COKE MAKING

TECHNOLOGY
1
 The Cokemaking Process

2
 The Blast Furnace

3
 Use of Coke in the Blast Furnace

• The combustion of the coke at the tuyeres

supplies the heat for reducing and melting the
burden.
• The combustion of the coke produces reducing
gases necessary for the reduction of iron.
• The coke is a physical support for the burden as
it descends through the furnace.
• The coke layer provides a porous gas passage
for the blast furnace gas produced by the blast
furnace reaction.

4
 The Blast Furnace

5
 Cokemaking Technology
Chemistry of the Blast Furnace Process
1) 2 C + O2 ⇒ 2 CO
C + H2O ⇒ CO + H2

2) 2 Fe2O3+ 3 CO ⇒ 4 Fe + 3 CO2
Fe3O4+ 4 CO ⇒ 3 Fe + 4 CO2
Fe O + CO ⇒ Fe + CO2

3) Fe2O3+ 3 H2 ⇒ 2 Fe + 3 H2O
Fe3O4+ 4 H2 ⇒ 3 Fe + 4 H2O
Fe O + H2 ⇒ Fe + H2O
6
 Cokemaking Technology

7
Construction of Beehive Coke Ovens

8
Battery of Beehive Coke Ovens

9
 Beehive Coke Ovens in Operation

10
 Non-Recovery Ovens

11
 Non-Recovery Oven

12
 Heat-Recovery Oven

13
 Heat-Recovery Battery

14
Principle of Heat-Recovery Oven

15
 Cokemaking Technology
Coke Plant
The cokemaking process can be subdivided
into the following operations.
• Coal and Coke Handling
• Coke Oven Batteries
• Collection and cleaning of coke oven gas
(COG) and recovery of by-products
• Biological wastewater treatment plant

16
Products of Earlier By-Product Coke Plants

17
 Cokemaking Technology
Coal and Coke Handling
• Unloading and storage of coal
• Screeing, sizing and blending
• Coal transport
• Coke sizing, screening and handling

18
Typical Flow Diagram of Coal Handling Process
BLENDING BINS
INCL-1 A1 R001A 001A 002A 003A 004A

INCL-2 A2 R001B 001B 002B 003B 004B

005

R009

10A 10B 008

PRIMARY
CRUSHER
011A 011B
017 016 015 014 013 012

R018

019B 019A

SECONDARY
CRUSHER
20B 20A

021 022 023

LEGEND 23B
BELT MAGNET 31 30 29 28 23A 24A 24 25
MOISTURE 26
32
ADDITION
33A 33B 27A 27B
BELT WEIGHER
METAL
DETECTOR SERVICE BUNKER SERVICE BUNKER

19
Typical Flow Diagram of Coke Handling Process
LEGENDS

SCREENS
FLOW COKE CUTTER
WHARF- 8 WHARF- 9
FEEEDR
06
04 05
CK-01 CK-02 G.HOPPER FIRE EYE
SURGE
CK-01A CK-02A BELT MAGNET
1
2 3 4 BELT WEIGHERS
CK-03
AUTO SAMPLER
1A 1B
METAL DETECTOR
1 2

2A 2B 2C

CK-07 7 6
15 10
08
4A 3A

08A
4B 3B
W. BUNKER 12

18
GRADING 19

20
5A 5B BIN
M. BUNKER
13 2X60
14

20
 Cokemaking Technology
Desired Coke Quality
• Mean Size 50 –55 mm
• Coke Strength After Reaction (CSR) 60–70 %
• Coke Reactivity Index (CRI) 20–25 %
• Cold Coke Strength (M40) 80–85 %
• Stability 60–64 %
• Ash Content 8–10 %
• Sulfur Content <0.7 %
• Alkalis <0.25 %
• Moisture 3–5 %
• Volatile Matter <0.7 %
21
 Cokemaking Technology
Coke Oven Batteries

• Coal charging (Top charge/Stamp charge)

• Coking (Heating)
• Coke pushing
• Coke quenching

22
 Typical Section of Coke Oven Battery

23
 Cokemaking Technology
Coke Oven Battery Service Machines

• Charging Car
• Pusher Machine
• Door Machine
• Coke Guide Car
• Quench Car
• Pushing Emission Control System

24
 Photo from about 1915

25
 Charging Car

26
 Pusher Machine

27
 Door Extractor with Hood and Quench Car

28
 Quench Car

29
 Dedusting Station

30
 Door Extractor with Hood

31
 Coke Oven Battery
• The by-product coking process, being a true
distillation process, involves the use of retort
ovens which decompose the coal charge by
heat.
• While there are many modifications, these
ovens consist essentially of three main parts,
namely;
• The coking chambers
• The heating flues
• The regenerative chambers
• All constructed of refractory brick.

32
 Coke Oven Battery
• A coke battery is basically a structure made of
refractory materials held together by a steel
skeleton.
• While constructed at ambient temperature, it is
designed to operate at maximum temperatures up
to 1570°C.
• During operation, the maximum temperature can
be expected to cycle downward by as much as
95°C as part of normal battery operation.
• Consequently, the battery must be constructed of
refractory materials that 1) can withstand the
maximum as well as the cyclic-temperatures, and
2) have known and predictable properties insofar
as thermal expansion, strength and creep.

33
 Coke Oven Battery
• The most abundant refractory used in the
construction of a coke battery is silica brick.
• Silica brick are manufactured primarily from the
mineral quartz in finely crystalline form, and
having the proper characteristics for conversion
to cristobalite and tridymite, high temperature
crystalline forms of silica.
• The quartz is obtained primarily from crushed
quartzite rock, which is washed to remove natural
impurities.
• The crushed and washed quartzite is ground
further and sized into specific fractions which are
then reblended in specific proportions, along with
2.0 to 3.5 percent lime (CaO) water and organic
binders to achieve the desired properties in the
brick.
34
 Coke Oven Battery
• Silica brick has a relatively high melting
temperature, 1698 to 1740°C and it has the ability
to withstand a 25 to 50 pound per square inch
load to within 10 to 38°C of the ultimate melting
point, therefore it has excellent creep 2-1
properties.
• The purity of the brick is important, for example if
the sum of alumina, titania, and alkalies content
in a brick is 1.0 percent, the load to failure will be
10 to 32°C lower than in another brick in which
this sum is only 0.5 percent.
• At temperatures above 593°C, silica brick is
nearly volume stable and virtually free from
thermal spalling, while at temperatures below
593°C silica brick is highly susceptible to thermal
35
spalling.
 Coke Oven Battery
Oven Wall Refractories

West Europe USA U.K. Japan

Std. Dense Std. Dense Std. Dense Std. Dense
SiO2 95.2 95.2 93-95 95 94.8 95.3 94.5 -
Al2O3 0.9 0.8 2.5 _ 0.9 1.1 _ 1.0
CaO 2.7 2.7 2.0/3.0 2.0/3.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5
Sp.
Gravity 2.32 2.31 2.33-2.36 2.32 2.3-2.34 2.31-2.34 2.33 2.33
B.D., t/m3 1.78 1.89 1.75-1.80 1.87 1.67-1.80 1.70-1.86 1.79 1.89
App.Porosity
% 23.2 17.3 22-26 18 25-30 23-27 22 19
C.C.S.
Kg/cm3 340 510 200-300 Above 400140-280 210-250 350 450
36
 SELECTION AND USAGES OF REFRACTORIES

Position Service Condition

Bus Flue Maxm Temp. 450-500 °C No abrasion Significantly high load
Reg. Wall Large Temp. Fluctuation 500–1250 °C High load
Checker Large Temp. Fluctuation 500–1250 °C Negligible load
Inclined Flue High Temp.1200–1400 °C Narrow passage Fairly high
chances of blockage
Oven Wall High Temp.1200–1400 °C Reasonably heavy load Fairly
high stress on end few flues Fairly high abrasion
Oven High Temp.1000–1100 °C Fire Clay Fairly high
Decking temp.fluctuation Low Load
Jamb Bricks Fairly high temp.fluctuation Low Load Fair amount of
Abrasion High stress
Oven Sole Small Load Fairly high temp.fluctuation Very high Abrasion

37
 Coke Oven Battery
• Mortars used in coke battery construction do not
develop a coherent bond with the refractory to
which they are applied at normal battery
operating temperatures.
• Mortars therefore do not contribute to the
structural integrity of a battery. The mortar used
in a battery serves two primary functions:
• 1) It is used to compensate for inconsistencies in
brick shape size
• 2) It acts as a sealant between brick to prevent
gas leakage among the combustion air, fuel gas,
and foul gas systems within the coke oven
battery.

38
 Coke Oven Battery
• Fireclay brick is used throughout the cooler parts
of the battery, including the regenerator
chambers, checker, battery roof, in the pinion
walls, and in the coke wharf.
• According to ASTM standards, fireclay brick are
in five general classes, super duty, high duty,
semi-silica's, medium duty and low duty.
• Fireclay brick used in coke battery construction
are generally of the high duty class, whether
specified regular or high duty.

39
 Coke Oven Battery
Types Of Coke Batteries

• Top Charge
• Stamp Charge
• Non-Recovery/Heat-Recovery
• Slot type heights vary from 3 to 8.7 meters

40
 Coke Oven Battery
Top Charge Batteries
Coal is charged from battery top through 3 or 4
charging holes with removable lids . The car used
to convey coal is usually called a Larry Car ,
Charging Car or Charging Buggy. Usually two
collector mains and load cells or volumetrics
determine the weight of the coal charge. Ovens
typically are constructed with a 3” taper from
pusher side to coke side.

41
 Coke Oven Battery
Stamp Charge Batteries
A stamped coal cake is inserted into the oven
chamber via a mechanical slide on the pusher
machine. The battery usually has a single gas
collector main and uses a gas cleaning car on top
of the battery that scrubs gas from the charge
through gas cleaning ports. The oven chamber
has less than a 1” taper from pusher side to coke
side.

42
 Coke Oven Battery
Different Coke Oven Designs

• Fuel Gases: Rich Gas Oven (COG)

Compound Oven
• Heating System: Gun Flue Oven
Underjet Oven

• The various coke battery builders use slightly

different designs fore each of these heating
systems.

43
 Coke Oven Battery
Coke Battery Gas Distribution Systems

• Practically all heating systems may be grouped

into two general classes; the gun flue type and
the underjet type.
• In the gun flue type, gas is introduced through a
horizontal gas duct surrounded by horizontal gun
brick extending the length of each wall a little
below the oven floor line. Short vertical flues
(risers), slide (47), branch off the gas duct and
lead vertically to a replaceable nozzle brick at the
bottom of each of the vertical heating flues.
44
 Gun Flue

• In the gun-flue-type oven, the changes of the

nozzle brick which regulate the gas flow to the
various vertical flues is done from the oven top.
• Immediately over each vertical flue, a duct is
provided from the horizontal flue through the top
of the battery and ending at a removable flue
inspection cap flush with the oven top.
• The nozzles are removed and replaced through
these ducts when necessary by long rods
especially designed for this purpose.

45
 Gun Flue Oven

46
 Underjet
• In the underjet type oven, the gas is introduced
into each flue through a separate burner pipe,
slide (49).
• The burner pipe branches off a gas header pipe
running along the length of each heating wall.
The burner pipes are each equipped with an
orifice or metering pin to control the flow of gas
from the basement of the oven.
• They lead to the vertical flues via a circular gas
duct built integrally into the regenerator and flue
supporting walls.
• In the underjet type, the same flue extensions are
provided for flue inspections, but the gas flow is
regulated by changing the orifice or metering
pins in the accessible external fuel gas piping in
47
the oven basement.
 Underjet Oven

48
 Concrete Structure

49
 Steelwork Structure

50
 Different Refractory Materials

51
 Oven Roof Brickwork

52
 Battery Bracing System

53
 Heating Wall Bracing System

54
 Cross Battery Bracing System

55
Ascension Pipe and Gas Collecting Main

56
 Coke Battery Heating & Operations

• Coke production is directly related to battery heating.

• For a given production rate in tons of coke per day, a
specific heating rate in Btu/hr must be maintained to
produce the desired coke quality and meet the
environmental standards.
• Operating costs are directly affected by the efficiency
of the heating system. With the strong emphasis placed
on eliminating pushing emissions and stack emissions
while meeting production goals, there is a tendency to
overheat a battery with a resultant waste in energy.
• The battery heating system has the most effect on the
amount and control of stack and pushing emissions.

57
 Coke Battery Heating
Heat Transfer
• Radiation and convection from the gas flame and
waste gas products in the heating flue to the wall
liner
• Conduction through the wall liner
• Radiation and conduction from the wall liner to
the coal/coke mass
• Combination of radiation, convection, and
conduction through the coal/coke mass
• This is further complicated since heating of the
coal charge is a batch, unsteady-state process.
Except for detailed computer simulations of the
heat transfer process, most available
relationships are empirical correlations based
upon pilot oven and actual coke-oven operating
data.
58
 Coke Battery Heating

59
 Coke Battery Heating
• The most detrimental factor to heat transfer is high
excess air ratio because high levels of excess air
reduce flame temperature, decrease flame height, and
decrease flame emissivity which is the relative power
of the flame to emit heat by radiation.
• Heat transfer rate can decrease from 5 to 20 percent
as a result of excessive air levels and greatly distort
the vertical temperature profile.
• Modern wall liner construction features decreased
liner brick thicknesses, increased liner brick
densities, and brick material additives to increase
heat transfer rates.
• The net increase in heat transfer rate may be as high
as 20 percent if all of the above factors are optimized.
60
 Slot Type Oven vs. Heat-Recovery Oven

61
 Coke Battery Heating
Coal Heights
• The oven and heating systems are designed for a
coal charge of definite volume with a top level of
coal a definite distance below the oven roof,
usually 305 to 330 mm.
• Often a variation in charging practices and the
variations of bulk densities in the larry car
accounts for a wide range of coal heights at the
start of its coking cycle.
• Larry car loading is determined for a particular
battery design by a procedure established for
stage charging.
• Strictly following stage charging procedures
helps minimize serious charging emissions and
heating problems with over-charging and under-
charging of ovens
62
 Coke Battery Heating
• Reversing cycles attempt to distribute the heat input to the coal
charge at controlled rates and uniform temperatures. In normal
practice, reversing cycles of 20 to 30 minutes are typically used.
• Reversing cycle times are usually established by battery design
and plant operating guidelines to promote optimum product
quality, plant productivity, and minimize underfiring fuel usage.
• For example, when the reversing cycle time is shortened from 30
to 10 minutes and the maximum flue temperature is 1454°C, the
average flue temperature for the 10 minute reversing cycle is 35°C
higher than for the 30 minute reversing cycle. Also, the range of
flue temperatures is smaller for the 10 minute reversing cycle.
• Therefore, at the shorter reversing cycle time for the same
maximum flue temperature (1) higher coking rates (productivity)
can be achieved, (2) more uniformity in brick temperatures can be
obtained, (3) it reduces the cracking of hydrocarbons in gas port
nozzles, and (4) flue temperatures can be lowered and still
maintain coking rates.
• However, there are disadvantages; (l) the reversing equipment
must operate more frequently and will deteriorate faster, (2)
control of heating practices are more critical, and (3) carbon may
build up in gas ports from lack of decarbonization time.
63
 Coke Battery Heating
Establishing a Cooling Curve

• Cooling curves are established because flues

exhibit an exponential temperature decay on the
off-gas side depending upon length of reverse
and firing conditions.
• Temperatures of the flues should be corrected to
time zero of gas-off for accurate wall-to-wall
comparison of temperatures and to insure
against wall overheating.

64
 Temperatures from Coal to Coke
Temperature Condition of the Coal and/or Coke

Room Temperature No plastic properties evident

About 212°F 100°C up Water (surface and hydration) driven off

625 to 825°F 330 to 440°C Most coking coals begin to soften

About 800°F 425°C Rapid decomposition begins with

evolution of tars, oils and gases

800 to 825°F 425 to 440°C Degree of fluidity and rate of

decomposition increase rapidly
825 to 900°F 440 to 480°C Fluidity decreases, usually rapidly
840 to 950°F 450 to 510°C Material solidifies to semi-coke

65
 Temperatures from Coal to Coke
Temperature Condition of the Coal and/or Coke
About 925°F 495 °C Evolution of condensable products ceases but
production of fixed gases continues

About 925°F to 1600°F Further decomposition and shrinkage of the

495°C to 870°C semi-coke to form high temperature coke with
evolution of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and
some hydrocarbons, such as methane and
ethylene

1600°F to 1800°F
870°C to 980°C Continuing of shrinkage of the coke. Gases
evolved are principally hydrogen and small
amount of carbon monoxide and methane
1700°F to 1900°F
925°C to 1040°C Coke is ready to be pushed

66
 Coke Battery Heating
Stickers
• There are numerous reasons for charges failing to push.
1) Not enough shrinkage of coke from the wall,
sometimes caused by insufficient coking time, non-
shrinking coal blends, or high bulk density
2) Coke too hot, which allows the mineral matter to fuse
to the oven walls
3) low strength coke
4) localized overheating
5) distorted or spalled oven walls and floors
• If the coal blend is one that yields a very low strength
coke or if the coal is not fully carbonized, the coke may
break up behind the ram head, spread out sideways and
jam. As a result, the coke on the coke side has not
moved, even though the ram has gone a few feet into the
oven.
67
 Fuel Gases
Coke Oven Gas (COG)
• 55.0% H2 (Hydrogen), fuel value
• 25.0% CH4 (Methane), fuel value
• 8.0% CO (Carbon Monoxide), fuel value
• 0.5% C6H6 (Benzene), fuel value
• 4.0% unsaturated Hydrocarbons, fuel value
• 7.5% remaining inerts, no fuel value
Blast Furnace Gas (BFG)
• 57% N2 (Nitrogen), no fuel value
• 18% CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), no fuel value
• 23% CO (Carbon Monoxide), fuel value
• 2% H2 (Hydrogen), fuel value
68
 TYPICAL SECTION

69
 TYPICAL CROSS SECTION OF OVEN ROOF, WALL AND OVEN

WALL WALL

COAL
FLUE CAKE FLUE

70
 Heating System on Slot Type Oven

71
Heating System on Slot Type Oven

72
 MIXED GAS PASSAGE

73
 Heating Wall Pressure

74
 FLEXING OF WALL

75
 HORIZONTAL FLEXING OF WALL

76
 WALL CRACK DEVELOPMENT/OPEN JOINT

77
 Heating Wall Pressure

• Excluding temperature gradients in the

brickwork, the stresses in an oven wall are
caused by the pressures in the adjacent ovens.
• Oven wall pressures occur during the coking
cycle and are a function of the coal blend, coking
rate, and oven bulk density.
• Oven wall pressures also occur during the
pushing of an oven. If the oven wall pressures in
the adjacent ovens are equal, negligible stresses
are induced in the oven wall.

78
 Coke Battery Heating

79
 Heating COG Underfiring

W GAS

AIR

80
 TYPICAL COG GAS UNDERFIRING SYSTEM

OVEN DECKING

O
W V W
OVEN WALL A A
E
L N L
L L
INCLINED ZONE

W W
A A A A
REGENERATOR I I I I
G G
R R R R
A A
S S
BUS FLUE

RICH GAS

81
 HEATING CHAMBER CROSS SECTION
822

823
(even
flue)

1 2 3 4 5 6 24 25 26 27 28

1 3 5 821 (odd/green)

82 822 (even/red)
 Heating BFG Underfiring

BF
AIR

W GAS

83
 TYPICAL BFG GAS UNDERFIRING SYSTEM

OVEN DECKING

O
W V W
OVEN WALL A A
E
L N L
L L
INCLINED ZONE

B W W B
A A
REGENERATOR F F
I I
G G G G
R R
A A A A
S S S S
BUS FLUE

84
 REGENERATIVE HEATING SYSTEM
P P
B I I B
U N N U
T I I T
O O
T HC O HC O HC O HC O HC T
N N
R R
E E
S W W S
S A A S
L L
L L

G A W W G A W W G A W W

G A G A G A

W W W

COMMON TUNNEL

RED GAS ON
85
CHIMNEY
 REGENERATIVE HEATING SYSTEM
P P
B I B
I
U N N U
T I I T
T O O T
N HC O HC O HC O HC O HC N
R R
E E
S W W S
S A A S
L L
L L

W W G A W W G A W W G A

G A G A G A

W W W

COMMON TUNNEL

GREEN GAS ON
86
CHIMNEY
 REGENERATOR
550 MM
STROKE

BUS FLUE
1305

CHECKER BRICK

RISER PIPE

REVERSING CORE

WASTE EMERGENCY CORE

GAS
TUNNEL
CELLAR
MAIN
87
 CROSS SECTION REGENERATOR ZONE

88
 WASTE GAS PARAMETERS

WASTE GAS TUNNEL

OXYGEN % 3.7 % 198 0C WASTE GAS TEMP

- 27.5 MMWC TUNNEL DRAFT

- 48.9 MMWC CHIMNEY DRAFT

CHIMNEY

89
 Cokemaking Technology
Conclusions
• Coke plants with conventional coke ovens
and by-product plants remain the
backbone of world coke production.
• Large ovens with wide chambers allow a
wider spread in coal blend composition.
• The environmental performance of
conventional coke ovens has improved
significantly.

90
 Cokemaking Technology
Comments

91