ANALYSIS OF PETROLEUM COKE STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES AFTER CATALYTIC REMOVAL OF SULFUR COMPOUNDS

In the context of the growing demand of the Russian metallurgical industry for anisotropic (needle) coke and difficulties with its import, the development of local production of this product is a strategic priority that requires the improvement of technological processes and the adaptation of the raw material base to high quality requirements to increase the economic independence of the country. The paper presents a laboratory analysis of the structure and properties of petroleum coke after applying the method of catalytic removal of sulfur compounds in coking raw materials. This helped to find out whether this method can be used to prepare raw materials used in needle coking, and how it will affect the coking process as a whole. When using the studied oxidation catalyst with coking raw materials, sulfur compounds in the form of sulfides turn into sulfones, and sulfones decompose into sulfur dioxide when heated. The paper presents the results of an assessment of the fractional composition of raw materials, namely heavy gas oil from catalytic cracking at the Omsk Refinery, the microstructure of petroleum cokes, the sulfur content in cokes and distillates, and the content of volatile compounds in coke. These laboratory studies have shown a decrease in the content of sulfur and volatile compounds in coke after the application of an oxidation catalyst, compared with the feedstock and products of its oxidation and coking.