The increase in oil prices and the search for alternative sources of energy not only led to the development of new technologies, but also pay attention to other, no less useful raw materials - coal.The most important industry is coking coal.What is its value and where it is produced - is set out in this article.
What coking coal
It coal, of which coking in a coke receive a certain strength and size.It is of great value for the industry and enjoys strong demand in many industries.For coking coal is used as the main fuel in the production of steel and energy.
Coking coals are different from other coals transfer properties to the plastic state and sintered at high temperatures without oxygen.
composition
coking coal coking coal and unfortified concentrated form is characterized by low ash content (less than 10%), low content of volatile components (15 to 37%) and sulfur (less than 3.5%).Compared with other types of coal, coking coals have high combustion temperature and have a lower content of impurities.The ratio of constituent substances in the different fields of coal may be slightly different.This is a very important consideration in the process of carbonization.So, before processing of coal necessarily determined by its composition, coking, caking and other indicators.In the former Soviet Union for coking coal used such types:
- By - coke.
- F - fat.
- G - gas.
- OS - otoschenno-caking.
- SS - silnospekayuschiesya.
coking process
Under imply coking process of converting coal into coke.It consists of several stages.At the first stage the preparation of coal for coking.The mined coal is ground and form a special mix - the batch.At the next step is carried coking.This occurs in special chambers of the coke oven gas using heat.Prepared charge placed in an oven for 15 hours, where it all being done raising the temperature to 1000 ° C.This process turns "coke cake."
coking technology during the twentieth century has changed dramatically, enabling development of new coal deposits.
It is estimated that about 10% of global coal production is in the process of coking.This fact confirms the high demand for coking coal industry.
What distinguishes coking and thermal coal
greatest value for the industry provide coking coal, which are used as process fuel in many industrial sectors of the economy.For example, for the production of pig iron.The main feature that distinguishes the coking coal from the energy - the existence vitro.This component of the coal ash, which is formed by the decomposition of the plants in the absence of oxygen.Properties vitrain is the ability to melt and sintered under high temperature.Thus, carbon microparticles are glued into one solid mass.The greater the concentration vitro the higher the quality of the coking of coal.
greatest amount of meltable materials contained in such type of coal: coke, gas, fat, otoschenno-caking and Coke fatty.
Stamps coal
In nature there are many varieties of coal that are different technical composition, sintering performance and volatile components.Suitable for coking coal only a few brands.But not all of them are suitable for sintering in a pure form.Sometimes you need to add some components.So, there are the following brands of coking coal:
- By - coke.In coking coal this brand in its pure form is obtained conditioned metallurgical coke.For the highest quality coal added other brands - bold or gas.
- QL - Coke fatty.It has the best coking, mainly used to produce coke, without the addition of other coal grades.The composition of fatty coke coal contains up to 30% of volatile components.Reflection vitrain - 1.3%.The thickness of the plastic layer is 18 mm.Unchanged quality of coke may be adding to the brand up to 20% of the COP, the OS and the DA.
- KO - coke otoschenny.The thickness of the layer is 10-12 mm, the reflection vitrain - up to 1%.Typically, this brand is not used alone, but only in conjunction with LCD and combustible coal.
- SPE - coke caking nizkometamorfozny.During sintering of this type of coal produced coke washable low strength, so it is mainly used for sintering with other brands or to produce synthetic gas.
- COP - coke caking.The thickness of the plastic layer is up to 9 mm.It characterized by low sinterability.Coal grade COP using coke enterprises as emaciated component.Also it is used in some areas for the production of bed firing.
- GC - gas coke.When carbonization yield good coke fused, but with low mechanical strength.Product sintering easily divided into smaller pieces.Typically, gas coal is used in mixtures with other coking coals.
best for sintering be considered as coking coal brand: bold, caking, gas, otoschenno-sintered and coke in the pure state.They contain the least amount of impurities and they have a high ductility.
Applications
main purpose of coking coal - industrial fuel.During the combustion of coking coal emits large amounts of heat energy.Thus, the ignition temperature of the fuel is 470ºS.But burning - not the only way to extract the useful properties of this resource.There are many other sectors of the economy in which the efficient use of coking coal.The use of this natural resource in industrial processes allows to obtain from it lead, molybdenum, zinc, germanium, sulfur, gallium and other chemical elements.Industrial applications are also a waste of the coal industry.Thus, they are processed in the refractories and abrasives.Also waste produced building materials.
A total of stone fuel produced more than 300 varieties of products.Coal is used as a base material for the production of carbon and graphite structural elements vysokoazotnyh acids which are used in fertilizers.Effective use of the substance have to stand out in the coking process.Thus, during the dry distillation of coal tar is formed, and ammonia water.They are also recyclable.
Furthermore, coker emit gaseous products, which contain benzene, phenol, toluene and ammonia.They serve as a source of other nutrients.
mining coking coal in Ukraine
coking coal in Ukraine is mainly applied metallurgical enterprises.Thus, in the steel industry accounts for about 90% of the total demand for this type of fuel.The mining industry provides the country's domestic coking coal market is only 60%.The remaining 40% of its imported coal.The main supplier of coking coal to Ukraine is Russia.
In recent years, there has been increased demand for foreign raw materials.This is due to a decrease in domestic production.Also, the demand for domestic raw material falls due to the reduction of its quality, as steel mills can not use coal with high sulfur content.
In Ukraine, coking coal is mined in the basins: Donetsk, Lviv-Volyn, Dnipro.The greatest number of coal reserves are concentrated in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.At the moment, due to the political instability of coking coal in the eastern Ukraine suspended.
coal mining in Russia
In Russia there are large deposits of coal.According to figures, the country is one of the first places in the world coal reserves.Over 67% of them in the coal.Of these, 10% are coking coal.
The Russian coking coal mined in the basin: Kuznetsk, Pechora, Yuzhno-Yakutsk, Donetsk and Kizel.The first two pools produce coal in the greatest quantity.
Reserves of coking coal in Russia amount to 47.3 billion. Tons.However, only a small part is useable.In recent years, production of coking coal in Russia is at the level of 70 mln. Tons per year.This is enough to provide raw materials, industrial enterprises in the country.
Coking coal is mined in Russia at a steady pace.The increase in coal production will take place in case of an increase in demand for this type of raw material due to the development of metallurgical and related industries of the Russian economy.
coking coal market outlook
In coming years, the Russian coal industry are waiting for change.Key industry trends will relate to the vertical of the coal industry.Thus, government policy provides for the establishment on the basis of coal mine power plants of small and medium power.It is also planned to install equipment at coal mines, allowing to process coal into clean synthetic fuels.
As regards sales volumes, demand for coking coal in Russia will grow.The fact is that in addition to steel mills using coke-ferrous metallurgy and many other industries.Thus, to produce 1 ton of pig iron needs about 0.4 tons of coke.And alternative technologies that enable it to replace the more profitable resource restrictions apply.
trends in the world coking coal market
To date, many coal companies are in crisis all over the decline in prices for coking coal.This problem is exacerbated states that supply the coke in excess amounts.Also a big impact on prices has the desire of customers to reduce costs.Another unfortunate situation arises from the desire of steel producers to reduce production costs.In Europe and in China, the demand for coking coal continues to grow, but this comes at the expense of production of higher categories.But in general, the volume of purchases of raw materials on the world market fall.
Slightly stabilized the situation with energy raw materials in the US market.But the price has continued to fall due to lower demand for steel.This may result in reduced production of coking coal in the United States and Europe.
But experts predict a rise in imports of energy commodities in India.In terms of volume of import of coking coal this country ranks third in the world.
cost of raw materials in the second quarter of 2015 a decrease in coking coal prices.Large international companies offer raw materials at a price that is 5-10% lower compared with the first quarter.Thus, the South African company Anglo American offered Japan the highest quality coking coal at USD 116 per 1 ton.Average price for 1 ton of coking coal is 117 US dollars.
