Economic metal recovery from fly ash
Although most coal combustion ash produced in the United States is discarded as a waste (>52 million metric tons per year), results are presented to show that fly ash can be an economical source of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and possibly several other metals, many of which are presently being imported. Although several metal recovery processes were studied, only the two of greatest economic potential and widest applicability were given detailed economic evaluation; the direct acid leach of ash with HCl (a minimum treatment process) and a pressure digestion-acid leach (a maximum recovery process). Results show that both methods can remove from fly ash all metals that would otherwise be available for release to the environment after disposal and that a major portion of the leached metals can be separated in saleable form. Economic analyses indicate that the direct acid leach process is most attractive. A capital investment of $38.2 million will be required to handle 9.07 x 10/sup 5/ metric tons (dry basis of ash per year, producing a net yearly cash flow of $15.2 million. Additional economic benefits will result from the recovery of these metals through elimination of the higher ash disposal costs that may be required for fly ash containing trace metals. National benefits will also result from reduced importation of metals and ores.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 7089692
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8110137-4; ON: DE83001929
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
AEROSOL WASTES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
ASHES
CALCINATION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CRYSTALLIZATION
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
DIGESTION
DISSOLUTION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY FACILITIES
FLY ASH
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INORGANIC ACIDS
ION EXCHANGE
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON OXIDES
LEACHING
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRECIPITATION
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
RECOVERY
RESIDUES
RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITIES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTES