PREPARATION OF FUEL FROM FINE COAL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1319, 21 October 1872, Page 4

PREPARATION OF FUEL FROM FINE COAL.

Mr E. Loiseau, of Philadelphia, lately submitted to the Franklin Institute speci mens to illustrate his proposed new method of utilising coal dust. This con* sists in thoroughly mixing about seven per cent of clay with fine coal, and forming the mass into balls, and then dipping these into a bath of benzine containing some resin in solution ; the object of this operation being to render them impervious to moisture. The solution penetrates the lumps to the extent nf about one-fonrtb of an inch, and after the evaporation of the benzine, which takes place rapidly upon exposure to a current of air, a 61m of resin is left behind, which so effectually stops up all crevices that, in the experiments made by the Franklin Institute Committee on Science and Arts, while investigating the process, masses which had lain in water for twelve hours were found to have lost none of their compactness, and to be still dry in the interior. The consumption of the artificial fuel took place very 1 satisfactorily, all the specimens burning until completely ashed. The com mittee found that the heating power of the material was somewhat below the average of solid coal, but that the compactness o! the substance will probably allow its transportation with as little loss from breakage as is suffered by many kinds of coal now brought to market. The conclusion arrived at was that the plan is one of the most practicable yet submitted to the public for utilising this waste product, the slight cost of its production being one great point in its favor.

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