Low temperature carbonization of coal: a solution to the smoke nuisance problem and a method of more fully utilizing the coal resources of the Rocky Mountain Region

Increase of the smoke nuisance in the United States has followed the trend of industrial development. When cities were but small towns and a larger portion of the population lived in the outskirts, the problem of smoke control was unknown. As industry began to grow and people began to concentrate in cities, a tremendous increase in heat and power utilization followed, in which coal played a major part. At this time, five-sixths of the coal used was bituminous. Bituminous coal contains a high percentage of volatile matter. The liberation of and failure to completely burn these volatiles results in the formation of a soot and tar-laden black smoke. On escaping into the atmosphere, the smoke causes injuries to homes, buildings, merchandise, and to the foliage of our cities, which, in turn, occasions losses and necessitates extra cleaning and repairs. The health of the community is also seriously impaired by breathing the smoke-laden air.