Needle coke production process

The production of oil-based needle coke is based on the delayed coking process. The production process mainly includes three stages: raw material pretreatment, delayed coking, and calcination.

Petroleum needle coke

Petroleum-based needle coke was first invented by American Great Lake Carbon Corporation in 1950. In 1950, the Great Lakes Carbon Company in the United States first invented the petroleum-based needle coke. In 1960, the Conoco (later merged with Phillips) applied for a patent for the production of needle coke. In 1969, Standard Oil's first needle coke industrial production facility was put into operation in Los Angeles. Since then, American companies represented by Great Lakes Carbon have monopolized 80% of the oil-based needle coke market worldwide.
The research on needle coke in China started in 1970. In 1995, the 0.1Mt/a needle coke applications successfully constructed by Jinzhou Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, filling the gap in domestic oil-based needle coke. After technological transformation, Jinzhou Petrochemical Corporation became the first company in China that could stably produce oil-based needle coke.

Needle coke production process

The production of oil-based needle coke is based on the delayed coking process. The production process mainly includes three stages: raw material pretreatment, delayed coking, and calcination.
The coking process is a key stage in the production of needle coke. The coking temperature is one of the most critical factors affecting the quality of needle coke. If the calcination technology is relatively mature, plants only need to select the appropriate calcination method and temperature.
 
(Chart of Delayed Coking Process)

Needle coke uses

Needle coke is used in the production of HP graphite electrodes, UHP graphite electrodes and anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. It accounts for more than 90% of market demand.
Graphite electrodes prepared from needle coke have the advantages of high electrical conductivity, small thermal expansion coefficient, and high mechanical strength, which can meet the quality requirements of large-capacity electric arc furnaces.
Needle coke has the advantages of high conductivity, easy graphitization and low price, making it a high-quality material for the negative electrode of lithium batteries.