Impacts of plastic layer permeability and internal gas pressure on the formation of coke microstructure and coke qual

This project utilised advanced techniques developed in previous project C29068 to explore the impact of internal gas pressure (IGP) and plastic layer impermeability (PL impermeability) on the microstructure evolution from the plastic layer to the final coke structure. Observations were extended from the thermoplastic region to the resolidified and coke/semi-coke regions, correlating microstructure changes influenced by IGP and PL impermeability to key coke strength data (M40, M10, and I600) with the following objectives:

• Measure in-situ internal gas pressure (IGP) and permeability within the plastic layer for Australian coking coals varying in rank, maceral, and fluidity;
• Analyse microstructure changes from the plastic layer to coke using micro-CT scanning; and
• Correlate IGP; PL impermeability, microstructure transitions, coal properties to gain a better understanding of their impacts on coke quality.

The project's findings provide valuable insights into the relationships between IGP, PL impermeability, microstructure evolution, and coke strength, contributing to a deeper understanding of coke quality, as detailed in the project report.