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"throat" in the chimney. When the air passing over the
fire is warm enough, combustion of the volatile products is
assisted. By controlling the air passing up the flue, the amount
of heat drawn from the room is also regulated.
Are Coke Fumes dangerous to Health?
The answer is that there is definitely no more danger from
coke fumes than from those from coal; risks to health are even
less than when gas or electricity are used; and there are fewer
home accidents due to them; but whatever the fuel, the room
must be properly ventilated. Burning coke does not increase
the down-draught—in fact, with proper fireplaces and suitable
air intake it can be diminished.
However well-designed the fireplace may be, and even with
the ideal fuel, smoke will be produced unless the householder
attends to the fire properly.
Atmospheric Pollution
What happens to the smoke and fumes when they leave
the chimney? The heavier particles of ash fall nearby, the lighter
ones travel a long way. Gases such as sulphur dioxide rise to
great heights in the atmosphere and later on they descend with
rain as sulphuric acid. In the absence of smoke these gases are
dispersed more quickly. Winds, rain, air currents and gravity
play their part in disseminating the pollution.
Mists and fogs are caused by changes in the atmospheric
temperature and pressure and they occur when the water
vapour in the air is deposited. The very circumstances that
combine to produce fog also tend to increase atmospheric
pollution because smoke is not dispersed. Generally, the
atmosphere gets colder the higher up we go: sometimes,
however, there is what is called a "temperature inversion"
in which a layer of air is formed at ground level which is at a
lower temperature than that of the air above it. In this lower
layer in which there is little or no air movement smoke from
chimneys accummulates and until atmospheric conditions alter
it cannot disperse. This is SMOG —the killer.
The main factor in the successful establishment of clean air
zones, which it is hoped one day will join together to create a
smokeless Britain, is the co-operation of the public. There can
be no success without it.
The tradition of the glowing coal fire is deep-rooted in most
of us, but like many traditions it is now known to be illogical
and dangerous.