Key role in improvement of production potential of the country, transit of the economy to innovative development diversification of industrial sector by stimulating of new directions is given to the State and private partnership.
Targeted selection of such “points of growth” according to economic strategy developed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov is represented by the process of formation of investment portfolio including the most promising projects, in other words, those, which were tested and found to be ready for quality assurance and analysis from the investments and business plan points of view.
One of such proposals is related to bringing of domestic products to international market of artificial graphite, which is characterized by dynamically growing demand recently.The process of transit to alternative energy sources has also led to increase of demands in natural graphite and synthetic one, which is used in production of lithium ion batteries.
The graphite and its derivatives are actively implemented in oil and gas, nuclear, metallurgic, chemical and space industries.The demand in it makes preconditions for development of the production of this product in Turkmenistan and on the background of its deficiency in the world for consolidation of the country’s positions in foreign markets.
Specialists of ULKE Individual Enterprise and State Enterprise “Turkmendemironumlery” of the Ministry of Industry completed unique experiment.Real breakthrough in industrialization of Turkmen economy was the result of innovative project.
Artificial graphite was produced for the first time in Turkmenistan.Artificial graphite was made in experimental furnace of petroleum coke produced by Turkmenbashy complex of refineries by joint efforts of entrepreneurs and refinery personnel.
Efficient graphitization method high temperature heating up of the material by the current, was used for the experiment.This technology was invented by A.Acheson (USA) in 1896 and has been used in the world until our days.
Organizers of the practical experiments in power-intensive technologies sphere, engineers and technical personnel of individual enterprise had a target to find an opportunity of producing of artificial graphite from domestic petroleum coke.
Special power transformer capable to work on 5000A and deliver it to the furnace was used at metallurgical works in Ovadandepe.The construction of the experimental unit, the Acheson furnaces, which allowed heating up petroleum coke in the vacuum up to 3000 degrees C in the workshop of the plant, was developed.
This was exactly the technology, which made it possible to make graphitization of petroleum coke and produce artificial graphite.Years of theoretical studies and little more than a year of practical works were required to the authors of the project to prepare for the experiment.
Pilot installation assembled at metallurgic plant has delivered first product in the end of the last year.According to laboratory tests, the samples of materials extracted from the furnace fully matched high-purity artificial graphite by its parameters like mass, specific electrical resistance, chemical composition and X-ray structural analysis.
Besides, benchmark comparative analysis was made and it also proved the purity of the product received from petroleum coke of Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex.The specialists of Ulke Individual Enterprise analysed the data and made appropriate calculation for specific energy consumption for graphitization, loss of the energy in processing, efficiency of the installation, working temperature in the furnace, etc.
these data allowed evaluating the efficiency of production of graphite and graphite products in Acheson furnaces at the enterprises of Turkmenistan.Study of working parameters of the furnace built at the plane was also done.
Based on all data, it was found out that not only the material under study but the environment the construction of the installation, make effect on the purity of the product.
It is necessary to consider that during the process of receiving of artificial graphite, fire resistance materials remain as by-products and they can be widely implemented in heat engineering devices.
Thus, viability and profitability of this scientific intensive project, its physical and actual feasibility and accordance to strategic goals of the policy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov are obvious.There are reduction of expenditures on the import of expensive graphite elements, additional income from the expansion of the spectrum of domestic high technology production, entering new markets and increase of business sphere.
Relying on received data, the authors of the experiment prepared technical and commercial proposal where they justified the opportunity of development of innovative production of artificial graphite by organization of joint venture with branch ministries or establishment of joint-stock company in Turkmenistan The entrepreneurs developed business model, 3-D visualization of high technology plant for production graphite and graphite items like electrodes, blocks and lubricants, fire resistant and other materials with the output of 40 000 tons per annum.
Domestic material calcinated petroleum coke, produced by Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex, and the power are suggested to be used as material base of innovative for Turkmen economy production.It will allow considerable reduction of production cost and provide its efficient use as well as high added value.
Artificial graphite is a unique material.good electrical conductivity, increased heat conductivity, resistance to aggressive and environment and high temperature, high lubricating ability and antifriction features, chemical inertness make the items produced on its base irreplaceable in many spheres of science and technology.
Graphite electrodes are used for bringing electrical energy for electrical and chemical processes.Carbon graphite electrodes are applied in aluminium, chemical, steel melting and other branches of industry.
Graphite is used in production of solar energy battery elements and liquefied crystal displays, jewellery, nanotechnologies, etc.it is demanded in new, recently appeared technological processes, in particular in biomedical industry, manufacturing of microchips, LED technology.
These branches are developed all over the world by advance rates and it means that demands for graphite will be increasing.Taking into account that graphite represents a carbon allotropy, the prospects of continuation of experiments for development of new technological regalement in domestic metallurgy are opened.
At present moment, Ulke Individual Enterprise prepares to make another experiment in coordination with the Ministry of Industry of Turkmenistan.Its goal is to assess restoration effect of artificial graphite made on iron scale and metallurgic dust.
It is supposed to receive so-called spongy metal during the test and introduce new application of graphite at Turkmendemironumlery State Entity as well as to solve ecological issues.
Spongy metal is a potentially new product for metallurgic industry of Turkmenistan and is highly demanded at the world ferrous market and disposal of metallurgic dust will solve the issues of air emission.
Speaking of application of artificial graphite specifically in our country, it is worth making a stress on its current and future economic condition.As for today, Turkmenistan exports petroleum coke on one hand, and on another imports graphite products made of petroleum coke while developing metallurgic branch in the country.
It is easy to guess on potential economic benefit shall graphite production plant will be built in Turkmenistan.Our State has different precious natural resources.Thus, for example only Karabogazgol Gulf contains almost all elements of periodic table.
Graphitized items are necessary instruments for their extraction by integrated processing of solutions by electrolysis.It means an increased requirement of such items and the construction of the plant, which is able to produce such items, will support rapid development of mineral resources of Turkmenistan.
Near-term prospects of industrial development of the country are related to large-scale industrial development of its material resources based on scientific approach and advanced methods of production, extraction of chemical elements in their pure state.
This direction means experimental selection of the technology of production of special graphite items with future practical implementation.This will give a reason to review technological regulation of productions, which were considered as non-profitable in the past because of the necessity to import the consumables the graphite items and flame resistance materials.
Large oil resources of our country make good prepositions for new productions, which are highly profitable in the world market.Hence, the construction of technology lines at Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex by foreign partners is an important step in successful implementation of the Programme of development of oil and gas industry in Turkmenistan until 2030, which key aspect is the increase of production volumes of high quality oil products.
At present moment, the projects for receiving new type of products, which were not made in our country, particularly petroleum acicular coke, from hydrocarbon materials are under development.It is demanded in many strategic branches of the economy of developed states and its sale in the world market is highly beneficial.
This is an expensive product made by processing of oil and used for manufacturing graphitized electrodes.The necessity to pay attention to the benefits of acicular coke production, processing of coke into graphite and manufacturing of graphite items, successfully demonstrated by the experiment of the specialists of Ulke Individual Enterprise, appeared with intensive development of industrial sector in Turkmenistan.
Developing advanced technologies of graphitization, Turkmen State has an opportunity to become a new player at the world market of artificial graphite and entire range of graphite production, what will provide an additional financial income.
The main suppliers of the range of goods in 2016 were China with 13.6 percent of the world import, Malaysia 12 percent, the Republic of Korea 10.8 percent and Japan, Germany, France, India, Brazil and Great Britain in descending order.