Strategies for a Declining North American Coal Tar Supply

1
Strategies for a Declining North American Coal
Tar Supply

• John T. Baron, Charles E. Kraynik, Robert H.
  Wombles

2
Discussion Topics

• Introduction
• Coal Tar Manufacturing and Processing
• Coal Tar Supplies
• Strategies for Maintaining the Supply of Coal Tar
  Pitch

3
Introduction

• First Coal Chemical Recovery Ovens Installed in
  the US in 1893
• By 1915, By-product Ovens Accounted for 97 of
  Metallurgical Coke Produced in US
• Since Then Coal Tar Pitch Has Been Binder of
  Choice for Aluminum, Commercial Carbon, and
  Graphite Industries
• Late 1980s and 1990s Closing of US Coke Ovens
  Accelerated Due to Economic and Environmental
  Pressures
• Coke Oven Closures Resulted in Concern for Supply
  of Coal Tar Pitch and Strategies to Deal with
  Anticipated Shortage Being Sought

4
Coal Tar Manufacturing and Processing
5
Features of Coal Coking

• Coal Heated to Approximately 2200ºF to Produce
  Coke
• By-products Produced Are Coke Oven Gas, Coal Tar
  Light Oil, and Coal Tar
• Vapor Phase Cracking in the Tunnel-Head Results
  in Coal Tar QI

6
Typical Coke Oven Yields
7
PRODUCTION OF COAL TAR PITCH
Distillate Stream
Steam
Flushing Liquor
Heater
200F
Distillation Tower
Tar Feed Tank
2000F
gas
Coal
Tar
Steam

Decanter Sludge
Pitch
Decanter
Coke Oven
Liquor
8
Approximate Tar Composition
Approximate Pitch Composition
9
Coal Tar Supplies
10
RAW MATERIAL OVERVIEW
Million Metric Tons

• 10,211 M metric tons crude coke oven tar
  available worldwide in 1998
• 5,764 M metric tons required to satisfy
  projected demand

11
TAR SUPPLY TRENDS
Million Gallons

• North American supplies to fall by 21 by 2005

12
Reasons for North American Coal Tar Decline

• North American Coking Operations Not Competitive
  with Import Coke Due to High Maintenance and
  Environmental Costs
• Technological Advances in Steel Industry
• Non-recovery Coke Ovens
• Direct Coal Injection
• Electric Arc Furnaces

13
NORTH AMERICAN BINDER PITCH DEMAND
000 Metric Tons 1995 1997 1999
2001 2003 Aluminum Industry 597 666
708 679 701 Commercial Carbon 95
95 95 95 95 Miscellaneous
140 127 118 91 91
Total 832 888 921 865
887 Crude Tar Required 1,602 1,711 1,774 1,666 1,
706 Crude Tar Available 1,316 1,302 1,077 990
929 Tar Deficit 286 409 697
676 777
14
Strategies for Maintaining the Supply of
Coal Tar Pitch
15
Strategies to Maintain North American Pitch Supply

• Import Coal Tar
• Import Coal Tar Pitch
• Increase Pitch Yield from Conventional Tar and
  Upgrade Unconventional Tar for Pitch Production
• Use Petroleum Derived Streams to Enhance Pitch
  Supply

16
Import Coal Tar

• Transportation Experiencing Rapid Cost Increase
  Due to Tighter Environmental Restrictions
• Amount of Materials Imported Twice the Pitch
  Required Due to Distillation Yields
• Distillates Produced Must Be Sold into Widely
  Fluctuating Market
• Most Expensive Solution

17
Import Coal Tar Pitch

• Regional Advantages with Challenges Surfacing
• Labor and Environmental Pressures Forcing Toward
  Liquid Pitch Causing Increased Capital Investment
  for Receiving Facility
• Greater Capital Investment Requires That Pitch
  Importation Be a Long Range Component of Strategy
• Economics a Question but Still an Important
  Strategy Component

18
Increase Pitch Yield and Upgrade Unconventional
Tar

• Develop Processes to Increase Pitch Yield from
  Conventional Coal Tar
• Identify and Upgrade Unconventional Feedstocks
  for Pitch Production
• Improve Coking Value
• Supplement QI
• Long Range Strategy Which Will Take Time to
  Implement

19
Petroleum Enhanced Coal Tar Pitch

• Aluminum Industry Experience with 100 Petroleum
  Pitch Not Acceptable
• Suitable Petroleum Materials Must Be Identified
  (75 Materials Evaluated)
• Commercial Testing Began in 1994
• Small Performance Disadvantages Identified
• Efforts to Improve Performance Successful
• Most Economical Solution with Potential Plentiful
  Supply

20
Laboratory Anode Study

• 100 Coal Tar Pitch
• 85 Coal Tar/15 Petroleum Pitch
• 80 Coal Tar/20 Petroleum Pitch
• 100 Petroleum Pitch

21
(No Transcript)
22
Anode Production Protocol
23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
(No Transcript)
28
(No Transcript)
29
(No Transcript)
30
(No Transcript)
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
Conclusions

• North American Coal Tar Supply Is Declining as a
  Result of Coke Oven Closings
• Strategies Are Being Developed to Deal with the
  Declining Coal Tar Supply
• Petroleum Enhanced Coal Tar Pitch Which Gives
  Excellent Anode Properties and Performance with
  Four Years of Commercial Use Has Been Developed