Utilizing the effective volume of ovens

One method of increasing the efficiency of utilization of coking plant capacity is to increase the size of the oven charge. The charge size depends on the bulk density of the charge, which is in turn determined by the degree of comminution, the moisture, the coefficients of internal and external friction, the initial shear stress, the charging method, etc. The bulk density of the moist coal charges presently used for coking in ovens of 21.6 to 41.6 m/sup 3/ volume varies in the 0.679 to 0.757 ton/m/sup 3/ range. Assuming that the apparent density of the coal is 1.2 to 1.3 ton/m/sup 3/, the ovens after charging contain 30 to 50% cavities, part of which constitutes a reserve for an increase in the capacity. One rather simple and effective method of increasing the charge is to increase the rate of flow of the coal charge from the charging car hoppers.