The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1907-06-20
Stnte Makes strides

of the list. ? CsiG3 TSS az
Not only is this state greater In
her production Of coal; but aIso In
the quality Of the fuel that comes
from the mines Preliminary tests
made at the fuel testing station of
the United States Geological Survey
in St. Louis, Mo-, prove that some OF
the best steaming Goals OF the coun.
try are found in West Virginia. One
hundred and seventy-five chemical
analyses Of this coal give a range in
British thermal units from 1880.
the lowest, to 1926. the highest.
The steam tests made at st. Louis
show that all the West Virginia
Goals are high grade steam Goals
in fact they are decidedly In the lead
in this respec of all Goals tested.
Coal from the ouinnlmont bed on
New River showed nearly is, 900
British thermal units. =
= All of tn ecoals from this state
are coking Goals, but notwithstand-
ing thisifaet coSing tests were made
at st. Louis. In several cases these
tests were made in connection with
washing tests to Sc If the quality
of coke could not be improved.
The results were most satisfactory.
An interesting and most import
ant part Of the. experimental work
of the government experts. was in
the making of what is called "briq-
uettes.:n These are cakes OF waste
coal mixed with tar, the whole press
ed;together compactly by machinery.
1t is the2latest and most satisfactory
method yet devised for the utiliza-
ton OF the waste from the mines.
In hriquetting, the tests which have
the most direct bearing on the fuel
question of this state are those
which produced briquettes from coke
breeze twaste) with or without the
addition Of a small amount Of fresh
coal.
The briquettes made by both
methods were hard and burned we'll.
and doubtless would make good
substitute for anthracite coal. The
results obtained with New River
coal and coke could without oues-
ton be duplicated with any other
/ coking, coal of the state and it
seems that this might open up a new
industry which would utilize a waste
product and produce. a valuable
fuel.
Probably the most important of
the results accomplished has been
the manner in which these bitumin-
Gus Goals can be used in the man
ufscture of producer gas, the gas
being consumed in Internal com
combustion engines for the devel-
opment of power, Such lists we're
made of Pittsburg and Upper Free
port Goals from the northern part Of
the state. of sewell coal from Dun
loop Creek, of Ansted coal and
Powellton coal from the .Kanawha
district. and Pocahontas coal from
Elkhorn Creek.
The results show that for the pro-
duetion of one electrical horsepower
hour in the producer gas plant
there were required 1.57, 1.2s. 1.46,
1,7s, 1.40. and $50 pounds OF dry
coal respectively, while to produce
the same result in the steam plant 1t
$50. see, 3.55, 3.G3, 3.46 and $50
pounds of dry coal respectively.
These tests show gains in efficiency
over the fuel used in the steam
plant of las. 1s1, 143, 1O4. 147 and
1875 per cent respectively. Sdll an
other tst showed but 100 pounds Of
dry coal needed in the gas producer,
while s.45 pounds were necessary
to produce same results in steam
plant.
Such results indicate a revolution
IN the production OF power Gas
producers and gas engines, it is de-
ClaISu y! the TeuloslCdi survey eN-
perts, are destined soon TO replace
to large extent the ordinary steam
engine.
The fuel testing station has al
ready tested? samples Of coal rom
twenty-six mines in the State. rang
ing from one to three car loads
from each mine. Altogether thirty
six steam tests We're made, thirty
coRing tests. twelve gas producer
tests, and but nine washing tests.
This latter Indicates the almost I'M
precedented cleanliness Of the coal