Study on the characteristics of coke in the coupled reaction between iron ore and coke simulating the blast furnace environment

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) 2024-12, Vol.378, p.132715, Article 132715
• Main Authors: Meng, Xinyang, Pang, Keliang, Sun, Minmin, Zheng, Youzhi, Gu, Zhiyuan, Wan, Chaoran, Wu, Haotian, Liu, Fujun, Tang, Jizhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blast furnace; Coke; Coupled reaction; Iron ore; Microstructure
• ISSN: 0016-2361
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2024.132715

[Display omitted] •The weight loss rate of coke under the coupling condition of iron ore and coke is 53.63% higher than that of coke in gasification reaction.•The degree of graphitization and graphitization defects of coupling condition coke are relatively higher than those of gasification reaction coke.•The coupling reaction of coke under the coupling condition of iron ore could be divided into three stages: (1) gasification reaction(below 1300 °C) (2) synergistic reaction(1300–1500 °C), (3) restrictive gasification reaction(above 1500 °C).•Some coke is surrounded by iron oxide and slag during the reduction process, losing its skeletal function in the blast furnace.•A new method for evaluating industrial blast furnace coke based on the coupling reaction of iron ore and coke has been proposed. Blast furnace coke is crucial as a fuel, reducing agent, and skeleton for blast furnace ironmaking. Currently, most research focuses on the gasification reaction of coke, which cannot accurately describe the actual reaction process of coke in the blast furnace. In this study, by simulating the actual environment of blast furnace, the change in coke properties with different conditions were explored under the coupling reaction characteristics of coke and iron ore and compared with the gasification reaction. The analysis was conducted on the carbon microstructure, pore structure, morphological characteristics, macroscopic properties of coke and reduction characteristics of iron ore. Under the coupling conditions of iron ore and coke, the reduction process of iron ore has a significant impact on the characteristics of coke. The reaction of coke under the coupling conditions of iron ore and coke could be divided into three stages. A new method for evaluating industrial coke has been proposed, which could better simulate the process of coke in blast furnaces and provide guidance for coke production and blast furnace operation.