The article examines the issues of creating a special coke production in the country. The objectives of the study were to assess the technical and economic feasibility of organizing such production. In the course of the study, the production program, investment estimates and a model of financial and economic payback of the project were calculated. The study confirms the effectiveness of creating a special coke production in Kazakhstan, and the project itself can be recommended for implementation

Latypova, M.

Petrovskaya, A.

Romazanov, Zh.

Silayeva, O.

Tatieva, M.

English

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161METALURGIJA 62 (2023) 1, 161-163ZH. ROMAZANOV, O. SILAYEVA,  M. TATIEVA, M. LATYPOVA, A. PETROVSKAYAFEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL COKE PRODUCTION IN KAZAKHSTANReceived – Primljeno: 2022-06-29Accepted – Prihvaćeno: 2022-08-10Preliminary Note – Prethodno priopćenjeThe article examines the issues of creating a special coke production in the country. The objectives of the study were to assess the technical and economic feasibility of organizing such production. In the course of the study, the pro-duction program, investment estimates and a model of financial and economic payback of the project were calcu-lated. The study confirms the effectiveness of creating a special coke production in Kazakhstan, and the project itself can be recommended for implementation.Keywords: coke production, properties, investments, financial modeling, KazakhstanISSN 0543-5846METABK 62(1) 161-163 (2023)UDC – UDK 662.74-338.455.002.61:658.92:658.14:584=111INTRODUCTIONThe production of ferroalloys and technical silicon are the basic components of the metallurgical industry. Kazakhstan has significant reserves of low-caking and non-metallurgical coals unsuitable for the production of metallurgical coke. At the same time, such coals can be used in the production of metallurgical special coke [1].Of all carbonaceous materials (petroleum coke, charcoal and wood chips, some grades of coal) used in the smelting of ferroalloys and technical silicon, only special coke meets all the requirements for a solid re-ducing agent. Since it has a low ash content, a devel-oped porous structure, high mechanical strength, reac-tivity and electrical resistance [2].Hence, the article discusses the prospects of organ-izing the production of special coke.Potential consumers of the products planned for pro-duction (special coke) are two ferroalloy enterprises – Temirtau Electrometallurgical Combine JSC and Taraz Metallurgical Plant LLP, as well as the silicon production of Tau-Ken Temir LLP. The total demand of these enter-prises for special coke is more than 6 000 tons per month.ANALYSIS OF THE RAW  MATERIAL BASEThe main raw materials for the production of special coke are Shubarkol coal and K-12 grade coal.The coal industry of Kazakhstan is one of the largest sectors of the country’s economy. In terms of coal re-Zh. Romazanov, O. Silayeva, M. Tatieva, M. Latypova, A. Petrovskaya, Department of Economics and Business, Karaganda Industrial Univer-sity, Temirtau, 101400, Republic of Kazakhstan.Corresponding author: rzhanat@mail.ruserves, Kazakhstan is among the top ten leading coun-tries, second only to China, the USA, Russia, Australia, India, South Africa, and Ukraine.The state balance sheet takes into account reserves for 49 deposits, they amount to 33,6 billion tons, including stone – 21,5 billion tons, brown coal – 12,1 billion tons. Most of the coal deposits are concentrated in the Central (Karaganda and Ekibastuz coal basins, Shubarkol depos-it) and Northern Kazakhstan (Turgai coal basin) [3].The main indicators of coal quality are: humidity (W), ash content (A), yield of volatile substances (V), heat of combustion (Q), elemental composition (C, H, O, N), sulfur (S) and phosphorus (P) content, petrographic composition of coals and reflectivity of vitrinite (R).In the work of the authors [4-5], the raw material base of non–baking coal grades 3BС and LFC of Ka-zakhstan was studied, including the deposits as follows: in the south - Alakol, in the northeast – Sarykol, in the north – Priozerniy, in the west – Mamyt (Table 1).Table 1  Technical characteristics of coal deposits  in Kazakhstan / %IndicatorsDepositsAlakol Sarykol Priozerniy Mamyt Shubarkol3BC 3BC 3BC 3BC LFCWr 8,9 12,85 36,9 23,3 9,61Ad 11,10 8,15 16,55 6,2 3,33Vdaf 46,49 35,42 48,34 43,2 45,57Sd 0,55 1,29 0,63 1,08 0,48Pd 0,009 0,032 0,045 0,018 0,009Сx 47,6 59,3 43,1 53,3 52,6The results of the analysis allow us to identify long-flame coals of the Shubarkol deposit, which are charac-terized by a very low ash content (Ad – 3,33 %) and a low phosphorus content (0,009 %) with an average sulfur content (0,48 %). The yield of volatile substances Vdaf is 45,6 %. At the same time, the carbon content is 52,6 %.162  METALURGIJA 62 (2023) 1, 161-163ZH. ROMAZANOV et al.: FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL COKE PRODUCTION…The qualitative characteristics of the coal of the Shu-barkol section and the products of its thermal process-ing can be attributed to the category of low-phospho-rous reducing agents of high quality.COMPARISON OF VARIOUS TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONSIn Kazakhstan, the production of similar products (coke nut, semi-coke, rexil and special coke) is carried out by several enterprises.JSC “Arcelor Mittal Temirtau” produces coke ac-cording to the classical scheme with a number of im-provements in atmospheric emissions: smokeless load-ing of furnaces using steam injection of loading gases; a system of dust-free coke delivery. The production ca-pacity is about 3,2 million tons of coke per year [6].The production of special coke at the Sary-Arka Special Coke LLP has been established using the Chi-nese low-temperature dry distillation technology con-sisting of 6 square furnaces of the SJ type (low-temper-ature) with drying, pyrolysis and cooling zones and a total project capacity of 300 thousand tons per year [6].The production of special coke on a grate made of the Shubarkol coals is carried out at the Aksu ferroalloy plant of TNK Kazchrome JSC. The method is characterized by the complexity and continuity of production in the condi-tions of the main thermal power equipment [6].Production of the carbonaceous reducing agent for crystalline silicon - rexyl on a retort from Shubarkol coals at Armak LLP. The process of obtaining rexyl is carried out by an autothermal method by high-speed thermal oxidative carbonation of coal in periodic retorts combined into one module by three units. Carbonation of coal occurs from top to bottom, and in the fuel layer it is possible to distinguish zones of raw coal and pre-pared rexil, between which there is an interface [6].The technology proposed by the project - thermal oxidative coking in retorts is carried out by partial gasi-fication of volatile coal components through air blow-ing by the method of autothermy, i.e. all the heat re-quired for pyrolysis of coal mass is released directly in the coal loading layer, due to selective combustion of volatile substances (Figure 1).The essence of the autothermy method is that in the coal filling, i.e. in the layer of coal loaded into the retort at certain modes of blowing, the combustion front will shift against the air flow. At the same time, all products of coal pyrolysis passing through the zone of the coke pack-ing and undergoing thermal decomposition are split into simple compounds in the form of CO, CO2, H2, H2O.Among the advantages of this method of coking are:1. simplicity of hardware design;2. one-step process;3. environmental safety of the technology.The proposed retort furnace for coking, equipped with a grate with a diameter of 0,8 m, has a work area of approximately 7,1 square m. It is designed for loading up to 20 tons of coal. The height of the coal layer in the retort is about 3 m. For the purpose of thermal insula-tion, the walls of the retort, including the conical part, are walled with fireclay brick.Thermal decomposition of coal takes place in the re-tort. The volatile products released in this case partially burn in the presence of air supplied through the grate. The air supply to the retorts is carried out by high-pres-sure fans. Complete afterburning of the combustible components of the exhaust coke gases is carried out in a candle and a flue, after which the combustion products are discharged through the chimneys into the atmosphere.The process of complete thermo-oxidative coking in the retort occurs at a temperature of about 700-1 000 °C for 18-20 hours. Subsequently, the coke in the retort is cooled for 4-5 hours to a temperature of 300-400 °C by periodically supplying water to the retort.After cooling, the finished product is poured through a tray vibrating feeder onto an apron conveyor and fed to a screen for separation into fractions.Carbon reducing agents produced in Kazakhstan are characterized by various properties, which are shown in Table 2 [6-7].Comparison of different technologies for obtaining such products provides an opportunity to note their main disadvantages and advantages:1   Coking of coals in floor mine furnaces using the technology of Sary-Arka Specialcox LLP requires large capital investments and has environmental problems.Figure 1  Technological scheme of special coke production according to the project163ZH. ROMAZANOV et al.: FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL COKE PRODUCTION…METALURGIJA 62 (2023) 1, 161-1632   Semi-coking on a moving grate of continuous ac-tion by the technology of the Aksu ferroalloy plant of Kazchrome JSC TNK requires medium capital investments, but has difficulty with main-taining the technological mode.3   Coal gasification in modules consisting of peri-odic retorts proposed by the project, require mini-mal capital investments, and also have ease in process control, stable production of a special coke of necessary composition.CONCLUSIONTo conclude, it can be noted that the proposed pro-duction of special coke by the method of autothermy in retorts has a number of advantages in comparison with similar productions:- in the product quality;- in the simplicity of technological solutions;- in the production process;- in the environmental friendliness of production;- in saving on investments.In general, the project is cost-effective and can be recommended for implementation based on the results of the proposed financial model.REFERENCES[1] V.A. Kim, G.A. Uleva, Comparative evaluation of the structure of special coxes used in electrothermy, Bulletin of the MSTU named after G.I. Nosov 2 (2012), 20-23.[2] B. Akhmetzhanov, K.B. Tazhibekova, A.A. Shametova, Analysis of the efficiency of using low-coking coals in fer-roalloy production, Proceedings of the University of KarMTU 3 (2019), 41-44.[3] Integrated annual report of Samruk-Energo JSC for 2016 / Information is available at: http://ar2016.samruk-energy.kz/?page_id=31.[4] A.I. Edilbaev, V.M. Strakhov, K.Sh. Chokin, V.S. Muzgi-na, I.V. Surovtseva, Comprehensive study of Kazakhstan’s coals as carbonaceous raw materials for direct reduction of iron, Coke and chemistry 9 (2013), 20-27.[5] Zh.U. Nurmukhambetov, V.A. Kim, M.Zh. Tolymbekov, Investigation of the properties of a special coke from Shu-barkol coals, Issue 2, Scientific and technical collection “Science News of Kazakhstan”, Almaty, 2005, pp. 41-45.[6] G.A. Uleva, O.V. Emelianova, G.E. Akhmetova, Textbook Specialty “Coke chemical production”, qualification “Technician-technologist”, “Talap” Non-Profit JSC, Nur-Sultan, 2020, P. 299.[7] A.A. Shubina, N.V. Zhuravleva, S.G. Korotkov, P.P. Laza-revskii, Yu.E. Romanenko, Technological suitability of semi-coke as a carbon reducer in production of manganese and silicon alloys, Vol. 63,  Izvestiya VUZov,  Ferrous Me-tallurgy  7 (2020), 521–528.Table 2  Qualitative characteristics of carbon reducing agents in KazakhstanIndicators Coke nut AMTSpecialcokeSary-ArkaSemi-cokeAZFRexil ArmakHumidity W / % 9,4 15-20 15-20 4,3Ash Ad / % 12-14 6-10 12-15 2,4Volatile Vdaf / % 1,04 4 -7 20-25 1,0-1,5S / % 0,65 <1,0 0,31 0,34P / % 0,07 0,03 0,03 0,025Reactivity at 1000 0С  / cm3 / g*s 0,62 1,0-1,5 2,8 9,1Electrical resistivity при 1600 0С / Ohm * cm 0,32 1,83 - 3,67Structural strength / % 84,62 67,4 48,3 67,0THE ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF THE PROJECTFor the successful implementation of the project, it is necessary to attract investments in the amount of 771 470 US dollars (Table 3), including capital expen-ditures – 96,2 % as well as working capital – 3,8 %.Table 3 Investment plan of the project / $Name CostDesign and pre-design work 120 588Dismantling and installation works 77 500Equipment installation and supply 544 088Working capital 29 294TOTAL investments 771 470It is offered to locate the new enterprise in the D-101 shop, located on the territory of Temirtau Electrometal-lurgical Combine JSC (Karaganda region).The annual production volume of special coke will be 24 000 tons, including fractions of 10-40 mm – 21 600 tons (90 %) and fractions of 0-10 mm – 2 400 tons (10 %).The company’s staffing requirements - 47 people.The cumulative net present value (NPV) for a 5-year period will account for about 1,2 million US dollars and is sufficient to fully cover discounted investments. The discounted internal rate of return (IRR) is 119,5 %. The simple payback period (PBP) of the project is 1,8 years, and the discounted payback period (DPBP) is 2,0 years.The net income for the project is formed from the first year (the time of production launch) in the amount of 0,09 million US dollars and will amount to 7,5 million US dollars at the end of the 5-year period (Table 4). The profitability of production is expected to average 20 %.Table 4 Profit and loss statement for the project / mln USDYearIndicators 1 2 3 4 5Sales revenue 0,93 4,51 4,69 4,88 5,07Cost of production 0,68 3,27 3,33 3,46 3,60Gross income 0,25 1,24 136 1,42 1,48Expenses of the period 0,07 0,13 0,13 0,13 0,14Commercial expenses 0,00 0,01 0,01 0,01 0,01General and administrative expenses 0,06 0,12 0,12 0,12 0,13Amortization 0,07 0,10 0,08 0,07 0,06Prot before % and taxes 0,11 1,01 1,15 1,22 1,28Payments of % on the loan - - - - -Prot before taxes 0,11 1,01 1,15 1,22 1,28Corporate income tax 0,02 0,20 0,23 0,24 0,26Transfer of losses of previous years - - - - -Net prot / EBIT 0,09 0,81 0,92 0,97 1,03Note:  The responsible for English language is Dana Rahimbekova, Kazakhstan.

Feasibility study of the creation of a special coke production in Kazakhstan

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