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BIA-Brukerstyrt innovasjonsarena

WOCA - Wood Based Carbon Electrodes

Alternative title: WOCA - Trebaserte Karbon-Elektroder

Awarded: NOK 1.5 mill.

Project Manager:

Project Number:

269571

Project Period:

2017 - 2018

Funding received from:

The metallurgical industry consumes large volumes of carbon electrode materials in the production of e.g. aluminium, steel and ferro alloys. Currently, these carbon electrodes constitute 75-85% coke and 15-25% coal tar pitch. The pitch, which serves as a binder for the electrodes, contains substantial poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), thus representing a major health and working environment problem for the metallurgical industry. The goal of the Wood Based Carbon Electrodes (WOCA) project was to develop new, environmentally friendly binders from wood that can replace the fossil-based coal-tar binders currently used in the production of carbon electrodes. This would significantly improve the production of metals by eliminating the environmentally hazardous emissions of PAHs associated with the use of coal tar pitch. In addition, it has the potential to notably reduce the CO2 footprint of the same industry. The project was a continuation of the NFR BIA project 235148 "Green Binder for Carbon Products". During the project, various wood-based binders were prepared and assessed for potential use in carbon electrodes for Søderberg and pre-baked electrode applications.

Above all, this project has significantly increased interdisciplinary research collaboration between leading Norwegian companies, Elkem and Borregaard. Through this research, a much improved understanding of plant-based binders for carbon materials has been achieved in terms of both potential opportunities and remaining challenges.

The overall goal of the WOCA project is to develop a wood based binder for Søderberg- and pre-baked electrodes used in the metallurgical industry. Today these electrode materials constitute 75-85% coal/coke and 15-25% coal tar pitch. The pitch, which serves as the current binder, contains almost pure PAH (poly aromatic hydrocarbons) which is a major health and working environment problem, as well as an emission problem for the metal industry. Moreover, the EU has signalled that coal tar pitch will be put under more strict REACH regulations, categorizing it as a substance of very high concern. Thus, it is of utmost importance to find environmentally friendly, PAH-free alternatives. The project is a continuation of the NFR BIA project 235148 "Green Binder for Carbon Products". Through this project significant progress towards a bio-binder has been made, and an environmentally friendly binder that can be used to produce pre-baked electrodes of quality close to those prepared with coal tar pitch has been developed. However, the results obtained did not provide a conclusion on all criteria with respect to use of the green binder in commercial electrodes, and more research is needed, in particular with focus on reactivity of the resulting electrodes in an operational environment. Successful implementation of the use of wood based binders in Søderberg- and pre-baked carbon electrodes will significantly reduce the CO2 footprint and improve health, environment and security(HES)aspects for the metallurgic industry.

Funding scheme:

BIA-Brukerstyrt innovasjonsarena