1. Making Carbon Black Presented by Sid Richardson Carbon Co.
Graphics by Fred Hendrickson

2. Carbon Black Process Utilities & Energy Conservation
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Reactor Section/Carbon Black Formation
Collection & Conveying
Pelletizing & Drying
Storage & Handling

3. Carbon Black Process
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Reactor Section/Carbon Black Formation – Where the Carbon Black is Formed

4. Raw Materials Making carbon black requires six (6) materials:
Fuel (natural gas or oil)
Oxidizer (air)
Feedstock Oil (No. 6 type oil)
Water
Structure control additive (potassium salt)
Pellet binder

5. Reactor Preheated Air Feedstock Oil Natural Gas Refractory Alkali
Reaction Time = 0.3 to 1.0 sec
1650 °C
(3000 °F)
915 m/sec
(3000 ft/sec)
Quench
Water
Alkali
Metal
Additive

6. Typical Tread Reactor Air Line Oil Sprays Combustion Section
Quench Water
Natural Gas

7. Typical Tread Reactor

8. -To Preheat the Incoming Air
Process Air Preheater
-To Preheat the Incoming Air
To Oil Preheater
& Smoke Header
Preheated
Air
650 °C (1200 °F)-
800 °C (1500 °F)
Carbon Black Stream
Process Air
Blower

9. Process Oil Preheater Carbon Black Stream Hot Carbon Black Feedstock
To Reactor
Oil Lances To
Bag Filter

10. Carbon Black Process
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Collection & Conveying – Separate Carbon Black from Process Gas Stream & Transport to Pelletizing Area

11. Bag Filter
Carbon Black Stream

12. To Surge Bin / Pelletizers
Bag Filter
Tailgas
To Dryers &
Incinerator
Carbon Black Stream
To Surge Bin / Pelletizers

13. Reverse Flow Bag Filter

14. Bag Filter Hopper

15. Surge Bin & Powder Pumps
To Pelletizer
Powder Pump

16. Surge Bin & Powder Pumps
Clean Air
Carbon Black
& Air
To Pelletizer
Powder Pump

17. Carbon Black Process
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Pelletizing & Drying – Densify the Carbon Black to Meet Transportation & Customer Requirements

18. Pelletizer Loose Black from Powder Pump Water & Pellet Binder Pellets
to Dryer

19. Two Helix Shaft

20. Pelletizer

21. Pelletizer

22. Pelletizer – Pin Shaft
The pins are clean at the ends indicating the black is along the shell
Pins with gussets to withstand the load

23. Dryer
From
Pelletizer
Bucket Elevator to
Storage Tanks
Tailgas

24. Dryer

25. Carbon Black Process
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Storage & Handling – Convey Carbon Black Pellets to Storage Area for Transportation to Customer

26. Sid Richardson Carbon Co.
Storage & Loading
Magnetic
Separator
Hummer
Screener
Reject
Loading Spout
and Screen
Sid Richardson Carbon Co.

27. Storage & Loading Magnetic Separator Hummer Screener Reject
Loading Spout
and Screen

28. Storage Tanks

29. Storage & Loading
Super Sacks
N299
50 # Bags

30. Carbon Black Process
Boiler
incinerator
bag filter vent (intermittent)
secondary filter
reactor vent
(intermittent)
surge tank
grinder
primary bag filter
pelletizer
air
dryer
gas
off-spec tank
dryer exhaust bag filter
tail gas combustor
feedstock
secondary quench water
quench water
inline waste heat boiler
Utilities/Energy Conservation – Utilize the Waste Gases from the Process for Energy Conservation and to Produce Steam and/or Electricity

31. Tail Gas Boiler

32. Waste Heat Boiler

33. Process Control & Economics
Particle size (Nitrogen Surface Area)
15 to 450 m2/g
Measure of the total surface area
Surface Area (Iodine Adsorption)
15 to 450 mg/g
Quick measure of surface area but affected by surface chemistry
Structure (OAN)
40 to 200 ml/100 g
Carbon black particles fuse together to form aggregates and agglomerates

34. Particle Surface Area Measured by nitrogen surface area Tread
Small particles  high nitrogen surface area
Large particles  low nitrogen surface area
Tread
Carcass
Measured by nitrogen surface area

35. Particle Size
A function of reaction temperature, reaction time and reaction velocity
Higher reaction temperature = higher nitrogen surface area = higher fuel usage = higher production costs
Shorter reaction time = higher nitrogen surface area = lower fuel yield = higher production cost
Greater reaction velocity = shorter reaction time

36. Structure Higher additive rate  lower OAN Low structure 
OAN = Oil Adsorption Number
Low structure 
Low OAN  higher production rates
High structure 
High OAN  lower production rates
Higher additive rate  lower OAN