Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets

Carbon anodes play an essential role in the production of primary aluminium. Currently fossil carbon is used for producing carbon anodes. Reducing the carbon utilization and replacing the fossil carbon are the main routes to reduce carbon footprint and increase sustainability of the aluminium produc...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liang Wang, Lukas Baldauf, Øyvind Skreiberg, Gøril Jahrsengene, Stein Rorvik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2022-06-01
Series:Chemical Engineering Transactions
Online Access:https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/12431
_version_ 1818549710352285696
author Liang Wang
Lukas Baldauf
Øyvind Skreiberg
Gøril Jahrsengene
Stein Rorvik
author_facet Liang Wang
Lukas Baldauf
Øyvind Skreiberg
Gøril Jahrsengene
Stein Rorvik
author_sort Liang Wang
collection DOAJ
description Carbon anodes play an essential role in the production of primary aluminium. Currently fossil carbon is used for producing carbon anodes. Reducing the carbon utilization and replacing the fossil carbon are the main routes to reduce carbon footprint and increase sustainability of the aluminium production industry. Carbon anodes for aluminium production are baked in anode baking furnaces where they are surrounded and covered by packing coke from fossil sources (calcined petroleum or metallurgical coke) at high temperature for a period of up to 1-2 weeks. To reduce utilization of fossil-based coke, there is a need to identify, test and develop new packing material for use in the anode baking furnace. In this work, pellets produced from steam exploded and further pelletized stem wood were studied as a potential covering material for carbon anode production. The steam exploded pellets were calcinated at temperatures relevant to the industrial anode baking process (i.e., 1000, 1100 and 1300 ºC). The critical properties of raw and calcinated steam exploded pellets as covering material were characterized and assessed, including weight loss, volatile matter content, mechanical durability and strength. Additionally, the microstructure and ash chemistry of the pellets calcinated at different conditions were investigated by using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Results showed that both volatile matter content and mechanical strength of the steam exploded pellets decrease upon increase of calcination temperature and residence time. SEM analysis revealed that untreated pellets have dense and compact structure with rather smooth and intact surface. Calcination caused formation of cracks and openings on the surface of treated pellets, partially explaining the decrease of mechanical strength of the pellets. In addition, visible migration and agglomeration of ash on calcinated pellets surfaces was observed. With increasing calcination strength, inorganic elements sinter and form a compact layer with Ca as the main element.
first_indexed 2024-12-12T08:36:54Z
format Article
id doaj.art-58e6970b0c4a46a5aed010b75eb01532
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2283-9216
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-12T08:36:54Z
publishDate 2022-06-01
publisher AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
record_format Article
series Chemical Engineering Transactions
spelling doaj.art-58e6970b0c4a46a5aed010b75eb015322022-12-22T00:30:55ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162022-06-019210.3303/CET2292060Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded PelletsLiang WangLukas BaldaufØyvind SkreibergGøril JahrsengeneStein RorvikCarbon anodes play an essential role in the production of primary aluminium. Currently fossil carbon is used for producing carbon anodes. Reducing the carbon utilization and replacing the fossil carbon are the main routes to reduce carbon footprint and increase sustainability of the aluminium production industry. Carbon anodes for aluminium production are baked in anode baking furnaces where they are surrounded and covered by packing coke from fossil sources (calcined petroleum or metallurgical coke) at high temperature for a period of up to 1-2 weeks. To reduce utilization of fossil-based coke, there is a need to identify, test and develop new packing material for use in the anode baking furnace. In this work, pellets produced from steam exploded and further pelletized stem wood were studied as a potential covering material for carbon anode production. The steam exploded pellets were calcinated at temperatures relevant to the industrial anode baking process (i.e., 1000, 1100 and 1300 ºC). The critical properties of raw and calcinated steam exploded pellets as covering material were characterized and assessed, including weight loss, volatile matter content, mechanical durability and strength. Additionally, the microstructure and ash chemistry of the pellets calcinated at different conditions were investigated by using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX). Results showed that both volatile matter content and mechanical strength of the steam exploded pellets decrease upon increase of calcination temperature and residence time. SEM analysis revealed that untreated pellets have dense and compact structure with rather smooth and intact surface. Calcination caused formation of cracks and openings on the surface of treated pellets, partially explaining the decrease of mechanical strength of the pellets. In addition, visible migration and agglomeration of ash on calcinated pellets surfaces was observed. With increasing calcination strength, inorganic elements sinter and form a compact layer with Ca as the main element.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/12431
spellingShingle Liang Wang
Lukas Baldauf
Øyvind Skreiberg
Gøril Jahrsengene
Stein Rorvik
Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
Chemical Engineering Transactions
title Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
title_full Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
title_fullStr Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
title_short Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on Properties of Steam Exploded Pellets
title_sort effect of calcination temperature and time on properties of steam exploded pellets
url https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/12431
work_keys_str_mv AT liangwang effectofcalcinationtemperatureandtimeonpropertiesofsteamexplodedpellets
AT lukasbaldauf effectofcalcinationtemperatureandtimeonpropertiesofsteamexplodedpellets
AT øyvindskreiberg effectofcalcinationtemperatureandtimeonpropertiesofsteamexplodedpellets
AT gøriljahrsengene effectofcalcinationtemperatureandtimeonpropertiesofsteamexplodedpellets
AT steinrorvik effectofcalcinationtemperatureandtimeonpropertiesofsteamexplodedpellets