Effect of Oven Humidity on Accelerated Weathering Tests of Coal

THIS test was described in a privately circulated First Progress Report on Slacking Characteristics of Coal, by A. C. Fieldner and W. A. Selvig, May 1, 1928. The test was described in detail in U. S. Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 3055, in November, 1930.1 The test, in brief, is conducted as follows: A sample of freshly mined coal consisting of 18 to 25 pieces approximating 1 ¼ cubes, and weighing 500 to 600 grams, is taken for the test. The sample is subjected to a "blank sieving" of carefully regulated degree, on an 8-in. circular sieve with 0.263-in. square openings; and the undersize and oversize weighed. The oversize is placed on a sheet-iron pan and dried for about 24 hr. in an A.S.T.M. air-drying oven maintained at 30° to 35° C. through which a current of warm air is drawn. The sample is then cooled to room temperature and immersed for one hour in water at the same temperature. The water is then drained off, the sample dried for 24 hr. as before, cooled, sieved as before, and the oversize and undersize weighed. The percentage weight of the undersize, is calculated and reported as the first cycle loss. This loss, corrected by subtracting the percentage loss in the blank sieving, is termed the slacking index. The sample may be subjected to further cycles of wetting, draining, air-drying, sieving and weighing. In a letter (August, 1932) W. A. Selvig approved making the blank sieving on a duplicate sample, rather than on the sample used for the test, where sufficient coal was available. This method is now employed in these laboratories. The accelerated weathering test has been employed in the labora-tories of the Research Council of Alberta, at Edmonton, since 1928, but not found entirely satisfactory as repeat determinations with samples taken from the same or adjacent mines frequently showed serious differ-ences. Differences must be expected as the coal may vary in the seam, and the selection of a typical set of lumps approximating 1 ¼ -in. cubes