Post by Noddy on Nov 10, 2006 15:20:08 GMT
I've only got a few minutes on the net so please excuse the typos.
Following on from a thread a few weeks ago about coal and the abysmal quality of some of the stuff that is available.
Apparently Eckington Colliery in Derbyshire is currently working a low sulphur steam coal (I.e. higher volatiles than house coal, and with high melting point ash that should not fuse to give clinker). I don't have full address or contact numbers yet but will post them when I get them. (they should be in the yellow pages if you're desperate)
I have picked up a little more info on the effects of sulphur content. High sulphur content is generally visible as pyrite (fools gold) or the oxidation products of it (ferrous sulphate, gypsum etc).
Apparently when industrial scale engines were steaming 24 / 7, the flues were hot enough that the dew point of sulphuric acid was not reached, so high sulphur coal was not a problem, however with the heat losses of model scale engines or occasional steaming of full size engines, condensation of sulphuric acid is likely to occur causing some degree of corrosion (copper and lead are notably resistant to sulphuric acid attack, but not totally immune, I suspect, (but am unsure) that silver solder may be more susceptable).
hope this is of some help
Following on from a thread a few weeks ago about coal and the abysmal quality of some of the stuff that is available.
Apparently Eckington Colliery in Derbyshire is currently working a low sulphur steam coal (I.e. higher volatiles than house coal, and with high melting point ash that should not fuse to give clinker). I don't have full address or contact numbers yet but will post them when I get them. (they should be in the yellow pages if you're desperate)
I have picked up a little more info on the effects of sulphur content. High sulphur content is generally visible as pyrite (fools gold) or the oxidation products of it (ferrous sulphate, gypsum etc).
Apparently when industrial scale engines were steaming 24 / 7, the flues were hot enough that the dew point of sulphuric acid was not reached, so high sulphur coal was not a problem, however with the heat losses of model scale engines or occasional steaming of full size engines, condensation of sulphuric acid is likely to occur causing some degree of corrosion (copper and lead are notably resistant to sulphuric acid attack, but not totally immune, I suspect, (but am unsure) that silver solder may be more susceptable).
hope this is of some help