Foundry Coke Coal Blends for Lower Ash Fusion and Carbon Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of high-quality foundry coke is costly due to high manufacturing, transportation, and environmental costs, and traditional coke products have high ash fusion temperatures that reduce carbon transfer efficiency in cupola furnaces.
Innovation Solution
Developing coal blends with controlled ash fusion temperatures below 2600°F by selecting coals with higher proportions of low-melting oxides and optimizing coal blends to enhance carbon transfer and yield in cupola operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional coke production methods are used, then high-quality foundry coke can be produced, but production costs (manufacturing, transportation, environmental) become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the ash fusion temperature parameter of coke products. Specifically, it produces coke with ash fusion temperatures below 2600°F (lower than traditional coke) to improve carbon transfer efficiency in cupola furnaces while reducing production costs. This parameter modification enables the use of lower-cost coal blends that still produce high-quality foundry coke.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by creating coal blends from multiple coal sources with different compositions and properties. It combines coals with varying ash fusion temperatures, carbon contents, and impurity profiles to produce a composite coke product that achieves optimal performance characteristics while minimizing production costs.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional coke with high ash fusion temperature is used, then production costs are reduced, but carbon transfer efficiency in cupola furnaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the ash fusion temperature parameter from traditional high values to below 2600°F. This parameter modification enables lower-cost coal blends to produce coke that maintains high carbon transfer efficiency in cupola furnaces, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing manufacturing cost effectiveness.
3Reliability
If high-quality foundry coke is produced with traditional methods, then exceptional quality is achieved, but manufacturing and transportation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the ash fusion temperature parameter to below 2600°F, which improves carbon transfer efficiency and increases production yield. This parameter change allows for higher quality foundry coke production with improved yield, reducing the quantity of coke needed while maintaining exceptional quality standards.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution results in improved carbon transfer to molten metal, increased cupola performance, and reduced production costs by lowering ash fusion temperatures and optimizing coal blends.
Implementation Method 1
a coke oven to produce a coke product from the coal blend
Implementation Method 2
selecting coals with higher proportions of low-melting oxides and optimizing coal blends to enhance carbon transfer
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for coking coal blends to produce foundry coke products are disclosed herein. Methods for producing coke products can include charging a coal blend into a coke oven; and heating the charged coal blend such that a crown temperature of the coke oven is greater than a lower bound coking temperature. The pyrolysis duration begins when the crown temperature of the oven is greater than the lower bound coking temperature, and ends when the crown temperature of the oven is less than the lower bound coking temperature.