Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas

Power production from coal combustion is one of two major anthropogenic sources of mercury emission to the atmosphere. The aim of this study is the analysis of the carbon footprint of mercury removal technologies through sorbents injection related to the removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases. Two sorbents, i.e., powdered activated carbon and the coke dust, were analysed. The assessment included both direct and indirect emissions related to various energy and material needs life cycle including coal mining and transport, sorbents production, transport of sorbents to the power plants, and injection into flue gases. The results show that at the average mercury concentration in processed flue gasses accounting to 28.0 µg Hg/Nm3, removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases required 14.925 Mg of powdered activated carbon and 33.594 Mg of coke dust, respectively. However, the whole life cycle carbon footprint for powdered activated carbon amounted to 89.548 Mg CO2-e·kg−1 Hg, whereas for coke dust this value was around three times lower and amounted to 24.452 Mg CO2-e·kg−1 Hg. Considering the relatively low price of coke dust and its lower impact on GHG emissions, it can be found as a promising alternative to commercial powdered activated carbon.

Influence of Biomass Absorptivity on the Process of Sinter Charge Pelletisation

Capillary water absorption of materials is a very important factor in the process of pre-treatment of fine-grained materials. Materials that are in a moisturized state capable of forming a firm, compact pellet are, thanks to this particular physical property, suitable for utilisation in sinter charge preparation within the process of sintering iron-ore raw materials. The pelletising ability of coke dust is generally known and coke dust exhibits good pelletisability. From the ecological point of view, an alternative to coke dust is currently biomass, which has a great potential for industrial applications, including use in the agglomeration process. Understanding of how biomass behaves during pre-pelletisation is very important and for the sintering process, it is essential. The purpose of pre-pelletisation of the sinter charge is to achieve its optimal permeability in the sintering process. The experiment described in the article was carried out using wood biomass—oak and pine sawdust, as well as plant biomass—Miscanthus sinensis and Lavandula angustifolia. The evaluation was carried out by applying the capillary water absorption test and the free-fall drop test. As different types of biomass have different chemical compositions, heating capacities, grain morphologies, and chemical and physical properties, the testing was carried out with several types of biomass. The capillary water absorption was examined in terms of different granulometries, and the impact of the type of liquid medium was analysed. It was observed that different types of biomass differ in their ability to absorb liquids. Another finding was that the type of a liquid medium had a significant effect on the pelletising ability of biomass, which was determined by the surface tension and the ability to form liquid bridges between the grains. Research results indicate an excellent pelletising ability of the Miscanthus sinensis grass. The wettability of oak and pine sawdust determines its application in the pelletising process. It may be concluded, based on the research, that Lavandula angustifolia is not a suitable alternative to coke dust due to its low ability to form pellets.

The Fabrication of Geopolymer Foam Composites Incorporating Coke Dust Waste

This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation on the mechanical properties of geopolymer foams incorporating filler from the coke dust waste (CDW). In this work, CDW was used to replace a part of geopolymer paste at 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30% by geopolymer binder mass. The physico-mechanical properties and thermal resistance against high temperatures of CDW/geopolymer foams are presented. The primary results obtained show that the use of CDW in the production of geopolymer foam composites made it possible for them to achieve relatively good mechanical properties. However, the incorporation of the CDW into the geopolymer had a slightly negative effect on thermal conductivity, but significantly improved the mechanical strength of the final product. Moreover, this waste also helped the composite foam to achieve a structure with more uniform open pores distribution, compared to the pure foam. After exposure to elevated temperatures, the residual strength of the composite foams maintained well compared to the pure foams.

Technological modes of efficient metallization of iron-oxide-containing waste from metallurgical production

During the research, rolled scale and gas cleaning slimes from oxygen-converter workshop No. 1 of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as iron-oxide-containing materials. Semi-coke from brown coals of the Berezovskoye deposit of the Kansko-Achinsk basin (temperature of semi-coking is 750 °C), coke fines of PJSC “Coke” and dust from coke dry-quenching plant of JSC “EVRAZ ZSMK” were used as carbon reducing agents. Total iron, FeO and Fe2 O 3 oxides amount to 73.3, 75.5 and 20.9 % in scale, 41.2, 4.7 and 53.7 % in sludge, respectively. Sludge also contains 4.3 % of total carbon and 20.6 % of CaO. Brown-coal semi-coke, coke fines and coke dust contains carbon and volatiles 94.05 and 9.5 %, 97.50 and 2.1 %, 97.47 and 1.6 % on dry ashless weight, respectively. For metallization of furnace charges with composition: scale, slime–semi-coke, coke fines, dust with addition of 10 % water-soluble binding–molasses, strong unroasted briquettes were pressed. Metallization modes of analyzed charge compositions were thermodynamically predicted and technologically determined. Metallization degree and metal iron content at usage of brown-coal semi-coke were found to be 97.5 and 90.2 % for scale, 97.5 and 71.3 % for sludge; of coke fines: 70.7 and 61.9 % for scale, 68.9 and 48.4 % for sludge; of coke dust: 72.1 and 62.6 % for scale, 69.2 and 48.2 % for sludge. The possibility of achievement the metallization degree of 97.0 – 98.0 % was established for briquetted charge from scale – brown-coal semi-coke with 92.0 – 93.0 % of total iron, 89.8 – 90.6 % of metallic iron, 2.8 – 3.2 % of FeO, 0.06 – 0.08 % of S, 0.016 – 0.018 % of P, 1.7 – 1.9 % of C, 1.0 – 1.2 % of CaO and 0.25 – 0.35 % of MgO at 1173 K and duration of 40 min.

An Analysis of Flammability and Explosion Parameters of Coke Dust and Use of Preliminary Hazard Analysis for Qualitative Risk Assessment

Appropriate investments are required to achieve sustainable industrial development and safety conditions at the same time. A sufficient safety level is achieved when research outcomes are deployed in practice. This paper comprises a review of ignitability and explosive parameters and thermogravimetric tests of coke dust selected for the needs of the testing The KSt value of the tested dust was 64.2 bar·m/s, which means that it belongs to explosion hazard class 1 and that it has relatively low explosive abilities. The maximum explosion pressure for the tested dust was found to be 6.84 bar, and the minimum ignition temperature of a coke dust layer with a thickness of 50 mm was 400 °C. The use of the Preliminary Hazard Analysis in plants in which coke dust is present allows for limiting the scope of the risk analysis by eliminating elements that are either insignificant or of low significance from the viewpoint of explosion hazard. The adopted method allows qualitative assessment of the risk associated with threats, dangerous situations, and hazardous events that may take place during the use of devices, machines and their systems, and subsystems, including a qualitative evaluation of potential consequences of an accident or possible health loss. Risk assessment for life safety under building fires and explosions plays an important role in performance-based fire and explosion protection design and fire insurance ratemaking. The motivation for this work was the integrated protection of people, process equipment, building resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, business operation, and the natural environment.

Technogenic Coal Formations – Promising Raw Materials for Improvement of Mining and Processing Enterprises Energy Independence

There are coal-processing products (coal sludge, screening, dust, coke dust and fines) and organic waste (excess activated sludge, waste from water treatment plants) suggests using to produce energy gaseous in the paper. The optimal compositions of molded granules subjected to thermochemical processing to obtain synthesis gas are determined. The technological design of coal and organic waste joint processing has been developed. The main technological parameters of the processes are indicated and calculations of the main material flows are performed in accordance with the conditions of the processes.

Application of DPPH Assay for Assessment of Particulate Matter Reducing Properties

Different acellular assays were developed to measure particulate matter’s (PM) oxidative potential (OP), a metric used to predict the ability of PM in generating oxidative stress in living organisms. However, there are still fundamental open issues regarding the complex redox equilibria among the involved species which could include reducing compounds. The aim of this study was the pilot application of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to PM in order to evaluate the presence of reducing species. The assay, commonly applied to biological matrices, was adapted to PM and showed good analytical performances. It allowed the analysis of conventional 24 h airborne PM samples with suitable sensitivity and good repeatability of the measurements. The assay was applied to seven samples representing possible PM contributes (certified urban dust NIST1648a; brake dust; Saharan dust; coke dust; calcitic soil dust; incinerator dust; and diesel particulate matter certified material NIST1650b) and to PM2.5 field filters. The same samples were also analyzed for elements. Preliminary results indicated that the assay gave a linear response and that detectable amounts of reducing species were present in PM samples. The combined application of DPPH and conventional OP assays could then permit, in the future, to gain more knowledge about the reaction and/or competition between oxidative and reducing processes.

The Anthracite as Sinter Fuels

The chapter deals with the use of traditional carbonaceous fuels in the production of agglomerates. An important part is focused primarily on the use of these carbonaceous fuels in the production of various types of agglomerate. Anthracite together with coke breeze was tested as a fuel to assess the substitution of coke dust by anthracite for technological and qualitative parameters of sintering.