Crude Benzole & Naphthalene (Coke-Oven Benzol, Crude and Refined Naphthalene)

Coke-oven benzole for BTX recovery; crude and refined naphthalene for phthalic anhydride, SNF and dyes

Two aromatic streams come off a coke plant and its tar distiller besides pitch and heavy oils. Crude benzole is recovered from the coke oven gas: the by-product plant absorbs the benzol vapours in a wash oil derived from coal tar or mineral oil, strips them out again with steam, and sells the benzol for recovery of benzene, toluene and xylenes. Much benzene was once obtained as a by-product of coke production for the steel industry, as coke-oven light oil; today only a small fraction of benzene is made from coal. Customs declare benzol containing more than 50% benzene, not chemically defined, under HS 2707.10, and chemically defined benzene under HS 2902.20 with the refined aromatics on the BTX page. Naphthalene is the most abundant single component of coal tar, about 10% of typical tar by weight. Distilling the tar gives an oil of about 50% naphthalene, from which crude naphthalene of about 95% is made, and recrystallisation gives refined naphthalene of 99%, known as 80 °C naphthalene after its melting point; the pure compound melts at 80.2 °C. One Indian distiller lists refined naphthalene at a minimum of 98.8% purity, as flaky or powdery crystals, and another sells refined naphthalene as flakes and beads. Naphthalene containing more than 50% naphthalene, not chemically defined, is HS 2707.40, and chemically defined naphthalene is declared under HS 2902.90. UN Comtrade 2024 export declarations under HS 2707.40 total USD 42.7 million and about 47,900 MT across 33 reporters, with Japan the largest at USD 14.5 million and 22,500 MT, and Korea (USD 5.2 million, 9,200 MT), India (USD 3.9 million) and China (USD 2.5 million) among the others. HS 2707.10 benzol totals USD 1.03 billion and 1.28 million MT, led by France at USD 197 million, Austria at USD 114 million and Indonesia at USD 95.5 million; heading 27.07 also covers similar aromatic-rich products from other sources, so that total is not a coke-oven benzole market size.

Naphthalene's single largest use is phthalic anhydride, made by oxidising naphthalene in the gas phase over a vanadium pentoxide catalyst, although the o-xylene route has slowly displaced it. Sulphonated naphthalene formaldehyde condensate (SNF) is a high-range water-reducing superplasticiser for concrete, and naphthalene also goes into beta-naphthol, H acid and other dyestuff intermediates and into tanning agents. In the EU, mothballs and other products containing naphthalene have been banned since 2008, and IARC classifies naphthalene as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B); benzene is Group 1, carcinogenic to humans. For transport, naphthalene crude or refined is UN 1334 and molten naphthalene UN 2304, both Class 4.1, packing group III; benzene is UN 1114 and flammable coal tar distillates are UN 1136, both Class 3; and in bulk, chapter 17 of the IBC Code lists benzene and mixtures having 10% benzene or more at pollution category Y, ship type 3. CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers crude benzole to benzol refiners, and crude and refined naphthalene to phthalic anhydride, SNF and dye producers, from coke plants and distillers in Japan, Korea, India, China, Poland, Germany, Canada and the USA, against the producer named on the certificate of analysis, SGS or Intertek sampling at load, the safety data sheet and a named buyer. Send the product, purity, form (flakes, beads, molten or liquid), monthly tonnage and discharge port, and the enquiry is screened and worked against it.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.