By Product Plant
As soon as the coal is charged into the
ovens, the volatile matter starts evolving. The
volatile matter containing the by-product and
moisture escapes through the ascension pipes into
the hydraulic main and then to suction main
through the cross-over main. Raw coke oven gas as
produced at coke ovens is laden with impurities
which makes it difficult to use as a fuel. Raw gas
has to be subjected to a process of cleaning before
it can be put into the Steel Plant’s gas grid. Coal
tar, Hydrogen sulphide, Ammonia and
Naphthalene are three important impurities which
are removed in our By Product Plant. Besides these
chemicals, moisture and hydrogen cyanide are
some other impurities which should also be
removed. Coal tar, naphthalene and moisture are
non-gaseous substances which make transportation
of coke oven gas in the supply grid difficult. Coal
tar and naphthalene can even make flow of gas
through the burner nozzle impossible. Ammonia,
hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen cyanide are
corrosive gases. Presence of moisture further
aggravates the corrosive action of these gases.
We have two by product plants to process coke
oven gas. The old by product plant, commissioned
in 1997, processes gas from Battery 5,6,7,8 & 9.
The new by product plant, commissioned in 2012,
processes gas from Battery 10&11. The old by
product plant is designed to handle on an average
1,07,000 Nm3/hr of coke oven gas. The new by
product plant is designed to handle on an average
88,000 Nm3/hr of coke oven gas.
The crude coke oven gas coming out from the
ovens at 850°C is cooled to 82°C by spraying
flushing liquor and is further cooled to 21-25 °C in
Primary Cum Deep Gas Coolers (P.C.D.C.). The
main objective of cooling the gas entering the by
Product Plant are to:
i. Clean the gas.
ii. Reduce the volume of gas.
iii. Facilitate the subsequent cleaning of the gas at
the scrubbers.
Main Processes of By product Plant are:-
1. Tar-liquor separating system
The crude coke oven gas coming out from the
ovens at 850°C is cooled to 82°C by spraying
flushing liquor in gas collecting man (GCM). The
heavier tar condensates, along with the flushing
liquor enter tar decanters to separate tar and
flushing liquor. The mixed liquor from GCM first
passes through strainer to arrest any bigger tar
sludge particles and then enters tar-ammonia liquor
separating tank, where tar settles at the conical
bottom and clear liquor overflows to liquor
chamber. The coal tar is pumped to storage tank
and liquor is pumped to battery GCM for
recirculation. The excess liquor generated due to
condensation of moisture is transferred to storage
tanks for further treatment in old BPP. In new BPP
this liquor is recirculated in scrubber for absorption
of H2S.
2. Primary cooling system
The coke oven gas cooling takes place in primary
cum deep coolers. The gas enters the top at a
temperature of approx. 80-82 °C and leaves the
bottom at approx. 25°C.The coolers are horizontal
tube type. The inlet gas is cooled from 80°/82°C
over upper tube bundle carrying cooling water.
Tar, naphthalene and water vapour condense from
the gas. The descending fluids are further cooled to
approx. 22 °C by chilled water flowing through a
lower bundle of tubes. Tar and liquor emulsion at
70 °C is sprayed on to the tube bundle of the cooler
to prevent naphthalene deposition on the outside of
the tube. The emulsion can be sprayed either at the
top or mid-way into the cooling water bundle or
directly on to the chilled water bundle.
Naphthalene dissolves in the condensed coal tar.
The tarry condensate flows out in the condensate
collection tank.The cooling water circulation is on
a recirculating system. The return water is cooled
in ID cooling tower. The chilled water system is a
closed recirculating system, connected with the
refrigeration plant.
3. Electric tar precipitator
While the bulk of the tar and naphthalene
condenses in primary coolers, not all of it actually
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separates in primary coolers. Particles of tar and
naphthalene condensing towards the end of
primary coolers flow out along with the gas in the
form of mist or fog. There are also entrained water
particles. All these entrained solids or liquids are
precipitated from the gas in electrostatic
precipitators. Gas enters into electric tar
precipitator from its bottom, via the gas
distribution plate gas is uniformly distributed onto
the whole section, then flows through high voltage
electric field upward to leave electric tar
precipitator and enters into the exhauster unit.
When gas passes through electric tar precipitator,
solid and tar mist droplet in gas is deposited on
surface of collecting electrode, the tar flows via the
tar outlet at the bottom into water seal pot, from
which it flows into condensate tank. To enable
electric tar precipitator in normal operation, the hot
ammonia liquor spraying device is provided on the
top of electric tar precipitator.
4. Gas exhauster unit
Gas exhauster provides the motive force for the
flow of gas from batteries to the downstream gas
purification system. In old BPP, steam turbine
driven Exhausters are installed and in new BPP,
electric motor driven Exhausters are installed The
gas exhauster is located after electric tar
precipitator and before scrubber.
5. Gas scrubbing system - Old BPP
In old BPP, only ammonia and naphthalene is
removed from gas. Ammonia is scrubbed by water
in a set of three scrubbers, each having four spray
stages. These scrubbers operate in series with a
countercurrent flow of sprayed water. The spraying
water is cooled to improve the absorption
efficiency. The enrich water from scrubber goes to
ammonia still where the ammonia vapour is
removed through steam stripping and burnt in
ammonia incinerator. The ammonia free water
from still is recirculated back to ammonia scrubber
for absorption. In the same way naphthalene is
removed in naphthalene scrubber by spraying wash
oil. This is carried out in a set of three scrubbers.
The three scrubbers are operated in series with
counter flow of wash oil. Naphthalene rich oil is
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steam stripped and returned back for spraying in
the naphthalene scrubbers. The stripped
naphthalene is returned in vapour form to the foul
gas main, so that it condenses in primary coolers
and is dissolved there in coal tar.
In order to ensure that the ammonia scrubbing is
carried out without problems of tar fog or dust
precipitation in these scrubbers, an additional
scrubber has been put up in the B.P. Plant. This is
called pre-scrubber. The function of pre-scrubber is
to make the gas flow through a shower of spray
liquor so that dust and tar particles get separated in
this scrubber itself. Flushing liquor is used as
scrubbing media and the accumulated tar or dust is
returned to tar decanters.
6. Gas scrubbing system - New BPP
In new BPP, H2S is also removed along with
Ammonia and Napthalene from gas.
In H2S scrubber, Gas is cooled down to 22ºC by
spraying with the circulating water. At the upper
part of H2S scrubber, H2S in gas is absorbed with
enriched ammonia water from ammonia scrubbing
and lean solution from de-acidifier and ammonia
stripping unit.
In ammonia scrubber, ammonia in gas is washed
with soft water and the stripped water from de-
acidifier and ammonia stripping unit. In addition to
these, flushing liquor from flushing liquor filtering
system is added to the bottom of ammonia scrubber
to increase ammonia scrubbing effect. Enriched
ammonia liquor out of the sump of ammonia
scrubber is sent to the top of H2S scrubber. The
upper stage of ammonia scrubber is provided with
soda washing stage, where the diluted soda lye, can
be added for further absorbing H2S and HCN in
gas.
a) De-acidifier and ammonia stripping unit
The enriched liquor is pumped to the top of de-
acidifier where enriched solution is stripped with
ammonia-containing vapor out of ammonia
stripper, most of H2S, HCN, CO2 in solution are
stripped out. The lean solution out of de-acidifier is
pumped out with the lean solution pump, part of it
is sent to H2S scrubber in H2S/NH3 scrubbing
unit. The rest is directly sent to ammonia stripper.
At the upper stage of ammonia stripper, free
ammonia in lean solution from de-acidifier is
further stripped out, and part of stripped water is
taken after free ammonia stripped out, the stripped
water is sent to ammonia scrubber in H2S/NH3
scrubbing unit for absorbing ammonia in gas. The
rest liquor is reached to the lower stage of
ammonia stripper, where soda lye is added for
decomposition of fixed ammonia. Ammonia-
containing vapor out of ammonia stripper enters
into de-acidifier for stripping enriched solution.
The waste water out of the sump of ammonia
stripper is pumped to effluent treatment plant for
final treatment.
The mixed vapor contained with NH3, H2S, HCN
and CO2 discharged from the top of de-acidifier is
sent to the sulfur recovery unit.
naphthalene in gas.
Naphthalene rich oil is steam stripped in
naphthalene stripper and returned back for spraying
in the naphthalene scrubbers. The stripped
naphthalene is returned in vapour form to the foul
gas main, so that it condenses in primary coolers
and is dissolved there in coal tar.
9. Gas Booster unit
Gas Boosters boost clean CO gas from BPP to the
consumers. In old BPP, steam turbine driven
boosters are installed and in new BPP, electric
motor driven boosters are installed The gas booster
is located after final scrubber.

7. Sulfur Recovery
Sour vapor containing H2S/NH3 from de-acidifier
and ammonia stripping unit is Claus furnace. The Gas Quality Parameters
partial oxidation is adopted, in which one-third of
H2S is burnt with air to form SO2, the rest two- Crude CO Gas Clean COG
Impurities in COG 3 3
third H2S is reacted with SO2 to form elemental mg/Nm mg/Nm
sulfur. NH (Ammonia) 10000~11000 40
3
The whole reaction is an exothermic reaction. The C H (Naphthalene) 6000~10000 120
10 8
high temperature in furnace is maintained by Tar 35000~45000 20
chemical reaction. NH3 and HCN in sour vapor is H S (Hydrogen Sulphide)
2
5000~6500 500
decomposed into H2, N2 and CO under 1050-
1150ºC catalytic cracking. High temperature
process gas out of Claus furnace is passed through
waste heat boiler for heat recovery, and then
continuously passed through two stages of clause
reactor to form elemental sulfur, then passed
through sulfur condenser and sulfur separator to
separate liquid sulfur. The tail gas is sent to the EFFLUENT TREATMENT
foul gas main, so that it condenses in primary gas PROCESS AT COKE PLANT
coolers. Liquid sulfur condensed at waste heat
boiler together with liquid sulfur from sulfur
separator are merged and then fed into liquid sulfur The excess liquor called effluent, generated
tank, then sent by pump into sulfur solidification
unit, where it forms pellet solid. in coke plant is highly toxic in nature and hence
treated by biological process in BOT Plant to meet
8. Naphthalene removal unit the statutory norm before discharging into river.

Gas out of ammonia scrubber enters into Old BPP :

naphthalene scrubber, gas flows upward
naphthalene scrubber. Lean oil from naphthalene This effluent in old BPP is first passed through Pre
distillation unit is sent to the top of Naphthalene treatment plant for reducing free and fixed
scrubber, in which lean oil flows over packing and ammonia level to make it acceptable to biological
contacts with gas counter-currently to absorb
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process and then sent to BOT plant for further
treatment .
The pretreatment of effluent includes
1) Filteration of effluent for removal of tarry
matters.
2) Removal of ammonia in free and fixed still
using Caustic soda for removing fixed
ammonia salts.
New BPP : In new BPP, the waste water
effluent is generated from Ammonia
stripper & deacidifier after reducing free
and fixed ammonia.
The effluent from Pre Treatment plant of
Old BPP and the effluent from new BPP are
pumped to the common effluent line
going to BOT plant.
The mixed effluent is collected in
equalization tank. Air is blown through the
aeration grid provided at the bottom to
homogenize the effluent.
The homogenized effluent is sent to
clariflocculator which settles sludge , if any ,at
the bottom and clear effluent goes to
distribution chamber for distributing effluent to
old BOT and new BOT plant. The settled
sludge is transferred to thickner for separation.
In old BOT plant, the effluent is fed to first
stage aeration tanks for biological treatment.
There are four compartments in first
stage aeration. Biological oxidation process
using microorganism takes place in the
aeration tanks Activated sludge from Sewage
treatment plant is added in aeration tanks for
initial culture of bacteria. Surface
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aerators are provided to provide oxygen to
microorganisms and phosphoric acid is added
to provide nutrient to bacteria.
The mixed liquor from the first stage
aeration tank overflows to first stage clarifier.
The settled sludge is recycled back to first
stage aeration tank and clear liquor is
transferred to second stage aeration tank.
The the effluent goes to second stage
aeration tank where further biological
oxidation takes place with the help of
microorganisms.
The mixed liquor from the second stage
aeration tank overflows to second stage
clarifier. The settled sludge is recycled back to
second stage aeration tank and clear liquor
goes to chlorine contact tank for reducing
cyanide to meet statutory norm.
The sludge from the primary and
secondary aeration tanks are collected in the
thickner and after concentrating sent to sludge
drying bed for drying . The dried sludge is
disposed by mixing with coal for coke making .
In new BOT, the effluent is fed to AIS (Advent
Integral System) which is a compact design.
The AIS tank is configured with three zones,
with denitrification occurring in the first zone,
using the influent COD as a denitrification
carbon source, followed by the Aerobic Zone,
which provides organic polishing and
nitrification. The third zone is the Integral
Clarifier, which provides separation of treated
wastewater and biomass. The clear effluent is
sent to Chlorine contact tank of old BOT plant
for reduction of cyanide through chemical
oxidation.
The waste sludge from AIS clarifier ghoes to
Gravity Thickener for collection of waste
biological solids followed by dewatering
centrifuges to produce sludge cake for
disposal.The solids are disposed by mixing with
coal for coke making .

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