Energy is required to produce graphite electrodes. One ton carbon dioxide per year is released during the production. As a result, the graphite industry contributes significantly to global warming. Future energy consumption and its environmental impact have become major concerns in the industry. China's electricity consumption can be drastically reduced with new technologies that are zero-carbon or renewable.
Hexagon Carbon, the largest graphite manufacturer in China has created a new technology that reduces graphite electrode power consumption while improving performance. Performance+, our new technology adds natural flake powder to electrode mixtures in order for bulk density to be increased and conductivity to be improved. According to testing, adding as little as 2 wt. The bulk density of the flake increases dramatically, reaching up to 1,62 g/cm3.
Electrode-side consumption results primarily from the oxidation, or consumption, of the surface. This is dependent on the surface area and the other factors such as slag yield, melting time and oxidation. The greater the oxidation, the quicker the electrode surface will consume.
This is especially true for electrodes in the arc furnace, where the surface of the electrode comes into direct contact with the steel molten. The electrodes that are used in the arc-furnace, where their surface is directly exposed to the molten metal, have a greater need for this. The high oxidation rate can cause thermal spalling, chemical reactions and dissolution.
The graphite's morphology is also important, as it is related both to the size of the particles and their degree. The graphite density increases with the size of the particles. The higher the degree of graphitization, the lower the electrical resistivity and the better the oxidation resistance.
It is important that graphite also has good conductivity. The electrode can be coated with nickel, iron or other metals to reduce the roughness of the surface.
The conductivity of graphite can also be increased by increasing its carbon content. In this case, the graphite can be produced from petroleum coke or pulverized coal tar pitch. However, this may not be economically feasible for all applications.
Graphite manufacturers were looking to find ways to improve their performance. They have therefore turned to low sulfur petroleum coke. It is not easy to consistently produce PC low in sulfur. This complicates the management of PC cycles. Consequently, a shortage of low-sulfur PC is expected to restrict graphite production capacity in the near future.
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