Ken & Richard
One of the problems with coaling around the world was solved by a number of the larger Welsh concerns having coaling stations overseas and thus, presumably, shipping bunker coal in bulk and holding a stock.
Re the fishing fleets. A number of the railway wagon fleets used in connection with the trawlers have both east coast and South Wales trading addresses. However, whether the wagons actually travelled is another matter. I have looked at a number of postcard views of Milford Haven when the Lowestoft fleets were in and all of the wagons around the quaysides are Welsh (plus one Forest of Dean !).
Ian
On 16 Mar 2011, at 09:07, Richard Smith wrote:
> Ken,
>
> For coal to be used for making steam it has to swell and cake somewhat during combustion - if a grate is used in the boiler. If it does not do this, holes are left in the bed and incoming air takes the line of least resistance and passes through leading to inefficient use of air, poor steaming and hence poor fuel efficiency. If the coal swells too much then it chokes the bed - such coals are good for making coke. The NCB ranked coal types on the basis of their caking characteristics and other attributes such as volatiles content are related in the ranking. Steam coals come somewhere in the middle of the range. Anthracite does not swell and would not be suitable for routine use as fuel for a boiler with a grate.
>
> Coal containing a high proportion of smalls will tend to smoke for the reasons you have stated and these arise because of poor screening, rough handling and fragile coal.
>
> Coals with a low ash content should also be avoided as a layer of ash is said to protect the grate and give it a longer life; coals with low-melting ashes choke the grate.
>
> Industrial boiler operators usually changed their coal source with the greatest reluctance and it has always surprised me how ships were able to take on coal at ports throughout the world and keep going.
>
> Regards
>
> Richard
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken J Smith" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 2:02 AM
> Subject: Anthracite v. Steam Coal
>
>
>> Dear All,
>>
>> From the early C20th, Welsh smokeless steam coals (as given in the Admiralty
>> 'A' List for, eg, 1912) were used by the Royal Navy's top fighting ships
>> because, inter alia, they gave a tactical advantage; if your fleet made less
>> smoke than an enemy's, you were likely to become aware of his presence
>> before he became aware of yours. Further, most of the smoke from burning
>> coal comes from its volatiles. (The rest is from the fly ejected during
>> charging.) But most anthracites had lower volatiles than most smokeless
>> steam coals (&, being harder, made less dust & hence less fly), so ... why
>> didn't the Royal Navy use anthracite?
>>
>> TIA,
>> Kindest regards,
>> Ken (Smith).
Ian Pope
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