Anisotropic Coke Production via Feedstock Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of premium quality anisotropic coke is limited by the availability of hydrocarbon feedstocks with high aromatic content and low sulfur content, as conventional processes require specific feedstock compositions to produce high-quality anisotropic coke suitable for graphite electrodes and electric vehicle batteries.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the separation of hydrocarbon feedstocks into lighter and heavier fractions, followed by desulfurization and aromatic extraction, which are then combined and thermally cracked to produce anisotropic coke, allowing for the use of feedstocks with low aromatic content and high sulfur content, such as clarified oil, through a series of interrelated processing steps including distillation, hydrogenation, and coking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional delayed coking process is used with available hydrocarbon feedstocks, then production process is simple, but the quality of anisotropic coke is insufficient due to high sulfur content and low aromatic content
Solution Approach 1:
The feedstock processing is divided into multiple sequential stages: extraction unit for aromatic enrichment, desulfurization unit for sulfur removal, and coking unit for coke production. Each unit performs a specific function to progressively improve feedstock quality, transforming low-quality available feedstocks into high-quality anisotropic coke through staged processing.
Solution Approach 2:
Before the main coking process, the feedstock undergoes preliminary treatment including aromatic extraction and desulfurization. These preparatory steps modify the feedstock composition in advance to meet the quality requirements for anisotropic coke production, ensuring that the subsequent coking process produces high-quality product even from substandard feedstocks.
2Manufacturing precision
If feedstocks with high aromatic content and low sulfur content are used, then anisotropic coke quality is improved, but feedstock availability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The process converts feedstocks with unfavorable properties (high sulfur, low aromatic content) into valuable anisotropic coke by using extraction and desulfurization units. These units remove the harmful components (sulfur and paraffins) and enrich the beneficial components (aromatics), thereby transforming previously unusable or low-quality feedstocks into suitable feedstock for premium coke production.
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the chemical composition parameters of the feedstock through extraction and desulfurization operations. By adjusting the aromatic content and sulfur content parameters of the feedstock to meet specification requirements, the process enables production of high-quality anisotropic coke from a broader range of available hydrocarbon feedstocks.
3Quantity of substance
If sulfur content in feedstock is high, then feedstock availability increases, but electrode manufacturing quality deteriorates due to puffing and breakage problems
Solution Approach 1:
The desulfurization unit specifically extracts and removes sulfur from the feedstock through chemical treatment. This separation process reduces sulfur content in the feedstock to levels suitable for anisotropic coke production, eliminating the cause of electrode puffing and breakage while maintaining feedstock availability.
4Quantity of substance
If aromatic content in feedstock is low, then feedstock availability increases, but coke aromaticity and quality are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The extraction unit acts as an intermediary that selectively separates aromatic components from the feedstock using solvents. This intermediary process enriches the aromatic content of the feedstock by extracting aromatic compounds and removing paraffinic components, thereby improving coke aromaticity and quality while enabling use of feedstocks with initially low aromatic content.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This process effectively converts high sulfur and low aromatic feedstocks into premium quality anisotropic coke with reduced sulfur content and enhanced aromaticity, meeting industrial standards for graphite electrodes and electric vehicle batteries, while maximizing feedstock availability for coking reactions.
Implementation Method 1
separating the first fraction of the hydrocarbon feedstock in the separator column, in to a lighter material and a first heavy material
Implementation Method 2
desulfurizing the first heavy material in a hydrotreater reactor to obtain a second heavy material
Implementation Method 3
aromatic extracting the second fraction of the hydrocarbon feedstock in the aromatic extractor unit parallel to the separator column with a solvent to obtain an aromatic extract stream
Implementation Method 4
heating the secondary feedstock in a furnace to obtain a hot secondary feedstock
Implementation Method 5
thermally cracking the hot secondary feedstock in coke drums for producing the anisotropic coke and lighter hydrocarbon product
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for production of anisotropic coke from a hydrocarbon feedstock and a system for producing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a thermal cracking of heavy petroleum residue producing petroleum coke and lighter hydrocarbon products. The invented process utilizes a novel scheme for production of a premium quality coke from primarily, a clarified oil feedstock. Clarified oil from fluid catalytic cracking unit is routed through a process scheme comprising a separator column, hydro-treatment section and an aromatic extraction section to create an ad-mix of effluents which form the feedstock to a thermal cracking unit. Premium quality anisotropic coke is produced in the thermal cracker reactor drums under tailor made process conditions employing the said feedstock.