Petroleum coke facts for kids
Petroleum coke is a solid that is mainly made of carbon. It is similar to coke, but it is gained from petroleum (coke is made from coal). Petroleum coke can be used as an industrial fuel, but there are very toxic by-products based on nickel and vanadium which make this problematic. Petroleum coke is also used in the aluminum industry, and in the heat treatment of steel and iron.
Images for kids
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Petroleum coke
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A delayed coking unit.A schematic flow diagram of such a unit, where residual oil enters the process at the lower left (see →), proceeds via pumps to the main fractionator (tall column at right), the residue of which, shown in green, is pumped via a furnace into the coke drums (two columns left and center) where the final carbonization takes place, at high temperature and pressure, in the presence of steam.
See also
In Spanish: Coque de petróleo para niños
