In the coal tar production process, by-product asphalt constitutes 55% of the output. However, in recent years, while the price of bitumen has remained stagnant, the cost of carbon black raw materials has been on the rise. This has created a challenge for coal tar producers: how to unlock the potential of low-cost asphalt and turn it into high-value carbon black oil? Faced with this long-standing issue, Wuhai Black Cat Carbon Technology Research and Development Center launched a dedicated effort as early as 2013. After nearly a year of intensive research, they successfully developed a distillation under vacuum technology. This innovation transformed the by-product asphalt from the coal tar industry chain into a valuable raw material for producing premium carbon black products, significantly improving operational efficiency and streamlining the entire supply chain.
At Wuhai Black Cat Carbon Company, Wang Hongwei, head of the refining workshop, welcomed reporters to the site where a technical upgrade was about to take place. He pointed out the various pieces of equipment and explained the benefits of the new under-vacuum distillation technology. "Asphalt is a major by-product of coal tar production, but it's also a burden. Our company produces over 400 tons of asphalt daily, yet we can only use half of it as raw material for low-end carbon blacks. The rest has to be sold at a low price, making it a real stumbling block in the industry. With the new technology, we can fully utilize all the asphalt, and even produce higher-grade carbon blacks that bring much greater value."
Wang Hongwei was clearly proud of the achievement. He shared some numbers with the reporter: "Currently, we consume around 300 tons of asphalt per day for low-end carbon black production, leaving over 100 tons unused. If we apply the under-vacuum distillation technology, we can not only eliminate the surplus but also generate an extra 200 yuan per ton in profit. Plus, the higher-end carbon black we produce commands a much higher market price. As a result, daily profits could increase by more than 20,000 to 40,000 yuan."
Turning the "stumbling block" into a "stepping stone" was a major milestone for the company’s R&D team. But behind this success was years of hard work. Since 2013, the team had worked tirelessly, conducting over 200 days of trials and experiments. Eventually, they succeeded in developing a distillation under vacuum technology that enables full utilization of coal tar-derived asphalt, transforming it directly into high-quality carbon black oil for industrial use. This breakthrough has made the deep processing of coal tar more efficient and sustainable.
"The success of this technology allows us to adjust our product structure flexibly," said Wang Hongwei happily. "If the bitumen market is favorable, we can sell it. If not, we can convert all of it into carbon black oil, which increases production by about 20%."
The under-vacuum distillation technology was put into trial operation in September at the Black Cat Carbon Company. Its successful implementation marks a significant step forward in turning what was once a problem—bitumen—into a valuable asset.
Although the R&D team celebrated their achievement, they were already looking ahead. They had begun exploring ways to repurpose the previously idle medium-temperature asphalt equipment.
"In the next phase of R&D, we plan to focus on modified asphalt and explore its full potential. We want to extend our industrial chain and help digest the excess asphalt in the Wuhai region," said Cheng Wenhui, head of the technology R&D center. With confidence in the future, the team continues to push the boundaries of innovation.
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