Anthracite

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Anthracite
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xf8u39

Joined: 23 Nov 2013
Posts: 1

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 2:29 am Post subject: Anthracite

Hi, I am a new member here so would like to introduce myself.
I live in Manchester (smoke control area) and have a Little Wenlock multi fuel stove which I have had for about 10 years now.

I have always burned wood or smokeless coal. Just recently I came across some anthracite nuts so I thought I would give them a go. The largest size of the nuts was about 3" down to about 1"

Having got the stove hot I loaded it witht the nuts, which at first seemed to be burning pretty well with a blue/yellow flame. After a while it just went out.

I'm not sure if it is the stove or inadequate draught. After the stove was stone cold I inspected the fuel. The anthracite looked to be fully burned but if I took a piece and broke it in half it was black and shiny underneath.

I can't figure it out. Why won't it burn fully?

I have tried about 3 or 4 times now with the stove on full draught and almost closed and anywhere in between - without success.

Rgds

Mike

Finsky

Joined: 10 Sep 2011
Posts: 847
Location: Notts.

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 7:13 am Post subject:

Sounds like your 'coal' needs some riddling every now and then to dislodge the ash layer that form on surface of the pieces. That ash layer doesn't pass air through so it could burn right through.
There is big difference with between quality's of fuel and they all behave differently in stoves. I just had bag that was bit like that..it needed regular attention to keep it going and burning evenly. Now that I have different lot of coal..that is lovely..I just shove it on and it burns down to almost 'nothing' ..lots of heat and not much waste and effort to keep it going.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 7:33 am Post subject:

I agree.

We burn a lot of wood, but on the really cold days when we are busy I will burn taybrite as I dont have to top us as often.
In the shed when teaching we burn taybrite. This week its been that cold that John topped up with some anthracite nuts that he keeps for the forge as it burns much hotter. It takes a while to get hot enough to leave: sometimes it takes him a good hour to get the forge running as he likes.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15598

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 10:31 am Post subject:
We get Stove Esse from our coalman to supplement the wood overnight so the fire will stay in.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 12:34 pm Post subject:
Interesting that John uses Anthracite in the forge,normally its Dry Steam /Coking coal that`s used, Is there a special reason he uses it? Anthracite being a high carbon coal does need more air to get going,but proper meaning Welsh,will burn to nothing.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45515
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 2:10 pm Post subject:

a bit of work with a hammer to reduce the bigger lumps to chippings might help,lay a bed of fuel with a well for good kindling (for volume and high calories using a mix of fluffy stuff and thin hardwood sticks or feather sticks seems to work)in the middle ,cover with more coal ,light.this should give a firebed with a hollow middle which burns out to the edges,a bit of water on the coal before laying can help it clump therefore keeping the middle hollow.

if you do get anthracite going as well as it can it might melt the grate ,i know this cos i managed to find out how to get mine going properly in a standard open fireplace.

anthracite is best in big hungry things like the flying scotsman ,it is the top end of coal fuels for serious heat from a firebox of limited size

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 7:44 pm Post subject:
Don`t believe Anthracite was ever used in Steam Train firebox`s, A lot of old Anthracite Collieries had a Steam Coal level for fuel to the Steam Winders. Dry Steam Coal being the preferred fuel

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sat Nov 23, 13 8:59 pm Post subject:
Check your flue is clear, give it a good sweep and try again. Check the stove for burned grates, clinker, or broken insulation. The size of nuts may also be a factor. The Little Wenlock prefers big nuts. It is possible the grade of anthracite you're using needs a bigger stove to burn effectively. There may not be enough critical mass of heat to keep the fire going.

SandraR

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 2346
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 10:25 am Post subject:
Ty - my grandfather was a blacksmith and farrier, we can vaguely remember him using 'smiths' coal and then coke does that make sense?

Woodburner

Joined: 28 Apr 2006
Posts: 2904
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 11:13 am Post subject:
When we had a rayburn (specifially required anthracite), we regularly had to replace the grate(s). I've even managed to ruin a bog standard open fire grate with house coal, so do check how much a replacement is before you get really determined to use anthracite.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 12:44 pm Post subject:

SandraR wrote:

Ty - my grandfather was a blacksmith and farrier, we can vaguely remember him using 'smiths' coal and then coke does that make sense?

Spot on SandraR,
By burning Coking Coal,one produces Coke when the gasses are burnt.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4563
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 12:49 pm Post subject:
Smokeless Fuel is either Anthracite or Dry Steam coal, The manmade products,ie.Taybrite,Ancit ,Ovoids etc. are manufactured from the Duff/Small coal of these 2 products.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 4:27 pm Post subject:
Cant get coke here.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Sun Nov 24, 13 5:05 pm Post subject:

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

Cant get coke here.

*snort*

Dee J

Joined: 22 May 2005
Posts: 342
Location: West Devon

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 13 10:28 am Post subject:

Some of the anthracite around at the moment seems very temperamental and tries to occupy one of two states:- 1. Not enough air and goes out or 2. Eek is that stove really meant to glow like that (top of stove and base of flue glowing dull red

). As for the residue - after several hours burning from one small stove full (can't criticize it's energy content) there seems to be as much material in the firebox as at the start... what is it ? ash ? clinker ? or should I sieve it and try re-using it?

As for the the forge (faute de mieux - I prefer charcoal) - really difficult to get burning well, and goes out at the slightest neglect.

Dee

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