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4.—LIQUID CAPACITY OF A COKE-BED, AS IT IS AFFECTED BY THE SIZE OF THE
COKE FRAGMENTS.
The question has been raised as to the actual liquid capacity of one and the same tank according
as it is filled with coke fragments of different sizes. It has been maintained that the liquid
capacity of the interstices between the coke-fragments does not vary when the tank is successively
filled with fragments of different dimensions, provided that in the case of each filling with coke the
fragments are approximately of similar dimensions.
In order to test this a tank with a total capacity of 280 gallons was filled with small fragments
of coke which passed a half-inch mesh, and subsequently with fragments about the size of the fist.
In both cases the coke was allowed to soak in water until it was saturated, as was shown by the
liquid capacity of the coke-tank becoming uniform when it was tested at intervals of several days.
The period of soaking required was about four days. The liquid capacity was distinctly greater when
the tank was filled with the large coke fragments than when it was filled with the small fragments.
The relative capacities were as follows—
Capacity of small-coke bed 135 gallons.
.. large-coke bed 150 gallons.
Further experiments seemed to show that this difference in capacity increased as the particles
departed more widely from the spherical form. With truly spherical particles of uniform size, the
difference of capacity arising from difference in the size of the particles entirely disappeared.