IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING COAL FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rowan of Coleshill Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TREATING COAL FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rowan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th February 1882.
THOMAS ROWAN of Coleshill Street, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING COAL FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE."
This Invention relates to the treatment of coal prior to shipment or storage the
object of the Invention being to render such coal much less liable to the action
arising in it and generally known as spontaneous combustion or ignition and
likewise to expel the marsh gas or fire damp from the coal which causes the
explosions which frequently occur where coal is stored in confined places.
It is known that the spontaneous ignition of coal arises from two sources,
videlicet, (1) the absorption and condensation of atmospheric oxygen by the car-
bonaceous matter of coal, and known as carbonaceous oxidation, (2) the oxidation
of some of the sulphur compounds generally existing in coal such as iron pyrites.
In the first case the action quickly commences by a sufficient elevation of tem-
perature and progresses with proportionate rapidity, in the second case, the action
is comparatively slow, damp or moisture greatly promoting it, if indeed it be not
absolutely an essential; heat also accelerates the action.
Now this Invention consists in artificially exciting and promoting the car-
bonaceous oxidation of the coal before its shipment or storage. A suitable method
of carrying out my Invention is as follows. The coal is placed in suitable recep-
tacles by preference shallow iron trucks or waggons with open or lattice bottom
and sides and the said trucks or waggons are run into suitably constructed stoves
or buildings where the coal is subjected to the action of air heated to a temperature
of say from about one hundred and fifty degrees to two hundred and fifty degrees
Fahrenheit for a time varying from twenty four hours to ten days in order thereby
to artificially excite and promote carbonaceous oxidation, the time and temperature

page_text: employed varying as will be well understood with the nature of the coal under
treatment; the coal is then allowed to cool slowly, protected from the influence of
the weather.
By these means I excite and promote the absorption and condensation of
atmospheric oxygen by the carbonaceous matter of the coal (otherwise known as
carbonaceous oxidation) up to that point when any further action in the coal from
this source could not be carried on energetically enough to cause much appreciable
heating, if any, when stored as in the hold of a ship or otherwise. Moreover the
herein before described process or treatment will be the means of expelling moisture
and thus limiting to a minimum the action of the oxidation of the iron pyrites.
Again by the same means the marsh gas or fire damp contained in the pores and
cells of the coal will also be expelled and a dangerous element removed.
Coal thus treated is then fit for storage in the holds of ships or otherwise, and
will be practically freed from the liability to spontaneous combustion or ignition
which until now has been the source of so much disaster to life and property, and
the danger of explosion will be reduced by the quantity of marsh gas or fire damp
expelled.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Rowan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th August
1882.
THOMAS ROWAN, of Coleshill Street, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING COAL FOR TRANSPORT AND STORAGE."
This Invention relates to the treatment of coal prior to shipment or storage, the
object of the Invention being to render such coal much less liable to the action
arising in it and generally known as spontaneous combustion or ignition, and
likewise to expel the marsh gas or fire damp from the coal which causes the
explosions which frequently occur where coal is stored in confined places.
It is known that the spontaneous ignition of coal arises from two sources,
videlicet, (1) the absorption and condensation of atmospheric oxygen by the car-
bonaceous matter of coal, and known as carbonaceous oxidation, (2) the oxidation
of some of the sulphur compounds generally existing in coal such as iron pyrites.
In the first case the action quickly commences by a sufficient elevation of tem-
porature and progresses with proportionate rapidity; in the second case, the action
is comparatively slow, damp or moisture greatly promoting it, if indeed it be not
absolutely an essential; heat also accelerates the action.
Now this Invention consists in artificially exciting and promoting the car-
bonaceous oxidation of the coal before its shipment or storage. A suitable method
of carrying out my Invention is as follows. The coal is placed in suitable recep-
tacles by preference shallow iron trucks or waggons with open or lattice_bottom
and sides and the said trucks or waggons are run into suitably constructed stoves
or buildings where the coal is subjected to the action of air heated to a temperature
of say from about one hundred and fifty degrees to two hundred and fifty degrees
Fahrenheit for a time varying from twenty four hours to ten days in order thereby
to artificially excite and promote carbonaceous oxidation, the time and temperature
employed varying as will be well understood with the nature of the coal under
treatment; the coal is then allowed to cool slowly, protected from the influence of
the weather.
By these means I excite and promote the absorption and condensation of
atmospheric oxygen by the carbonaceous matter of the coal (otherwise known as
carbonaceous oxidation) up to that point when any further action in the coal from
this source could not be carried on energetically enough to cause much appreciable
heating, if any, when stored as in the hold of a ship or otherwise. Moreover the
herein before described process or treatment will be the means of expelling moisture
and thus limiting to a minimum the action of the oxidation of the iron pyrites.
Again by the same means the marsh gas or fire damp contained in the pores and
cells of the coal will also be expelled and a dangerous element removed.
Coal thus treated is then fit for storage in the holds of ships or otherwise, and
will be practically freed from the liability to spontaneous combustion or ignition
which until now has been the source of so much disaster to life and property, and
the danger of explosion will be reduced by the quantity of marsh gas or fire damp
expelled.
Having thus fully described my Invention and the best means with which I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into effect what I claim and desire to be
protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is :-
Firstly. Artificially exciting and promoting the carbonaceous oxidation of coal
prior to transport or storage for the purpose herein before described.

page_text: Secondly. The herein described method of treating coal for safe transit and
storage, by subjecting it prior to shipment or storage, to the action of heated air
substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rowan have hereto set my hand
and seal, this First day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
Patent Agent,
4, South St.,
Finsbury.
THOMAS ROWAN. (L.S.)