In-situ Formation of Sulphur-Trapped Petroleum Coke via Thermal Cracking of Vacuum Residue: A Practical Approach to Reduce Environmental Pollution

Environmental regulations restrict the use of high-sulphur petroleum coke as a solid fuel due to the emission of a substantial amount of sulphur oxides (SOx) upon combustion. Therefore, the free sulphur present in petroleum coke needs to be reduced to achieve lower SOx emissions. This paper describes a novel and efficient method for the trapping of free sulphur in petroleum coke during its formation from vacuum residue in the presence of an additive. Among the various additives tested, calcium oxide (10 wt%) was found to be most effective for maximum trapping of free sulphur in petroleum coke. This sulphur-trapped petroleum coke reduces SO2 emissions by 67% upon combustion; hence, it can be used as a better fuel than regular high-sulphur petroleum coke. Thus, by replacing regular petroleum coke with this newly developed sulphur-trapped petroleum coke, environmental pollution can be reduced significantly.