Coal Tar Distillation Research Articles

Exploring oxygen migration and capacitive mechanisms: Crafting oxygen-enriched activated carbon fiber from low softening point pitch

A green pitch fiber from coal tar distillation residue, with a softening point of 190 °C, was used to make activated carbon fiber through an in-situ oxygen-doped method. Oxygen-rich pitch-based activated carbon fibers (OPACFs) were successfully created with a three-stage stabilization process using this low softening point pitch fiber. The OPACFs exhibit a moderate pore size distribution and high surface oxygen content (20.83 at%). The migration and transformation of oxygen during this process were studied. Due to the formation of stable oxygen-containing functional groups (CO), the resulting material shows excellent electrochemical performance. It achieved a specific capacitance of 334 F/g at 0.5 A/g and maintained good rate capacity (73.7 %, 0.5–50 A/g) in a 6 M KOH electrolyte. The assembled supercapacitor displayed exceptional cycle stability, retaining 91.4 % capacitance at 1 A/g after 10,000 cycles. Further investigation revealed that the specific capacitance includes both surface-controlled and diffusion-controlled capacitance, with oxygen doping significantly enhancing the latter.

Experimental Study on Enrichment of Indole in Wash Oil by a Combined Process of Extraction and Re-Extraction

Wash oil, one of the by-products of coal tar distillation, contains useful nitrogen heterocyclic compounds (NHC) such as indole (IN), which is used as a raw material for perfume, essential amino acid, and pharmaceuticals. In this study, as a pre-treatment step for purification of IN, which is about 5.75% contained in wash oil, the enrichment of IN in wash oil was examined by combining formamide extraction (FE) and n-hexane re-extraction (HRE). The raw material for the re-extraction was a mixture of the preceding formamide extract phase acquired through batchwise 5-stage co-current extraction trial under fixed FE condition. As the 5-stage FE and HRE progressed, the IN yield based on IN in the wash oil was approximately 73.3%, and the IN concentration in the raffinate oil acquired from the re-extraction run was highly enriched to about 92.4%. In addition, the IN enrichment efficiency of the FE-HRE combined process (FHC) employed in this study was compared with methanol extraction (ME)-hexane re-extraction (HRE) combination (MHC).

Regularities of changes in pitch characteristics when varying the parameters of PJSC “KOKS” coal tar distillation

The regularities of changes in the main characteristics of coal tar pitch (softening point, ash content, volatile matter yield, content of α-, α1-, α2-, γ- and β-fractions) obtained by coal tar distillation, were studied changing three process parameters – tar heating rate, temperature and duration of isothermal exposure. The mathematical model obtained in the form of regression equations satisfactorily describes the dependence of the studied pitch characteristics on the coal tar distillation process parameters and can be used to predict the quality of the resulting coal tar pitch.

Synergistic effect on co-hydrogenation of coal-petroleum co-processing oil and washing oil from coal tar distillate

Hydrogenation of coal-petroleum co-processing oil (CPCO) and washing oil (WO) from coal tar distillate were performed separately, and the underlying synergistic effect for cyclanes formation during co-hydrogenation was examined. The results show that higher temperatures at 320–380 °C boosted cyclanes production by hydrogenation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in WO due to the enhanced formation of intermediate products (partially hydrogenated aromatics) that are difficult to proceed at lower temperatures (ΔG > 0). The cyclanes content in the co-hydrogenation product was higher than the theoretical value, verifying the synergistic effect in cyclanes formation during co-hydrogenation. The synergy was most prominent for co-hydrogenation at 340 °C and CPCO/WO ratio of 1:2. Similar to the case in the hydrogenation of WO, the cyclanes content increased with rising temperatures and reached 13 % (maximum values) at 380 °C during co-hydrogenation with CPCO/WO ratio of 1:2. Addition of hydrogen donor solvent further increased the cyclanes content to 16.8 % during co-hydrogenation, suggesting the hydrogenation of PAHs to cyclanes. Composition analysis of cyclanes from the hydrogenation products reveals the reason for the synergism, i.e., the H transfer from CPCO to WO promoted hydrogenation of PAHs into cyclanes thus rising cyclanes content in the co-hydrogenated products.

Оцінка утворення осаду, сумісності та ставлення до розчинників вбирних олив у аспекті експлуатаційних властивостей.

Currently, coke plants are experiencing a shortage of absorbent oil for capturing benzene hydrocarbons. This forces the companies to limit the capacity of regeneration units, which leads to an increase in oil density. At the same time, the content of substances insoluble in toluene increases in the oil, which creates a complex multicomponent dispersed system. In the case of replenishment of the circulation cycle with light fresh foreign-made oils, which are artificial mixtures of fractions obtained during the distillation of coal tar, there is a risk of precipitation as a result of flocculation of dispersed particles. There is a need to assess the probability of precipitation of the absorbing oil using additional methods. In this paper, evidence of the colloidal structure of the absorbent oil is reviewed, showing its tendency to flocculate when aliphatic solvents and other reagents are added. The ability to form a heterogeneous blot of a mixture of oils and their solvents was evaluated according to the method available in the literature. This method was applied to mixtures of fresh foreignmade absorbent oil and polymers from the benzene department. The results showed the absence of heterogeneous blot formation using this method. An assessment of the spreading area of equivalent drops by volume showed that the deterioration of the properties of fresh oil occurs already at the introduction of 8% of polymers of the benzene department. A mixture of crude benzene components with working absorbent oil forms a heterogeneous spot when 60 % o-xylene is added. This makes it possible to calculate the flocculation coefficient and quantify the effectiveness of measures to improve the quality of recycled oil. The data obtained are consistent with the list of solvents available in the literature that cause and do not cause flocculation of dispersed particles in tar and its fractions. Keywords: washing oil, precipitation, dispersed substances, solvents, flocculation, coagulation. Corresponding author: Artem L. Bannikov, e-mail: artiksmartik@gmail.com

Проблеми знефенолювання та підвищення якості вбирної фракції кам’яновугільної смоли (огляд).

PROBLEMS OF DE-PHENOLIZATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE QUALITY OF THE ABSORBING FRACTION (REVIEW) © A.L. Bannikov, post graduate student (National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute», 2 Kyrpychova Str., Kharkiv, 61002, Ukraine), O.L. Borysenko, PhD in Technіcal Sciences (State Enterprise "Ukrainian State Scientific Research Institute of Coal Chemistry (UKHIN), 7 Vesnina str., Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine) It is shown that improving the quality of absorbent oil is now becoming an important economic task due to the need to purchase an imported absorbent of benzene hydrocarbons from coke oven gas. The need for economical consumption of fresh oil to replenish the circulation cycle determines the main requirement for the quality of the fresh absorbent. The state of the equipment and the capabilities of the technological regime of benzene departments (increased absorption temperature, insufficient heating before distillation, watering of the absorber as a result of frequent shutdowns, etc.) make it necessary to look for an oil that would provide low specific consumption in this situation. The issue of dephenolization of the wash oil fraction remains controversial, and arguments for and against de-phenolization are presented. It is shown that the de-phenolization stage with the existing sodium phenolate processing cycle cannot function in the current conditions. Stricter requirements for the management of intermediates and waste make it necessary to switch to an alternative method. The rejection of alkaline extraction of phenolics has led to the development of new separation methods for purification of coal tar distillation fractions. In particular, the wash oil fraction is still the subject of research in order to extract various individual products and groups of substances from it with new types of extractants. Data on recent studies of phenol extraction from coal fractions using completely new materials are presented. It is concluded that there are currently no new proposals ready for industrial implementation. For the functioning of fractional de-phenolization at Ukrainian enterprises, it is necessary to develop a new method with an acceptable level of processing, and extraction de-phenolization seems to be the most promising. Keywords: coal tar fractions, phenols, specific consumption, de-phenolization, extraction, ionic liquids.. Corresponding author: Bannikov Artem L., e-mail: artiksmartik@gmail.com

Coal Tar Distillate (Creosote)—The First and Still Great Choice to Preserve Utility Poles

Abstract Creosote, a coal tar distillate product, has been used to preserve wooden utility poles for well over 100 years. Such use began in the late 1800s and continues to this day. Creosote’s efficacy in protecting wood from decay, termite attach, and general weathering has been demonstrated by actual performance of poles in utility service and in documented field and laboratory testing. The American Wood Protection Association has standardized and long recognized the efficacy of creosote preservation. With production of pentachlorophenol ending after 2022, preservation may easily convert to creosote preservative. Creosote preservative also is an environmentally sound choice in that used poles can be used as fuel and otherwise, creosote degrades biologically. Wood is sustainable as new trees are grown to replace poles while the poles are sequestered carbon. Utility service life of creosote preserved wooden poles typically lasts for 70 to over 100 years with inspection and maintenance. Utilities can expect new creosote preserved poles to last into the next century.

Efficient electro-catalyzed PMS activation on a Fe-ZIF-8 based BTNAs/Ti anode: An in-depth investigation on anodic catalytic behavior

Phenanthrene (PHE), mainly released from coal tar and petroleum distillation, is an important kind of prevalent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination in China (up to 2.38 ± 0.02 mg/kg in soil and 8668 ng/L in surface water) and other countries in the world. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) show promising application prospects in the decontamination field, however, suffering from the intrinsic fragility and fine powder forms. Therefore, macroscopic MOFs architecture-sandwich-like Fe-ZIF-8/blue TiO2 nanotube arrays (BTNAs)/Ti substrate (FBTT) anode with strong interfacial bonding (Fe-O-Ti and Fe-2-MIM-Ti coordination) was constructed using innovative in situ growth, condensation-crystallization-deposition, and pyrolysis methods, aiming at exploring the feasibility of MOFs-based anode/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) mediated PHE elimination, revealing the in-depth mechanisms, simultaneously overcoming the intrinsic drawbacks of MOFs. The FBTT-4 (doping content of 30 %) efficiently degraded PHE by 90.01 % and 74.5 % within 10 min at 350 μg/L and 3 mg/L, respectively, mediated by the ·OH compared to the SO4·-, 1O2, and O2·-. Post-optimized range of anodic potential enabled (i) anodic oxidation, (ii) activation of water and PMS molecules to produce active species, (iii) capture of electrons in reactants to reduce Fe3+/Ti4+ to Fe2+/Ti3+, maintaining the proportion of Fe/Ti with low valence and thus stable PMS activation capacity, and (iv) regulation of the Fe/Ti d-band center to modulate the anode adsorption capacity. The further increment in anodic potential could promote “dark photocatalysis” with a Z-scheme-like mechanism. Thus, it is proposed that the development of macroscopic MOFs-based anode, especially those with small band gaps, represents vast potentials in electrocatalytic contamination elimination. Simultaneously, the MOFs-based anode is expected to fully exploit their catalytic capacities and solve their intrinsic defects as well.

Термическое разложение дистиллята каменноугольной смолы в присутствии нанопорошка железа

Impact of the nanosized iron powder on the process of thermal degradation of coal tar distillate was determined by the thermogravimetric analysis. Coal tar distillate was obtained by simple distillation up to 350°C of primary coal tar from the Shubarkol deposit. Iron powder was obtained by electrochemical reduction of iron from sulfate electrolytes at simultaneous impact of high-voltage electric discharge on cathodic zone. Scanning electron microscopy showed that iron powder consists of nanosized particles (30-124 nm) forming aggregates. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of α-Fe and FeO(OH) phases. The average crystallite size determination was made using Scherrer equation and amounted to 31.7 nm. Obtained iron powder was added to the coal tar distillate in amount of 1% of distillate weight and this mixture was subjected to thermal degradation at heating rate 5°C/min in an inert atmosphere. Processing of the data obtained was carried out using the model-fitting Coats-Redfern method. The values of activation energy were calculated from the linear approximation constructed as a result of processing thermoanalytical data. It was found that the addition of iron powder in amount of 1% to the coal tar distillate reduces the activation energy from 153.98 kJ/mol to 84.48 kJ/mol.

Phase partitioning effects on seasonal compositions and distributions of terrigenous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons along the South China Sea and East China Sea

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have posed serious risk to marine ecosystems due to their carcinogenic properties, and persistence in the environment and elevated bioaccumulation. It, therefore, becomes essential to examine spatial distribution, composition, and sources of PAHs. In this study, we have examined these PAH variations in the South China Sea (SCS) and East China Sea (ECS), that are experiencing rapid population and economic growth by the surrounding developing countries. It revealed high seasonal variations that significantly differ between dissolved and particulate PAHs concentrations. Spatial variations of PAHs across sites remain relatively insignificant. Persistently high particulate concentrations of the Naphthalene (Nap) were observed, whereas the dissolved concentrations of Fluorene (Flu) and Phenanthrene (Phen) remained prevalent across all the seasons. The result of non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) strongly reflects the weak dispersions of PAHs across the seasons and the contrasting effects of the phase partitioning. Principal component analysis indicates that the primary source of PAH contamination is coal tar or petroleum distillation. However, estimated risk quotient (RQ) values of both the dissolved and particulate PAHs in all the seasons are far below the high-risk levels, while dissolved PAHs displayed relatively higher values. This study signifies the importance of phase petitioning for PAHs monitoring and potential risk assessments.

Effect of Nickel Nanopowder on the Thermal Degradation of Coal Tar Distillate

Regularities of influence of nickel nanopowder on the thermal degradation of coal tar distillate were deter-mined using model-free Kissinger, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and model-fitting Coats-Redfern methods. Coal tar distillate with a boiling point of <350 °C was obtained by simple distillation of primary coal tar from the Shubarkol deposit. Nickel nanopowder was used as a catalyst and was added to coal tar distillate in a quantity of 1 % of the mass of the distillate and then the process of thermal degradation of coal tar distillate was con-ducted at heating rates 5, 10 and 20 °C/min in an inert gas medium. Nickel powder was obtained by high-voltage discharge impact on the dc electrolysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the obtained nickel powder has face-centered cubic structure and the average crystallite size calculated by the Scherrer equation was ~ 34 nm. Calculations of activation energy were performed via processing of thermogravimetric data. The Kissinger method showed that the activation energy value decreases from 145.19 kJ/mol to 43.65 kJ/mol, by the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) method the value decreases from 152.82 kJ/mol to 51.65 kJ/mol, and by the Coats-Redfern method the value decreases from 143.38 kJ/mol to 52.64 kJ/mol. Ap-plicability of these methods is ensured by the high values of correlation coefficients.

Adjusting hydrophily and aromaticity strategy for pitch-based hierarchical porous carbon and its application in flexible supercapacitor

Coal tar pitch (CTP), residue of coal tar distillation process, is regarded as one promising precursor of porous carbon (PC). However, almost all the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in CTP are hydrophobic, their poor dispersion in aqueous solution and insufficient contact with activating agents restrict the activation effect and cause uneven activation easily. Moreover, these PAHs possess easy polycondensation feature in heat-treatment process, which also obstruct the development of pore structures seriously. In this work, we proposed both introducing hydrophilic functional groups and adjusting aromatic structure strategy to modify its activation property. CTP was modified by H2O2 (CTP (O)) and HNO3 (CTP (N,O)), respectively. After activation, the modified samples derived porous carbon (PC-CTP (O) and PC-CTP (N,O)) had more developed pore structure, especially for PC-CTP (N,O), which possessed high specific surface area (2087 m2/g), hierarchical pore structure and certain N content (3.13 wt%). The mechanism was disclosed by analyzing structure changes of PAHs before and after different modifications. Specific capacitance of PC-CTP (N,O) attained 318.1 F/g at 0.5 A/g in three-electrodes system. Two equal PC-CTP (N,O) electrodes were further assembled into flexible cells using PVA/KOH solid electrolyte, and LED lights were lit for more than 4 min by three cells connected in series.

LncRNA-ENST00000556926 regulates the proliferation, apoptosis and mRNA transcriptome of malignant-transformed BEAS-2B cells induced by coal tar pitch.

As a byproduct of coal tar distillation, coal tar pitch (CTP) has been proven to be carcinogenic to human. However, the mechanisms of lung cancer induced by CTP are still unclear. It has been shown that long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) play an important role in the development of human cancers. This study aims to investigate the effect of LncRNA-ENST00000556926 on malignant-transformed human bronchial epithelial (BAES-2B) cells induced by coal tar pitch extracts (CTPE). In this study, BEAS-2B cells were treated with 2.4μg/ml of CTPE for 72h and then passaged; and the cells were treated 4 times in the same procedure, then passaged until passage 30 (CTPE30). Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to detect cell viability, then cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and transcriptome sequencing analysis was used to detect differentially expressed mRNAs after interference of ENST00000556926. The results indicated that the expression of ENST00000556926 in CTPE30 group was significantly higher compared with control group. Furthermore, after interfering the expression of ENST00000556926, cell viability was inhibited, and cell cycle was arrested while apoptosis of malignant-transformed BEAS-2B cells was promoted. Moreover, a total of 159 differentially expressed mRNAs were screened out after interference of ENST00000556926, including 62 up-regulated mRNAs and 97 down-regulated mRNAs. In addition, knockdown of ENST00000556926 decreased the expression of thioredoxin domain containing 5 (TXNDC5) and FOXD1. In conclusion, LncRNA-ENST00000556926 could regulate the proliferation, apoptosis and mRNA transcriptome of malignant-transformed BEAS-2B cells induced by CTP, which may provide a novel treatment strategy for lung cancer.

Characterization approach to develop distillation process for production of anode-grade coal tar pitch

Many efforts have been spent to make a trade-off between designing an efficient distillation system and meeting very strict requirements of pitch product. The design of coal tar distillation for pitch production should be able not only energetically efficient but also to meet the physicochemical requirements of pitch. This paper presents a practical approach and a systematic method of material characterizations to evaluate appropriate distillation operating conditions. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple coal tar distillation process that focused on obtaining anode-grade binder having certain specifications. The distillation process was carried out in two stages. The first stage occurred up to 360-370°C at atmospheric pressure to separate all volatile fractions. The second stage distillation involves vacuum pressure with 4 conditions in which A<B<C<D ranging from -4 to -35 cmHg and varying soaking time to convert soft pitch into hard pitch. Higher vacuum pressure of distillation is not necessarily high to meet specifications. Our finding shows that B is the most favourable vacuum pressure and can be further heat treated for specific requirements of pitch.

Energy analysis study of coal tar distillation process by feed splitting method

Coal tar is a high viscosity liquid and has a black color which formed as a by-product of the production process of coke and gas from coal. Coal tar compounds have high economic value because they can be resold and valuable. One valuable compound is naphthalene. The coal tar evaluation process of its constituent components is carried out by distillation, with a high level of naphthalene purity achieved up to 96%. The coal tar distillation process normally requires high energy, which leads to expensive operational costs. In order to achieve low energy consumption during the distillation process, a study of energy analysis in the coal tar distillation process needs to be done. This study aims to analyze the energy consumption of the distillation process by using simulator software. Process simulations will be performed using the Aspen HYSYS simulator, where the variable in the form of the ratio of the feed flow rate into the distillation tower is divided into two streams, namely cold stream and hot stream. The location of the changed input feed is also a changing variable in this study. The fixed variables in this study were the operating conditions of the distillation process and the incoming feed flow rate, which was 2 m3/hour. The simulations suggest that the amount of energy saved in the condenser unit is 4.40 percent and 5.28 percent in the reboiler unit. Tar batubara adalah cairan dengan viskositas tinggi dan berwarna hitam, hasil samping dari proses produksi kokas dan gas dari batubara. Senyawa tar ini memiliki nilai ekonomi yang tinggi karena komponen-komponen penyusunannya dapat dijual kembali dan bernilai, salah satunya adalah naftalena. Proses pemisahan tar batubara dari komponen-komponen penyusunnya dilakukan dengan cara destilasi, dengan tingkat kemurnian naftalena yang tinggi yaitu 96%. Proses destilasi tar batubara ini seringkali membutuhkan energi yang besar, sehingga kajian mengenai analisa konsumsi energi pada proses destilasi tar batubara perlu dilakukan. Studi analisa energi pada proses destilasi tar batubara dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode simulasi proses. Simulasi proses destilasi dilakukan dengan menggunakan perangkat lunak berupa Aspen HYSYS, dimana variabel yang berupa ratio laju alir umpan masuk ke dalam menara destilasi dibagi menjadi 2 aliran, yaitu aliran dingin dan aliran panas. Letak umpan masuk yag dirubah juga merupakan variabel berubah pada penelitian ini. Variable tetap pada penelitian ini adalah kondisi operasi proses destilasi dan laju alir umpan masuk, yaitu 2 m 3 /jam. Hasil dari simulasi yang telah dilakukan didapatkan besarnya energi yang dapat dihemat sebesar 4.40% pada unit condenser dan 5.28% pada unit reboiler.

Production of Carbon Black in Turbulent Spray Flames of Coal Tar Distillates

Conventional carbon black production occurs by pyrolysis after heavy aromatic feedstock is injected into the post-combustor region of furnace black reactors. The current work examines the conversion of the coal tar distillate in turbulent spray flames to demonstrate a more compact reactor configuration. Coal tar distillates diluted in toluene is atomized and burned in a standardized flame spray synthesis configuration, known as SpraySyn. Flame conditions are characterized by thermocouple, soot pyrometry and image analysis and product particle properties are examined by TEM and Raman spectroscopy. The measured flame temperature corresponds to the range of temperatures used in the furnace black process, but the current synthesis includes oxidizing conditions and faster residence times. The resulting carbon black particles are aggregates with primary particle sizes on the small end of the carbon black size spectrum, according to analysis of TEM images. Carbon black, formed under a range of flame temperatures, show Raman spectra with features resembling typical carbon black materials. Conversion of coal tar distillate to carbon black by direct flame synthesis may be a scalable method to produce high-surface area grades without a conventional pyrolysis reactor stage.

CO2 capture by novel hierarchical activated ordered micro-mesoporous carbons derived from low value coal tar products

Activated ordered mesoporous carbon (AOMC) sorbents for CO 2 capture have been synthesized, characterized and evaluated. They were obtained using low-value products from the distillation of coal tar and following a hard templating method to achieve an ordered mesoporous structure. Both physical and chemical activation processes were applied. It was observed that neither physical nor chemical activation affected the mesopore structure of the samples. Regarding the CO 2 capture, the best chemical AOMC was the one activated at 850 °C with a KOH:carbon ratio of 4:1 (2.48 mmol/g AOMC), whilst the best physical activated one was obtained upon activation during 48 h with a burn-off degree of 48% and dissolving the template afterwards (2.38 mmol/g AOMC). In the present case the ordered mesoporous structure was thought to facilitate CO 2 diffusion into the micropores of the porous carbons. The best samples were tested for CO 2 capture at different operational conditions, considering capture temperatures up to 150 °C and CO 2 partial pressures between 5 and 90% (balance N 2 ). Their performance was also tested over six adsorption-desorption cycles, and it was determined that the working capacity remained constant and the mesoporous structure was not modified. • Activated mesoporous carbons were synthesized from low-value coal tar products. • CO 2 capture at different temperatures and concentrations was studied. • Enhanced CO 2 diffusion to the micropores by the mesoporous structure was observed. • Comparable CO 2 uptakes with those of commercial AC have been reached. • No modification of the structure was observed after 6 consecutive regeneration cycles.

Effects of surface functional groups of coal-tar-pitch-derived nanoporous carbon anodes on microbial fuel cell performance

Coal tar pitch, the residue generated from distillation of coal tar, is cheap, abundant, and carbon enriched. This paper evaluates the effects of the surface modification of coal-tar pitch-derived nanoporous carbons (NPCs) as anode materials on the performance of Escherichia coli (E. coli)-based microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for the first time. The coal-tar pitch precursors are heated under N2 to 450 °C (450O) and 750 °C (750X) to obtain NPCs with different concentrations of oxygen-containing functional groups. 750X is, thereafter, doped with nitrogen atoms to generate a nitrogen-doped NPCs (750N). More biofilm is formed on the 750N anode than the 750X or 450O anode because of the higher electrical conductivity and biocompatibility of 750N. As a result, a higher power output of MFC is obtained when the 750N anode is used. The maximum power density of 750N is 3772 mW m−2, while that of 750X and 450O are 2876 mW m−2 and 3562 mW m−2, respectively, demonstrating that 750N is a potential sustainable anode material for high-performance MFC applications.

Dependence of the Softening Temperature of Coal Pitch on the Conditions of Coal-Tar Distillation

Dependence of the Softening Temperature of Coal Pitch on the Conditions of Coal-Tar Distillation

Effect of Process Parameter on Coal Tar Distillate Products

Coal tar pitch is broadly classified into two kinds based on their properties: Binder Pitch for aluminum and Graphite Industry Impregnated Pitch with less than 0.5% QI (Quinoline Insoluble) used in the graphite industry. To maximize value realization through downstream processing of coal tar, proposal was made to explore the feasibility of conversion of different qualities of coal tars from different steel plants to coal tar pitch (CTP) of different varieties (binder as well as zero QI impregnated for both Al & graphite industries), through first level of fractional distillation. In this study, four qualities of coal tar samples three from plant 1 (TP-1, TP-2, and TP-3) and one from plant 2 (TP-4) were collected and sent to laboratory for necessary evaluation, conversion and subsequent characterization studies. Zero QI impregnated pitch from coal tar (TP-1, TP-2, and TP-3) can also be made using solvent extraction or sedimentation process, which may not be cost-effective. Depending on the required specifications for binder & impregnated grade pitches, process parameters during vacuum distillation, were optimized through this collaborative work. On conversion of coal tar sample into coal tar pitches, QI content depends on distillation temperature, vacuum and soaking time.