Lehigh coal vs Reading coal

 
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CoalisCoolxWarm
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Thu. Feb. 14, 2019 11:58 pm

After burning Reading buckwheat for a couple of years, my supplier switched to Lehigh coal. I don't have any problems with that, but thought I might have some good insight as a comparison.

So far in my Keystoker KA6, I've noticed the buckwheat is a bit smaller and almost a mix of buckwheat and a bit smaller. That has made for some challenges.

For one, I'm using a lot more coal. I've cut back my feed 2 turns and just now another turn.

With the higher usage, I've overrun my ash tub a couple of times, with the stoker deck being loaded with about 1/2-3/4" of ash on the bottom about 2/3 of the way back and coal sort of "bubbled up" on top.

I am attributing that to the backup, but there might be more to it?

The ash is certain MUCH redder and bridges/cakes more. And it appears to do so in layers, possibly not yielding as much heat from the fire as before.

My draft is about the same with the barometer, but I'm thinking I might need MORE AIR?

I'm speculating that air isn't making it up through the bed as well with the smaller pieces and I might need more air pushing to get up through well.

The other possibility is this coal feeds differently with each stroke. It isn't pushing hot coals off the end of the bed. I think the smaller coal doesn't push as well in a linear fashion and tends to back up and bulge up in the middle instead.

It is later in the season, so maybe the coal is just smaller like the bit used to be. Not really many fines, so that is good.

If anyone is interested, I'll update as I make changes to dial this stuff in ;)

Anyone else see similar differences?


 
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Post by Rob R. » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 5:55 am

If the coal produces a red ash, and you are having problems with clinkers/clumps of ash, I would be hesitant to increase the air unless it is pushing burning coal right to the end of the stoker. Since you have already cut back the feed, I would reduce the air as well and monitor the appearance of the fire when the boiler is working hard.

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 7:36 am

So you're thinking too much air? Interesting...ok, I'll be back this afternoon and will take a look to see how it is doing after the feed change.

Thanks

 
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Post by lprince » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 8:59 am

If I recall Stoker Don was having a similar issue with his AA130 and that is why he slowed down his fan speed and is having wonderful results

 
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Post by Canaan coal man » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 9:36 am

Isn’t Lehigh normally a nice white ash or is that in the handfed world?

 
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Post by swyman » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 9:42 am

Canaan coal man wrote:
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 9:36 am
Isn’t Lehigh normally a nice white ash or is that in the handfed world?
I'm burning Lehigh buck and have white ash. I also have what I consider a lot of fines. I had to increase feed and air on my boiler. I had mixed results on feed too, seemed like it's not consistent from day to day with similar run times.

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 2:02 pm

Im sorry to hear you are having issues with fines, Is this bagged or bulk, and if you are having issues with caking you should cut back on the air.
Please let me know when you bought the coal, if it was bagged or bulk, and where you purchased.


 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 4:48 pm

Thanks for all the input. I've been on the go all day and about to go out for night shift.

So the adjustments will have to wait until tomorrow after I get back.

My baro damper is at its limit with a washer or two added. I'll add another washer or two and adjust it finely for the .015-.02 draft and then start playing with the air.

I know from experience that if the bed is too thick (like backed up ashes), it is a "cold fire" that doesn't output enough heat.

Ashes are definitely red. Been on 100% Lehigh for a week or two.

House is warm, so not been an emergency to adjust things, but gotta dial this in ;)

I'll get some pics of the coal, ashes, fire, etc tomorrow. Any questions or anything you guys want to see before it's adjusted and dialed in, let me know. Maybe help the next guy make the adjustment for the different coal :yes:

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 5:33 pm

CoalisCoolxWarm wrote:
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 4:48 pm
Thanks for all the input. I've been on the go all day and about to go out for night shift.

So the adjustments will have to wait until tomorrow after I get back.

My baro damper is at its limit with a washer or two added. I'll add another washer or two and adjust it finely for the .015-.02 draft and then start playing with the air.

I know from experience that if the bed is too thick (like backed up ashes), it is a "cold fire" that doesn't output enough heat.

Ashes are definitely red. Been on 100% Lehigh for a week or two.

House is warm, so not been an emergency to adjust things, but gotta dial this in ;)

I'll get some pics of the coal, ashes, fire, etc tomorrow. Any questions or anything you guys want to see before it's adjusted and dialed in, let me know. Maybe help the next guy make the adjustment for the different coal :yes:
Where did you buy this coal?

 
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Post by CapeCoaler » Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 8:19 pm

20190215_200938.jpg
.JPG | 550.4KB | 20190215_200938.jpg
Haven't seen Lehigh as a red Ash coal...
This is the ash from some Lehigh nut...
Just came off the Lehigh breaker right around Christmas time...

 
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Post by swyman » Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 6:50 am

LehighanthraciteMatt wrote:
Fri. Feb. 15, 2019 2:02 pm
Im sorry to hear you are having issues with fines, Is this bagged or bulk, and if you are having issues with caking you should cut back on the air.
Please let me know when you bought the coal, if it was bagged or bulk, and where you purchased.
Thank you for the follow up Matt. I picked this up on August 24, 2018. I picked up 10 super sacks of Buck. I picked this up in Tamaqua where you have all the bagged coal on pallets. The bags were ready to go when I got there, just loaded me up and I was back on the road. I can send pics if that would help anything? My ash is not caking BTW

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 7:05 am

swyman wrote:
Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 6:50 am
Thank you for the follow up Matt. I picked this up on August 24, 2018. I picked up 10 super sacks of Buck. I picked this up in Tamaqua where you have all the bagged coal on pallets. The bags were ready to go when I got there, just loaded me up and I was back on the road. I can send pics if that would help anything? My ash is not caking BTW
Can you show me some photos of the coal? I would be interested in seeing the excess fines, I can show to our plant forman to see if he can figure out the cause. We test daily in our lab and have not once had a sample out of spec for fines or undersized. The thing is many of our competitors have a larger buck coal. So when people see ours in spec they think it is too small. Thanks in advance for the photos.

 
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Post by swyman » Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 7:11 am

LehighanthraciteMatt wrote:
Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 7:05 am
Can you show me some photos of the coal? I would be interested in seeing the excess fines, I can show to our plant forman to see if he can figure out the cause. We test daily in our lab and have not once had a sample out of spec for fines or undersized. The thing is many of our competitors have a larger buck coal. So when people see ours in spec they think it is too small. Thanks in advance for the photos.
I will snap a couple pics when I get home from work. I also have a video of me unloading the bags into the basement to show how the coal was handled. I don't believe I created any fines in the way we handled the coal but will post so everyone can see. I have 3 ton of your rice left over from last year, I will also try to take a pic of a small sample of both so you can see sizing difference.

 
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Post by LehighanthraciteMatt » Mon. Feb. 18, 2019 12:03 pm

Thanks so much

 
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Post by swyman » Tue. Feb. 19, 2019 7:05 am

I will start a new thread in the coal section......sorry for tainting your thread OP!


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