The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-11-18

carbon in the samples Of North Da
kota coal (dried) usually runs from
| 48 to 81 per cent; that Of West Vir
ginia bituminous Goals about 81 pei
cent; that Of the better grades Of
semi-bituminous dry Goals of Mary
land rs per cent; and that of the
fine, dry, close-burning bituminous
Goals of Pennsylvania 70 per cent
In q general way it may be said that
the heating power Of one ton Of
North Dakota coal will equal about
IS per cent of a ton (1,300 lbs.) Of
bituminous coal.
1.-THE purity Of fuel is q very i'm
portant element in determining its
value. A difference of or pei
cent in the earthly matter of two
Goals may be the source Of very
serious difference in their final value
North Dakota Goals are almost always
free from earthly matter, as seen from
the amount and character of their
ash.
by these comparisons it will be
seen that North Dakota Ignite ranks
so far as its heat-producing power
is concerned, between the lower
grades of Ignite and bituminous
coal, and that it is far superior to
the Ignite mined in some other coun.
tries. s.- ~E. .
1T is largely due to lack of ia
miliarity with the character of lig-
mite coal and to lack of knowledge
of the best methods of burning it,
that this coal is not being more gen.
orally used. However, the use is
gradually being extended as from
time to time more perfect methods
Of burning appear.
AT the present time Ignite coal
is chiefly used in Jumps in heating
and cooking stoves and in engines
for power. 1t is generally used in
the most simple manner and very
few special methods have been adopt
ed for burning or utilizing this coal
or for preparing it for market. But
there can be little doubt that for
general stove and furnace use bri.
quoted Ignite would prove a most
economic and profitable fuel.
"A successful and sufficiently in
expensive method for commercial
briquetting of Ignite is now being
developed at the School of Mines.
The, process is made commercially
possible and profitable by operating
the briquetting in conjunction with a
gas producing plant in which vari-
ETY. of by-products are saved and
utilized, and by which process the
residue after the gas has been driv-
en- off can be successfully briquetted
into concentrated and valuable fuel.
zone ton of the dry Ignite will
produce about two.thirds of ton of
briquets, in addition to about 10000
cubic feet of gas and other valuable
by-products such as tars, ammonium
sulphate, etc. Considering the ease
with which the gas is produced the
low cost of the original Ignite and
the value of the residue, this gas
should have a large commercial val
us for heating, lighting, and power
purposes, because of the low price
for which it could be sold if manu-
featured in a plant used also to pro-
duce briQuets from the residue. .s
THE briQuets present many advan-
tages over the original Ignite or even
over other varieties of coal. They
have nearly double the heating val
ue of the original Ignite, as usually
placed upon the market, they do not
disintegrate on standing or burning;
can be stored without being affected
by atmospheric conditions, and are
uniform in size. and convenient to
handle.
There seems little doubt but that
the briquetting and the production Of
gas from Ignite will in the near fu-
ture be put on commercially salts
factory basis in this state. While this
will prove of great value to all parts
of our state, it will be especially i'm
portant to those communities nearest
the great Ignite deposits in the west
ern portion Of the state, for In some
OF these the wastes can be converted
into electricity which in turn could
be sent to surrounding towns and vii
lagos, thus distributing power and
light from numerous central power
plants. Such an arrangement will not
only be great saving Of our fuel
resources, but will also result in es.
tablishing many industries which can
be developed by abundant and cheap
electric power.
~ n aS1n@ 4