Green petroleum coke has several applications, especially in primary industries, and is part of industrial processes that result in products used in our daily lives.
Green coke is obtained from the cracking of residual fractions of the petroleum distillation process, is rich in carbon (80% to 95%), has a high energy factor, and is solid, black, and shiny.
Green petroleum coke can be used in several processes, in natura or after being industrialized, generating new products of high purity and high added value.
The petroleum refining process undergoes two stages: atmospheric distillation and vacuum distillation. The fuel oil obtained from vacuum distillation originates the green petroleum coke, also known as petcoke.
The petcoke market is very diversified and requires technical knowledge mastered by Grupo Unimetal.
More than a supplier of raw materials, Grupo Unimetal is also responsible for the production of knowledge and technical support, which proves its commitment to supplying not only carbonaceous products but also providing quality market solutions.
Grupo Unimetal’s industrial processes are divided into three fields of operation:
Green petroleum coke
Used in power generation, as solid fuel, and as an oxygen reducer, of which chemical composition is a combination of carbon and hydrogen molecules (hydrocarbons).
At the end of the distillation process, the refinery may choose to produce BPF (low flash point) fuel oil, normally used in furnaces, boilers, etc., or produce green petroleum coke through delayed cracking (with low, medium, or high sulfur content), which is one of the main raw materials used by UNIMETAL in its production process.
The term “green” is used because this product has not yet undergone any thermal decomposition process. It is highly efficient in the burning processes in furnaces for specific purposes, such as the production of ferroalloys, lead, and cement kilns, among others.
Calcinated coke
Calcinated petroleum coke is obtained from thermal treatment in a rotary kiln at a temperature of around 1200ºC.
The basic difference between green petroleum coke and calcinated petroleum coke is the volatile level (gas).
In the calcination process, gases (volatile matter) are released from green petroleum coke and used as fuel for the furnace.
Aimed at steelmaking and casting, it is an excellent fuel and re-fueling compound.
This highly porous, sponge-like petroleum coke with a higher surface area improves dissolution times in liquid metal compared to anthracite, metcoke, and other carbon products.
Moreover, it has very low sulfur content and volatile materials and has considerable gains in carbon and calorific power content. This product is also used in abrasives, automotive industries, refractories, and glasses, among others.
Synthetic graphite
Synthetic graphite is industrially obtained through electric furnaces. The raw material can be green or calcinated petroleum coke, which undergoes high temperatures changing its chemical structure, reducing sulfur and nitrogen contents to very low levels, and physically changing its structure from amorphous to crystalline.
Visually, calcinated petroleum coke is similar to synthetic graphite.
The difference is that, for having a crystalline structure, the material is brighter and has lubricating characteristics.
For being a noble, high purity product, it has specific applications that ensure significant gains in the steelmaking, casting, and automotive industries, and has high-tech applications.
For being crystalline and having very low contaminant content, it is an excellent low lag electrical conductor used in the manufacturing of electrodes, lithium-ion batteries, and components for electric vehicles.