A product of Sasol Secunda refinery to be processed and exported to industries consuming high quality ultra-low sulphur coke worldwide.
“The Durrans Group purchases green coke from Sasol Secunda refinery and currently calcines the product in China. The Group approached Sasol with the view to beneficiating the product in South Africa for the obvious reason of eliminating the extended logistics and process costs,” said Chris Durrans, Managing Director of Sheffield, UK-headquatered James Durrans & Sons Limited, one of the three companies involved in developing the greenfields project in Sasolburg in the Free State province of South Africa. Also involved in the project are Carbon International Ltd and Durrans RMS (Pty) Ltd.
“Carbon International is commissioning a calcination plant in the ChemCity industrial complex in Sasolburg. The innovative plant is the first of its kind to be erected in this country and in fact the first plant to be erected outside of China by the Chinese process engineering company, SAMI. This project will give a boost to the local economy as well as create employment opportunities,” continued Durrans.
Carbon International is commissioning a calcination plant in the ChemCity industrial complex in Sasolburg. The innovative plant is the first of its kind to be erected in this country and in fact the first plant to be erected outside of China by the Chinese process engineering company, SAMI. The project will give a boost to the local economy as well as create employment opportunities
“Designing, building and commissioning a plant such as ours takes time. Additionally, many considerations and acts have to be taken into account. Our proposed site at the time when we began with this project in early 2016 was an undeveloped (vacant) piece of land, zoned as industrial, and formed part of the development of the ChemCity industrial complex in Sasolburg.”
“An Environmental Authorisation (EA) in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act No. 107 of 1998) was required prior to construction. The proposed calcination plant triggered an Activities of Listing Notice 2 (GN 984) of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations. An application for the EA was lodged with the Free State Department of Economics, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process was undertaken,” explained Durrans.
The main components of a calcination plant include a green coke delivery and storage area, a vertical shaft kiln/calciner, a calcined coke storage-silo, calcined coke crushing, screening and bagging facility and a storage area for the products of the calcination process
The petroleum coke produced by a coking unit is generally referred to as green petroleum coke. Green petroleum coke contains relatively minor concentrations of volatiles, which are removed in a calcining unit. The volatiles would be catastrophic if introduced into molten metal. The green coke is preheated in the top of the shaft kiln by rising combustion gases. In the intermediate section of the kiln, the coke is then heat soaked at calcining temperatures and finally cooled by recycled gas moving upwards from the lower part of the kiln. Cooled calcined coke is recovered from the bottom of the kiln
“As Carbon International Ltd had not been set up in South Africa at the initial stages of the project we solicited the services of Durrans RMS (a joint venture between the Durrans Group and Resistant Materials Services (Pty) Ltd) personnel to project manage, assist in procurement, administration and financial control of the project. This complemented the Carbon International objective as Durrans RMS has the expertise and in addition has had many dealings with Sasol in these carbonaceous products as well as the solvents that they manufacture.”
“Once we had obtained all the study findings and complied with the regulatory requirements, permission was given for us to proceed with construction of the plant by DESTEA in April 2017. The civil construction phase began in December 2017 and the fabricators commenced erection of the plant in May 2018.”
The calcination plant
“The main components of a calcination plant include a green coke delivery and storage area, a vertical shaft kiln/calciner, a calcined coke storage-silo, calcined coke crushing, screening and bagging facility and a storage area for the products of the calcination process.”
The coke calcining process is a time-temperature function conducted in an oxygen deficient atmosphere. The process is controlled by the rate of heating, addition of air to the kiln and the final calcination temperature. The coke must be subjected to temperatures up to 1 350°C
Besides the furnace being imported from China all other components of the plant are local content, manufactured and installed or fabricated by South African companies
“Besides the furnace being imported from China all other components of the plant are local content, manufactured and installed or fabricated by South African companies,” said Durrans.
The calcination process
Petroleum refineries produce various grades of petroleum coke. The petroleum coke produced by a coking unit is generally referred to as green petroleum coke. Green petroleum coke contains relatively minor concentrations of volatiles, which are removed in a calcining unit. The volatiles would be catastrophic if introduced into molten metal.
The green coke is preheated in the top of the shaft kiln by rising combustion gases. In the intermediate section of the kiln, the coke is then heat soaked at calcining temperatures and finally cooled by recycled gas moving upwards from the lower part of the kiln. Cooled calcined coke is recovered from the bottom of the kiln.
Suppliers and the management team from Durrans RMS that project managed, assisted in procurement, administration and financial control of the project
The whole team involved in developing the greenfields project in Sasolburg in the Free State province of South Africa
The coke calcining process is a time-temperature function, conducted in an oxygen deficient atmosphere. The process is controlled by the rate of heating, addition of air to the kiln and the final calcination temperature. The coke must be subjected to temperatures up to 1 350°C.
The final quality of the calcined petroleum coke is directly related to the quality of the green coke minus the volatiles fed into the calciner.
Local economy
“The Metsimaholo Local Municipality (MLM), which includes Sasolburg, has a number of strategic priorities that are identified in the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and Spatial Development Framework (SDF). One of these strategic priorities is to build the local economy to create more employment.”
“We are proud that we have been able to increase our investment portfolio within South Africa while at the same time create employment. The resulting exports will yield foreign revenue for the country, a much needed source for any country. However, the most compelling aspect of this project is that it is possible to beneficiate local resources, whether they are raw materials or byproducts. This will ultimately create wealth for the country,” concluded Durrans.
The three companies involved in developing the greenfields project in Sasolburg in the Free State province of South Africa include:
James Durrans & Sons Limited
James Durrans & Sons Limited was established in 1863 and supplies the world’s manufacturing industries with carbonaceous materials from refractory coatings, milled coal dust and anthracite, metallurgical and petroleum cokes, friction and lubricants products through to natural and specialist synthetic graphitic products. The company has nine manufacturing sites spread across the world.
Durrans RMS (Pty) Ltd
Durrans RMS (Pty) Ltd was established in 1999 in South Africa as a joint venture (JV) between the Durrans Group and Resistant Materials Services (Pty) Ltd (RMS). This company specialises in the manufacture and distribution of refractory coatings and refractory parting mediums that are both water and alcohol based. Additionally, Durrans RMS distributes the range of carbon products from the Durrans Group in South Africa and neighbouring countries.
Carbon International Ltd
Carbon International, a UK-headquartered supplier of carbon-based products to the world’s manufacturing industries. Carbon International Limited processes and manufactures high purity and granular carbonaceous materials. It offers medium sulfur and low sulfur carburisers, metallurgical coke, machined graphite and slag coagulant. The company was incorporated in 1991 and is based in Bilston, United Kingdom. Carbon International Limited operates as a subsidiary of James Durrans and Sons Limited.
For further details contact Durrans RMS on TEL: 011 917 0702, email rms@rmscc.co.za or visit www.durransrms.co.za
