Petcoke

[Gareth E]

I tend to use Burnwell when it's not too cold, and overnight. When it gets cold though I switch to petcoke. The advantages: burns quite hot but can be controlled more easily than anthracite. Easy to light, no smoke, little ash. It comes in fairly small pieces which makes it easy to shovel into a bucket, then onto the fire. It's quite cheap too. The only downside is that it's pretty well impossible to keep in overnight.

 

Does anyone else use it?

[peterboat]

No it has a habit of burning stoves out so I would prefer to burn something better

[Geo]

Petcoke is over 90 percent carbon and emits 5 to 10 percent more carbon dioxide (CO₂) than coal on a per-unit-of-energy basis when it is burned. As petcoke has a higher energy content, petcoke emits between 30 and 80 percent more CO₂ than coal per unit of weight.^[2] The difference between coal and coke in CO₂ production per unit energy produced depends upon the moisture in the coal (increases the CO₂ per unit energy – heat of combustion) and volatile hydrocarbon in coal and coke (decrease the CO₂ per unit energy).

[Alan de Enfield]

The information on Wikipedia is only as good as the person submitting it - and - no one checks the quality / correctness of the information, it stays until someone points out the errors, at which time it may, or may not be corrected.

 

Do not rely on Wikipedia, substantiate the information from other sources.

[mross]

My stove's manual warns against burning petcoke.

[Gareth E]

I've heard about these warnings of burning out the stove. Surely though, unless it's allowed to get too hot, it's the same as any other fuel in this respect? Or does it have some magic property that eats stoves?

[Geo]

The information on Wikipedia is only as good as the person submitting it - and - no one checks the quality / correctness of the information, it stays until someone points out the errors, at which time it may, or may not be corrected.

 

Do not rely on Wikipedia, substantiate the information from other sources.

 

I don't, from other things I know it is not far off

[Geo]

I've heard about these warnings of burning out the stove. Surely though, unless it's allowed to get too hot, it's the same as any other fuel in this respect? Or does it have some magic property that eats stoves?

 

Because of its high energy content it has a tendency to burn very hot which melts the fire grate bars. I am surprise that you do not like anthracite as that can burn hot if you let it. Anthracite will however burn slowly, which from the little I know petcoke won't because it needs more oxygen than anthracite to keep burning. That could be why you have problems keeping it in over night.

 

ETA Now to put some anthracite on my stove and go to bed.

 

Night night all and sleep well

Edited November 26, 2016 by Geo

[Gareth E]

I've found that petcoke and anthracite burn similarly hot. I'm surprised that warnings aren't issued about anthracite burning out grates.

 

I can't light anthracite unless I put it on a bed of already burning coal whereas petcoke starts really easily with a firelighter and a bit of kindling. The other thing with anthracite is that I have to have the air vent completely open or it goes out. It's all or nothing. With petcoke I can get away with limiting the air a bit, so it burns a bit more slowly, less hot, without it going out.

[mross]

My Aga Little Wenlock Classis is designed to burn "seasoned wood and manufactured solid fuels (MSF)". My Arada AX manual says the same adding, "Pure Petroleum coke or Bituminous house coal must not be burned in this appliance."

 

Lots of good info here http://solidfuel.co.uk/pdfs/guide_to_solid_mineral_fuels.pdf

 

Anthracite seems OK for multifuel stoves.

Edited November 27, 2016 by mross

[Sea Dog]

Similar to what mross said above, Bubble too caution against the use of petcoke in their stoves. Using it also voids the warranty.

[Dave_P]

I have no difficulty keeping petcoke in overnight, I do love to burn the stuff for how clean it burns and how little ash it makes. I've reluctantly stopped using it because you have to get the air intake just right. One time I must have been letting a bit too much air in and it partially melted the grate. Be careful with it.

[peterboat]

I used to burn anthracite on my rayburn royal but carl the coalman wont sell me any as his latest batch was so bad! [we are friends] So I burn blue flame briquets it has a high anthracite content along with some petcoke, it lights easily is easily controlled and works out slightly cheaper than the anthracite doubles, but requires more frequent refueling. Petcoke whilst cheaper could easily cost me a grate, firebricks and backboiler yearly is it worth it? not really