RUSAL is switching its aluminium production to eco-friendly petroleum pitch for the first time in the industry's history

RUSAL, one of the world's largest aluminium producers, is, for the first time in the industry's history, switching its aluminium production to anodes using environmentally friendly petroleum pitch on a commercial scale. Coal tar pitch is traditionally used in anodes during electrolysis all over the world; the industrial use of petroleum pitch, which significantly reduces the emission of harmful substances, was previously considered impossible. RUSAL has invested about 100 million rubles in scientific research and development of petroleum pitch.

RUSAL is converting the entire Krasnoyarsk Aluminium Smelter (KrAZ) to anode mass using petroleum pitch. This is the first case in the history of the global aluminium industry: coal tar pitch or petroleum coal tar pitch was previously used on an industrial scale to produce anodes.

Pitch is part of the anodes, and it is from pitch that benz(a)pyrene is released during electrolysis. To reduce this negative impact on the environment, global aluminium producers use sealing of aluminium production facilities and complex gas treatment systems. High-quality anodes made of petroleum pitch, which almost completely eliminates the release of benz(a)pyrene, were previously considered impossible.

RUSAL has invested about 100 million rubles in scientific research and development of environmentally friendly petroleum pitch over several years. During the work, the processes of Russian oil refineries (OR) operating on oil from various regions of Russia were studied, and the optimal oil composition and the optimal processor were determined. This resulted in the development of petroleum pitch, which was successfully tested in industrial conditions as part of the anode mass.

Following the implementation at KrAZ, RUSAL plans to replicate the successful experience at other aluminium smelters. The Company continues research on this topic to expand the list of oil refineries generating waste that can be used to produce pitch, as well as to find fundamentally new sources of raw materials for this product.

Note: This Press Release was issued by RUSAL and published by AL Circle in its original form with minor modifications.

Image credit: Rusal