Part 2 CCT Overview
Iron Making and General Industry Technologies (Iron Making Technologies)

3A1. Formed Coke Process (FCP)
Members andin chargeof researchJapanand development
Researchdevelopment:
Coal Energy Center; and Japan Iron and Steel Federation
Period: 1978-1986 (9 years)

Technology Overview

1. Overview

3. Results of study

The formed coke process (FCP) utilizes noncaking coal as the

1. Production of formed coke from 100% noncaking coalmain raw material. Next, a binder is used to allow the coal to be

The pilot plant was normally operated with a blend of 70%

shaped, and then it is carbonized in formed shapes in a verticalnoncaking coal and 30% caking coal; however, 100% noncaking

furnace to obtain coke.

coal operation was also attained.
2. Establishing stable operating technology and engineering
technology

2. Features

The pilot plant was operated for an extended period at the facility

A series of steps are employed in FCP, including raw material

capacity of 200 tons/day. Production of 300 tons/day, or 1.5 times

processing, shaping, carbonizing the formed coal, and coolingthe designed capacity, was also achieved. Regarding the unit

the carbonized coke. In particular, the carbonizing and coolingrequirement of heat, 320 Mcal/t-formed coal was achieved.

steps are conducted in a vertical furnace within an enclosed

3. Extended period of operation and continuous use of 20%

system, providing many superior features in terms of work

formed coke in large blast furnace

environment, work productivity, ease of system starts and stops.

In a large blast furnace, a long and continuous operating test was

Relative to conventional chamber ovens, FCP systems arecarried out for 74 days with standard 20% formed coke and acompact, meaning less installation space is required.

maximum blend of 30% formed coke to confirm that the formed
coke can be used in a similar way as chamber oven coke.

4. Research and development progress
Table 1 Research and development progress
Fiscal year

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

CoreConstruction
Pilot plant test
Test operation

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1986

Clean Coal Technologies in Japan

Flow chart of continuous formed coke production

Noncaking coal

Caking coal

Carbonizing stage

1. Drying

2. Pulverizing
BinderForming stage

The formed coal is fed to the carbonization furnace (5),where the coal passes through the low- temperature
carbonizing zone (6). The coal is then heated too
1000 C in the high-temperature carbonizing zone (7) toundergo carbonization. The heat-up rate is controlled toprevent the coal from collapsing and breaking causedby expansion and contraction. The carbonized coalo(coke), is cooled to 100 C or cooler in the cooling zone(8) by ambient temperature gas injected from thebottom of the furnace before the formed coal isdischarged from the furnace.

Noncaking coal is the main 3. Kneading
raw material (60-80%). The
coal is dried to a watercontent of 2-3%, (1).
The dried coal is next
pulverized (2). After a binder 4. Forming
is added to the pulverized
coal, the mixture is kneaded(3), and formed (4), thus
Formed coalproducing formed coal.

Generated gasoThe coke oven gas (300-350 C) exiting the top of the furnace
is cooled by the precooler (9) and the primary cooler (10).
After the removal of tar mist (11), most of the gas is recycled
to the furnace. The surplus portion of the gas is extracted
from the system, and then rectified and desulfurized to
become a clean fuel having a high calorific value of
3800kcal/Nm3.

9. Precooler

10. Primarycooler

5. Carbonization furnace

11. Electric precipitator(Generated gas)

Main blower
6. Low-temperature carbonizing zone

Ammonia water
12. Decanter
Tar

7. High-temperature carbonizing zone

Byproducts
8. Cooling zone

13. High-temperature
gas heating furnace
15. Ejector

14. Low-temperature
gas heating furnace

Gas recycling
Formed coke

The liquid in the gas is
directed to the decanter (12)to separate ammonia waterand tar by decantation andprecipitation. Each of these
byproducts is sent to respective
existing plants for furthertreatment. After treated, thetar is reused as the binder for
the formed coke.

After the tar mist has been removed in the electric precipitator, the gas isheated to approximately 1000oC in the high-temperature gas heating
furnace (13). It is then injected into the high-temperature carbonizing zone
(7). The gas, heated to 450oC in the low-temperature gas heating furnace(14) drives the ejector (15). The ejector (15) draws in the high-temperature
gas that was used to cool the coke. Next, the gas is fed to the lowtemperature carbonizing zone (6) at a temperature of approximately 600oC.
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