Coal, a 200 million year old energy source, is one of the greatest gifts that the earth has to offer for the future of human beings. We explore the potential of this inspirational energy source through the development of human and environment-friendly products.
Coal is a substance foamed in ecosystem through million years of transformation of ancient plants with terrestrial pressure and geothermal heat. This fossil fuel, the remains of ancient plants that have been bred in the arms of mother earth, is a wonderful gift from distant past.
With our knowledge of chemistry, we convert this gift from the pas into the future - that is truly a "miracle."
NEEDLE COKE/PITCH COKE
Further Development and Advancement
In 1969, the Sakaide Plant began its operation as the main plant for the Mitsubishi Chemical's coke business inheriting the torch from a coke oven of the Kurosaki Plant in Kitakyushu. Since then, the coke ovens has never once shut down and the fire has been burning for 40 years to ensure the stable supply of cokes for iron production.
Coke Oven
As well as supplying cokes for iron production, the Sakaide Plant has also been developing innovative products that can maximize the potential of coal by focusing on the by-products derived in the process of coke formation such as gas or coal tar. Development of electrode carbon materials such as Needle Coke or Pitch Coke and carbon products such as Pitch-based Carbon Fiber consequently led to a large expansion of the business. In addition, new projects designed for the development of lithium-ion battery materials or alumina fiber have been undertaken with the aim to further advance and enrich human life. The Sakaide Plant, Japan's largest "comprehensive coal-chemical plant" that deals with coal and carbon, looks forward to continue contributing to the domestic and international societies through development of innovative technologies and attractive products. It is honor to work together as a team of an international "coal-chemical plant" founded upon practical expertise accumulated through many years of focused commitment to corporate safety, security and environment. And we hope to continue providing high-quality, high added-value products and services that meet both domestic and international demands.
3.9 MILLION TONS OF HIGH-QUALITY COKE GENERATED WITH UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Coke is an essential material for blast furnace steel mills. The Sakaide Plant imports over forty different types of coals suitable for different uses. In order to ensure stability in quality, between 10 and 14 types of coals out of the forty are mixed and crushed into pieces about 1mm in size using Sakai de Plant's own technology. The coals are then charged into the coke oven and carbonized (coking) at temperatures ranging 1,100-1 ,200 degrees Celsius for 17 to 18 hours. The Sakaide Plant has 323 coke ovens that are 6 - 7 meters high and 15- 17 meters deep, which are all equipped with highly advanced production control system that, for example, automatically controls the temperature of the oven due to the nature of each coal. Such need-based system enabled us to achieve an annual production capacity of 3.9 million tons of high-quality coke. Our cokes are used by major steel mills in Japan and overseas.
FROM COKE OVENS TO THE FUTURE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY WITH SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL
The Coke Oven Gas (COG) that is produced during the coking process is utilized in many different fields. The COG removed of ammonia and purified is used in the plant as heating fuel for the coke ovens, as well as being sent to Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc, a neighboring company, to be used as the fuel for thermal power generation.
Sulfuric Acid Removal Tower
Other byproducts generated in the process of purification of coke oven gas, such as ammonia, sulfur, or crude benzole are also suitable for industrial use. It is now our desire to discover new and effective utilization of COG, considering its characteristic that it is composed of approximately 60 percent hydrogen. The Sakaide Plant especially focuses on the development of earth- and environment-friendly, next-generation energy technologies.
TWO COKE DRUMS FOR HEAT TREATMENT
Two coke drum towers in the center of the Sakaide Plant. Green (raw) cokes are produced by charging the coke drums with high-temperature material pitch, leading heat decomposition and polymerization reaction. These important facilities are controlled with an advanced Factory Automation (FA) System and Computerized Automatic Optimization to maintain suitable manufacturing condition, which are both int ricately linked with the main production management system of the plant, so that the entire process from raw material coal tar to finished products is managed in a uniform fashion.
FLEXIBLE TRANSFORMATION OF COAL TAR WITH OUR NEW-VALUE-ADDING TECHNOLOGY
Needle cokes are used as a primary material for electrode used in an electric steel furnace that melts and refines steel scrap. It took us nearly a decade to finally produce world's first coal-based needle coke. Compared to the conventional oil-based needle coke, the coal-based needle coke has certain distinguishing characteristics, such as high heat durability and world's lowest thermal expansion rate.
Pitch cokes that are also produced from coal tar are an essential material for building production equipment for semiconductor or solar array panel. The Sakaide Plant manages the manufacturing process in a uniform fash ion to ensure stable provision of high-quality products, as well as conducting an intense and profound study to contribute to the development of next-generation systems that are capable of further growth.
OUR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH WAS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND REWARDED WITH THE PRESTIGIOUS OKOCHI MEMORIAL PRIZE
We were awarded the 27th Okochi Memorial Prize for "establishing manufacturing technology for coal tar-based needle coke." The prize is presented to honor individuals and enterprises who demonstrate outstanding achievements in industrial production, and is recognized throughout various fields of technology as one of the most prestigious prize.
TO DELIVER WORLD CLASS QUALITY!
High-quality needle cokes are absolutely Imperative In creating excellent electrodes that can endure high temperature over 3,000 degrees Celsius. Ensuring high quality products is also an important job. For example, there Is the "thermal expansion coefficient measurement device," which we use to heat the product samples to a high temperature in order to maintain low thermal expansion coefficient to prevent cracking and such. We are performing various analysis on a daily basis at the Sakaide Plant.
Thermal Expansion Rate Measurement Device
MATERIAL FOR LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
BATTERY MATERIALS WITH OUTSTANDING HIGH-ENERGY DENSITY TO MEET THE EMERGING NEEDS
The Sakaide Plant develops lithium-ion battery materials that have the world's highest energy density. We manufacture two types of carbon-based anode materials - the high-power "MPG" and high-capacity "ICG." Mitsubishi Chemical is the world's only company that provides all four key materials: anode materials, cathode materials, formulated electrolytes, and separators.
Taking advantage of our knowledge and advanced technologies as the integrated chemical company, we provide major battery makers with advanced materials to meet the diversifying market needs. We continue to move forward with establishing stable supply chain as well as developing high-performance materials in pursuit of the hybrid cars applications.
Research Facility to Support Stable Production of Anode Material
Operational Model of Lithium-ion Battery
CONVERTING ANODE MATERIALS INTO PRODUCTS
Anode material is coated on copper foil and made into an electrode. Electrodes are built into batteries for cellular phones and laptop computers, and most likely for hybrid (electric) cars.
THE SECRET OF LITHIUM-ION BATTERY AND HIGH-ENERGY DENSITY
In lithium-ion batteries. the lithium ion moves between anode and cathode electrodes during the repeated cycles of discharging and charging. The exceptionally small lithium ion easily moves between the electrodes and achieves several times of energy density compared to the nickel-metal hydride batteries. It is suitable not only tor small and lightweight cellular phones or laptop computers but also for hybrid cars that require a large amount of energy.
CARBON FIBER
WORLD'S LEADING TECHNOLOGY HIGH-PERFORMANCE CARBON FIBER TO REPLACE STEEL
"DIALEAD®;• a coal tar-based product of Mitsubishi Plastics, is a coal tar pitch-based carbon fiber successfully commercialized for the first time in the world. Due to its highly desirable characteristics - lighter than aluminum and firmer than steel, high thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion coefficient - it is now being used in a wide variety of fields, such as aerospace, robotics, or industrial machinery.
Since the successful commercialization of the product, the Sakaide Plant has been manufacturing "DIALEAD®," the high-performance carbon fiber with a core diameter of 10~ from coal-tar-derived mesophase pitch and by performing a spinning process and a high temperature heat treatment process. "DIALEAD®," the high-performance carbon fiber we have been manufacturing since the commercialization, is expected to be applied in many fields including automobile industry and renewable energy industry as a highly efficient environment-friendly material. We are also working proactively to deliver composite materials which will be applicable in many other fields.
THE FIRST INVENTOR OF CARBON FIBER WAS EDISON!
The history of carbon fiber is very long. It is said that the carbon fiber was first brought to life by Thomas Edison when he used burnt-bamboo slivers as the filament for his electric bulb The development of bamboo slivers was discontinued as substitute materials were discovered, however, it regained world attention after the war. The Sakaide Plant, based on its coke-related technology, succeeded in creating pitch -based carbon fiber, which is now used in daily commodities and in space technology.
Source: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
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