Heavy Duty Screw Conveyor for Petroleum Coke

General Description

Petroleum coke is a carbon-rich solid material that is a by-product of oil refining and produced during the final cracking process. Petroleum coke can either be fuel grade, which is high in sulfur and metals or anode grade, which is low in sulfur and metals. Raw coke is referred to as green, or unprocessed coke. Further processing of green coke is required by calcining in a rotary kiln to remove residual volatile hydrocarbons. Calcined petroleum coke is further processed in an anode baking oven to produce anode coke of the desired shape and physical properties. Calcined petroleum coke’s nearly pure quality makes it ideal for use by the aluminum industry, which accounts for nearly 75 percent of the world’s calcined coke consumption. For every pound of aluminum produced, about 0.4 pounds of carbon anode are consumed.

Oxbow Carbon is one of the world’s largest producers of calcined petroleum coke. The Baton Rouge facility produces over 700,000 tons per year of calcined petroleum coke. The facility receives raw petroleum coke by truck, rail, barge, and ship from domestic and international oil refiners and with four rotary kilns, processes green petroleum coke into both anode and industrial product grade calcined coke.

Both unprocessed and processed petroleum coke is transported via screw conveyors. The harsh material characteristics require only the best and most robust screw conveyors in the market. KWS sets the standard for the industry and is largest screw conveyor manufacturer in North America due to our ability to provide rugged, high-quality solutions for difficult applications.

Design Parameters

1. Product Type: Calcined Petroleum Coke
2. Material Density: 45 to 50 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
3. Conveyor Capacity: 4,000 Cubic Feet Per Hour
4. Duty: 24 Hours Per Day, 7 Days Per Week
5. Temperature: 350-Degrees F Continuous

KWS Advantages

Engineers from KWS met with Oxbow in Baton Rouge to discuss the application and get a firsthand scope of the project. One extremely important aspect was customer support during the conveyor installation process. KWS exceeds customer expectations by providing field support and training during installation and scheduled outages. With hundreds of years of direct experience, KWS can make conveyor installation easy and ensure a successful project.

During meetings at the plant, KWS gathered critical data such as operating temperature, bulk material angle of repose, horsepower requirements, and potential structural interference issues. Every topic was discussed and agreed upon. Of all the topics, nothing was more important than safety. Every single safety concern regarding the conveyor was discussed and resolved. With all information gathered and recorded, KWS provided complete engineered drawings for customer approval.

KWS Special Features

The new KWS screw conveyor utilized heavy, abrasion resistant (AR400) flights mounted on large diameter, heavy-wall pipe to ensure long life and uninterrupted production. For added strength, KWS specified three bolt drilling with bolt pads on all connections. Bolt pads increase pipe-to-shaft connection strength by at least 200-percent. KWS also added abrasion resistant (AR400) liners in the troughs to increase conveyor life. The drive unit selected by KWS produced excessive torque to power through upset conditions.

KWS field engineers were part of the installation process. Working closely with the installers and providing key information allowed for a seamless and perfect installation. Experience, dedication and working with the customer from start to finish ensures a lifelong relationship and provides the absolute best customer service experience in the industry.