Blast-furnace operation with pulverized-coal injection and with chunk anthracite

In order to replace expensive coke, various fuels are added to the blast sent to the blast furnace: pulverized coal, natural gas, coke-oven gas, fuel oil, etc. A less common alternative is to introduce chunk anthracite through the charge hole. The use of chunk anthracite may considerably reduce the coke consumption and the production costs of the hot metal in circumstances where pulverized-coal injection is not employed and its introduction would require the use of high-quality iron ore and coke and also special preparations of the furnace and the associated systems. Chunk anthracite proves especially effective where there are constraints on the furnace productivity on account of production problems, the furnace is switched to slower operation, and plant economics must be improved.