Syllabus Unit I- Fuels: Definition, their importance in human life (historical background). Comparative study of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. Primary and Secondary fuels. Constitution, classification and grading of coal. Characterization of Coal: Proximate analysis, Ultimate analysis, Calorific value. Coal washing. Coal blending and its importance in metallurgical industries. Unit II- Carbonization of coal: Caking, Coking and Non-coking Coals. Metallurgical coke preparation, Testing and properties of coke. Formed coke, Dry quenching of coke. Manufacture, properties and uses of Producer gas and Water gas. Properties and uses of Blast furnace gas and Coke oven gas. Unit III- Combustion Stoichiometry: Estimation of minimum amount of air required for a fuel of known composition, theoretical and actual combustion processes - Air fuel ratio, estimation of dry flue gases for known fuel composition, calculation of the composition of fuel and excess air supplied from exhaust gas analysis, Unit IV- Furnaces: Definition and Classification of Furnaces, Major furnace components. Furnace atmosphere. Natural, forced, induced, and balanced draft. Chimney height. Heat losses in furnaces and minimization. Waste heat recovery. Various types of heating elements and Electric Furnaces viz. Resistance, Arc, and Induction furnaces Unit V- Refractories: Desirable properties of refractories. Methods of classification. Modes of failure of refractories in service and their prevention. Manufacturing methods and properties of Fireclay, Silica, Magnesite, and Chrome-Refractories. Testing of Refractories. Applications of refractories in the metallurgical industries. 3 Coal Washing : Necessity & Principle Coal when mined contain impurities (Extrinsic/external and Intrinsic/inherent impurity).
Intrinsic impurities are derived from plant thus difficult to remove by washing.
Extrinsic impurities comprises mainly dirt land and rock particles and can be removed by washing. Dirty Coal
Benefits of Coal Washing :
Cleaned Coal Reduces its ash content.
Reduces its S & P content.
Increases Heating Value.
Improves caking property.
Reduces its clinkering tendency.
Increases its efficiency during use. Coal Washer 56
Coal Washing : Necessity & Principle Coal washing can be conducted by the Wet Method or Dry Method.
For both methods the difference in specific gravity of coal and the impurities is used as the basis of coal washing.
Specific gravity of coal is 1 to 1.7 while impurities varies between 1.7 to 4.9.
In wet method, a washing medium is chosen whose specific gravity is in-between the coal and the impurities.
For industrial applications, the Washing Medium is a slurry of either sand & water or water & iron ore fines (magnetite/hematite).
Coal Washer Coal Washer In-situ Coal Washing
57 Coal Blending : Objectives & Types Coal blending is carried out to meet the following objectives : Cost Reduction Supply Security Meeting plant specifications Waste Utilization Emission legislation
The blending of solid fuels is typically accomplished with two different fuels and commonly three different fuels in order to achieve the desired fuel properties. Types are as follows :
58 Coal-Coal Blending Coal-Coal Blending in its simplest form is the mixing of available coals (two or more types) to produce a blend which combusts well to produce heat and/or power.
The quality attributes that are most important in coal blending will differ from one mine site to another and also depend on how the coal seams vary in quality and their final intended use.
The method of coal blending selected depends upon the site conditions, the level of blending required, the quantity to be stored and blended, the accuracy required and the end use of the blended coal.
59 Coal-Coal Blending : Numerical Qt-16: A coal blend, containing 60% primary, 30% blendable and 10% imported coal was charged in a by-product coke oven, Assuming 95% volatile matter (VM) and moisture (M) content being removed during the coking process, calculate the coke yield and coke analysis. The coal used for the charging analyzed as follows :
Constituent of Coal Primary Coal, wt. % Blendable Coal, wt. % Imported Coal, wt. % Fixed Carbon 55 45.5 69 Ash 20 26 10 VM & M 25 28.5 21
Ans: Coke Yield = 75.62%.
Constituent of Coke Analysis of Coke, % Fixed Carbon 70.8 Ash 27.5 VM & M 1.7 60 61 Secondary Fuel : Coke Making Caking Property of Coal : Different grade of coals when heated in the absence of air behave differently. Only a certain coal grade undergo physical change on heating while others do not exhibit this behavior.
Caking Coal : These coals softens on heating (above 400°C) to become plastic in nature. These are used for coke making (not necessarily all caking coal are suitable). They may cause difficulty during combustion process. Bituminous grade coal shows caking property.
Non-Caking Coal : These are the coals which do not show any change in physical state and give a non-coherent mass of char on heating. Peat, lignite, sub-bituminous, semi-anthracite and anthracite are all non-caking coal. 62 Coke Making : Selection & Method The caking coal when heated in the absence of air at coking temperature, yields a strong and porous carbonaceous mass termed as coke.
All caking coals are not coking coals while all coking coals are caking coals.
All caking coal do not yields coke and every type of coke is not termed as ‘Metallurgical Coke’. Coal
Coal Selection Criteria :
Caking Behavior
Swelling Behavior
Plastic Behavior
Ash Content
Sulphur Content Coke Blast Furnace 63
Approx. HCV or GCV LCV or NCV Substance Symbol Molecular Weight (kJ/kmol) (kJ/kmol)
Carbon C 12 393520 -
Hydrogen H2 2 286043 242000
Sulphur S 32 293120 -
Methane CH4 16 890994 802900
Ethane C2H6 30 1560997 1428855
Propane C3H8 44 2221622 2045475
Carbon Monoxide CO 28 283192 -
Acetylene C2H2 26 1300566 1256520
Calorific value of fuel in kJ/kmol
The calorific value of fuel in kJ/kg = Molecular weight of fuel in kg/kmol 64 Numerical Qt-17: Calculate the calorific value (HCV) of Methane (CH4), Ethane (C2H6), and Propane (C3H8) in kJ/kg. Given: Calorific value of Carbon:- (HCV): 393520kJ/kmol. Hydrogen:- (HCV): 286043kJ/kmol and (LCV): 242000kJ/kmol
Qt-18: A sample gobar gas contains 55% methane and rest as CO2 by mass. What is its gross and net calorific value in kJ/kmol?.
Qt-19: The ultimate analysis of a sample of coal has the following analysis: Carbon: 84.4%, Hydrogen: 4%, Oxygen 5.6% and reminder is ash. Calculate the higher and lower calorific values of the fuel.
65 66 Coke Making : Selection & Method The coke is made by following three methods:
▪ Beehive Coke Oven Method
▪ Non-Recovery Coke Oven Method
▪ By-Product Coke Oven Method
Non-Recovery C/O
Beehive C/O By-Product C/O 67
Coke Making : Beehive Method
68 Merits & Limitations Advantages Disadvantages
☺ Process is simple & Less capital intensive. No recovery of coal chemicals.
☺ Can be easily built and operated without Process is polluting in nature due to skilled workers. gaseous emissions.
☺ Can use variety of coking coals for coke Process is Labor intensive and incapable to making. produce metallurgical coke.
69 Coke Making : Non-Recovery Method
70 Merits & Limitations Advantages Disadvantages
☺ Process requires less capital. No recovery of valuable chemicals present
in the volatile matters. ☺ Capable of producing coke for metallurgical applications. Poor coke quality compared to the by- product coke making plants. ☺ Exit gasses used for heat recovery and waste gas discharged via chimney. Limited coke production capacity.
☺ Process works under (-ve) pressure and does
not release polluting gasses near the oven chambers.
71 Coke Making : By-Product Method
72 By-Product Method : Fundamentals
73 Merits & Limitations Advantages Disadvantages ☺ Capable of yielding metallurgical coke. Most polluting section in an Integrated steel plant. ☺ Generates valuable coke-oven gas. Capital intensive. ☺ Recovery of valuable by-products. Intermediate repairing damages refractory ☺ Capable of adopting automation and less linings. polluting.
It can have standard shape and size. Blast Furnace 80
Gaseous Fuel : By-Product Fuels Blast Furnace Gas : ☞ By Product of iron blast furnace produced during pig iron making. ☞ Highly poisonous and low calorific value (800-850kcal/Nm3). ☞ Composition (%): CO:21-23, H2:4-5, CO2: 8-20, N2: 53-55, O2: <1.
Coke Oven Gas :
☞ Produced during carbonization of coking coal in B/P coke oven. ☞ Non-poisonous and high calorific value (6000-6500kcal/Nm3). ☞ Composition (%): CH4:24-29, H2:58-60, CO:7-8, CO2: 1-4, N2:1-3, CxHy: Bal.
LD Gas (BOF Gas) :
☞ Produced during steel making in the LD converter (BOF). ☞ Highly poisonous and moderate calorific value (2000-2200kcal/Nm3). ☞ Composition (%): CO:>65, CO2:<15, O2 & N2:Bal. (O & N mixed during exit). 81 Gaseous Fuel : Manufactured Fuels Self Study
