How is coke made?

How coke became a fuel for the steel industry

It is true that in the past there were also private customers for the very special type of coal, coke, however, the steel industry has always been there because of the low sulfur content of this fuel Interested. The charcoal previously used to fire up the blast furnaces ensured, through its raw material consumption, that very large forest stands were burned and whole stretches of land, due to the clearing, changed.

• Since the wood could not be used in its original state and only in kilns could it be used as fuel one attempted to implement this necessary process in relation to coal, which it seemed to be in abundance was. The first coking plants in which coke was produced were very similar to their predecessors in terms of their construction. Here too, moisture and gases were removed from the original material by means of a special heat treatment.
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• Today this is done in hermetically sealed ovens, and the gases produced are no longer discharged unused, but used just like other by-products.

How the special coal is made

1. The necessary raw material, selected hard coal, is transported to the furnace roof in hopper wagons and filled into the container.
2. After the "baking chamber" has been filled, the contents are now leveled so that an even top layer is created. This can still be done manually today.


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3. Now the filled in coal is solidified by tamping, so that the coal can bake together well.
4. Now the "baking pan" is placed in the actual heat dispenser, since the coal is now in a vacuum, the heat energy, the fire, must of course be supplied from outside.
5. The baking process is finished as soon as no more gases escape. This ensures that the coke produced meets the requirements of the steelworks and can be used for its task.