Abstract: A coke oven battery includes a plurality of coke ovens heated during certain time intervals and the heat supply being reduced subsequent to these time intervals. First valve means controls the flow of combustion air for the ovens and second valve means controls the flow of waste gases recovered from the ovens and recycled back to the ovens. A first primary activating means activates the first and second valve means. Third valve means controls the flow of decarbonizing air for the ovens and a second primary activating means activates the third valve means. Fourth valve means controls the pressure in the ovens and first auxiliary activating means activates the fourth valve means. Fifth valve means controls the flow of fuel for the ovens and second auxiliary activating means activates the fifth valve means. The coke ovens may be arranged in groups so that the coking conditions at any time are the same for all ovens of a given group.

Abstract: A cokable substance such as coal is admitted into a coking chamber. A quantity of heat which is sufficient to cause coking of the cokable substance is supplied to the chamber during preselected time intervals within the coking period in which coking of the cokable substance progresses in response to the supply of heat. On the other hand, during other time intervals within the coking period in which coking of the cokable substance is essentially unaffected by the supply of heat, the quantity of heat supplied to the chamber is reduced to a level below that required to sustain coking of the cokable substance during the preselected time intervals. In this manner, savings in energy may be realized. The supply of heat to the chamber during those time intervals in which coking of the cokable substance is unaffected by the supply of heat may be discontinued completely.