Coal, Coke and Charcoal
Coke is a firm and grayish substance
that can be made when pulverized coal is heated in a airtight coke oven
(see figure 1). The
airtight contains 87 to 89 percent carbon. As the coal heats up it disintegrates.
It does not burn the same without air. Coal tar and coke oven gas evaporate
out of the oven from the decayed coal. This escaping gas and tar is what
forms the pores in the gas.
The hot coke is then taken out of the oven and cooled in water. By doing
this they hope not to lose any in the burning air.
2C (carbon from coke) + O2 (oxygen) yields 2CO (carbon monoxide)
Fe2O3 (iron oxide) +3CO (Carbon monoxide) yields 2Fe (iron) + 3CO2 (carbon
dioxide)
Charcoal is a black and brittle substance. It cann be used as fuel for most transportation. Charcoal is made up of ash and amorphous carbon. Amorphous carbon is a rearranged form of graphite, which is carbon. It also contain tiny amounts of hydrogen and sulfur. How to make charcoal is simple. You do this by heating carbon rich plants (wood) or animal materials (bone), in ovens with very little or no air (see figure 2). When the wood or bone is heated up most of the hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen escapes.
Ultimately there is a black substance with tiny holes on it. This product is called charcoal. These three substance could play a large role on our planet. Although hard to acquire or make from scratch, they would do wonders for the world of transportation.
Figure 1: Coke oven
Figure 2: Charcoal Making