As part of pre-feasibility and feasibility studies performed by Hatch in recent years, several coke plant trade-off studies were completed to help clients recognize which cokemaking technology, byproduct or heat-recovery, would provide a competitive advantage. The work concluded that selection of the technology must be made on a case-by-case basis, as many different factors can affect the decision, including, for example, available land and energy sources, steel plant configuration and energy consumers, environmental issues and the capital cost of equipment. Two case studies show the distinct difference in the overall plant energy balance for each technology; the heat-recovery generating a large amount of electric power, and the byproduct producing gas for use in the steelmaking process. Case study 1 favored the heat-recovery technology; the absence of natural gas and power from the grid favored its electrical power production and associated lower fuel oil consumption, resulting in a lower OPEX and better return on investment (ROI) over the project life. Case study 2 found that byproduct cokemaking resulted in a lower CAPEX and had no requirements for an alternative fuel source. This gave it an economic advantage over the heat-recovery coke plant, although sensitivity analyses showed that electricity and natural gas prices presented a significant project risk. From an environmental standpoint, the two technologies were assessed using Hatch's 4QA sustainable development tool, considering the coke plant in an entire steel plant arrangement. This found in both cases that the heat-recovery option had a smaller environmental footprint.
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