ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Technical Market Support

Literature Survey on Non-Recovery Coke Ovens

Technical Market Support » Metallurgical Coal

Published: February 98Project Number: C6056

Get ReportAuthor: Adrian Reinfenstein, Hakan Kahraman, Charles Coin | ACIRL

The aim of the project is understanding the coal quality and operational factors which affect coke quality in non-recovery coke ovens and to investigate means of ameliorating inferior coking behaviour.

Coke is primarily consumed by the steel industry where it is the principal fuel used in the production of molten iron in blast furnace. Coke also serves as a porous supporting medium in the blast furnace to allow circulation of hot gases and percolation of molten material. It also provides the reductant for the oxide burden.

Over the last 100 years, the by-product oven, which produces both coke and by-products of tar, pitch, light oil, ammonium phosphate or sulphate, has been the dominant coke making technology in the industrialised world. However, several factors have led to a re-evaluation of other methods of producing coke. The reasons for the re-evaluation of these technologies are complex and include a possible future coke shortage, environmental concerns, occupational health and safety issues and lower prices for by-products.

It was predicted in the recent years that the coke shortages would occur worldwide. It is, however, interesting that the predictions for coke shortages have so far not been fulfilled. There is currently a surplus world supply of coke in the order of 40 million tonnes. This is partly the result of the collapse of the steel industry in the United States where total blast furnace iron production decreased 50% from 1978 to 1986. As a result from 1980 to 1990 approximately 40% of cokemaking capacity in the United States was shut down. Also since 1990, China increased exports of coke by almost 400% to 4.7 mty. In Europe there is currently a slight excess in capacity. In Japan and other parts of Asia, there is an excess of relatively recently installed capacity. Finally, throughout the world, modern coke oven repair technology, such as ceramic welding, is extending the life of batteries beyond what was previously believed possible.

Particularly in the United States and Europe the re-evaluation of methods of coke making, is also being pushed because of public concern about the environmental, and occupational health and safety problems that by-product ovens create. This concern has been expressed in the United States with the introduction of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The act considers coke oven plant emissions as hazardous air pollutants. The output of these must be lowered to prescribed limited by 1998. Attaining these standards will require expenditure of several million dollars per battery. Austria and the Netherlands have even tighter restrictions currently in place.

Finally, the value of by-products has constantly decreased over the recent years. This has been the result of the petrochemical industry developing processes to produce many of the same products as by-product plants, but at higher purity levels.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C34019Longwall Bretby Cable Handling Monitoring With Fibre Optics

This project examined the potential of using fibre optic sensing tec...

C27049Mine Machine Radar Sensor Integration

The aim of this project was to develop an integrated radar sensor an...

C29007Innovative Coal Burst System To Investigate The Influence Of Confinement Loss And Pre-Conditioning On Coal Burst Mechanism

The challenges associated with designing and operating a safe and pr...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Recently Completed Projects

C33035High Water Recovery, Low Cost Desalination Using PV-Powered Membrane Capacitive Deionisation (Mcdi)

Capacitive deionization is a robust, energy efficient and cost effec...

C28035Topsoil Deficits In Site Rehabilitation Accelerated Transformation Of Spoils To Functional Soils

The incorporation of commercial biological amendments (compost, worm...

C34036Tyre Handler Testing Rig Stage 2: Lifting Trials

Tyre handling is a major source of risk in surface mining operations...

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34060In-Situ Investigation Of Coke Structure Formation Under Stamp Charged Coking Conditions

Stamp charged cokemaking has emerged as an effective technique to im...

C34062Improving The Classification Of Microstructure Distribution In Coke CT Images Using Deep Learning And Lineal Path Calculations

This project builds on a number of earlier projects that have helped...

C29071Source Of Variability Of Reactivity Of Coke In The CSR Test

The Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR) test is used worldwide to det...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

C23052Novel Stone Dust Looping Process For Ventilation Air Methane Abatement

This multi‐phase project is concerned with the mitigation of m...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC