What do you do with your coal dust ?
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chas12154
Kiwiconnection
LiveSteam
7 posters
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What do you do with your coal dust ?
I'm sure all the 4" and 6" folks must have this ..........coal dust......you know its the stuff in the bottom of the bag or your bunker, what do you do with it
Cos I'm a bit of a hoarder I've collected this stuff and over the past couple of years now have a considerable pile of it, it ranges from bits that would be ok for say a small 2" down to just pure dust, I've spoken to a few others about what they do with and they just bin it
Now this seems a bit of shame and a waste, surely there has to be a better use for it, I try and use the tiny lumps but the dust is really just pointless not too mention a pain to even put in the engine, also theres the issue that the dust almost flash burns which after one spoonfull I was not keen on as the temperature increase for those few seconds must be tremendous and is going to stress the boiler/tubes.
So what to do with it has anyone thought if it would be possible to say stick it back together using a large hydraulic press and make some nice mini chunks which would be useful for say starting the engine, would that work ? dunno ?
Cos I'm a bit of a hoarder I've collected this stuff and over the past couple of years now have a considerable pile of it, it ranges from bits that would be ok for say a small 2" down to just pure dust, I've spoken to a few others about what they do with and they just bin it
Now this seems a bit of shame and a waste, surely there has to be a better use for it, I try and use the tiny lumps but the dust is really just pointless not too mention a pain to even put in the engine, also theres the issue that the dust almost flash burns which after one spoonfull I was not keen on as the temperature increase for those few seconds must be tremendous and is going to stress the boiler/tubes.
So what to do with it has anyone thought if it would be possible to say stick it back together using a large hydraulic press and make some nice mini chunks which would be useful for say starting the engine, would that work ? dunno ?
LiveSteam- Number of posts : 777
Location : Hampshire
Registration date : 2013-09-08
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
Just a thought.... Be very careful if you have a large quantity of coal dust, it can be as flammable and explosive as petrol fumes if disturbed near a source of ignition. And like a lot of minerals it can also self generate heat to a point of ignition. As you said in your post it flashes off very vigorously when ignited by introducing it into an existing fire.
Kiwiconnection- Number of posts : 135
Age : 67
Location : Tauranga New Zealand
Registration date : 2011-10-25
Re: What to do with coal dust
Hi, you could always burn it in your engine! The dust, can be, laid on a fire, once it has been burning for a while.
A little at a time, can keep the fire burning, without having to keep putting lumps on.
I have much experience with the full size engines, that is what I used to do with the dust. While you are just sitting, with the motion turning, it was ok and when you need more heat, just open the damper and put some lumps on.
Seems a shame to waste it, after all, you have paid for it!
I don't know if that is any help.
Charlie
A little at a time, can keep the fire burning, without having to keep putting lumps on.
I have much experience with the full size engines, that is what I used to do with the dust. While you are just sitting, with the motion turning, it was ok and when you need more heat, just open the damper and put some lumps on.
Seems a shame to waste it, after all, you have paid for it!
I don't know if that is any help.
Charlie
chas12154- Number of posts : 412
Age : 63
Location : Totton, Southampton, Hampshire
Registration date : 2015-01-21
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
Kiwiconnection wrote:Just a thought.... Be very careful if you have a large quantity of coal dust, it can be as flammable and explosive as petrol fumes if disturbed near a source of ignition. And like a lot of minerals it can also self generate heat to a point of ignition. As you said in your post it flashes off very vigorously when ignited by introducing it into an existing fire.
Oh fully aware of its highly explosive nature, at the end of the day flour will do the same.
chas12154 wrote:Hi, you could always burn it in your engine! The dust, can be, laid on a fire, once it has been burning for a while.
A little at a time, can keep the fire burning, without having to keep putting lumps on.
I have much experience with the full size engines, that is what I used to do with the dust. While you are just sitting, with the motion turning, it was ok and when you need more heat, just open the damper and put some lumps on.
Seems a shame to waste it, after all, you have paid for it!
I don't know if that is any help.
Charlie
Have tried it a couple of times with small amounts as I mentioned, not much more than a table spoon I'd say and found it flash burns so quickly I wasnt happy with the potential quick temperature rise that must be going on in the firebox, maybe a table spoon is too much in a 4" when compared to scaling it to a full size ? mind you its going to take a while for me to get through the 30kg or more of the stuff I have currently if I use even less than a table spoon
mmmmm further research required...........
LiveSteam- Number of posts : 777
Location : Hampshire
Registration date : 2013-09-08
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
Like at Dundee this last two days. A lazy fire, damper closed and just sitting simmering. Half a shovel with a couple lumps on top in. No flash up or excessive fire and soon got rid of a goodly quantity of dross and dust.
Also often shovel what's in the coal box with the coal with no problem.
Also often shovel what's in the coal box with the coal with no problem.
lynnr- Number of posts : 3242
Age : 55
Location : Highland, 4inch showman
Registration date : 2010-08-06
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
On the full size I'm affiliated with we just throw it all in on a good fire not much of a temperature change then, it can be handy sometimes with lighting up as well.
Irish Burrell- Number of posts : 12
Age : 26
Location : Dublin, Ireland
Registration date : 2016-02-16
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
lynnr wrote:Like at Dundee this last two days. A lazy fire, damper closed and just sitting simmering. Half a shovel with a couple lumps on top in. No flash up or excessive fire and soon got rid of a goodly quantity of dross and dust.
Also often shovel what's in the coal box with the coal with no problem.
You've made me think now, my damper is pretty much useless as I've got an early MW ash pan with the monster door thingy in the bottom of it, which of course is so heat distorted that really the pans only use is to hold the grate in which does mean I have to be somewhat careful when firing as it does easily run away, this must be why even a small amount of dust just seems to flash burn due to the draw.
mmmmm next winters job sort the ash out and then burn me dust
LiveSteam- Number of posts : 777
Location : Hampshire
Registration date : 2013-09-08
Re:What to do with coal dust.
You need a good fitting damper and ashpan. The air flow needs tobe very little with dust, we used to keep the damper closed when adding coal dust. As stated, its very explosive and flare up on applying to fire.
Its just a thing of giving it a go, trying different damper settings, till you get it right.
No two engines will react the same, just as in full sized engines, they all have their ways.
Charlie
Its just a thing of giving it a go, trying different damper settings, till you get it right.
No two engines will react the same, just as in full sized engines, they all have their ways.
Charlie
chas12154- Number of posts : 412
Age : 63
Location : Totton, Southampton, Hampshire
Registration date : 2015-01-21
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
Mix with cement, add some water and fill old toilet roll tubes, make your own mini briquettes.... These can then be used on any fire you wish, avoids the explosive nature of coal dust this way.
Weston- Number of posts : 64
Age : 36
Location : Beds
Registration date : 2011-11-04
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
chas12154 wrote:You need a good fitting damper and ashpan.
well that puts my ash pan out of the running then I'll have to take a photo of the poor thing
Weston wrote:Mix with cement, add some water and fill old toilet roll tubes, make your own mini briquettes.... These can then be used on any fire you wish, avoids the explosive nature of coal dust this way.
Now thats the kind of outside the box thinking I'm after, have you actually tried this and what kind of results have you had and how much cement did you use ?
LiveSteam- Number of posts : 777
Location : Hampshire
Registration date : 2013-09-08
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
Age old trick that one, Granddad used to do it when he had a coal fire in the house. I never did use an exact ratio, just enough cement to hold it together, dusty horrible job, but it did make use of the coal left over in his coal store.
Engine wise, I just keep the coal in bags these days and then put the whole bag in once all the usable lumps have gone, but that's full size. Not ideal to have a face full of plastic fumes....
Engine wise, I just keep the coal in bags these days and then put the whole bag in once all the usable lumps have gone, but that's full size. Not ideal to have a face full of plastic fumes....
Weston- Number of posts : 64
Age : 36
Location : Beds
Registration date : 2011-11-04
Re: What do you do with your coal dust ?
I'll give it a go when I get a spare moment, I'll try a number recipes and see which works out best, I can image it wont need much cement to glue it together
Anyhow as I was out on her on Sunday I grab a quick couple of pics showing the state on the ash pan, as you can see I cant imagine the damper has much effect
Although it does tend to offer a "self cleaning" option when on a road run
Anyhow as I was out on her on Sunday I grab a quick couple of pics showing the state on the ash pan, as you can see I cant imagine the damper has much effect
Although it does tend to offer a "self cleaning" option when on a road run
LiveSteam- Number of posts : 777
Location : Hampshire
Registration date : 2013-09-08
What to do with coal dust?
well it's definitely not good to stick in the firebox as I'd guess it's clog the tubes in no time so.. 2 suggestions :
1- chuck it.!!!
2- smear liberally on your mush, tell the "ole lady" you've been working like a dog and could really do with having a beer break.!
Personally I'd favour #2 🤔
1- chuck it.!!!
2- smear liberally on your mush, tell the "ole lady" you've been working like a dog and could really do with having a beer break.!
Personally I'd favour #2 🤔
LilyJack- Number of posts : 236
Location : UK
Registration date : 2009-04-01
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