coal vac question ..

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bsteckel
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Post by bsteckel » Mon. Sep. 11, 2017 5:29 pm

I am working on a coal vac system to try out. My plan is to use the large metal cage/plastic liquid storage totes. I have a 1.5" pvc pipe in the bottom running in where the drain is in each tote to pick up the coal in the bottom of the tote. I am then using a 55 gal drum suspended over one tote that houses my auger. I have 2 16 gal shop vacs to provide suction going into 2 2.5 inch pvc elbows in the top of the drum lid. How are you guys attaching the shop vac suction hose to the pvc pipe for a leak free seal? it does not seem to work with either the 2" pvc pipe or a 2" elbow. Also, what size flexible suction reinforced hose will work with the 1.5 pvc pipe and 1.5 pvc elbows? I dont want a rigid feed line from tote to barrel .. i have a few totes and can use the flexible hose to switch totes when one is empty..

Thanks !!

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Mon. Sep. 11, 2017 6:03 pm

I used a heat gun to soften the PVC pipe then shoved the vacuum hose in and let it cool. Ended up a very snug fit. Wear gloves as the PVC gets very hot. My pipes are 2" sch40

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bsteckel
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Post by bsteckel » Mon. Sep. 11, 2017 6:22 pm

great idea ... are you using 2" for the vac and also 2" for the feed? using one vac or 2?

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Mon. Sep. 11, 2017 6:29 pm

All vacuum hoses are standard 2.5" shop vac. I used a standard woodworking port on the shop vac side (black port with square base) and built the coal side using threaded bulkhead connectors and 2" PVC. I use one 6.5hp vac (with dust deputy) and have to be careful not to plug up the hose or my 55gal drum implodes. I use a 45deg 4" toilet flange as the discharge like others on here

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vermontday
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Post by vermontday » Mon. Sep. 11, 2017 8:58 pm

Slick setup, but is there a chance of a coal dust explosion?

Perhaps someone out there could weigh in on this.

If the filters on the vac stay intack, it should not get large dust concentrations to the vac impeller.

The plastic tote may build up a static charge, hopefully the metal cage will collapse the field.

Just something to keep in mind if your arm hair starts raising!

I am guilty too. The few times I have vacuumed coal dust, I always wonder......

 
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Post by Qtown1835 » Tue. Sep. 12, 2017 11:53 am

nepacoal wrote: I use one 6.5hp vac (with dust deputy) and have to be careful not to plug up the hose or my 55gal drum implodes.
What did you do to combat the excessive draw on the barrel? I had similar results last year with my 'beta' setup. I was thinking about putting a wye in about half way between my bin and barrel, then using the exhaust from the VAC to 'feed' air into the run which should balance the pressure.

 
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nepacoal
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Post by nepacoal » Tue. Sep. 12, 2017 1:24 pm

I suck up the coal manually with a vacuum hose so I can control the feed rate. You just have to be careful not to let the hose suck onto the wall of the bin. I use two 55 gal barrels on furniture dollies to store about 400 lbs each and roll them over near my boiler and use another coal vac setup to load the hopper (the hopper can vacuum/load about 70 lbs at a time). The main purpose of my setup was to limit dust in the basement. shoveling and pouring coal generated a lot of dust. My two stage coal vac setup just about eliminates the dust and as a bonus also eliminated carrying 5 gal buckets full of coal.

 
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Pauliewog
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Post by Pauliewog » Tue. Sep. 12, 2017 11:26 pm

I use one 6.5 HP Craftsman shop vac with a drywall dust bag.

From the floor of my coal bin to a 55 gallon polypropylene drum mounted above the feed hopper, the suction side consists of an 8' vertical lift and a 35 ' horizontal run of 1- 1/2" pvc conduit with three 90* sweeps.

After a number of modifications to the pickup pipe, cutting the end at an angle, and adding a 1" air assist close to the feed end, has worked well to prevent blockages for the past few years.

Paulie

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Post by hotblast1357 » Wed. Sep. 13, 2017 8:32 am

Got any pics of the vac and 55 gallon drum??

 
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Post by McGiever » Wed. Sep. 13, 2017 11:11 am

Excellent info provided here in this thread...Just keep in mind, properties of different coal sizes/densities (rice, pea etc.) will require different vac system set-ups. Each added pipe bend, height of lift, the over all total length plus the chosen pipe diameter and developed suction all make each needed system's assembled combination unique.
:idea: Some experimental design may be needed to be exercised in order to get an acceptable working system. :idea:

Note: Augers, straight or flexible, aren't so fussy...set it and forget it, other than feed the 1 end and let it fall out the other end. :|

 
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Pauliewog
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Post by Pauliewog » Sun. Sep. 17, 2017 12:25 am

hotblast1357 wrote:Got any pics of the vac and 55 gallon drum??
The vac is located in a closet adjacent to the coal bin. Vac hose is attached to 2" pvc pipe and runs overhead into a 55 gallon drum in the furnace room.

The drum sets on top of stacked chimney blocks . A 2" pvc pipe runs from a hole in the bottom of the drum into the stoker feed hopper.

1- 1/2" pvc conduit runs from the top of the drum parallel to the 2" pipe and down into the coal bin.

Paulie

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Pauliewog
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Post by Pauliewog » Sun. Sep. 17, 2017 1:05 am

McGiever wrote:Excellent info provided here in this thread...Just keep in mind, properties of different coal sizes/densities (rice, pea etc.) will require different vac system set-ups. Each added pipe bend, height of lift, the over all total length plus the chosen pipe diameter and developed suction all make each needed system's assembled combination unique.

Very good point Mac. Another important factor is moisture.
When rice coal is wet it has a tendency to bridge above the feed tube, requires more suction, and takes longer to fill the drum.


:idea: Some experimental design may be needed to be exercised in order to get an acceptable working system. :idea:

Oh Yeah ...... I'll second that one. :D

Note: Augers, straight or flexible, aren't so fussy...set it and forget it, other than feed the 1 end and let it fall out the other end. :|

I looked long and hard at a way to get from my coal bin to the stoker with a series of augers but my room layout just didn't make it practical.
An auger was definitely my first choice. :D

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