Coal blending costs account for approximately 90% of the cost of coke production, making blending technology the most critical factor in enhancing coke product quality and reducing production costs. It is the key control point for expanding the price difference between coal and coke, ensuring the balance between cost, volume, and profit, and ultimately determining the profitability of coking enterprises. As the world's largest independent coke producer and supplier, Risun Group has prioritized coal blending research since its inception, with a history spanning three decades.
Risun’s blending technology has evolved significantly—from experience-based blending and theoretical blending to statistical rule-based blending. In 2005, it upgraded to automated blending, followed by computer-simulated blending in 2010, and reached intelligent blending in 2015. This evolution integrated theoretical knowledge, experience, automation, industrial IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence. To date, Risun has successfully launched six generations of intelligent coal blending expert systems, reducing costs, conserving resources, ensuring stable coke quality, and providing customized services for blast furnaces.
1. Organizational Integration for Coal Blending Expertise
With Risun’s nationwide and global expansion, its coke production capacity has continued to grow, increasing the number of acquired and managed coking plants. However, this expansion also risked fragmenting blending teams. To address this, Risun established a cross-park and cross-company coal blending task force in 2020, led by senior executives overseeing technology, marketing, and coking operations. This initiative reinforced centralized coordination and led to the creation of Risun's Coal Research Institute, responsible for production blending and R&D.
The research institute now houses a dedicated team of 49 blending experts, including five holding master's degrees, and has invested ¥5 million in a comprehensive facility for research and experiments. Equipped with advanced analysis tools like mini coke ovens, scanning electron microscopes, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, it has attained industry-leading standards. Additionally, Risun has incentivized research breakthroughs with a dedicated reward fund.
2. Collaborative R&D to Advance Blending Technology
Risun places strong emphasis on industry-academic collaboration, partnering with institutions such as the Anshan Thermal Energy Institute and Beijing Coal Research Institute, while also engaging with universities and corporate research institutes. These collaborations have yielded significant advancements in core technologies.
For instance, Risun partnered with Anshan Thermal Energy Institute to upgrade tamping coke quality for large blast furnaces. Through extensive research, they established quality standards, clarified differences between tamping and top-charging coke, and enhanced size uniformity. This resulted in the successful production of low-cost, high-strength tamping coke, now serving as a primary fuel in Hebei’s steel industry, leading to improved blast furnace efficiency and cost savings.
3. Digital and Intelligent Upgrades for Innovation Support
Risun has committed to full automation and digitization, accelerating the implementation of AI-driven solutions across its operations. It has developed its proprietary, industry-leading Intelligent Coal Blending Expert System, which integrates coal blending expertise with big data and AI. This system ensures optimal blending efficiency, cost savings, and quality improvements while reinforcing Risun’s leadership in the sector.
Currently, the group operates version 6.0 (V6.0) of its Intelligent Coal Blending Expert System. The latest iteration enhances production optimization, quality prediction models, and cost management. V6.0 introduces support for big data and mobile applications, consolidates group-wide blending operations onto a unified platform, and ensures seamless knowledge sharing across business units. The system’s quality prediction accuracy exceeds 90%, surpassing industry standards.
4. Holistic Approach to Enhancing Blending Efficiency
Risun’s coal blending innovation incorporates:
Precision blending techniques, improving accuracy in coke quality prediction.
Waste resource utilization, converting hazardous coal by-products into valuable materials, cutting environmental costs.
A three-pronged strategy, seamlessly integrating R&D, procurement, and production to optimize coal blending operations.
Having celebrated 30 years of growth, Risun continues its journey of entrepreneurship, innovation, and transformation. From its modest start in 1995 to becoming an industry leader by 2005, expanding globally by 2021, and advancing its digital strategy, it remains committed to pioneering new frontiers. The Coal Research Institute, a microcosm of Risun’s innovation, has earned multiple patents and industry recognition, reinforcing the importance of technological breakthroughs in reshaping cost structures.
This is Risun’s coal blending approach—built upon continuous advancement, industry leadership, and sustainable progress. Through relentless innovation, the group not only strengthens its own competitive edge but also drives sector-wide improvements.
