chief
National Hazard
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Registered: 19-7-2007
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CO-avoidance when firing coal-dust
I would like to fire all the coal-dust (more dirt than dust), that has accumulated in the basement over the years, several tons of it.
Now it's not easy to have it burn at any sufficient rate (for heating purposes), for it covers itself with ash (20 % of the original mass), and burns
very slowly, releasing no useful wattage.
Now my latest Idea is to give it an compressed air-shot every now and then, hoping that the stirring will make it burn.
But I just fear the CO. How can I estimate what amount of CO will be generated at any firing-method ??
Some of my other Ideas were:
- blowing electric wind at it (from 10kV-corona-discharge), hoping the ash would flow away and off the kettle; didn't work
- making strong charcoal-fire, and throwing the coal-dust onto it; just extinguished the fire, leaving a very slow burning-process (until the next
day)
- heating it electrically with some 1-2 kW, hoping for more rapid burning, but the ash-covering-problem would still be there; didn't try yet
- introducing compressed air through punctured tubes, that are within the coal-dust, hopefully giving combustion-air _and_ removing the ash;
but: hot CO2 from lower regions would go through coal-dust, with no O2 in place, therefore risk of CO
- building several floors of firebrick into the kettle, each of which gets 1-2 cm of coal-dust; setting it on with a strong wood-fire from below;
didn't try yet
How, finally, can I burn the stuff without to kill myself and at a sufficient rate (?) (in my normal kettle that's designed for wood and coal, heating
water that flows in the iron-walls of the kettle) ??
[Edited on 23-11-2007 by chief]
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12AX7
Post Harlot
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Think fluidized bed reactor. With just the right amount of air, you can even get rid of the ash automatically (fly ash). You may also have enough
clay or organic matter in the dust to moisten and press into briquettes.
Carbon monoxide, when formed, typically burns immediately with a thin blue flame. As long as you don't burn in an enclosed area, it will not be a
problem.
Tim
[Edited on 11-24-2007 by 12AX7]
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vulture
Forum Gatekeeper
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Want to avoid CO? Oxygen, oxygen, oxygen. CO actually burns more easily than carbon yet people still get poisoned because of insufficient air supply.
One shouldn't accept or resort to the mutilation of science to appease the mentally impaired.
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