South Grand Arbor's
Waelder Coke and Gas Products
S scale Module
by Don DeWitt
(previous versions)



VERSION 16 3/21/08
With the realization that version 15 used the Walthers HO kits, without much expansion of the sizes for scaling up to S scale, version 16 includes larger structures and more details.  I have also moved the Gas Plant over to where Daiker Dynamics was located.  The Gas Plant now has its own siding for loading of tank cars.  That move provides for the larger structures at the coke plant.

The image shown directly below is version 16. (Version 15 is shown below it and at: Version 15.)
16
(Click on drawings to view Large versions.)

(Version 15 is shown below and at: Version 15.)
15


coke plant

I have not found ANY prototypical images of coke plants with the cover over the coke ovens that the Walthers kit shows (see below), so I am planning a non-covered coke plant that seems to be the prototypical standard and was included in the original Walthers Steel Mill Coke Plant kit shown at the far right.
coke retort
 quench tower
Quenching Tower
(HO model built by
Ken Larsen)
 coal crusher
Coke Retort and Coal Storage Towers
from Walther's Steel Mill Coke Production Model

Speaking of prototypical examples...


The facility in Thomas, Alabama at Republic Steel's Thomas By-Product Coke Works seems to match in many ways, the Walthers kits.

There are 136 photos of the closed plant at the weblink above.

There are also several very nice drawings that are helpful in understanding the process and organization at Drawings.

This photo shows the coal bin tower that is used to feed the coke furnaces.  The tall columnar panels along the middle of the structure are the doors to each coke oven.

Clink on the title weblink above or this photo to see 135 other photos and drawings!
 thomas



Other protoypical views.

coke pusher
Hot coke being pushed out from other side
of retort into Coke Quenching Car. 
Quenching Loco (a.k.a., Coker) will push car
to Quenching Tower for spraying
with water and subsequent cooling.
(Ref)  (Other images)
 Coke Car Pusher

Quenching Locomotive pushing hot coke in a
Coke Quenching Car into the Quenching Tower.

(Other images)

(See brass models:  Coker and Quenching Car: (1) (2) (3))


Once the coke is cooled at the Quenching tower (background in photo below), it is dumped onto the Coke Wharf (left side) from the Quenching car, for complete cooling.  When the coke is sufficiently cool, gates on the wharf (barely visible in lower left) are opened to allow the coke to settle onto a conveyor for transport to a screening and sizing station. The coke is then stored or hauled to a Steel mill or other coke user in special coke transport cars. (ref for photo)
wharf
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gas plant
Gasometer
Gas Tank (a.k.a..Gasometer)
from Walthers Gas Plant Facility
 GasPlant_wrr2905.jpg
Gas Plant from Walthers Gas Plant Facility
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larry car
Larry Car is used to move coal from storage tower and
deliver coal into coke retort chambers from above.
(See layout below.)
(HO model built by Ken Larsen)

coke pusher
Coke pusher is used to push hot coke out of retort.
(See layout below.)
(HO model built by Ken Larsen)


Aerial View
Coke retort facility by Walthers for their Steel Mill Complex system
Note that the builder has used a different smoke stack.
(See other side in photo below.)
(HO model built by Ken Larsen)

Aerial view other side
Other side of the layout showing Hot Coke pusher.
(HO model built by Ken Larsen)


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double retort model
Another nice coke facility.  This double coke oven is constructed from parts of two
Walthers Steel Mill Coke oven kits.
(Model built by Tom Casey)


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And the MOST amazing model of a steel mill and coke oven facility is N scale at:
(FABULOUS) (Models built by Jonathan Fritz)
N scale

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Below is the basic idea behind Coal Gas Plants that send the gas that is released when coal
is transformed into coke, to gas purification plants to produce coal gas. (Reference)

double coke oven


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Sometimes coke is carried in containers that are loaded in series inside gondolas.  In other cases the coke is transported in hoppers that have
extended sides which allows for a greater volume capacity of the much lighter coke in comparison to coal.  The coke produced in steel mills is used
in the creation of steel.  The coke produced at offsite retorts, must be transported via coke hoppers to steel mills or other coke using industries.
steel millsteel mill Walthers HO Coke hoppers


Note: This website is under construction.
I will be adding links to all of these photos to provide proper credit to these other modelers
and manufacturers.

Just as a reminder. 

I am showing many HO models, but they will be either kitbashed into S models, or used as the basis for scratch building S scale items.

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