Quality evaluation of metallurgical coke produced with sawdust and different mixtures of coal

Lays Augusta Leal Carvalho,Paulo Santos Assis,Alex Milton Albergaria Campos

doi:10.1590/0370-44672020740115

Lays Augusta Leal Carvalho, Paulo Santos Assis + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/0370-44672020740115

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Abstract

Abstract The present research is dedicated to analyzing the addition of sawdust biomass, which is a carbonaceous raw material that may be used in coal blends for the production of metallurgical coke, preserving the required quality, with lower cost. The quality of metallurgical coke may be determined by the efficiency of its chemical, physical and thermal functions inside the blast furnace. For the production of hot metal, any modification in the constituents of the raw materials may have a direct influence on the blast furnace productivity and in the final quality of steel. From the thermal degradation analyzes such as coke reactivity index (CRI) and coke strength reaction (CSR), cold resistance (DI) and immediate analyzes, it may define the quality of metallurgical coke produced with biomass aiming at relating the parameters that interfere in the particularities of the material function in the blast furnace. Some results show that it is possible to use 2% of eucalyptus sawdust in the coal mixture.

Highlights

Steel is the most used metal in the world, and its production is associated to the economic development of a country
Steel production accounts for about 4-7% of all carbon dioxide emissions in the world and most of these emissions may be associated to the use of fossil fuels, mainly using coke and coal (Wang, 2015)
The insertion of sawdust biomass as a new carbonaceous raw material used in coal mixtures for the production of metallurgical coke, as long as it preserves the required quality for its application in the blast furnace, mainly coke strength reaction (CSR) (Coke Strength after Reaction), coke reactivity index (CRI) (Coke Reactivity Index), and DI (Drum Index), while maintaining a lower productive cost, is a viable possibility for the steel market

Summary

Introduction

Steel is the most used metal in the world, and its production is associated to the economic development of a country. Compared to plastic and related waste, biomass is a source of perspective for replacing fossil fuels in the future, as it is abundant, renewable, clean and carbon neutral (Quan, 2016). In this way, the insertion of sawdust biomass as a new carbonaceous raw material used in coal mixtures for the production of metallurgical coke, as long as it preserves the required quality for its application in the blast furnace, mainly CSR (Coke Strength after Reaction), CRI (Coke Reactivity Index), and DI (Drum Index), while maintaining a lower productive cost, is a viable possibility for the steel market. The CSR, CRI and DI tests performed are shown comparing the different mixtures produced in a pilot coke oven

Development

Chemical analysis

Findings

Particle size distribution and yields