(daf) = 12,178 BTU's/lb. as received
(where "as received" means how it will be when you receive it)

 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sat. Feb. 28, 2015 7:04 pm

If you wonder why carbon + sulfur + volatiles + ash + moisture adds up to 101.62%, my guess is that some percentage of the "as received" carbon content comes from the carbon that is present within the "volatiles" (volatile hydrocarbons) component.

The carbon remaining after volatiles are driven away by heating is called "Fixed Carbon". Atlantic Coal PLC does not list the fixed carbon content of its Stockton Mine anthracite, so I'm free to assume that the 82.04% figure combines both volatiles derived carbon and fixed carbon.

 
User avatar
Keepaeyeonit
Member
Posts: 1680
Joined: Wed. Mar. 24, 2010 7:18 pm
Location: Northeast Ohio.( Grand river wine country )
Baseburners & Antiques: Glenwood #8
Coal Size/Type: Nut & stove
Other Heating: 49 year old oil furnace, and finally a new heat pump

Post by Keepaeyeonit » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 8:00 am

Larry,I know that Stockton coal needs a real good draft to burn right, I had troubles with it before I rebuilt my chimney and I haven't had an issue in the last 2 years with it even on 60* days without covering the Baro and never going below -.03 . I don't know how you chimney is but that could explain the shitty performance in the warmer weather. It works awesome in my hand fired stove I love the heat and low ash. I have only burned 3 tons of Blaschak (bagged) Its burning characteristics are very consistent but I think there sizing sucks, I never knew If I was getting nut or pea the last pallet I got from them was small but If I could get in bulk I would burn it again no problem. My bin has 3 layers of different coal in it and I can tell right away when I get into layer because Its starting take it form all 3 layers now due to the hole I have inside of the box, Mammoth has nice blue flames,the Susquehanna had yellow with a tint of blue flames with more ash, and the other layer is a mix of Mammoth/UAE and Hazleton shaft has a even blue/yellow flame. Keepaeyeonit

 
User avatar
McGiever
Member
Posts: 10130
Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar

Post by McGiever » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 8:47 am

Blasckak bulk pea I get from my Amish supplier lately seems to have sizing issues.
It is like the nut and stove sizes are screened out and everthing else down to dust is called pea.

I plan to look at possibly buying their bulk nut if it is on the smaller size.
Might have to screen out a few over-size pieces but that may be better than having excessive dust and fines and barley and rice in the mix.
Can't have bridging and auger jams though. :roll:


 
User avatar
Lightning
Site Moderator
Posts: 14658
Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 9:17 am

Hey Larry, the volatile matter consists of hydrocarbons like you said. I think you are missing out on a few BTUs by not counting the heat produced from hydrogen into water.. :)

 
User avatar
lsayre
Member
Posts: 21781
Joined: Wed. Nov. 23, 2005 9:17 pm
Location: Ohio
Stoker Coal Boiler: AHS S130 Coal Gun
Coal Size/Type: Lehigh Anthracite Pea
Other Heating: Resistance Boiler (13.5 KW), ComfortMax 75

Post by lsayre » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:00 am

Lightning wrote:Hey Larry, the volatile matter consists of hydrocarbons like you said. I think you are missing out on a few BTUs by not counting the heat produced from hydrogen into water.. :)
I did make sure to say that my quick and dirty method was not kosher (meaning not properly accounting for all possible BTU factors). It is likely to be very slightly lowballing the "as received" BTU's available to the consumer. But not by much. The BTU contribution of the volatiles is likely to be countered by the heat lost in vaporizing the 6% water content of the coal. Both of them being early contributors. One positive, and one negative.

 
User avatar
Lightning
Site Moderator
Posts: 14658
Joined: Wed. Nov. 16, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Olean, NY
Stoker Coal Boiler: Modified AA 130
Coal Size/Type: Pea Size - Anthracite

Post by Lightning » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:18 am

OK :) That makes good sense..

Post Reply

Return to “Coal Prices & Quality, Coal Dealer Inquiries & Reviews”