The prospect of electrode paste
The consumption of electrode paste in the calcium carbide industry accounts for about 70%-80% of the total output of electrode paste. The calcium carbide market continues to improve, which is also the development opportunity for the electrode paste industry.
Electrode paste is a conductive material supplied to electric furnace equipment such as ferroalloy furnaces and calcium carbide furnaces. It can withstand high temperatures and has a small coefficient of thermal expansion. It has a relatively small resistivity, which can reduce the loss of electrical energy. With a small porosity, the electrode in the heated state can be oxidized slowly. The high mechanical strength prevents the electrode from breaking due to the influence of mechanical and electrical loads.
Benefiting from the upgrading of my country’s calcium carbide industry, the calcium carbide industry has ushered in great development, which has also enabled my country’s electrode paste market to develop by leaps and bounds after 2015. However, since 2016, the industry has begun to enter a downward channel.
Relevant data show that the consumption of electrode paste in the calcium carbide industry accounts for about 70%-80% of the total output of electrode paste. The calcium carbide market continues to improve, which is also the development opportunity for the electrode paste industry. Due to the consolidation of coal enterprises and the increase in mechanical recovery rate, the production rate of lump coal, the raw material for producing blue charcoal, has been declining and the price has risen, which will continue to increase the raw material cost of calcium carbide enterprises. In addition, due to energy conservation, emission reduction and environmental protection considerations, lime kilns are constantly being cleaned and rectified. This has led to a tight supply of white ash, the raw material for calcium carbide production, and rising prices, which will also increase the production costs of calcium carbide enterprises. In this context, electrode paste is also facing pressure from rising prices.
In the face of a sluggish industry environment, relevant companies should seek a way out in many ways. First of all, the indicator of electrode paste should be changed. The purpose of electrode paste is to make conductive materials, and when investigating the indicators of conductive materials, we should first pay attention to the specific resistance. Secondly, changes should be made in the raw materials. The raw materials used in the production of electrode paste are basically calcined anthracite, metallurgical coke powder, and medium temperature coal pitch; it should be updated to use electric calcined anthracite, calcined petroleum coke, and modified coal pitch. In addition, the current overall equipment in the electrode paste industry is not enough, and it must be fully equipped from crushing, screening, grinding, batching, kneading, and molding.
The calcium carbide industry is developing towards large-scale and large-scale development, and the electrode paste industry must also adapt to the market and develop into a large-scale development. Relevant enterprises should comply with the development requirements of the times, promote the improvement of electrode paste quality, and get out of the downturn as soon as possible.
