LOW CARBONISATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 6

LOW CARBONISATION.

' PRODUCTION OF SMOKELESS FUEL. (Prom Our Own Correspondent.) ■LONDON, December 21. A new low temperature carbonisation plant is now nearing completion at the works of the South Metropolitan Gas Company, Ltd. This installation consists of a standard “ K. 5.6.” retort) with a normal throughput of 80 tons of coal per 24 hours, and with, therefore, a weekly capacity ff 560 tons. This is complete with cooling, condensing, and by-product plant, and, in addition, a producer gas generator to utilise coke ; breeze or other low grade material to supply gas for heating the retort setting, leaving the rich gas free to be utilised for towns gas purposes. Normally, the yields from the process are, with a coal ontaining from 20-35 per cent .olatiie matter, 3500-5000 cubic feet of rich gas of 800 B.Th.U.’s per cubic feet, three gallons of light oil scrubbed from the gas,- 15-20 gallons of low temperature tar, and 14cwt smokeless fuel containing 10 to 12 per cent, volatile matter. A feature of the process is the conversion of bituminous coal dust and smalls into i a dense, free burning, smokeless fuel in. large pieces, without preliminary or auxiliary treatment such as briquetting ■or compression.

The same type of plant is also being erected in connection with the New Jersey Public Electric and Gas CornCompany, and with a capacity of 4800 tons weekly will constitute the largest low temperature plant in the world.