Method of making metallurgical coke briquettes from coal, raw petroleum coke, inert material and a binder

Claim 2

A process according to claim 1 wherein an inert material is added to the mixture to be compressed, in amounts up to 25 parts per 100 parts of blend of coal, raw coke and inert and wherein the parts of plasticizing agent employed is based, by weight, upon the 100 parts of blend of coal, raw coke and the inert material.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein between 2 and 6 parts of plasticizing agent is employed in the mixture to be compressed.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 wherein said plasticizing agent is thermal tar.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein the maximum temperature to which the mixture is heated in step B is between about 320* F. and about 500* F. and wherein the time that the mixture is maintained at maximum temperature prior to being compressed in step C is no more than about 5 minutes.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 wherein the compressing step C is carried out by means of a roll briquetting operation using a pressing time of no more than two seconds.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein said coal and raw coke particles are heated before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 8 wherein said plasticizing agent is heated before being mixed with the coal and raw coke particles.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 8 wherein said coal and raw coke particles are heated by entrainment heating of the particles in an inert gas stream and wherein the heated particles are separated from the inert gas before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.

Claim 10

A process for making shaped metallurgical coke bodies which comprises: A. forming a mixture comprised of 100 parts of fusible coal particles having a volatile matter content of at least about 15 percent and no higher than about 20 percent, and from about 1 to about 8 parts of a plasticizing agent by weight of the coal, said plasticizing agent being neither substantially vaporizable nor substantially thermally decomposable below about 490* F., and said coal being agglomerative when heated and alloyed according to step B following; B. at least partially alloying said plasticizing agent with said coal to convert said coal to a material which is plasticlike by heating the materials comprising said mixture which includes the plasticizing agent, for a period of not more than 15 minutes in a substantially inert gas system to a temperature at least as high as about 300* F. and below about 500* F., which is below the agglomerative temperature of the particles of the base coal before it is mixed with the plasticizer; C. compressing the hot plasticlike mixture in a substantially inert gas system while it is still plastic and above about 300* F., but below the agglomerative temperature of the particles of the base coal, employing a pressure above about 500 p.s.i. to form shaped green bodies which have an A.D. of at least 0.85 g./cc. and a porosity no greater than 37 percent; and D. carbonizing said shaped bodies in a substantially inert gas system with a gradual upheat rate to between about 1,000* F. and 2,000* F.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 11 wherein raw uncalcined coke made by coking a heavy liquefiable hydrocarbon to a volatile matter content exclusive of water of about 8 percent to about 20 percent is added to the mixture to be compressed, in amounts up to 15 parts per 100 parts of coal.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 11 wherein an inert material is added to the mixture to be compressed, in amounts up to 25 parts per 100 parts of blend of coal and inert and wherein the parts of plasticizing agent employed is based, by weight, upon the 100 parts of blend of coal and the inert material.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 11 wherein between 2 and 6 parts of plasticizing agent is employed in the mixture to be compressed.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 11 wherein said plasticizing agent is thermal tar.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 11 wherein the maximum temperature to which the mixture is heated in step B is between about 320* F. and about 500* F. and wherein the time that the mixture is maintained at maximum temperature prior to being compressed in step C is no more than about 5 minutes.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 11 wherein the compressing step C is carried out by means of a roll briquetting operation using a pressing time of no more than 2 seconds.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 11 wherein said coal particles are heated before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 18 wherein said plasticizing agent is heated before being mixed with the coal.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 18 wherein said coal particles are heated by entrainment heating of the particles in an inert gas stream and wherein the heated particles are separated from the inert gas before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.

Claim 20

A process for making shaped metallurgical coke bodies which comprises: A. forming a mixture comprised of 100 parts of raw, uncalcined coke particles made by coking a heavy liqUefiable, hydrocarbon to a volatile matter content exclusive of water of about 10 percent to about 20 percent, and from about 1 to about 8 parts of a plasticizing agent by weight of the raw coke particles, said plasticizing agent being neither substantially vaporizable nor substantially thermally decomposable below about 490* F., and said coke being agglomerative when heated and alloyed according to step B following; B. at least partially alloying said plasticizing agent with said raw coke particles to convert said coke particles to a material which is plasticlike by heating the materials comprising said mixture which includes the plasticizing agent, for a period of not more than 15 minutes in a substantially inert gas system to a temperature at least as high as about 300* F. and below about 500* F., which is below the agglomerative temperature of the particles of the base coke material before it is mixed with the plasticizer; C. compressing the hot plasticlike mixture in a substantially inert gas system while it is still plastic and above about 300* F., but below the agglomerative temperature of the particles of the base coke material, employing a pressure above about 500 p.s.i. to form shaped green bodies which have an A.D. of at least 0.85 g./cc. and a porosity no greater than 37 percent; and D. carbonizing said shaped bodies in a substantially inert gas system with a gradual upheat rate to between about 1,000* F. and 2,000* F.

Claim 21

A process according to claim 21 wherein said raw uncalcined coke is delayed coker raw petroleum coke.

Claim 22

A process according to claim 21 wherein fusible coal having a volatile matter content of at least about 15 percent is added to the mixture to be compressed, in amounts up to 15 parts per 100 parts of raw uncalcined coke; the average volatile matter content of the raw coke particles and of the coal taken together not exceeding about 20 percent.

Claim 23

A process according to claim 21 wherein an inert material is added to the mixture to be compressed, in amounts up to 25 parts per 100 parts of blend of raw coke and inert and wherein the parts of plasticizing agent employed is based, by weight, upon the 100 parts of blend of raw coke and the inert material.

Claim 24

A process according to claim 21 wherein between 2 and 6 parts of plasticizing agent is employed in the mixture to be compressed.

Claim 25

A process according to claim 21 wherein said plasticizing agent is thermal tar.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 21 wherein the maximum temperature to which the mixture is heated in step B is between about 320* F. and about 500* F. and wherein the time that the mixture is maintained at maximum temperature prior to being compressed in step C is no more than about 5 minutes.

Claim 27

A process according to claim 21 wherein the compressing step C is carried out by means of a roll briquetting operation using a pressing time of no more than 2 seconds.

Claim 28

A process according to claim 21 wherein said raw coke particles are heated before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 29 wherein said raw coke particles are heated by entrainment heating of the particles in an inert gas stream and wherein the heated particles are separated from the inert gas before being mixed with the plasticizing agent.