COAL CHARATERIZATION AND BLENDING –A PERSPECTIVE AT

RINL

S.K.Seet1, A.Srinivara Rao2, R.N.Bhattacharya3

*1
Deputy General Manager (QA&TD ), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
2
Asst. Genaral Manager (QA&TD), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
3
General Manager (Technology & Research), Visakhapatnam Steel Plant
*Corresponding Author: seet@vizagsteel.com

ABSTRACT

Coal quality has been the subject matter of prime importance at Coke oven and Blast furnaces of
RINL-VSP. With 26 years of long experience in operating and maintaining high productivity
seven meter tall batteries using coal from various part of the globe, Coke Making at RINL has
matured in course of time in commercial coke production using different types of coals. A
comprehensive coal characterization facility in place which includes chemical, Rheological,
microscopic characterization of coals helped the RINL coke production unit to assess feed coal
character accurately fulfilling blast furnace grade coke quality requirement all along with
maintenance of health of the batteries.

With its four numbers of top charged recovery type batteries and fifth at advance stage of
commissioning the coke making unit of RINL uses imported and indigenous grade coking coal
of suitable proportion to meet the coke requirement of blast furnaces. Heavy dependency on
prime grade low ash imported coking coals to maintain the requirement of coke quality of the
three modern blast furnaces paused a major threat to the techno-economics and logistic of the
plant science inception. Under such scenario continual efforts on in-house assessment and
selection of coals across the globe followed by formulation of blending of coal vi-a-vis coke
quality, health of battery and logistic aspects worked as a valuable tool at RINL against several
odds. Use of low cost soft, semi-soft coals in the feed to coke oven to optimize consumption of
prime coking was successfully implemented bringing down the cost at the coke making stage
remarkably still maintaining the coke quality required for blast furnace.

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INTRODUCTION

In the current scenario of steel making, the cost implication of metallurgical coke used in the Blast Furnace has
become a major concern. The charge coal quality as used in the battery for production of metallurgical coke needs to
posses specific coking property, demanding substantial portion of prime / hard coking coal to forms the base
component. Accordingly they influence the final coke property and inurn blast furnace productivity.

However with the depleting reserve and steep escalation in price of these coals which so long has been used in coke
making to provide strength to the metallurgical coke used in blast furnace, coke makers and steel industry as a whole
started thinking to reduce its consumption.

COAL UTILIZATION AT STEEL PLANT

Coke is a major input factor in blast furnace which accounts for around 60% of hot metal
cost. Coke quality particularly in respect of size fraction, ash content, carbon content,
reactivity, granulometry, moisture content, M10 & M40 indices, coke strength after reaction
etc. has been the major factor affecting the performance of blast furnaces. Hence it is
important to understand the various fundamental aspects of coking and the technologies
under precarbonisation, carbonisation and post carbonisation stages. It is also of paramount
importance to identify the techno-economic viability of various technologies available in the
country as well as in International level and evaluate them under Indian context so that
strategies can be evolved for improving quality and productivity of coke from Indian Coals.
This will also help in identifying the areas where technology gaps can be bridged at various
levels. 0.2

Coal to coke transformation

The coal-to-coke transformation takes place as follows: The heat is transferred from the
heated brick walls into the coal charge. From about 375°C to 475°C, the coal decomposes to
form plastic layers near each wall.
At about 475°C to 600°C, there is a marked evolution of tar, and aromatic
hydrocarbon compounds, followed by resolidification of the plastic mass into
semi-coke. At 600°C to 1100°C, the coke stabilization phase begins. This is
characterized by contraction of coke mass, structural development of coke
and final hydrogen evolution. During the plastic stage, the plastic layers
move from each wall towards the center of the oven trapping the liberated
gas and creating in gas pressure build up which is transferred to the heating
wall. Once, the plastic layers have met at the center of the oven, the entire
mass has been carbonized (Figure 2). The incandescent coke mass is pushed
from the oven and is wet or dry quenched prior to its shipment to the blast
furnace.

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Over the last few decades, due to ironmaking trends towards increased size and throughput
of blast furnace performance together with a simultaneous reduction in coke rate by high
levels of injection of carbon via the tuyeres, in particular pulverized coal injection (PCI), the
role of coke as a permeable support became greater in importance and so further
improvements in coke quality are required. In such conditions, a decrease in coke rate
produces a decrease in the thickness of the coke layer in the stack and cohesive zone
together with an increased residence time of coke in the lower part of the blast furnace. As a
result, future research is focused to improve these critical quality parameters of coke to
reach higher productivities when higher levels of fuel injectants are operative

Impurities present in coke affect its performance in the blast furnace by decreasing its role
as a fuel in terms of amounts of carbon available for direct and indirect reduction roles and
also its role as a permeable support. Such impurities are moisture, volatile matter, ash,
sulphur, phosphorous, and alkali contents. Their levels are kept as low as possible. Of other
chemical properties, sulphur and ash (content and chemistry) are of particular importance
because as they increase, coke productivity in the blast furnace decreases. The coke ash is
a nonproductive part of coke which influences slag volume and composition. Industrial
experience indicates that a 1 wt.% increase of ash in the coke reduces metal production by
2 or 3 wt.%. Values higher than 10 wt.% can be satisfactory but only if the ash chemistry is
acceptable.

Table 1
Required chemical properties of blast furnace coke
Moisture (wt.%) 1 –6
Volatile matter (wt.% db) < 1.0
Ash (wt.% db) 8 –12
Sulphur (wt.% db) 0.5– 0.9
Phosphorous (wt.% db) 0.02– 0.06

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Alkalies (wt.% db) < 0.3
db = dry-based.

The importance of coke physical properties is linked to the need to support the ferrous
burden and to give a permeable matrix through which reducing gases can flow and molten
material can percolate in the lower blast furnace region. These physical properties are
related to its size (mean and distribution) and its resistance to breakage and abrasion. Coke
size is mostly controlled by screening. A large mean size with a narrow size distribution
maintains adequate permeability. Most operators consider a mean optimum size to be in the
range of 50–55 mm.

Table 2
Required physical properties of blast furnace coke in current operation

Australian BHP Port Kemblab American Japan

Mean size (mm) 47– 70 50 50 45– 60
M40 ( + 60 mm) >78–>88 85 n.a. n.a.
M10 ( + 60 mm) < 5 – < 8 6.5 n.a. n.a.
I40 53– 55 n.a. n.a. n.a.
I20 >77.5 n.a. n.a. n.a.
DI150/15 n.a. 84.4 n.a. 83– 85
ASTM stability n.a. 63.6 60 n.a.
CSR >60 74.1 61 50– 65
CRI 20– 30 17.7 23 n.a.

BLENDING PHYLOSOPHY AT VIZAG STEEL

Development of blending philosophy at Vizag Steel has been an outcome of long operating experience on of seven
meter tall batteries with varied coal sources, extensive literature survey, analysis of plant data and trial run data of
several carbonization studies world over. Blending process here consists of two stages i.e., formulation of blending
design and evaluation of different blending options against preset technical & economic criteria. At the formulation
stage various coal quality parameters are incorporated to develop a design grid for the blend coal which ensures the
required coking potential needed for production of coke suitable to blast furnace. The gamut of blend design
consideration at Vizag Steel includes the following areas of importance.
 Chemical requirement of coke such as; proximate, ultimate, ash chemistry and basicity index etc.,
calculated by the blending model.
 To satisfy the physical properties requirement of coke such as; CRI, CSR, Stability, Hardness, size.
Property of final coke such as CSR is predicted from blend quality based on in-house model.
 To fulfill the requirement of various yields of carbonization.
 It must ensure that no adverse effect being imparted on the battery wall when carbonized.
 It includes the coal weathering consideration to avoid discrepancies between expected and coke quality
obtained. Weathering of coal is assessed by alkali extraction method (ASTM D 5263) & it is being
incorporated in the coal specification.
 It includes consideration for incorporating low cost coking coal component to reduce cost of blend by
application of a suitable blending model.
 Finally the blend being designed from such coal sources whose logistics are comfortable with the plant
operation.

The evaluation of various blend coal composition is done against the above design criteria to render the coke quality
that is needed at a most cost competitive price by adoption of a suitable optimization technique. A brief sketch of
existing practice on coal handling and blending process is depicted below in Figure no- 2(a) & 2(b).

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SELECTION OF COAL
Coke quality has always been a subject of prime importance for a stable, efficient and consistent
blast furnace operation. The all coke operation at Vizag’s huge furnaces operating at 2kg/cm 2 top
pressure has put stringent requirements on the quality of coke. Apart from having low ash content
and good room temperature strength indices like M10 and M40, coke should exhibit superior high
temperature properties like CSR (Coke Strength after Reaction) and CRI (Coke Reactivity Index).
If the CRI value of coke is such that it is poorly reactive, then the rate of combustion of coke
comes down thereby slowing down the solution loss reaction which in turn prohibit higher blowing
rate. Conversely, if the CRI is too high, excessive breakdown of coke takes place in front of the
tuyeres, thereby affecting the penetration of raceway and permeability in the lower part of the
furnace. So, post reaction strength of coke is of paramount importance in BF operation.
Understandably higher CSR is beneficial but then this has to be chosen in conjunction with
optimum of CRI. These two parameters are considered to be extremely sensitive in operation of
big furnaces.
At RINL coal selection has been the thrust area to ensure the coke making unit to produce coke
meeting the demands of blast furnace in line with the parameters stated above while also taking
care of the battery health. With several years of coke making experience in 7-meter tall slot
battery, RINL-VSP coined the idea of introducing the straight coal i.e. coal from a single
source/mine head into its blend. The basic reasons for VSP to try for such an option are;
• To have cushioning on cost & logistics
• More flexibility in blending
• Obtain accuracy in target blend property
• Tailoring coke quality to different requirements
• Flexibility of supplier base
• Better handling at RMHP
Several coal sources available from different coal suppliers world over were characterized in
laboratory as well as by pilot ovens trials to arrive at Straight Coal Groups (SCG), forming the
composition of the blend. The straight coal grouping and the blending with specific certain
guidelines were implemented in October’2009 successfully with strict quality control measures.
THE STRAIGHT COAL GROUP (SCG)
The SCG were formulated in a way to provide maximum maneuverability/flexibility to optimize
the blend constitution in the most techno-economic and logistically favorable manner. The SGC
concept is depicted in Table no-1.
Table no-1: Coal group concept
GROUP
Primary Criteria Next Criteria Type
NO.
Group-1 MMR=1.3-1.6 >300 ddpm
HARD COKING COAL
Group-2 MMR=1.1-1.3 >600 ddpm
High fluidity > 5000
Group-3A MMR=0.9-1.1
ddpm SOFT COAL
Group-3B MMR=0.9-1.1 >150 ddpm
RAJRAPPA
INDIGENOUS COKING
Group-4 MMR>0.9 SWANG
COAL
KATHARA, KARGAI

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BLENDING PHILOSOPHY OF STRAIGHT COALS
Once the grouping of the straight coals were made, the basis of blend formulation was decided
taking in to consideration, the inherent strength and deficiency of the individual coal groups .Gr-
1 & Gr-3(a) are considered to be supplementary to each other. Gr-1 coals are having high rank
but low fluidity while Gr-3(a) coals are fluidity dominant & low in rank. So, it was decided to
keep both categories in similar composition range to obtain a consistent behavior in the
blend.Gr-2 coals having the optimum combination of rank and fluidity would form the base
matrix of the blend with Gr-3(b) & Gr-4 coals chipping in as cost/ logistic pegs. Illustrated below
is a typical blend with straight coal grouping and the output blend and coke properties.
Gr-3(b)
& Others :
20% Gr-1: 20%

Gr-3(a):
20% Gr-2: 40%

OUTPUT BLEND PROPERTY

PARAMETER Value
COAL BLEND PROPERTY
AM (%) 1.540
VM 26.33
ASH 8.50
%S 0.56
Blend alkali 0.133
MMR 1.152
VITRINITE 62.2
COKE PREDICTED PROPERTY
Predicted CSR 68.3
COKE ASH % 11.54

BENEFITS OF STRAIGHT COALS

Introduction of straight coals into blend certainly has yielded benefits in terms of improvement in
CSR values with better consistency as shown below. Table & graph to be incorporated…VSP
has been able to use successfully soft and relatively cheaper variety coals in the blend up to 50%
with advantage, thereby reducing the blend cost considerably. Also the initiative has helped

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improved technological discipline in handling of multiple coals in the yard.

CSR-BEFORE STRAIGHT COAL

12

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
CSR BEFORE STRAIGHT COAL
Mean 66
Standard
Deviation 1.56
Range 8
Minimum 61
Maximum 69

CSR- AFTER STRAIGHT COAL

70
69
68
67
66
65
64
63
62
61
60
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
CSR AFTER STRAIGHT COAL
Mean 66.2
Standard Deviation 1.3
Range 4.8
Minimum 63.8

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 Maximum 68.6

Relation of Coking Property to Analysis."It would, of course, be of the utmost importance if we could
discover some relation that would enable us to predict from the results of a proximate or an ultimate
analysis of a sample whether the coal represented would make good coke. However, hundreds of
investigations made along this line have uniformly shown that such analyses are of value only in
establishing a preliminary approximate prognosis of the coking property; the actual character of the coke
from a given coal can only be determined by actually making it.

White's studies of over three hundredcoals^" show that, while practically all the coals with anavailable
hydrogen of 3.80 per cent or more will coke well unlessthey are too high in fixed carbon, some good
cokes result fromfuels with less than 3.50 per cent."A review of the wide fluctuations in the H :
0ratios,togetherwiththe annotations as to coking, stronglyindicates,sofar as the tests have been made or
the information is at hand, that,below the highest of thesemibituminous coals which are approaching
anthracitization,thosecoals with a H : 0 ratio (percentage)of 59 or more, with but one or twoexceptions,
make coke by the ordinary commercial process. Nearlyall those below 59 and above 55, so far as
tested,makea coke, andamong those ranging down to a ratio of 50 a large percentage coke,
whileone or two of the tested coals coke at a slightlylower ratio. Itwould ^em, however, that the cokes
made from those coals with aH :0 ratio less than 55 are usually very poor and apt to be brittle and
dark." Itappears, therefore,thatamong coals which are not too far de tviolai-zedpracticallyall that are
sufficientlybituminized" that is,haveaH:0 ratio of 59 or over " are almost certain to possess the
cokingfusibility, and that coke of good quality may usually be expected fromcoal with a ratio as low as
55, while very poor results may be obtainedwhen the ratio is as low as 50. The best cokes obtained by the
ordinaryprocess are made from coals having a ratio of 60 or over."The destruction of the coking property
by oxidation is edxplainbythe hypothesis that the resinicsubstances, which act asbinding agents in the
coking process, are decomposed under thiscondition. As Parr has pointed out, the temperature at
whichdecomposition of the fusible substances occurs must be abovetheir melting point. If it is lower, no
coke will be formed.Every observation of the efifect of oxidation confirms the beliefthat it has the effect
of alteringordestroying the binding material.
Rau's explanation is more reasonable. No coal will coke ifheated sufficientlyslowly, or if maintained at a
low temperaturefor a sufficient length of time, simply because the resultingdpeocsaobm-
letarryconstituents then have time to pass off withoutdecomposition; if,onthe contrary, the interval
between 200"and 300"C. is traversed quickly enough, the tarry constituentsformed are overtaken within
the mass of coal by their teumreperaofdecomposition and coking takes place. The cokingresults from
decomposition of the tarry constituents within themass of coal, with separation of carbon, or substances
rich incarbon. The higher the oxygen content of the tar, the less highcarbonproducts will it give; hence
oxidized coals and coalsoriginallyhighin oxygen do not coke. This is supported byChristie's observation!
thatthe coking process stands in closerelation with the formation of a thick tar.The tarry matters, produced
by decomposition of the resinicconstituents of the coal,when heated alone leave a porous residuewhich is
soft and friable.** Since this cementing materialis in itself structurallyweak, its function should be merely
that ofa binder, to hold together the harder particlesof carbon. This isgood analogy with well
knownpractice in the use of cements
* See also ref. 12 for further data on efifect of oxidation or weathering,iugeneral. On this basis the
strongest coke would be that ctaoin-ningthe minimum cementing material consistent with a good
bondingeffect. The practice of mixing coals for production ofcoke of the best quality is based largely on
these principles.Coals producing an excess of the binding material are mixed withthose deficient in such
material. Parr was able to make cokeof superior quality by mixing Illinois coals rich in binding

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materialwith large quantities (up to 100 per cent) of pulverized residuesof low temperature distillation of
the same coals.

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