Insight into the Interaction of Coal Particle Size Distribution and Blending Ratio on Coke Quality

Coke is the fuel and main support for creating permeability in the blast furnace in the steel industry. It is produced by blending various types of coal. Therefore, studying the relationships between the intrinsic properties and preparation parameters of coal with the quality of the resulting coke is essential. Coke texture and mean size are the critical structural indicators of cokin, which also influence the reactive properties and Strength of the produced coke. In this study, the relationship between coke texture indices, the intrinsic properties of coal, and coal preparation parameters was evaluated for three types of Iranian coal. Regression analysis and Design Expert software were utilized for this purpose. To better understand the relationships between coal’s intrinsic properties and its reactive characteristics. FTIR, XRF, and SEM analyses were conducted. Regression analysis revealed correlations between four intrinsic properties of coal (ash content. volatile matter, fixed carbon content, and maceral composition) and two key coke texture indicators (pore count and coke porosity). The highest coefficient of determination (R2) values were observed in the relationships between liptinite content and pore count (0.94) and between liptinite content and porosity percentage (0.87). Additionally, the study on coal blending ratios demonstrated that coal with a higher inertinite content exerted greater control over the number of pores and the porosity percentage of the produced coke when present in finer particle sizes.