The Countless Uses of Carbon

PETROLEUM coke," in the words of JohnStobbart, sales manager of Sohio's

subsidiary Mountaineer Carbon Company,"is the last thing you can get out of abarrel of crude oil." But it is one of thefirst things customers of Mountaineer, awholly owned Sohio subsidiary, look forwhen they need a source of carbon, oneof the most versatile basic ingredients inindustry.

When crude oil is refined, it yields amyriad of well-known products from gas­oline to lubricating oil and leaves anunpromising-looking tarry substance

Aluminum producers are major customers for carbon elec­trodes used in manufacturing the light, but strong, metal.

very similar to asphalt at the bottom of therefinery fractionating tower. But whenheated and "cracked," as it is at Sohio'srefineries at Toledo and Lima, Ohio, thissubstance yields still more products-heavyoils and waxes. After that, what is left is"green" petroleum coke.

Petroleum coke isn't much to look at.It is solid at room temperatures and issomewhat like coal in appearance. It isvery similar to the coke which is made byremoving certain tars and gases from coalby baking. However, petroleum coke hasfewer metallic contaminants, has betterelectrical properties, is softer, and whenburnt leaves remarkably little ash, usuallyless than 1 percent. Before World War IIgreen petroleum coke often was used asheating fuel in the refineries where it wasproduced, in other industries, and in homes.Since then more sophisticated industrialuses for the coke have grown rapidly.

Most of the green petroleum coke iscarbon-the one element found in everyliving cell. Besides being one of nature'smost vital building blocks, it is also one ofman's. A small portion of Sohio's greencoke is used in the manufacture of abra­sives, such as silicon carbide, the stuff thatmakes some sandpapers rough. Howevermost of Sohio's green coke is shipped tothe Mountaineer plant in Cresap, WestVirginia, where it undergoes a processcalled calcining.

"This is basically a roasting process,"Stobbart explains. "The green coke isheated to more than 2,000 degrees F.which changes its purity, density, and elec­trical characteristics." The roasting, donein huge rotary kilns under carefully con­trolled conditions, drives off water, burnsoff any oils left in the coke, and makes itmore dense. When it leaves the calciningkilns, it is almost 99 percent pure carbon.

The Mountaineer plant also calcines a

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Mountaineer graphite is used in giant elec­trodes for steel furnaces such as this atRepublic Steel Corp. Chicago district plant.

Black carbon is consumed in producing a purewhite pigment used in paints and other products

relatively small amount of coal. Anthracite(hard) coal is heated to remove unwantedcomponents. The resulting product is alsomostly carbon, though not as pure aspetroleum coke.

One of the most important propertiesof the carbon produced from petroleumcoke is its superior ability to carry elec­tricity. This makes the carbon in widedemand as a raw material for industrialelectrodes and even dry-cell flashlightbatteries. The manufacture of aluminumdepends on such electrodes, and aluminumcompanies are Mountaineer's largestcustomers.

IN making aluminum, ore and electrolyteare put into large pots for refining. The

mixture, when heated, becomes molten."The pots are like big cake pans," Stobbartexplains, "some 40 feet long, 20 feet wide,and 3 or 4 feet deep." The pot linings aremade from calcined anthracite coal withmetallic electrodes imbedded within thelining. Other block-like petroleum cokecarbon electrodes are lowered into thebath. When a powerful electrical currentis passed between the two sets of elec­trodes the electricity heats the ore mixtureto about 1,800 degrees F., and separates

Mountaineer CarbonClears the Air

An~onyGongo~,~adope~

ator, checks new control panel.

the aluminum from impurities. In the pro­cess, the carbon is consumed. "For everypound of aluminum that is made in theworld, about half a pound of carbon isconsumed," Stobbart notes.

Carbon from petroleum coke-black asthe darkest night- is used to producetitanium dioxide, one of the whitest pig­ments known. This white pigment is widelyused in the manufacture of many familiaritems, such as paint, plastics, paper, andtextiles. To make the white pigment, ti­tanium ore, an earthlike substance, ismixed with calcined petroleum coke andreacted with chlorine. The carbon is con­sumed in the reaction. The resulting inter­mediate product is purified, then treatedwith oxygen to yield the pure white,powderlike, pigment. Paints containingtitanium dioxide pigment, in addition tobeing dense white and able to cover manysurfaces in one coat, have an extraordinaryresistance to weathering and the destruc­tive rays from the sun and are self-cleaning.

Another large portion of Mountaineer'scalcined petroleum coke is used to makesynthetic graphite, an amazing mineralsimilar in composition to diamonds but verydifferent in the way it behaves. Diamondsand graphite, the stuff pencil leads are

Calcined coke is dusty and can be en­vironmentally undesirable unless the dustis controlled.

Mountaineer Carbon Company has amethod of suppressing the dust. After thecalcining and cooling processes the coketumbles through a zigzag blender in theshape of a big W, and a fine mist of heavyoil sprays over it. Maverick coke particlesare rounded up by the oil mist, which sticksthem onto larger pieces of coke. No cokeremains in the oil mist. No product iswasted. When the coke moves out of theblender it is essentially dust-free.

At the sizing plant where coke is groundto customer specifications, fans-acting asa giant vacuum cleaner-suck the dust intoa "bag house." The dust particles cling tolarge bags suspended from the ceiling, andthe clean air passes through the cloth.

"We're meeting all regulations of the

made from, are both mostly pure carbon.The way the molecules are arranged makesdiamonds one of the hardest substanceson earth, while graphite is one of thesoftest. Its softness makes graphite anexcellent dry lubricant, but most graphiteis used for huge electrodes in electricsteel furnaces.

THESE steel furnaces can hold severalhundred tons of the molten metal. The

electrodes, like immense pencil leads upto 8 feet long and 3 feet in diameter andweighing several hundred pounds, are putinto the furnace through its roof and ex­tended close to the iron mixture to berefined into steel. Great amounts of elec­tricity are passed through the electrodes,and an arc-like a controlled continuousbolt of lightning-jumps from the electrodeto the iron, producing intense heat. Thetemperature of the arc itself is about 6,000degrees F.; the metal reaches about 1,600degrees F. The process converts the ironinto steel or steel alloys which are manytimes stronger than iron.

Although most of Mountaineer's pro­duction goes to aluminum, graphite, andtitanium dioxide producers, the list ofcustomers is much longer. It includes

West Virginia Air Pollution ControlCommission as far as fugitive dust isconcerned," says Plant Manager JamesA. Holmquist, "but we still have a problemon the calciner cooler stacks. They're send­ing too much dirt into the atmosphere.We expect to install wet scrubbers onthe stacks this month, which will permitus to meet state requirements by the endof the year. This will bring our expendi­tures for environmental advances to about$3 million."

"We have no pollution problem regard­ing water," Holmquist says. "We obtainwater from our own well and discharge itclean into the Ohio River.

"What's significant are the many com­ments we've had from our employees whotell us that since we made the improve­ments Mountaineer is a cleaner, morepleasant place to work."

makers of products as diverse as urethanefoam, carbon monoxide, industrial chemi­cals, and foundry carbon-adjusting com­pounds. Petroleum coke, the last thing"out of the barrel," is also one of themost useful.

A different type of graphite is used inthe graphite fishing rods, golf clubs, tennisracquets, and other items now being widelyadvertised, but Sohio also has a part inthis material through its production ofacrylonitrile. The new "miracle material"­claimed to be four times stronger thansteel or aluminum - is called graphiteepoxy composite. The graphite for this isproduced by carbonizing and then graph­itizing thin strands of polyacrylonitrileplastic, similar to the plastics used in makingtelephone housings and many man-madefibers. Sohio is a world leader in the manu­facture of acrylonitrile, a basic chemicalused in such plastics. The thin strandsof graphite are woven into fabric whichis combined with epoxy resins to makea composite or "sandwich". The strongand light material has been called "thegreatest materials advance in 3,000 years,"and is being used in aircraft, spacecraft,sailboat masts, bicycle frames, and manyother products.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

NEW BAREX PLANT IS ON STREAM

A new plant producing~Barex 210 resin ison stream atSohio's Vistron chemicals complex at Lima, Ohio. Break­resistant Barex resin is used as a packaging material forchemicals, beverages, and food products. Used Barex resincontainers can be safely incinerated. Over $2 million wasspent on environmental protection equipment at thenew plant.

NEW MEXICO LICENSES URANIUM PLANT

The New Mexico Environmental Improvement. Agencyhas issued a license approving operation of the uraniumplant Sohio and Reserve Oil and Minerals Corp. are building50 miles west of Albuquerque. When completed in 1977the plant will produce about 1.5 million pounds of uraniumconcentrate a year for use in nuclear-powered electricalgenerating plants.

FEWER SERVICE STATIONS GOING UP

In a continuing survey the American Petroleum Institutereports that 23 leading gasoline marketers built a total of207 new service stations last year-82.5 percent fewer thanin 1973.

PRESIDENT FORD TOURS PARAHO SITE

President Gerald Ford and Federal Energy Administrationchief Frank Zarb toured the Paraho oil shale project test sitenear Rifle, Colorado. Mr. Ford said the nation needs suchprojects to reduce its dependency on imported oil. Sohioand 16 other companies are participating in the $8.5-millionParaho program.

MEXICO GETS ACRYLO LICENSE

Petroleas Mexicanos (Pemex) of Mexico has been li­censed by Sohio's chemicals subsidiary Vistron Corporationto build a plant for the manufacture of 110 million poundsof acrylonitrile annually using Sohio's patented one-stepprocess. The plant will be built at Tula, Mexico.

STUDY SHOWS INDEPENDENTS GAINING

A Standard Oil Co. of Indiana study indicates that,contrary to allegations that independent gasoline marketersare losing market share to rrajor oil companies, the in­dependents show a continuing growth pattern establishedwell before the advent of government controls. The studyshows independents holding 31.9 percent of the market inthe first quarter of 1975, up from 21.2 percent in 1971.

25 BARGES REACH PRUDHOE BAY

Weather and ice conditions which delayed this year's sealift of materials and equipment to Prudhoe Bay have easedenough to allow a portion of the 47-barge fleet to getthrough. As of October 6, 25 barges had reached PrudhoeBay and ten of them had been unloaded. The other 22 bargesare returning to ports in Southern Alaska. Except for twobarges which will be stored until next summer's sealift, thecargoes will be unloaded and Shipped north by other means.Delivery of this equipment wi~1 permit Prudhoe Bay develop­ment to continue on schedule.

SOHIO SELLS COMMON STOCK

On October 2 Sohio sold 2 million shares of its commonstock. Of those shares, 920,000 were sold publicly, while TheBritish Petroleum Company Limited purchased the remaining1,080,000 under terms of the 1969 agreement under whichit acquired its interest In Sohio.

COMPANY ADJUSTS PRICES

Sohio lowered the price of regular gasoline from one tothree cents a gallon at company-operated service stationsin various Ohio markets on September 27. Similar cuts werealso made on wholesale prices to dealers. The price re­ductions, the second made by Sohio since prices last wereincreased in July, were aimed at making stations moreresponsive to competition. On October 4 Sohio announceda two-cents-per-gallon price increase for heating oil, dieselfuel, and kerosine. The increase is in accord with FederalEnergy Administration regulations permitting the recoveryof increased crude oil and operating costs.

PHOTO CREDITSCover 1 by Edward Pieratt; cover 2 by Mark Portland; page 3by Edward Pieratt; page 4 by Robin Gunn Limited; pages 5-7by Michael Dubinsky; pages 8-9 courtesy Hospitality MotorInns; page 10 top courtesy Bay Area Rapid Transit, bottom byDavid Wilder; page 13 by Geddes Studio; page 15 by DavidWilder; page 16 courtesy Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.; page17 by Edward Pieratt; pages 18-19 by Michael Dubinsky;page 20 top by Gordon Daniels, bottom by Edward Pieratt;page 21 by George Richards; page 22 top courtesy RepublicSteel Corp., lower ieft coUrtesy Glidden Coating and ResinsDiv., SCM Corp., lower right by Mark Portland; cover 3 byMark Portland, cover 4 by George Richards.

TRADEMARKSThe following trademarks and service marks are the property ofThe Standard Oil Company (Ohio) and its subsidiaries: Barex,Boron, Canfield, Cetron, Farmex, Filon, Filon-Stripes, Frostex,Gas' & Go, Golden Duron, Ice-gard, Lubri-Chart, Lubri­Check, Nitrex, Octron, Oxco, Parowax, Piston Seal, Premex,Pro, Profile, Prolon, Pro-phy-Iac-tic, ova, Ree-Juve, Silmar,So-clear, Sohigro, Sohio, Solar, Trolkote, Trolumen, ValveEase', Vistron, and Wm. 'Penn. BP and BP in shield are usedby license.

Needed: More Natural6as

The severe natural gas shortage pre­dicted for this winter could deal aheavy blow to the nation's farm belt, aswell as to industry. Natural gas is es­sential in the manufacture of nitrogenfertilizer. If fertilizer producers, such asSohio's Vistron subsidiary, are severelyreduced in their gas supplies this win­ter, the fertilizer won't be available tofarmers when they need it to planttheir crops next spring. When crops

suffer, consumers generally suffer, too.What's causing the shortage? Industryleaders-and many outside experts­blame over 20 years of governmentprice controls which have kept thewellhead price of natural gas sold in­terstate at artificially low levels. Thishas encouraged consumption and dis­couraged the large investmentsneeded to discover and develop newsupplies.

The Sohioan1702 Midland Building

Prospect and West 2nd Street

CLEVELAND. OHIO 44115

OA96JOOOO

BULK RATEU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCleveland, Ohio

PERMIT NO. 782

052 0

SometimesSimple Pleasures

Are the Best

In these times, when conservation of energy mustbe part of our way of life, the pleasures of nearby parksand woodland trails have added attraction. There wecan enjoy the clear air and crisp color of autumn with­out the long-distance driving we should avoid to be

.sure there is fuel for all.