The effect of plastic size on coke quality and coking pressure in the co-carbonization of coal/plastic in coke oven

In the recycling process of waste plastics using coke ovens, coals and added plastics are carbonized and changed into coke, tar, oil and coke oven gas in a coke oven chamber. In this study, the effect of added plastic size on coke quality and the effect of plastic addition on coking pressure was investigated. In the case of a plastic addition rate of 2%, the coke strength (DI15150) reached a minimum at the particle size of 10 mm for polyethylene (PE) and 3 mm for polystyrene (PS). The mechanism was attributed to the weak coke structure formed on the interface between plastic and coal. The result indicates that large or small plastic particles are favorable in order to add waste plastics to blended coals for coke making without affecting coke strength (DI15150). Furthermore, it was also shown that a 1% addition of large size agglomerated waste plastics to blended coals did not increase coking pressure. Based on this fundamental study, and considering the ease of handling plastics, we have determined that the size of waste plastic used in a commercial-scale recycling process of waste plastics using coke ovens is about 25 mm. Nippon Steel Corporation started to operate a waste plastic recycling process using coke ovens at Nagoya and Kimitsu works in 2000 and at Yawata and Muroran works in 2002. Now the total capacity is 120,000 tons per year as of 2003 and this process is operating smoothly.