Needle Coke Production from Aromatic Recovery Complex Bottoms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current coking processes face challenges in producing high-quality needle coke due to the presence of sulfur, nitrogen, and metals in vacuum residues, which complicates the processing and quality of petroleum coke.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the supply of a feed stream with low sulfur and nitrogen levels from an aromatic recovery complex to a heating unit, followed by coking and calcination to produce needle coke, where the feed stream contains heavy alkyl aromatic compounds and alkyl-bridged non-condensed alkyl multi-aromatic compounds, and the coking conditions include specific temperature and pressure ranges to generate a petroleum coke product that is further converted to needle coke through calcination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional coking processes are used on vacuum residues, then petroleum green coke is produced, but the coke contains high sulfur and metal content requiring additional desulfurization and demetallization processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing the vacuum residue feedstock through hydroprocessing to remove sulfur and metals before coking. This upstream treatment prevents contaminants from entering the coking unit, eliminating the need for downstream desulfurization and demetallization processes while producing high-quality needle coke.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts harmful components (sulfur and metals) from the feedstock before coking through hydroprocessing. By removing these contaminants in advance, the process produces clean needle coke suitable for electrode manufacturing without requiring additional removal steps in the coking unit itself.
2Productivity
If vacuum residues with high sulfur and metal content are used as feedstock, then coking can proceed, but the resulting petroleum coke requires additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary hydroprocessing to remove sulfur and metals from vacuum residues before coking. This advance treatment simplifies the overall manufacturing process by eliminating subsequent desulfurization and demetallization steps, making the production of high-quality needle coke more straightforward and efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the feedstock through hydroprocessing, reducing sulfur and metal content to levels suitable for needle coke production. This parameter modification transforms the feedstock from an unsuitable vacuum residue into a clean feedstock that cokes efficiently into high-quality product.
3Quantity of substance
If heavy alkyl aromatic compounds are coked without pre-treatment, then petroleum green coke is formed, but the coke quality is insufficient for premium applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary hydroprocessing to treat heavy alkyl aromatic compounds before coking. This pre-treatment removes sulfur and metals while preserving the hydrocarbon structure needed for coke formation, ensuring both high yield and premium quality suitable for electrode and anode applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the feedstock through hydroprocessing, reducing sulfur and metal content while maintaining the hydrocarbon framework. This parameter change enables the production of high-quality needle coke with the necessary purity for premium applications.
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 produces high-quality needle coke with reduced sulfur and metal content, eliminating the need for desulfurization and demetallization processes, and enhances the conversion of low-value fuel oil into premium products like benzene, toluene, and xylenes.
Implementation Method 1
supplying a feed stream containing one or more of heavy alkyl aromatic compounds and alkyl-bridged non-condensed alkyl multi-aromatic compounds from an aromatic complex to a heating unit to produce a heated aromatic stream
Implementation Method 2
supplying the heated aromatic stream to a coking unit under coking conditions to produce a coker vapor, a liquid product stream, and a petroleum coke product
Implementation Method 3
supplying the petroleum coke product to a calcination unit to produce a needle coke product. In some embodiments disclosed here, calcination converts 'green coke' to high-quality needle coke. Calcination can remove residual hydrocarbons.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided here are systems and methods of production of needle coke by processing an aromatic rejects stream containing long chain alkyl monoaromatics and bridged diaromatics through a delayed coking process. Various other embodiments may be disclosed and claimed.