Purchasing calcined petroleum coke is a smart move for investors, as the product is expected to rise in price, especially in the United States market. Its high sulfur content and low volatile content will help to make it a more attractive option. It also has uses in the aluminum and steel industries.
HSPC, which is a solid waste byproduct of delayed coking process in the oil industry, is high in sulfur content (>3% sulfur). It is used as fuel for power generation in coal-fired boilers. However, it is also a major source of environmental problems with combustion, such as particulate matter and adverse respiratory health effects. HSPC is particularly important for countries that import raw oil from the Middle East.
In addition to its high sulfur content, HSPC has also been found to have a high level of inherent sulfur. Its distribution varies depending on heating rate. In addition, it has a relatively small surface area. These factors result in the need for extra additives to promote activation.
The main products of HSPC combustion are HgBr and SO2. However, sulfur also undergoes several transformations that are conducive to mercury removal. These transformations include the thiophene-S-COS and CnOnS-H1-2S systems. The latter was found to have a greater effect on mercury removal than the former.
Generally speaking, petcoke is a solid, black, colorless, and carbon-based solid. It is a co-product of petroleum refining processes. Its chemical composition is primarily carbon, with the other constituents being sulfur, elemental forms of nickel, elemental forms of nitrogen, and various heavy metals. Petcoke is used as a combustible fuel. However, petcoke may also have commercial value as a raw material in manufacturing.
In addition to its use as a combustible fuel, petroleum coke can also be used as a fuel for power generation in coal-fired boilers. In fact, more than seventy percent of petcoke worldwide is used as such. The use of petcoke in such a manner has raised questions of safety and environmental impact.
The presence of metals in petcoke is variable. Metals such as nickel and vanadium may exceed 100 ppm. Other metals, including chromium, tin, and iron, are generally not found in high quantities.
Although there is no consensus on the impact of petcoke on human health, studies have shown that it may have a small role to play in the development of respiratory diseases. However, there is not enough evidence to support the claim that petcoke can increase the risk of cancer.
Several companies have dominated the calcined petroleum coke market. Some of the major players are Chevron Corporation, Essar Oil Ltd., Oxbow Corporation, and Atha Group.
The demand for calcined petroleum coke is rising due to the growing aluminum and steel industries. Rising iron & steel production is anticipated to drive the market in developing countries. Several companies are planning to increase production capacity in order to meet the growing demand. However, fluctuating crude oil prices may restrain the market in these regions. In addition, major manufacturers are interested in expanding their global presence. They are planning to enter long-term partnerships with direct end users in order to stabilize sales.
The aluminum industry uses anodes to assist in the chemical process that converts aluminum oxide to aluminum. Anodes require approximately 40 tons of calcined petroleum coke for each 100 tons of aluminum produced.
China produces approximately 25 million tonnes of pet-coke annually. The country is a leading supplier of anode grade pet-coke, which is used in aluminum production. Traditionally, the majority of pet-coke manufactured globally has been lower grade and used for fuel. However, there are methods that are being considered to reduce the sulfur content in pet-coke. These methods involve partitioning organic sulfur.
During the second quarter of Fiscal Year 22 (Q2FY22), domestic pet coke prices surged by nearly 90 percent and by 22 percent on a sequential basis. The price hike was driven by domestic demand and increased costs of imported coal, which spiked by about 45% quarter-on-quarter. In addition, cement companies cut their promotional costs and rationalized employee costs.
Petroleum coke (or petcoke) is produced through a process called "coking," which involves treating residual oils to remove volatiles and heavy oils. The final carbonization takes place at high temperature and pressure. Coke is usually over 80% carbon and can have a gross calorific value of almost 8000 Kcal/kg. Petroleum coke is considered to be a good fuel for power generation in coal-fired boilers. But it poses environmental problems when burned, such as high levels of sulfur dioxide emissions. The emission of sulfur dioxide is regulated in the United States, which may limit its use as a fuel.
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