The Difference Between Coal and Coke: Coal is the raw material, as well as the deep-processed products of coal. Coke is a product made from processed wood, different from coal. Coke is a solid fuel, hard, porous, and has a high calorific value. It is produced through the high-temperature dry distillation of coal. It is commonly used in iron smelting.
1. Coal refers to coal and its deep-processing products. Coke is a product of wood processing, distinct from coal. Coke is a solid fuel, hard, porous, and high in calorific value. It is produced through high-temperature dry distillation of coal. It is commonly used in iron smelting.
2. Under an oxygen-free environment, bituminous coal is heated to 950-1050°C, undergoing stages such as drying, pyrolysis, fusion, coking, solidification, and shrinkage to produce coke, a process known as high-temperature coking (high-temperature dry distillation). The coke obtained from high-temperature coking is used in blast furnace smelting, casting, and gasification. The coke oven gas, recovered and purified during the coking process, serves as a high-energy fuel and is also an important raw material for the organic synthesis industry.
Metallurgical coke is a general term for blast furnace coke, foundry coke, ferroalloy coke, and coke used in non-ferrous metal smelting. Since over 90% of metallurgical coke is used in blast furnace ironmaking, blast furnace coke is often referred to as metallurgical coke. Coke is produced from bituminous coal through a high-temperature coking process and is primarily used in blast furnace ironmaking and in the smelting of non-ferrous metals such as copper, lead, and zinc, serving as a reducing agent, heat source, and structural support for the charge. Foundry coke is specifically used for melting iron in the iron melting furnace. It is the main fuel for iron melting in the furnace. Its function is to melt the charge and superheat the iron, supporting the charge to maintain good permeability. Therefore, foundry coke should have large particle size, low reactivity, small porosity, sufficient impact resistance, and low ash and sulfur content.
In China, many coalfields produce coke, which is primarily used as fuel. When underground coal seams are intruded by magma, they undergo heat distillation and transform into coke under the influence of high temperatures, roasting, and volatile gases from the magma's hydrothermal fluids. Coal seams that spontaneously ignite can also form coke. Coke is gray to dark gray in color, highly porous, and sometimes can appear in hexagonal columnar shapes. Compared to artificial coke, it is heavier, has smaller pores, and is denser.
Coal is a solid, combustible mineral formed from ancient plants that have undergone complex biochemical and physicochemical transformations over time while buried underground. It is a solid combustible organic rock primarily formed from plant remains through biochemical processes, followed by geological transformations. Commonly known as coal, it is hailed as the "black gold" and the staple food for industry. Coal has been one of the main energy sources used by humans since the 18th century.
5. Coking coal is a highly metamorphosed type of anthracite. When processed independently, it produces a胶质 body with good thermal stability, resulting in coke with large particle size, fewer cracks, and high strength. It's still a carbon with impurities... Coke: a solid fuel with a hard texture, porous structure, and high calorific value. It is produced through the high-temperature dry distillation of coal and is primarily used in iron smelting. Types of coke:
Coke is typically categorized by its application, including metallurgical coke (such as blast furnace coke, foundry coke, and ferrosilicon coke, etc.), gasification coke, and calcium carbide coke. Coke formed by compressing coal powder and processed through carbonization and other post-treatments is known as shaped coke.
Metallurgical coke is a general term for blast furnace coke, foundry coke, ferroalloy coke, and coke used in non-ferrous metal smelting. Since over 90% of metallurgical coke is used in blast furnace ironmaking, blast furnace coke is often referred to as metallurgical coke. The quality standard for metallurgical coke set by China (GB/T1996-94) is the blast furnace quality standard. Gasification coke is a type of coke specifically used for producing coal gas. It is mainly used in fixed bed gasifiers for solid slag disposal, serving as a gasification feedstock to produce gas with CO and H2 as its combustible components.
