Coal Still Feasible?

MDNLansing

Does anyone have any experience with modern coal boilers? There are several companies that make them, but I am mostly interested on the technology. Are they something to consider when replacing a boiler, or is it a waste of time to look into them?

Jean-David Beyer

is it a waste of time to look into them?

My dad bought a coal fired forced hot air furnace (it came with a house) just after World War II. It worked. He had to put coal in it once or twice a day. He also had to take the ashes out once a day and put them in a galvanized ash can. And I had to help him carry them up the stairs and out to the street once a week to be collected. But by about 1950, the city stopped collecting ashes, so he had a gas burner put in, firing into the ash door at the bottom of the furnace. In those days coal was from about $4/ton to $7/ton. It was cheap because other users (Bethlehem Steel and Republic Steel, and all the public schools, and most of the homes burned coal as well), so the incremental cost of getting coal from Pennsylvania for houses was cheap when they were sending coal trains into the city every day anyway.



So aside from the technological issues, you may have econo-political problems, such as compliance with environmental laws, ash removal, and even getting the coal at a reasonable price.

MDNLansing

Modern Coal Boilers

Modern indoor coal boilers use a combination of anthracite coal and bio fuels. Manufacturers claim between 88% and 93% DOE efficiency ratings which is why I am considering them. They also use hoppers that automatically feed the fire box so you just load them up a few times a week. I was surprised to see they are actually well thought out and modernly designed units, not just simple upgrades over the models from the 50's. My problem with them is that I never see any pros mentioning their use. Most everyone uses gas or oil, which makes me believe there is a reason for this. Ultimately, I'd like to find out what that reason is.

Pughie1

Coal Boilers

Steam or Hot Water?

If hot water check out alternateheatingsystems.com.

A goup of fellows in my area (central New York) each purchased one of these

and are very satisfied with them. Substantial fuel savings over oil. They get

together and buy a truck load of coal out of Pennsylvania each year. Comes

bagged on pallets, the truck is specially built with rollers for unloading. I

helped them with system design.

John Pughe

MDNLansing

Steam

I'll be staying with steam when I replace my boiler next year.

steamedchicago

filth...

Coal is filthy, and you will end up with coal dust and ash all over the place.  You have to store a whole bunch of filthy dirty coal.  And then, when you burn it, you have to deal with the ashes.  Gas or oil are much less mess and trouble.  And they don't have toxic ash.  Currently, coal ash isn't a regulated waste, and you can do pretty much anything you want with it.  That will change; and the rules on disposal will vary by state, but it'll end up being more restrictive. 



If you're burning it by the trainload, it might make sense.  For anything else, not so much. 

Dave in QCA

Coal Supply is a problem

I looked into burning coal as well. I found one small supplier in Ames, Iowa, located in the middle of the state. In Illinois, was not not able to find any supply at all.

NetWareHead

coal

steamedchicago:



Have you ever burned coal? Coeal in a home heating setup is vastly different than you may have experienced. Most home coal users use anthracite (hard coal)which burns with a hot blue flame and is practically smokeless. Id say wood burners produce more noticeable smell and smoke than anthracite. This is a hard rock and is not prone to producing dust (see this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlOFA81rhxg )



What you are perhaps thinking of is bituminous coal or soft coal. This is prone to producing dust and burns with an odor and sometimes visible smoke. Coal has the public perception of belching smokestacks and steam locomotives but this is not always the case. There are some guys who burn bituminous coal and they do it clean and smokeless. Even for dusty coals, many coal dealers deliver coal that has been oiled so the dust is kept under control. Emptying the ash is something that is also clean if you are careful.



Coal ash is not "toxic" but some of it may contain heavy metals depending on the seam/area from which it was mined. Many guys I know empty the ash on their gravel driveways where it produces excellent filler. Another guy I know of keeps a bag of it in his trunk and uses it as a traction aid in the winter.



A ton of coal contains the BTU equivalent of 185-200 gallons of #2 oil. If we do the math and pick the lower range of 185 gallons x $3.75 (price per gallon of heating oil) = $693.75



A ton of anthracite coal averages between $275 - $325 a ton (price in New England). That price shrinks the closer you are to Pennsylvania as shipping becomes cheaper. You easily have a fuel that is half the price of oil using these calculations.



I'd rather burn coal that is mined here in the USA and pays American wages than send my $ overseas.

NetWareHead

reason

People want a push-button fuel. I'm not going to use the word lazy but most people do not want to be bothered with loading a stove or hopper with coal and then ashing it out. There is also a negative perception of coal which helps contribute to its unpopularity.

NetWareHead

check this out

http://nepacrossroads.com/



great internet forum of coal burners. There are alot of great smart people here. I was initially skeptical about coal and learned best practices here. You can also find suppliers.