Effect of briquette composition and size on the quality of the resulting coke

Five briquettes were prepared using sawdust, a non-coking coal and a binder. Industrial coal blends were used to study the influence of the type of sawdust (pine and chestnut), the binder (coal tar and coal-tar sludge) and the size of the briquettes on the quality of the cokes produced from mixtures containing up to 15 wt.% of the five briquettes. The effect of the briquettes and briquette components on the fluidity of the industrial coal blends was investigated. It was found that biomass and non-coking coal produced a decrease in fluidity, whereas the binders increased it. The combined effect of both types of additive had the global effect of decreasing fluidity. Mixtures of the briquettes with the industrial coal blends were carbonized in a 17 kg movable wall oven in order to assess their influence on the quality of the cokes produced. Their cold mechanical strength (JIS DI150/15 index), reactivity to CO2 (CRI index) and post-reaction strength (CSR index) were also tested. The composition of the ash of the sawdusts and the reactivity of the briquette components were used as an indication of the effect on coke reactivity. The effects on cold mechanical strength and post-reaction strength were different in some cases.