COKING OF COAL

COKE PRODUCTION
It involves carbonization of coal at
high temperature (1100C) in
absence of oxygen to concentrate
carbon.
As the temperature rises the fluidity
of mass reaches the maximum and
then the mass solidifies to form coke.

FEED
Coking coal or metallurgical coal is
used as feed.
It starts softening at 300C.
ECONOMICS
1 ton of coal :
1500 pounds of coke,
15 gallons of liquid products.

CHEMICAL REACTION
4(C3H4)n
+ nCH4
Coke

nC6H6+ 5nC + 3nH2

coal

Benzene

Lighter hydrocarbon

The coking of coal is considered to

follow the approximate equation.

PROCESS UNITS
Coal crusher and
screening
Coke oven
Gas generator
Quenching car
Coke crusher and
screening
Condenser
Tar extractor
Reheater

Tar seperator
Lime still
Saturator
Centrifuge
Cooler
Oil scrubber
Oil still
Oxide purifier

Figure 1: "Coke Side" of a By-Product Coke

Oven Battery

 Figure 2:
Incandescent coke
in the oven waiting
to be "pushed".

MAJOR ENGINEERING
PROBLEMS
Maintenance of refractory and
brickwork at high operating
temperatures, imposing severe
thermal strain.
Maintenance of uniform coking
temperatures by proper heating and
waste gas circulations

USES OF COKE
Coke is used as a fuel and as a reducing agent
in smelting iron ore in a blast furnace.
Coke is sometimes used as a filter in whiskey
distilleries in which a mixture of coal and peat
is used.
Discovered by accident to have superior heat
shielding properties when combined with other
materials.