THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



A. General Science 



Vol. Ill NOVEMBER, 1908 Fo. 5 



PHILIPPINE COALS AS FUEL. 



By Alvin J. Cox. 

 {From the Laboratory of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Bureau of Science, 



Manila, P. I.) 



b 



INTRODUCTION. 



While it may be true that the testing of fuels under boilers at best 

 gives onljr approximately comparative results, nevertheless there is no 

 degree of accuracy in assumptions such as that of Bazin,^ who considered 

 the practical steam-making capacity of a combustible material to be 

 two-thirds of its found heating value. This capacity may vary from 80 

 per cent with the best anthracite down to 50 per cent or even less when 

 a highly bituminous coal is used. The tj^Je of plant, the personnel 

 and other important factors must be considered. The error in concluding 

 that a coal high in evaporative power is on that account the best coal 

 and conversely that a very cheap fuel necessarily must be cheap in the 

 long run should be guarded against. The most satisfactory way in 

 which a correct conclusion as to the respective commercial values of 

 different coals can be arrived at is to make tests and then compare their 

 performances as shown below. 



There is no doubt that steam vessels can successfully use some of the 

 Philippine coals. If others are too high in volatile combustible matter 

 they unquestionably can be employed by mixing them with a certain 

 amount of Australian coal and thus too rapid gasification be prevented. 

 The Coast Guard and interisland ships now burn on the average 10 tons 

 of Australian coal each per day or 300 tons per month. If they replace 



^Rev. gen. de Ghim. (1904), 7, 91; Rev. in ,/. Am. Chem. soc. (190.5), 

 27, 1333. 



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