The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-24
COKE OVENS IN BELGIUM.
The observations Made by Two Unit
ed states Con-uI~.

ed states tonNUl~.
United States Consul WiusIow has writ
ten to the State Department from Liege
respecting coke ovens in Belgium. as fol-
lows
There are three retort coke ovens in
use in this consular district, so far as I
am able to learn. that are adapted TO the
treatment Of the hy-products. They are as
follows: The -Solvay. built by Sol
way q Co. p Rue de Prince Albert Brus-
sells. the COppee. built by Evence COppee
Il Boulevard d'Auderlecht. Brussels and
The Collin. built by F. J. Collin, l. Rue de
Ia Paix. Liege, Belgium.
They are about the same value as re-
CARDS the production OF coke and the by
products. such as gas. sUlphate Of ammo
MIA tar. etc. in the treatment OF Belgian
Goals which contain from l6 20 p per cent
Of volatile matter.
The one in most general use in this
consular district is the Somet- Solvay
owing largely to its durability and the low
cost OF operating it, Il is built Of ma
sonry and forms a series Of arches. with
doors at all the openings that can easily
be luted. so that the ovens are alright.
The arrangement is such that all unneces-
sary loss OF heat is avoided. and the COM
bustion OF gas in the hues is under such
cornDIete control that even heat is assured
To gain this. the roof OF the arch is made
four feet thick, and the doors are so de-
signed as 20 avoid any cooling az the ends
Of the ovens
These ovens vary in size. owing TO the
amount of volatile matter contained in the
coal from thirty feet long five and one half
feet high and fourteen inches wide, for
coal containing from L. to l. per cent Of
volatile matter 10 the same length and
height and nineteen and One-half inches
wide for coal containing - per cent or
more Of volatile matter. 10 absolute rule
is given regarding the size Of the oven for
any particular grade of coal. but the eX-
act dimensions must be determined for
each individual case.
In this oven. with coal containing l.
per cent Of volatile matter. three-fourths Of
the gas produced is sufficient to run it.
while in the higher grades Of coal the pro-
portion of gas consumed is much smaller
The cost Of erecting one Of these ovens
in Belgium with n capacity % 1900 tons
of coke per year. is about 81 SO. They are
said 20 be easily charged and emptied.''
Consul Roosevelt writes from Brussels:
The pattern OF retOrt coke oven in most
general use in this district is the Semet-
Solvay oven.
are so built as 20 constitute a series OF
arches resting upon abutments. In the
interior Of the sheds formed in this man
ner. ilues with thin castings are set up.
There are three Of these fues superposed
on each side of the oven. The abutmeats
have a thickness OF from 1.32 20 1.64 feet.
The thickness Of the castings of the retorts
used for the transmission Of the caloric is
20 millimeters.
The following are the interior dimen-
sions Of the ovens; Length. 1852 feet;
height, sos feet. The width varies accord
ing TO the quality Of the coal being LIS
feet for Goals which yield but a small
amount OF volatile substances Us - TO
II per cent? and as as much as LA feet
for Goals richer in gas (25 per cent and
above).
Great care has been taken in these
ovens to eliminate all causes of waste OF
heat and to obtain the best results from
the combustion Of gas so as to make an
equal partition OF heat in the oven and
thus obtain a regular and rapid oxidation.
For this purpose, great thickness has been
given to the arches. this thickness being
3-94 feet. Double doors OF sheet iron pro-
tect the inside doors of cast iron against
the action OF the air and prevent the ex-
tremities Of the ovens from being of an
easy and efficacious lutation.
THE combustion OF gas is so arranged
In this system of ovens that with the
suppression of the old system of direct
heating by coal. il is only necessary to use
a portion of the gas produced by the dis
tillation."