Using 3D image analysis techniques to understand the formation of the plastic layer during the heating of Australian coking coal blends

The plastic layer formation is a critical step during coke formation in coke ovens, during which the physical structures of the coal change dramatically. To better characterize the pore structures of the plastic layers, the commercial GeoDict software has been employed in this study to carry out the 3D image analysis on the 2D cross-sectional images of plastic layers from two Australian coking coals and their blends. The plastic layer samples were prepared using a laboratory-scale four kg coke testing facility and subjected to the Synchrotron Micro-CT analysis to obtain the 2D cross-sectional images. The 3D images were then constructed and analyzed using the commercial GeoDict software. 3D image analysis provided detailed 3D structural information such as the total void fraction, the number of total and isolated voids, and the pore size distribution. Through the 3D image analysis, the coalescences of the pores in the thermoplastic region during coking have been elucidated. It seems that the blending of hi...