Method for optimizing coke plant operation and output

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10233392-B2
Application number	US-201514839493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2015
Priority date	Aug 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

The present technology is generally directed to methods of increasing coal processing rates for coke ovens. In various embodiments, the present technology is applied to methods of coking relatively small coal charges over relatively short time periods, resulting in an increase in coal processing rate. In some embodiments, a coal charging system includes a charging head having opposing wings that extend outwardly and forwardly from the charging head, leaving an open pathway through which coal may be directed toward side edges of the coal bed. In other embodiments, an extrusion plate is positioned on a rearward face of the charging head and oriented to engage and compress coal as the coal is charged along a length of the coking oven. In other embodiments, a false door system includes a false door that is vertically oriented to maximize an amount of coal being charged into the oven.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of increasing a coal processing rate of a coke oven, the method comprising:
positioning a coal charging system, having an elongated charging frame and a charging head operatively coupled with a distal end portion of the elongated charging frame, at least partially within a coke oven having a maximum designed coal charge capacity, defined as a maximum volume of coal that can be charged into the coke oven according to a width and length of the coke oven multiplied by a maximum bed height, defined by a height of downcomer openings, formed in opposing side walls of the coke oven, above a coke oven floor, and a maximum designed coking time associated with the maximum designed coal charge, wherein the maximum designed coking time is defined as the amount of time required to fully coke the maximum designed coal charge;
charging coal into the coke oven with the coal charging system in a manner that defines a first operational coal charge that is less than the maximum designed coal charge capacity;
gradually withdrawing the coal charging system so that a portion of the coal flows through a pair of opposing wing openings that penetrate lower side portions of the charging head, after which the coal engages the pair of opposing wings having free end portions positioned forward from a front face of the charging head, in a spaced-apart relationship with the charging head, such that the portion of the coal is directed by the wings toward side portions of a coal bed being formed by the coal charging system;
compressing portions of the coal bed beneath the opposing wings by engaging the portions of the coal bed with elongated densification bars, which extend along a length of, and downwardly from, each of the opposing wings, as the coal charging system is withdrawn;
coking the first operational coal charge in the coke oven until it is converted into a first coke bed but over a first coking time that is less than the maximum designed coking time;
pushing the first coke bed from the coke oven;
charging coal into the coke oven with the coal charging system in a manner that defines a second operational coal charge that is less than the maximum designed coal charge capacity;
coking the second operational coal charge in the coke oven until it is converted into a second coke bed but over a second coking time that is less than the maximum designed coking time; and
pushing the second coke bed from the coke oven;
a sum of the first operational coal charge and the second operational coal charge exceeds a weight of the maximum designed coal charge capacity;
a sum of the first coking time and the second coking time being equal to or less than the maximum designed coking time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operational coal charge has a weight that is more than half of the weight of the maximum coal charge capacity.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second operational coal charge has a weight that is more than half of the weight of the maximum coal charge capacity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first operational coal charge and second operational coal charge each have a weight of between 24 and 30 tons.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the duration of the first coking time approximates half of the maximum designed coking time.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the duration of the second coking time approximates half of the maximum designed coking time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sum of the first coking time and the second coking time is 48 hours or less.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein a sum of the first operational coal charge and the second operational coal charge exceeds 48 tons.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
extruding at least portions of the coal being charged into the coke oven by engaging the portions of the coal with an extrusion plate operatively coupled with a rearward face of the charging head, such that the portions of coal are compressed beneath a coal engagement face that is oriented to face rearwardly and downwardly with respect to the charging head.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the extrusion plate is shaped to include opposing side deflection faces that are oriented to face rearwardly and laterally with respect to the charging head and portions of the coal are extruded by the opposing side deflection faces.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
supporting a rearward portion of the coal bed with a false door system having a generally planar false door that is operatively coupled with a distal end portion of an elongated false door frame.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the false door is substantially vertically disposed and a face of the rearward end portion of the coal bed is: (i) shaped to be substantially vertical; and (ii) positioned closely adjacent a refractory surface of an oven door associated with the coke oven after the coal bed is charged and the oven door is coupled with the coke oven.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
vertically moving a lower extension plate that is operatively coupled with the front face of the false door, to a retracted position that disposes a lower edge portion of the lower extension plate no lower than a lower edge portion of the false door and decreases an effective height of the false door prior to supporting the rearward portion of the coal bed.

Assignees

• Suncoke Tech & Development Llc

Inventors

• Quanci John Francis
• Choi Chun Wai
• Kesavan Parthasarathy
• Russell Katharine E
• Vichitvongsa Khambath
• Brombolich Jeffrey Scott
• Mrozowicz Richard Alan
• Glass Edward A

Classifications

• C10B21/10 Primary

  Regulating and controlling the combustion · CPC title

• C10B15/02 Primary

  with floor heating · CPC title

• C10B21/12

  Burners · CPC title

• C10B41/00

  Safety devices, e.g. signalling or controlling devices for use in the discharge of coke · CPC title

• C10B35/00

  Combined charging and discharging devices · CPC title