Pulverized Coal Injection System

Continuous pneumatic injection

At Schenck Process, we provide full-turn-key systems for efficient, continuous pneumatic injection of granular or pulverized coal, directly to a blast furnace.

Through extensive experience in research and testing, design, engineered development and installation, we are capable of supplying an end-to-end continuous injection coal system, which offers not only cost-savings, but also operational improvements. These benefits range from smoother furnace operation, faster driving rates and higher productivity.

Why inject coal?

Provides higher coal injection rates, compared with oil, or natural gas, thereby resulting in higher coke replacement rates, for given blast conditions
Improves furnace productivity and fuel rate. In comparison to other injectants, coal injection allows utilisation of higher blast temperatures
Coal allows higher rates of oxygen to be used to increase productivity
Coal injection results in smoother blast furnace operation, with less hanging and slipping compared with coke operation

System layout

Download our process flow diagram HERE (Grinding_PCI_Integration PDF), to see an example of a complete system layout, designed by Schenck Process.

The diagram includes systems such as:

Commercial benefits and considerations for injecting coal

Injected coal is considerably cheaper than metallurgical coke and can replace coke on an almost 1:1 basis
Coke is more expensive. The limited availability of coke, as a result of environmental conditions, has forced it’s price to continually rise
Injected coal is more economical than other tuyere injectants, such as natural gas, oil, etc
The payback period for a coal injection plant is typically under 2 years.
Long term coal prices are potentially more stable than oil, gas or coke prices
Coal reserves are plentiful and geographically widespread – globally
A wide range of coal types can be injected including low cost non-coking coals
Potential revenue from unutilised coke capacity