Modification of Reactivity and Strength of Formed Coke from Victorian Lignite by Leaching of Metallic Species

Binder less briquetting of lignite at 100-200 degrees C and subsequent carbonization produces formed coke with tensile strength (ST) of 5-40 MPa, while the briquetting often requires mechanical pressure over 100 MPa. High reactivity is another feature of the lignite-derived coke, and this arises from highly dispersed metallic species such as alkali/alkaline-earth metallic species and ferrous/ferric ones that catalyze CO2 gasification. This work investigated effects of leaching of those metallic species in aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, acetic acid or oxalic acid on the reactivity and ST of resulting coke from a lignite. The leaching at pH <= 1 removed catalytic metallic species near completely, reducing the coke reactivity by a factor of 8-15. The reduced reactivity was similar to the reactivity of coke from a typical coking coal. The leaching at pH <= 2.2 increased ST from 6 to 13 MPa for briquetting at 200 degrees C and 32 MPa. The performance of leaching with oxalic acid, of that solution had pH of 0.75 at 1 mol/L, was much better than that with acetic acid. This work also examined another type of leaching, oxidation of the lignite in aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, which produced organic mono-/di-acids in-situ from the oxidation of aromatic carbons of the lignite. The degree of reduction of the coke reactivity was between that for leaching at pH of 1 and 2. The degradation of macromolecules enhanced plasticizability of the lignite under briquetting and increased ST of the resulting coke to 22 MPa.