Oil refineries produce a variety of by-products. One of these is petroleum coke, which can be calcined to make it suitable for use as an energy source. Calcined petroleum coke (CPC) is used in the Hall-Heroult aluminum smelting process, where it serves as an anode material. CPC has the advantages of low impurity levels, ready availability, and relatively low cost. It is also an excellent carbon feedstock, and is highly suitable for recarburizing electric arc and induction furnaces. CPC is also used for manufacturing graphite blocks and carbon mortar for iron risers, as well as in the production of titanium dioxide, a pigment for paint, plastics, sunscreens, and food coloring.
Demand for calcined coke petroleum in the aluminium sector is continuing to increase, particularly in developing countries. Rising steel production is driving this growth, and the increased demand for recarburizing electrodes for electric arc and induction furnaces is a significant factor as well. Growth in heavy oil supply, the expansion of cement industries and the power generation industry, as well as government-supported initiatives to create a more greener environment, are contributing factors in this market.
To meet the increasing demand for calcined petroleum coke, manufacturers must increase production capacity and reduce energy consumption. In order to achieve this, they must develop alternative calcining technologies that can compete with traditional shaft-type kilns. This article discusses the evolution of petcoke calcination technology and outlines the current state of the art. A proposed method for improving the energy efficiency of calcination is also presented.
The project is aimed at improving energy efficiency in the petroleum coke calcination using a combined heat-power (CHP), system concept that uses process offgases as an opportunity fuel. This project has developed a technology that combines an electrothermal CHP with a fluidized-bed calciner to maximize the use of waste heat, and reduce energy consumption in the calcination process of green petcoke. The figure shows a schematic diagram of the entire system, which includes the gas cleaning system and the combustor/boiler in purple. The results of the project confirm that the system can save substantial amounts of energy during the calcination process, and can help to offset the higher cost of energy required for calcination of GPC. The system is able to save energy despite the fact that the fluidized beds require a lot of energy. It is an important benefit for a sector that already consumes a lot of energy. The technology could be adapted to other industries that use large quantities of GPC, such as cement, steel, and power generation.
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