Coal is a fuel for energy and a raw material for the chemical industry. What is made from coal

You, of course, know that coal is used as fuel, both in everyday life and in industry. Coal was the first fossil material that people used as fuel. It was coal that enabled the industrial revolution. In the 19th century, a lot of coal was used for transport. In 1960, coal provided about half of the world's energy production. However, by 1970, its share had fallen to one third: coal as a fuel was replaced by other energy sources, in particular oil and gas.

However, the use of coal is not limited to this. Coal is a valuable raw material for chemical and metallurgical industry.

IN coal industry Coking of coal is used. Coke plants consume up to 1/4 of the coal produced. Coking is a processing process coal heating to 950-1050°C without oxygen. When coal decomposes, a solid product is formed - coke and volatile products - coke oven gas.

Coke makes up 75-78% of the mass of coal. It is used in the metallurgical industry for smelting iron and also as a fuel.

Coke oven gas makes up 25% of the mass of processed coal. Volatile products that are formed during coal coking are condensed with water vapor, resulting in the release of coal tar and tar water.

Coal tar makes up 3-4% by weight of coal and is a complex mixture organic matter. Currently, scientists have identified only 60% of the resin's components, which is more than 500 substances! Naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, phenols and coal oils are obtained from the resin.

Ammonia, phenols, and pyridine bases are separated from the tar water (it makes up 9-12% of the mass of coal) by steam distillation. From unsaturated compounds contained in crude benzene, coumarone resins are obtained, which are used for the production of varnishes, paints, linoleum and in the rubber industry.

Artificial graphite is obtained from coal.

Coal is also used as an inorganic raw material. Rare metals such as vanadium, germanium, gallium, molybdenum, zinc, lead, and sulfur are extracted from coal when processed on an industrial scale.

Ash from coal combustion, mining and processing wastes are used in the production of building materials, ceramics, refractory raw materials, alumina, and abrasives.

In total, by processing coal it is possible to obtain more than 400 different products, the cost of which is 20-25 times higher than the cost of the coal itself, and the by-products obtained at coke plants exceed the cost of the coke itself.

By the way...

Coal is far from the best fuel. It has a big drawback: its combustion produces a lot of emissions, both gaseous and solid (ash), polluting environment. Most developed countries have strict requirements for the level of emissions allowed when burning coal. Emission reductions are achieved through the use of various filters.

Coal began to emerge on our planet approximately 360 million years ago. Scientists called this era the Carboniferous or Carboniferous period. Then the first land reptiles and the first large plants appeared. Their bodies and trunks decomposed after the death of animals and plants, and an incredible percentage of oxygen only helped to accelerate this process. Now we are content with a negligible 20% of oxygen, but then animals breathed full breasts– the percentage of oxygen in the Carboniferous atmosphere reached 50%! This is a huge figure, and it is to it that we owe the current wealth of coal deposits on our planet.

But coal is not everything. After processing, such a number of different useful substances and products that you can’t even imagine! According to the most conservative estimates, the number of types of coal processing products reaches 600!

Obtaining coal processing products

Products receive different ways. Depending on the desired end product. For example, to obtain clean products (this includes primary products of coal processing) - coke, ammonia, toluene, benzene - liquid washing oils are used. Special devices provide sealing of products and protection from premature decay. Primary processing also includes the coking method - coal is heated to a temperature of +1000 o C! The access to oxygen is also completely blocked.

After all these procedures, any primary product undergoes additional purification. Coal processing products also include:

• naphthalene;
• phenol;
• hydrocarbon;
• salicylic alcohol;
• lead;
• vanadium;
• germanium;
• sulfur;
• zinc.

As you can see, the products are extremely varied. Without them, our life would not be so simple.

Scope of application of coal processing products

Let's take, for example, cosmetology (perhaps the most useful area for people to use coal processing products). To treat oily skin and acne, creams, serums, masks, lotions and tonics with the addition of sulfur, acid and zinc are used. Sulfur eliminates existing inflammation, zinc prevents the possible appearance of new inflammations, salicylic acid is used in lotions, foams and washing gels. Coal processing products have saved more than one million teenagers and young people from the ridicule of their peers.

To treat burns and injuries, lead and zinc compounds are used; zinc and clay products of coal are ideal for psoriasis (though only in the early stages, while the disease has a clear skin form and has not yet spread to the bones).

Excellent sorbents are obtained from coal, which are used in medicine to treat diseases of the intestines and stomach, including such serious ones as dysbacteriosis. Sorbents to which zinc is added are used to treat dandruff and oily seborrhea, and are very successful. Unfinished picrine substances (explosives) are good for wound healing.

But that's not all. There is a procedure called hydrogenation - with its help, coal is produced liquid fuel. And the combustion products formed during this process are ideal raw materials for various building materials, including fire-resistant ones. In particular, ceramics are produced in this way.

In heavy industry, coal has also found excellent use - it is indispensable in the smelting of various metals and iron ore. The only thing that is a little strange is that the cost of almost all coal processing products significantly exceeds the cost. Of course, you need money for all the materials, equipment, premises, payment for the work of the craftsmen involved in processing - these are the natural costs of producing products. But the cost of some components exceeds the cost of coal hundreds of times, and this already raises some suspicions.

The uses of coal are varied. It is used as household, energy fuel, raw material for metallurgical and chemical industry, as well as for extracting rare and trace elements from it. The coal, coke and chemical industries, and heavy industries process coal using the coking method. Coking is an industrial method of processing coal by heating to 950-1050 C without air access. The main coke-chemical products are: coke oven gas, products from the processing of crude benzene, coal tar, and ammonia.

Hydrocarbons are removed from coke oven gas by washing in scrubbers with liquid absorption oils. After distillation from the oil, distillation from the fraction, purification and repeated rectification, pure commercial products are obtained, such as benzene, toluene, xylenes, etc. From the unsaturated compounds contained in crude benzene, coumarone resins are obtained, which are used for the production of varnishes, paints, linoleum and in the rubber industry. Cyclopentadiene, which is also obtained from coal, is also a promising raw material. Coal is the raw material for the production of naphthalene and other individual aromatic hydrocarbons. The most important processing products are pyridine bases and phenols.

Coal was the first fossil material that people used as fuel. The use of coal for energy allowed for the rapid advancement of industry, and at one time coal accounted for half of the world's energy production. Coal is a sedimentary rock that was formed as a result of the natural decomposition of ancient plants. In deposits, coal occurs in the form of layers. Coal contains a large number of carbon and volatile substances with a small proportion of mineral impurities.

Through processing, a total of more than 400 different products can be obtained, the cost of which, compared to the cost of coal itself, increases by 20-25 times, and the by-products obtained at coke plants exceed the cost of the coke itself.

The combustion (hydrogenation) of coal to form liquid fuel is very promising. To produce 1 ton of oil, 2-3 tons of coal are consumed. Artificial graphite is obtained from coal. They are used as inorganic raw materials. When processing hard coal, vanadium, germanium, sulfur, gallium, molybdenum, zinc, and lead are extracted from it on an industrial scale. Ash from coal combustion, mining and processing wastes are used in the production of building materials, ceramics, refractory raw materials, alumina, and abrasives. In order to optimally use coal, it is enriched (removing mineral impurities).

Coal contains up to 97% carbon; it can be said to be the basis of all hydrocarbons, i.e. They are based on carbon atoms. Often we encounter amorphous carbon in the form of coal. In structure, amorphous carbon is the same as graphite, but in a state of extremely fine grinding. Practical use amorphous forms of carbon are varied. Coke and coal are used as reducing agents in metallurgy for iron smelting.

Coal is an integral part of our life. Wide range of applications in virtually all industries National economy of coal involves its further extraction and processing.

Coals have a high calorific value, contain up to 32% volatile substances, and therefore ignite well.

In England, in the 17th century, coal began to be used as coke in the smelting of cast iron. Later in the 19th century, coal was used for transportation. Currently, coal is used in the production of electricity, metallurgical coke, and the manufacture of various products.

The largest coal basins in Russia in terms of the volume of coal deposits produced are the Tunguska, Kuznetsk, and Pechora basins. In Kazakhstan - Karaganda. In the USA - the Appalachian and Pennsylvania basins. In Germany - Ruhr and many others. Many countries have large deposits of coal.

Thus, we see that coal is an integral part of our life. The use of coal in almost all sectors of the national economy presupposes its further extraction and processing, which undoubtedly conceals prospects still hidden from us.

If you ask yourself what is produced from coal and oil, you can come to the conclusion that there is a lot. These two fossils serve as the main sources of hydrocarbons. Everything should be considered in order.

Oil

If we further understand what is obtained from coal and oil, then it is worth mentioning the diesel fraction of oil refining, which usually serves as fuel for diesel engines. Fuel oil contains high-boiling hydrocarbons. Various lubricating oils are usually obtained from fuel oil through distillation under reduced pressure. The residue that exists after processing fuel oil is usually called tar. A substance such as bitumen is obtained from it. These products are intended for use in road construction. Fuel oil is also often used as boiler fuel.

Other processing methods

To understand why oil is better than coal, you need to understand what other treatments they are subjected to. Oil is processed through cracking, that is, the thermocatalytic transformation of its parts. Cracking can be one of the following types:

• Thermal. IN in this case hydrocarbons are broken down under the influence of elevated temperatures.
• Catalytic. It is carried out under high temperature conditions, but a catalyst is also added, thanks to which it is possible to control the process and also lead it in a certain direction.

If we talk about why oil is better than coal, then it should be said that the cracking process produces organic substances that are widely used in the industrial synthesis.

Coal

Processing of this type of raw material is carried out in three directions: hydrogenation, coking and incomplete combustion. Each of these types involves the use of a special technological process.

Coking involves keeping the raw material at a temperature of 1000-1200 o C, where there is no access to oxygen. This process allows for complex chemical transformations, which result in the formation of coke and volatile products. The first one, in a cooled state, is sent to metallurgy enterprises. The volatile products are cooled, after which coal tar is obtained. There are still many uncondensed substances remaining. If we talk about why oil is better than coal, it should be noted that much more finished products are obtained from the first type of raw material. Each of the substances is sent to a specific production.

On this moment Oil is even produced from coal, which makes it possible to obtain much more valuable fuel.

Coal appeared on planet Earth about 360 million years ago. Scientists called this segment of our history the Carboniferous or Carboniferous period. At the same time, the appearance of the first terrestrial reptiles and the first large plants was recorded. Dead animals and plants decomposed, and a colossal amount of oxygen actively contributed to the acceleration of this process. Now on our planet there is only 20% oxygen, but at that time animals breathed deeply, because the amount of oxygen in the Carboniferous atmosphere reached 50%. It is this amount of oxygen that we owe to the modern wealth of coal deposits in the bowels of the Earth.
But coal isn't everything. Due to various types Processing from coal produces a huge amount of various useful substances and products. What is made from coal? This is exactly what we will talk about in this article.

Main coal products

The most conservative estimates indicate that there are 600 types of coal products.
Scientists have developed various methods obtaining coal processing products. The processing method depends on the desired end product. For example, in order to obtain clean products, such primary products of coal processing - coke oven gas, ammonia, toluene, benzene - use liquid washing oils. Special devices ensure sealing of products and protection from premature destruction. Primary processing processes also involve the coking method, in which coal is heated to a temperature of +1000°C with the access to oxygen completely blocked.
Upon completion of all necessary procedures, any primary product is further purified. Main products of coal processing:

• naphthalene
• phenol
• hydrocarbon
• salicylic alcohol
• lead
• vanadium
• germanium
• zinc.

Without all these products, our life would be much more difficult.
Take the cosmetics industry, for example, it is the most useful area for people to use coal processing products. A coal processing product such as zinc is widely used to treat oily skin and acne. Zinc and sulfur are added to creams, serums, masks, lotions and tonics. Sulfur eliminates existing inflammation, and zinc prevents the development of new inflammations.
In addition, medicinal ointments based on lead and zinc are used to treat burns and injuries. An ideal assistant for psoriasis is the same zinc, as well as clay products of coal.
Coal is the raw material for creating excellent sorbents, which are used in medicine to treat diseases of the intestines and stomach. Sorbents containing zinc are used to treat dandruff and oily seborrhea.
As a result of a process such as hydrogenation, liquid fuel is obtained from coal at enterprises. And the combustion products that remain after this process are ideal raw materials for a variety of building materials that have fire-resistant properties. For example, this is how ceramics are created.

Coal coking products

Coking coal is coal that, through industrial coking, makes it possible to obtain coke of technical value. In the process of coking coals, their technical composition, coking ability, caking ability, and other characteristics must be taken into account.
How does the coal coking process proceed? Coking is a technological process that has specific stages:

• preparation for coking. At this stage, coal is crushed and mixed to form a charge (mixture for coking)
• coking. This process is carried out in coke oven chambers using gas heating. The charge is placed in a coke oven, where heating is carried out for 15 hours at a temperature of approximately 1000 °C
• formation of a “coke cake”.

Coking is a set of processes occurring in coal when it is heated. At the same time, about 650-750 kg of coke is obtained from a ton of dry charge. It is used in metallurgy and is used as a reagent and fuel in some branches of the chemical industry. In addition, calcium carbide is created from it.
The qualitative characteristics of coke are flammability and reactivity. The main products of coal coking, in addition to the coke itself:

• coke oven gas. About 310-340 m3 is obtained from a ton of dry coal. High quality and quantitative composition coke oven gas determines the coking temperature. Direct coke oven gas comes out of the coking chamber, which contains gaseous products, vapors of coal tar, crude benzene and water. If you remove tar, crude benzene, water and ammonia from it, reflux coke oven gas is formed. It is used as a raw material for chemical synthesis. Today this gas is used as fuel at metallurgical plants, in public utilities and as a chemical raw material.
• Coal tar is a viscous black-brown liquid that contains approximately 300 different substances. The most valuable components of this resin are aromatic and heterocyclic compounds: benzene, toluene, xylenes, phenol, naphthalene. The amount of resin reaches 3-4% by weight of the coked gas. Approximately 60 different products are obtained from coal tar. These substances are raw materials for the production of dyes, chemical fibers, plastics
• crude benzene is a mixture containing carbon disulfide, benzene, toluene, and xylenes. The yield of crude benzene reaches only 1.1% by weight of coal. During the distillation process, individual aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures of hydrocarbons are separated from crude benzene
• concentrate of chemical (aromatic) substances (benzene and its homologues) is intended to create pure products that are used in the chemical industry, for the production of plastics, solvents, dyes
• tar water is a low concentrated water solution ammonia and ammonium salts, which contains an admixture of phenol, pyridine bases and some other products. During the processing process, ammonia is separated from the tar water, which, together with coke oven gas ammonia, is used to produce ammonium sulfate and concentrated ammonia water.