Peter - byproducts wouldn't necessarily go to waste, would they? Just
thinking that the Fussell Ironworks at Mells definitely produced coke on
site and had gasholders on site too - presumably, though it's not known for
sure, the gas was used for lighting and maybe as another fuel source for
some processes. Any sign of gasholders at DGC? Admittedly Mells is right on
the edge of the Somerset coalfield, while DGC isn't (!), but...
James
On 29 October 2011 01:33, Peter Claughton <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
> At 21:52 28/10/2011, Rick Stewart wrote:
>
>> Dear List I've been thinking about coke recently , particularly in
>> relation to Devon Great Consols. My initial thoughts concerned the
>> foundry which would have required a supply of coke. It then struck me that
>> the mine would also have required a huge amount to coke for the refining
>> furnaces at the arsenic works. I am fairly sure that coke was produced on
>> the mine, a reference (not to hand) relating to the duties of Agents at DGC
>> includes coke manufacture. The question is where - my current thinking is
>> that it may have been part of the huge 1860s arsenic works. Anyone got any
>> ideas? Did other large arsenic works have facilities for producing coke?
>> Digressing slightly Robert Waterhouse and I were musing on lime kilns being
>> used for coke production - any thoughts? Rick Stewart
>>
>
> Rick,
>
> Using a lime kiln would not be practical as they are designed to admit air
> into the process whilst the air intake into a coking oven is carefully
> controlled.
>
> It is unlikely that coke solely for fuel was produced on site at DGC. There
> is no local source of coking coal and the byproducts would just go to waste
> unless you had a gas production plant - something you might consider as a
> source of coke in the locality, perhaps Tavistock or Plymouth?
>
> Peter
>
>
> Dr Peter Claughton,
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>
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