The objective of this article is the selection of cokemaking technology within an Iron & Steel Works (I&SW), involving analysis of coal quality, coke demand and supply, environmental regulations, and the plant energy balance. The methodology involves coal blend selection, preparation, charging, cokemaking and quenching technology selection to meet the blast furnaces’ coke quality requirements and the I&SW energy balance. Hatch’s mass and energy balance, OPEX, CAPEX, Energy/CO2 and Financial Models provide the client with NPV/IRR ranking and sensitivity analysis to assist in selecting the best strategy amongst by-product or heat recovery ovens, charging and quenching systems for replacement or expansion programs. The developed
methodology was successfully applied for development of coal and cokemaking strategy, estimation of required cokemaking capacity for the metallurgical giant, which incorporates four integrated iron and steel works, two stand alone coke plant and several coal and iron ore mines. Some of Hatch’s recommendations
are already implemented and tested by the client. The optimum selection of cokemaking technologies requires a careful analysis of the I&SW and companyspecific requirements in order to develop a techno-economic analysis that will provide the optimum strategy to get the most from existing assets and to ensure competitive future coke production. Development by Hatch methodology could be successfully applied for selection and construction of green site cokemaking facilities as well as for brown field modernizations.
Keywords: By-product cokemaking, heat recovery cokemaking, energy balance, financial analysis