Effect of mineral distribution on the coking properties of coal

Abstract

Based on petrographic analyses, the macerals and microlithotype were analyzed to obtain the contents of carbominerite and minerite of several coal samples with similar ash contents. The microstructure of cokes which were produced from a 40 kg coking furnace was characterized to explain the effect of status and distribution of minerals on coking properties. The results show that coking coal and fat coal featured good coking properties due to the high-ratio carbominerite and low-ratio mineriteand thus could be used as blend. Comparatively, gas coal and lean coal showed poor coking properties although they also had high-ratio carbominerite. This indicates that besides the petrology index such as the reflectance of vitrinite and the activity and inertia ratio, mineral distribution had a great influence on the coking properties. Well dispersed minerals in organic matrix were playing positive roles for the coking properties, while clusters and large particles of minerals had adverse effects.