Question

Which is the most reactive fuel?

• A. Anthracite
• B. Low temperature coke
• C. Blast furnace coke
• D. Bituminous coal

Hint:

Remember that fuel reactivity is generally inversely proportional to the degree of carbonization and carbon content. Higher volatile matter leads to higher reactivity. Low-temperature carbonization results in a fuel with more volatiles than high-temperature carbonization.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The reactivity of a fuel refers to its ability to ignite and burn easily. This property is largely influenced by the amount of volatile matter present in the fuel and its porosity. Fuels with higher volatile content and greater porosity are generally more reactive because the volatile components vaporize and ignite at lower temperatures, facilitating the combustion process.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:

Anthracite: This is a hard, compact variety of coal that has a high carbon content (92-98%) and very low volatile matter. Its low volatile content makes it the least reactive form of coal; it is difficult to ignite.

Bituminous coal: This type of coal has a higher volatile content than anthracite but less than lignite. It is more reactive than anthracite.

Blast furnace coke: This is produced by heating coal to high temperatures (around 1100°C) in the absence of air. This process, called carbonization, drives off most of the volatile matter. The resulting coke is strong and porous but has low reactivity, which is desirable for its role as a support and reducing agent in a blast furnace, but not for general fuel reactivity.

Low temperature coke (LTC): This is produced by carbonizing coal at lower temperatures (around 600-700°C). This process leaves a significant amount of volatile matter (around 5-15%) in the coke. The presence of this residual volatile matter makes low temperature coke much more reactive and easier to ignite than high-temperature cokes or anthracite. It burns with a smokeless flame and is often used as a domestic fuel.
Comparing the options, low temperature coke retains more volatile matter than the others, making it the most reactive fuel among the choices.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Based on the analysis, low temperature coke has the highest reactivity due to its higher content of volatile matter compared to anthracite, blast furnace coke, and bituminous coal.