Clean production of coke

Abstract

Closed apparatus and processes by which carbon feedstock, is composed of a mixture of non-coking coal fines and another carbonaceous material, such as waste coke fines are disclosed. The coal and coke fines are mixed together and may be formed into solid pieces. The mixture alone or as solid pieces is fired through pyrolyzation into solid pieces of coke, with solid and gaseous by-products of pyrolyzation being recycled for use within the coke-producing closed system, thereby reducing or eliminating release of undesirable substances to the environment. A char-forming binder may or may not be added to the carbon mixture prior to pyrolyzation.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A method of producing coke from at least one lower grade material on a low pollution or no pollution basis, comprising the acts of: 
 introducing a mixture of low grade coal fines and another type of carbonaceous fines as an influent into a pyrolyzer;    pyrolyzing the mixture in the pyrolyzer;    discharging coke and pyrolytic by-products as effluents from the pyrolyzer;    separating the pyrolytic by-products into tar and combustible off gas;    using the separated tar as a binder in the mixture, without discharging the tar to the environment;    using the combustible off gas as a source of fuel in the pyrolyzer without discharging the off gas to the environment.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the introducing act comprises obtaining a mixture comprising coal fines and coke fines.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the act of crushing low grade coal and/or another type of carbonaceous material, prior to the introducing act, to obtain the fines.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising the act of forming the mixture into solid objects prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the discharging act comprises discharging the coke as solid objects.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the using act comprises combining the separated tar, a synthetic binder and the mixture of fines prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the separated tar is fed back to the mixture prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the separating act comprises cooling the by-products and condensing the tar to separate the tar from the off gas.  
     
     
         9 . A method of producing coke from at least one low grade material on a low pollution or no pollution basis, comprising the acts of: 
 introducing a mixture of low grade coal fines and another type of carbonaceous fines as an influent into a pyrolyzer;    pyrolyzing the mixture in the pyrolyzer;    discharging coke and pyrolytic by-products as effluents from the pyrolyzer;    separating the pyrolytic by-products into tar and combustible off gas;    using the separated tar as a binder in the mixture without discharging the tar to the environment;    using the combustible off gas as a source of fuel in the pyrolyzer without discharging the off gas to the environment.    
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the introducing act comprises obtaining a mixture comprising coke fines and coal fines.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9  further comprising the act of crushing coke and/or another type of carbonaceous material, prior to the introducing act, to obtain the fines.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9  further comprising the act of forming the mixture into solid objects prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the discharging act comprises discharging the coke from the pyrolyzer as solid objects.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the using act comprises combining the separated tar, a synthetic binder and the mixture of fines prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the separated tar is fed back to the mixture prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the separating act comprises cooling the by-products and condensing the tar to separate the tar from the off gas.  
     
     
         17 . A method of producing coke from low grade coal and waste coke fines on a low pollution or no pollution basis, comprising the acts of: 
 introducing a mixture of lower grade coal fines and waste coke fines as an influent into a pyrolyzer;    pyrolyzing the mixture in the pyrolyzer;    discharging segregated coke, on the one hand, and pyrolytic by-products comprising combustible off gas and tar on the other hand, as effluents from the pyrolyzer;    separating the pyrolytic by-products into segregated tar and combustible off-gas;    using the segregated tar as a binder in the mixture without discharging the tar to the environment;    using the segregated combustible off gas as a source of fuel in the pyrolyzer without discharging the off gas to the environment.    
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  further comprising the act of crushing oversized waste coke and/or oversized low grade coal, to obtain the fines.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 17  further comprising the act of forming the mixture into solid objects prior to the introducing act.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19  wherein the discharging act comprises discharging the coke from the pyrolyzer as solid objects.  
     
     
         21 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the using act comprises combining the separated tar, a synthetic binder and the mixture of fines in a mixer.  
     
     
         22 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the separated tar is fed back to the mixture of fines.  
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein low grade coal comprises 20-40% by weight of the mixture.  
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein petroleum coke comprises 40-70% by weight of the mixture.  
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein coke breeze comprises 5-10% by weight of the mixture.  
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the pyrolyzing act comprises heating the introduced mixture to a temperature within the range of 800-1100° C. at a rate within the range of 1500-2000° C./hour to lower coke volatility below 2%.  
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the separating act comprises cooling the by-products to about 300° C. and condensing the tar to separate the tar from the off gas.  
     
     
         28 . A method of producing coke on a low pollution or no pollution basis comprising the acts of: 
 introducing at least one source of carbon comprising low grade coal fines as an influent into a pyrolyzer;    pyrolyzing the fines in the pyrolyzer;    discharging coke, and pyrolytic by-product comprising combustible off gas, and tar as effluents from the pyrolyzer;    condensing the tar;    using the tar as a binder for coal fines without discharging the tar to the environment;    using the combustible off gas as a source of fuel in the pyrolyzer without discharging the off gas to the environment.    
     
     
         29 . A method of producing coke on a low pollution or no pollution basis comprising the acts of: 
 introducing at least one source of carbon comprising waste coke fines and/or coal fines as an influent into a pyrolyzer;    pyrolyzing the fines in the pyrolyzer;    discharging coke, and pyrolytic by-products comprising combustible off gas, and tar as effluents from the pyrolyzer;    condensing the tar to separate the tar and off gas;    using the tar as a binder for the fines without discharging the tar to the environment;    using the combustible off gas as a source of fuel in the pyrolyzer without discharging the off gas to the environment.    
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 29  wherein all condensed tar is utilized as binder and all combustible off gas is used to fuel the pyrolyzer.  
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 29  wherein the condensed tar is the sole binder source and the combustible off-gas is the sole source of fuel for the pyrolyzer.