Metallurgical Coke

METALLURGICAL COKE

When bituminous coal is heated strongly in the absence of air, the volatile matter escapes out and the mass becomes hard, strong, porous and coherent which is called Metallurgical Coke.

1. Requisites (or) characteristics of good metallurgical coke

1. Purity

The moisture, ash, sulphur and phosphorus contents in metallurgical coke should be low, because moisture and ash reduce the calorific value. Sulphur and phosphorus may contaminate the metal.

2. Porosity

Coke should be highly porous so that oxygen will have intimate contact with carbon and combustion will be complete and uniform.

3. Strength

The coke should have very high mechanical strength inorder to withstand high pressure of the overlying material in the furnace.

4. Calorific value

The calorific value of coke should be very high.

5. Combustibility

The coke should burn easily.

6. Reactivity

The reactivity of the coke should be low because low reactive cokes produce high temperature on combustion.

7. Cost

It should be cheap and readily available.