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Title: Formation of calcium aluminates in the lime sinter process. [Extraction of alumina from fly ash]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5721351· OSTI ID:5721351

A study of the formation of several calcium aluminates from pure components in the lime sinter process was undertaken to determine the kinetics of formation and subsequent leaching using a dilute sodium carbonate solution. The composition CaO 61.98%, SiO/sub 2/ 26.67%, and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ 11.53% was used. Isothermal sintering runs of 0.2 to 10.0 h were carried out at 1200, 1250, 1300, and 1350/sup 0/C. When the sintering temperature was below the eutectic temperature (1335/sup 0/C), the ternary mixture behaved like two binary systems, i.e. CaO-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and CaO-SiO/sub 2/. Only one compound, 3CaO.SiO/sub 2/, was formed between CaO and SiO/sub 2/. With lower sintering temperature and shorter sintering time, the ..beta..-phase was dominant. However, when both temperature and time increased, more and more of the ..beta..-C/sub 2/S was transformed into the ..gamma..-phase. Several different aluminates were formed during the sintering of CaO and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. The compounds CaO.Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and 3CaO.Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ were observed at all tested sintering temperatures, while the 5CaO.3Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ phase was found only at 1200/sup 0/C and 12CaO.7Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ at 1250/sup 0/C or higher. The first compound formed between CaO and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was probably 12CaO.7Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, but the amount did not increase immediately with time. The first dominant compound between CaO and Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was CaO.3Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. When the calcium ion diffused through the product layer of CaO.Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, 3CaO.Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was formed. If unreacted Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ were present after the formation of CaO.Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, CaO.2Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ would form. Subsequent leaching of the sinters showed that the extractable alumina in the products increased with both sintering temperature and time, reaching a max of about 90%. These extraction data corresponded very well to the quantities of aluminates in the sinters. 59 figures, 13 tables.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
5721351
Report Number(s):
IS-T-875
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English