Context:
Recently, the Union government of India permitted the import of pet coke for making graphite anode material for lithium-ion batteries.
Relevance:
GS I: Geography
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Petroleum Coke
- Applications
About Petroleum Coke:
- Petroleum coke, commonly known as petcoke, is a carbon-rich solid material and residual waste extracted from oil refining processes.
- It is a byproduct formed during the distillation of oil or the extraction of bitumen from tar sands. Petcoke has similar fuel properties to coal and can be burned as a fuel source.
Key Points:
- Petcoke is a solid residue that remains after oil refining or bitumen extraction.
- It is spongy in texture and can be used as a fuel similar to coal.
- Bitumen, found in tar sands, contains a higher number of carbon atoms, and the extraction of these atoms forms petcoke.
- Petcoke has a high calorific value and is relatively easy to transport and store.
- When burned, it releases toxic gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel, and hydrogen chloride.
Grades
- Calcinable or Green Petcoke: This grade can undergo further processing, known as calcination, to remove impurities and enhance its properties for specific applications.
- Fuel Grade Petcoke: This grade is primarily used as a fuel source in various industries.
Applications
- Power stations: Petcoke is used as a fuel source in power plants to generate electricity.
- Cement industry: It is used as a fuel and as a source of carbon in the production of cement.
- Steel industry: Petcoke is used as a fuel and as a reducing agent in the production of steel.
- Textile plants: It can be used as a fuel in textile manufacturing processes.
