What are the differences between charcoal, coal and coke?

FAQs about Coal

3. What are the differences between charcoal, coal and coke?

Charcoal is a fuel that comes from the incomplete burning of wood. The difference between wood and charcoal is that it has a higher carbon content, about 98%, and is therefore more efficient. It was used massively during the Middle Ages to forge iron for the elaboration of swords, armor and other war gadgets.

Coal is a mineral, it originated in the Carboniferous era, from vegetables deposited in marshes and lagoons, dating from 300 to 360 million years ago. It is extracted from the subsoil by manual or mechanical procedures in mines equipped with tunnels and galleries, although it can sometimes be found in the outside. It is currently used mainly in thermoelectric plants to generate electricity, in the steel industry and in cement factories.

Coke is a fuel that is obtained from the calcination or dry distillation of mineral coal. It is composed of carbon and has a high calorific value, but it is highly polluting. It is used as fuel in the blast furnaces of steel foundries. The method of producing coke began around 1800, although its elaboration by simple methods was known for centuries.

Metallurgical coke is used for the conversion of iron into steel, by means of a thermal process of mixtures of coals suitable for conversion to coke, in an oxygen-free environment, at a temperature between 1,000 and 1,300 ° C. The material obtained is called cast iron, which is finally transformed into different types of steel.