All about Coal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

All about Coal - Research Paper eccentricThe reason for the gathering of sear was primarily for household uses, namely kindle. It was later discovered that it played an master(prenominal) role with its heating capabilities in smelting, alloy production and the generation of electricity. Sir George Bruce created a loading island where he sank a shaft connected to two others for drainage purposes and ventilation. This form of technology was extraordinary in coal dig during medieval times, often considered an industrial enquire of the time. In the 17th century many advances in the techniques use for mining were discovered, including test boring and drainage of the collieries, to allow the coal to be brought to the surface easier and more safely. explanation Merriam-Webster (2011) defines coal as a piece of glowing carbon or charred wood. This is a shady definition, as intimately would think of coal as simply a dirty, sable rock that creates heat and is great for summer barbecu es. The fact that it is defined as glowing and charred wood leave the mind to wonder how was coal formed then? If it is already charred wood, why would we use it? Its already been burnt-out up, so what use can it be? The answer lies in the reason and process through which coal was formed. How coal was formed The formation of coal began around 300 million years ago, while most of the earth was covered by swamps, giant ferns and different mosses. Layer after layer of these plants died and subsequently were pissed and covered with new soil. As these new layers of soil covered the dead plants, the lack of air stop the decomposition processes of the plants. This created peat, and throughout the years with heat and extensive pressure, it forced out oxygen and hydrogen, leaving carbon-rich deposits cognize as coal. As the carbon content of the coal increases, its compression is increased and the moisture content drops further. Thusly, there atomic number 18 quad types of coal that for m in subsequent order, each with its own grading scale, cognize as a rank (Speight, 2005). (stovesonline.co.uk) III. Four Categories of Coal The four categories of coal are lignite, subbituminous, bituminous and anthracite. distributively one has its own ranking, based on the degree of which the original plant materials have been turned into carbon. These ranks are also apply an estimation of how old the coal is. In general, the older the coal, the higher the carbon content. lignite coal is the youngest of the four, and is most often used in the generation of electric power. It is a brownish melanise color and has a high moisture and sulphur content. It is more similar to soil than rocks and has a disposal to fragment when exposed to the elements. Subbituminous coal is often referred to as black lignite, although its moisture content is lower. It is also used for the generation of electricity, but also used for heating. Bituminous coal is a soft coal. iIt is dense and black wi th stripes of vibrant and dull materials. This is the most commonly found and used type of coal, for coke (a rest period of coal used in the steel industry), electricity, and heating as well. The last of the four, anthracite coal, is the hardest, oldest and best of the four types. It is black, glossy and very hard like a rock. It has the lowest sulphur content and the highest carbon