ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Technical Market Support

Improving Understanding of the Factors that Contribute to Thermoplasticity during Cokemaking and Laboratory Carbonising Tests and Impact on Coke Strength

Technical Market Support » Metallurgical Coal

Published: November 21Project Number: C28071

Get ReportAuthor: Hannah Lomas, Graham O’Brien, Sid McGuire, Richard Roest, Jessica Gray, Priyanthi Hapugoda, Merrick Mahoney, Brody Brooks, Edward Bissaker, Joshua Allen, William Murray, Arash Tahmasebi, Wei Xie, Mark Knackstedt, Richard Henley | University of Newcastle, CSIRO, Australian National University, SJM Coal Tech

This project encompassed two key components:

  • Development of inertinite analogues to investigate the link between inertinite attributes and the development of coke strength attributes, and
  • Investigation into whether laboratory carbonising test results reflect the impact of maceral associations on coke strength using coal grain analysis.

Three coals were selected:

  • Coal A, a high rank coal from the Moranbah coal measures;
  • Coal B, a medium rank coal from the Moranbah coal measures;
  • Coal D, a medium rank coal from the Rangal coal measures.

The key findings of the first project component, whereby inertinite analogues (graphite and charcoal) were used to investigate the link between inertinite attributes and coke strength, were:

  • Graphite showed higher interfacial boundary quality with the RMDC than charcoal, which is likely owing to its ability to provide pathways for the volatiles generated during coking to escape but they then become trapped within the melt.
  • Unlike graphite, charcoal was found to have bottle-neck shaped pores at its surface, which may slow the release of gas out of the pores. The combination of charcoal's high surface area and bottle-neck pore shape is expected to trap gas, to the extent that the charcoal is less available to bond to the metaplast during coking.
  • The thermoplastic behaviour of blends of each of the three parent coals with 5 wt. % charcoal, graphite or a 50:50 mix of the two.

The key findings of the second project component, whereby the impact of coal grain composition on laboratory carbonising and coke strength test results was investigated, were:

  • Coals A and D showed an increase in vitrite (i.e. liberated vitrinite) in the Gieseler and dilatation samples compared with the coke oven feed. However, the reverse trend was observed for Coal B. Five additional samples were prepared for Coal B, which were anticipated to provide insights for the unexpected result.
  • These additional 'grind' samples were prepared so that the overall composition and grind stayed the same but the proportions of vitrinite-rich and inertiniterich material at each size fraction differed.

The key recommendations are:

  • Continued efforts to understand the fundamental factors contributing to the complex phenomenon of coal thermoplasticity, including its dependence on coal geographical origin, which is critical to ensure accurate valuation of Australian coals in a competitive market.
  • In this project, Gieseler and dilatation tests were unable to detect differences in coal thermoplastic behaviour and coke strength as a function of coal grind characteristics. Herein, it is important to understand what these standard laboratory tests actually measure, and how these test results relate to actual thermoplastic behaviour of coals and coal blends during commercial cokemaking.

Other recommendations to improve the experimental procedure and analysis of the results are detailed within the report.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C34019Longwall Bretby Cable Handling Monitoring With Fibre Optics

This project examined the potential of using fibre optic sensing tec...

C27049Mine Machine Radar Sensor Integration

The aim of this project was to develop an integrated radar sensor an...

C29007Innovative Coal Burst System To Investigate The Influence Of Confinement Loss And Pre-Conditioning On Coal Burst Mechanism

The challenges associated with designing and operating a safe and pr...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Recently Completed Projects

C33035High Water Recovery, Low Cost Desalination Using PV-Powered Membrane Capacitive Deionisation (Mcdi)

Capacitive deionization is a robust, energy efficient and cost effec...

C28035Topsoil Deficits In Site Rehabilitation Accelerated Transformation Of Spoils To Functional Soils

The incorporation of commercial biological amendments (compost, worm...

C34036Tyre Handler Testing Rig Stage 2: Lifting Trials

Tyre handling is a major source of risk in surface mining operations...

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34060In-Situ Investigation Of Coke Structure Formation Under Stamp Charged Coking Conditions

Stamp charged cokemaking has emerged as an effective technique to im...

C34062Improving The Classification Of Microstructure Distribution In Coke CT Images Using Deep Learning And Lineal Path Calculations

This project builds on a number of earlier projects that have helped...

C29071Source Of Variability Of Reactivity Of Coke In The CSR Test

The Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR) test is used worldwide to det...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

C23052Novel Stone Dust Looping Process For Ventilation Air Methane Abatement

This multi‐phase project is concerned with the mitigation of m...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC