Petroleum Coke (Pet Coke)

About Petroleum Coke:

• It is a final carbon-rich solid material and residual waste material extracted from oil refining.
• It is a spongy, solid residue from oil distillation that can be burned for fuel similar to coal.
• It is a byproduct created when bitumen is found in tar sands.
• Bitumen contains a higher number of carbon atoms than regular oil and it’s these atoms, extracted from large hydrocarbon molecules using heat, that go on to form petcoke.
• It is high in calorific value and easy to transport and store.
• It releases toxic gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, mercury, arsenic, chromium, nickel, and hydrogen chloride after burning.
• There are two distinctive grades of Petroleum Coke viz. Calcinable or Green Petcoke and Fuel Grade Petcoke.
• Application:
  • It is widely used by power stations and several manufacturing industries including cement, steel and textile plants in India.

 

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Q1) What is Bitumen?

Bitumen is a sticky, black, and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It is a naturally occurring substance that is often found in oil sands and asphalt deposits.

Source: Govt permits import of pet coke as raw material for lithium-ion batteries