Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal

Efficient and clean utilization remains a pivotal development focus within the coal industry. Nevertheless, the application of weakly caking coal results in energy loss due to the caking property, thereby leading to a waste of resources. This paper, therefore, concentrates on the caking property, of...

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Main Authors: Zhaoyang Li, Shujun Zhu, Ziqu Ouyang, Zhiping Zhu, Qinggang Lyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-08-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/4178
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author Zhaoyang Li
Shujun Zhu
Ziqu Ouyang
Zhiping Zhu
Qinggang Lyu
author_facet Zhaoyang Li
Shujun Zhu
Ziqu Ouyang
Zhiping Zhu
Qinggang Lyu
author_sort Zhaoyang Li
collection DOAJ
description Efficient and clean utilization remains a pivotal development focus within the coal industry. Nevertheless, the application of weakly caking coal results in energy loss due to the caking property, thereby leading to a waste of resources. This paper, therefore, concentrates on the caking property, offering insights into the relevant caking mechanism, evaluation indexes, and regulation technologies associated with it. The caking mechanism delineates the transformation process of coal into coke. During pyrolysis, the active component generates the plastic mass in which gas, liquid, and solid phases coexist. With an increase in temperature, the liquid phase is diminished gradually, causing the inert components to bond. Based on the caking mechanism, evaluation indexes such as that characteristic of char residue, the caking index, and the maximal thickness of the plastic layer are proposed. These indexes are used to distinguish the strength of the caking property. However, they frequently exhibit a poor differentiation ability and high subjectivity. Additionally, some technologies have been demonstrated to regulate the caking property. Technologies such as rapid heating treatment and hydrogenation modification increase the amount of plastic mass generated, thereby improving the caking property. Meanwhile, technologies such as mechanical breaking and pre-oxidation reduce the caking property by destroying agglomerates or consuming plastic mass.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1996-1073
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Energies
spelling doaj-art-792ac8f2e6f548d1a63b29dd6717c0a72025-08-20T03:36:26ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-08-011815417810.3390/en18154178Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking CoalZhaoyang Li0Shujun Zhu1Ziqu Ouyang2Zhiping Zhu3Qinggang Lyu4State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinaEfficient and clean utilization remains a pivotal development focus within the coal industry. Nevertheless, the application of weakly caking coal results in energy loss due to the caking property, thereby leading to a waste of resources. This paper, therefore, concentrates on the caking property, offering insights into the relevant caking mechanism, evaluation indexes, and regulation technologies associated with it. The caking mechanism delineates the transformation process of coal into coke. During pyrolysis, the active component generates the plastic mass in which gas, liquid, and solid phases coexist. With an increase in temperature, the liquid phase is diminished gradually, causing the inert components to bond. Based on the caking mechanism, evaluation indexes such as that characteristic of char residue, the caking index, and the maximal thickness of the plastic layer are proposed. These indexes are used to distinguish the strength of the caking property. However, they frequently exhibit a poor differentiation ability and high subjectivity. Additionally, some technologies have been demonstrated to regulate the caking property. Technologies such as rapid heating treatment and hydrogenation modification increase the amount of plastic mass generated, thereby improving the caking property. Meanwhile, technologies such as mechanical breaking and pre-oxidation reduce the caking property by destroying agglomerates or consuming plastic mass.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/4178weakly caking coalcaking propertycaking mechanismevaluation indexesregulation technologies
spellingShingle Zhaoyang Li
Shujun Zhu
Ziqu Ouyang
Zhiping Zhu
Qinggang Lyu
Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
Energies
weakly caking coal
caking property
caking mechanism
evaluation indexes
regulation technologies
title Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
title_full Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
title_fullStr Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
title_full_unstemmed Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
title_short Progress in Caking Mechanism and Regulation Technologies of Weakly Caking Coal
title_sort progress in caking mechanism and regulation technologies of weakly caking coal
topic weakly caking coal
caking property
caking mechanism
evaluation indexes
regulation technologies
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/4178
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AT ziquouyang progressincakingmechanismandregulationtechnologiesofweaklycakingcoal
AT zhipingzhu progressincakingmechanismandregulationtechnologiesofweaklycakingcoal
AT qingganglyu progressincakingmechanismandregulationtechnologiesofweaklycakingcoal