Calcined petroleum coke (CPC) is a key raw material for the aluminum and steel industries. The manufacturers of this product develop new technologies in order to reduce the operating costs for their customers.
More smelters are blending CPC from different suppliers to match their specific anode properties. It's important that VM levels and vibrated-bulk density (VBD) can be controlled. Also, the need to meet increasingly stringent sulfur limits drives more calciners to install SO2 scrubbing.
Coke calcination is an energy-intensive process, but several technologies exist to make it more efficient. In one case, a gasifier is used to mix low-sulfur oil coke with oxygen and produce a mixture which burns far cleaner than coal. The gas produced can then be used to produce electricity and the byproduct, a carbon of high quality for steel manufacturing, is used as a by-product.
In addition to improved melting efficiency in calcined oil coke production, other technological improvements include optimal slag generation and improved chemical composition. The improvements made can be used to help the manufacturers create steel grades of varying quality, which meet the requirements of different industries.
Growing demand for steel and aluminium in railways, road construction, and automobiles in emerging economies is anticipated to drive the growth of the global calcined petroleum coke market. It is due largely to the rapid urbanisation, and boom in economic activity. The global market for construction is set to continue expanding due the the investments made by different governments across the world in developing infrastructure.
Calcination releases large amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. This is a major concern among environmentalists and calls for new technologies to be introduced into the production of coke. In spite of these concerns, however, the demand continues to grow for calcined petrol coke, as it is widely used in various industries to create carbon anodes that are then used for aluminum melting.
A coke calcination process involves the thermal heating of petroleum coke green in a rotating or shaft kiln. Calcination removes volatile material and increases the carbon in petcoke. It is used to produce power and cement, among other industrial uses.
It is estimated that due to the growing iron and steel sector, there will be a rapid expansion in the calcined petrol coke industry. The market will also be driven by government initiatives that promote a greener environment. A system that recovers waste heat can help improve energy efficiency in the calcination.
In rotary or shaft kilns of this type, petcoke is heated to very high temperatures. This burns volatile material and increases the carbon content. A solid high-carbon fuel is created.
Oxbow's calcined oil coke, a large portion of which is anode used for the production of primary aluminium, goes to aluminum producers. It's also used in the production of titanium dioxide, carbon black and other chemical products.
We conduct periodic environmental monitoring to assess air quality at sites near our calciners. In general, the exposure levels are below standards for public health. It is particularly true of exposure to PM10 which is the totality of particulates smaller than 10 microns. PM10 is emitted by the calcination process and a variety of other sources, including coal-fired power plants. These monitoring results show that energy efficiency helps reduce the exposure level at these sensitive locations.
The rotary coke calcining process generates gaseous and particulate emissions. At well-controlled sites, the emissions are not a threat to health.
GPC with low sulfur content (low S), which is in limited supply, has pushed prices up. New refineries tend to be configured for heavy, soured crude oil which is priced lower than sweet, light crudes. It is the result of this that refineries have a marked increase in coke.
The raw petroleum coke also known by the name petcoke is a mineral that's hydrophobic and carbonaceous with a hard glassy texture. It is a byproduct of the coking process used in oil refining to produce fuels and petrochemicals.
The material, which looks like granular coke, is heated and pressed in coke ovens. This process removes any remaining hydrocarbons. The result is a substance called green petroleum coal (GPC). GPC is a raw feedstock for aluminum smelting industries that use it to make anodes and graphite electrodes. GPC is refined into electrically-conductive carbon by the calcination procedure.
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