Dear All,
Thanks to all for your informed & helpful replies (as always) ... & sorry
for delay (been ill).
Kindest regards,
Ken (Smith).
On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 12:23 PM, Mike Gill <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Ken,
>
> The clue is in the name - _steam coal_ is free burning (as Richard says =
> longer flames). The biggest problem was that such coal often caught fire
> (through spontaneous combustion) in the ship's coal hoppers - e.g. the
> Titanic had a bad fire in one of its bunkers. As fire fighters in Japan are
> finding, putting water on such a fire often adds to the problem by splitting
> the resulting steam or (with coal) making water gas.
>
> Aberthaw Power Station, near Barry in South Wales, was designed to burn
> semi-anthracitic, low-volatile coal. A high percentage of this coal is
> locally sourced coal, mined in Wales and is transported to the power station
> by rail.
>
> You mention 1912 - that was the year the admiralty began building Queen
> Elizabeth class battleships - which were the first oil-fired ships in the
> fleet.
>
> As Ian says - they established coaling ports abroad. Brunel's SS Great
> Britain (now at Bristol) ended up being used as a floating coal bunker in
> the Falklands.
>
> Mike
>
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