Smokeless fuel

Coal was widely used for domestic cooking and heating during the Victorian period and up to the early 1950s in most urban areas in Britain.

Such trapped gases and smoke caused fogs and smogs which were a serious health hazard, and also discoloured clothing and blackened the exterior of buildings.

One of its consequences was the development of smokeless fuels, designed specifically to reduce the amount of noxious smoke produced, and to remove some impurities such as sulphur in the coal.

The hot gases produced are lost up the chimney, thereby reducing efficiency just as in an open coal fire.

With little or no smoke or similar volatile compounds, chimneys remain cleaner longer and require cleaning less frequently.

The main combustion reaction is: In a restricted supply of air or oxygen toxic carbon monoxide can be formed: Charcoal, either unprocessed or as shaped briquettes, is widely used for outdoor barbecue grills owing to its relatively low production of smoke and the intense heat generated which cooks food relatively quickly.

Since all solid fuels are bulky and heavy, in the home they need to be carried to the fireplace, and stored in a convenient place near the house, typically in a coal bunker.