INSTALLATION AND METHOD FOR REMOVING MERCURY FROM WASTE MATERIALS BY VACUUM DISTILLATION

Abstract: An installation for removing mercury from waste materials by vacuum distillation comprises at least three electrically heatable, mobile, hermetically sealable furnaces (1), which, in order to form a cluster, are connected via a connecting line (3) and a cooling unit (4) to a distillation vessel, which vessel (5) is connected to a vacuum pump (8). A standpipe (3) with a mercury trap (6) is incorporated in each of the connecting lines between the furnaces and the distillation vessel.

Description: Title: Installation and method for removing mercury from waste materials by vacuum distillation In the first instance, the invention relates to an installation for removing mercury from waste materials by vacuum distillation, comprising: a sealable chamber in which the waste materials can be exposed to elevated temperature and reduced pressure, a line for removing vapour from said chamber, and - means for cooling the vapour removed and collecting condensed mercury. An installation of this type is described in SU 1 838 440 A3. An advantage of such an installation is that the quantity of mercury vapour which could escape on removing mercury from sludge, batteries, fluorescent tubes, catalyst material and the like can be reduced. However, it is not possible to achieve a situation where the quantity of mercury vapour in the ambient atmosphere can be reduced to a negligible percentage. A hazardous environment containing mercury vapour continues to exist for personnel in the vicinity of the installation. The aim of the invention is to overcome this disadvantage and to provide an installation with which the mercury removal process can take place portion by portion in hermetically sealed chambers, without it being possible for spurious air containing mercury vapour to pass into the atmosphere. According to the invention, the installation is to this end characterised in that the installation comprises at least three electrically heatable, mobile, hermetically sealable furnaces which, in order to form a cluster, are connected via a connecting line and a cooling unit to a distillation vessel, which vessel is connected to a vacuum pump. So as to be able to collect the mercury effectively, a standpipe with a mercury trap is incorporated in each of the connecting lines between the furnaces and the distillation vessel . The furnaces can be positioned as a cluster around the distillation vessel and connected via their own connecting lines to a common heat exchanger which is mounted on the distillation vessel and can be cooled with cooling water. To prevent mercury condensing on the inside of the lids of the furnace, said lids can be pan- or dome-shaped and extend inwards into the furnace. For further removal of substances a water filter is incorporated in the line between the distillation vessel and the vacuum pump, and an oil/water separation and one or more carbon filters for the off-gases are connected in succession on the output side of the vacuum pump. The invention also relates to a method wherein a number of mobile hermetically sealed furnaces loaded with mercury- containing waste are each connected via a line with a collector section for condensed mercury and a cooling unit to a distillation vessel, the temperature in the furnaces is raised to a value above 360 °C, a pressure of less than 100 mbar is generated by means of a vacuum pump in the distillation vessel, the said lines, the cooling unit and the furnaces, the condensed mercury is collected in the collector sections and the furnaces are disconnected from the disillation vessel and cooled, their lids are removed therefrom and the furnaces are prepared to take a new load. In order to be able to remove mercury, according to the invention, from complete batteries which have not been ground, the vacuum will have to be increased to a value of below 10 mbar. The method according to the invention can be carried out effectively and rapidly and leads to a virtually mercury-free ambient atmosphere. The portion-by-portion procedure, such that no spurious air can pass into the environment, is important. The cycle time is completely under control. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the figures. Figure 1 shows a side view of a mercury removal installation according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a view of a furnace to be used in said installation. Figure 3 shows a floor plan of the entire installation. The installation shown in Figure 1 comprises a number of mobile furnaces 1, which are sealed with a lid 2 and in which mercury- containing waste (sludge, complete batteries, pulverised fluorescent tubes, catalyst material and the like) is present. The furnaces are each connected to their own standpipe 3, the top of which is connected to a common heat exchanger 4 which is cooled by cooling water and is mounted centrally on a distillation vessel 5. There is a connection between the heat exchanger and the distillation vessel. The bottom of the standpipes 3 comprises a mercury trap 6. The distillation vessel is connected to a vacuum pump 8 via a suction line 7, a water filter 9 being incorporated in the suction line. The atmospheric pressure side of the suction pump 8 is connected by a line 10 to an oil/water separator 11 and the latter, in turn, is connected via a line 12 to a number of carbon filters 13. The furnaces 1 ( see Figure 2 ) have an electrically heatable casing 14 which is insulated by a jacket consisting of, for example, mineral wool. The removable lid 15, which is able to seal the furnace hermetically, is in the shape of a pan or dome facing towards the inside of the furnace. The wheels are indicated by 16 and the connecting stub to be connected to standpipe 3 is indicated by 17. Electric resistance wires, which are not shown, are arranged in the casing 14. In the floor plan according to Figure 3 the mercury removal installation shown in Figure 1 is indicated by A, the loading/unloading station by B and the area for cooling the furnaces by C. Drums 18 containing mercury-containing waste are in the loading/unloading station B ready to be emptied by a mobile crane into relatively small furnaces 1, from which the lids 2 have been carefully removed. After filling the furnaces with the waste and refitting the lids 2 to the furnaces, the furnaces 1 are wheeled to a location around a distillation vessel 5 and each furnace is connected by means of a standpipe 3 to the heat exchanger 4 so as to form a cluster. The vacuum pump 8 is switched on and the electric heating for the furnaces 1 is then switched on. A vacuum is generated in the furnaces as a result. If the waste is waste in sludge form or ground fluorescent tubes or catalyst material, a vacuum of at least 100 mbar and a temperature of at least 360 °C (for example 400 °C) are required to vaporise the mercury from the waste. Such a vacuum can be achieved using a so-called liquid ring pump. A vacuum of at least 10 mbar is needed to remove mercury from non-ground complete batteries at the same temperature. In this case the vacuum pump 8 is supplemented by a so-called Roots pump. The vapours from the furnaces 1 first pass into the relatively cool standpipes 3 where a significant proportion of the mercury condenses and flows into the mercury trap 6, from which it can be removed occasionally. The residual vapours are cooled in the heat exchanger 4, water, light and heavy aromatic compounds and residual mercury condensing and flowing into the distillation vessel. The liquids can be tapped off from the distillation vessel periodically and separately, at various levels. To prevent harmful gases passing into the ambient atmosphere, the gases withdrawn from the distillation vessel flow through, successively, the water filter 9, the oil/water separator 11 and the carbon filters 13. Purified air can then be blown into the atmosphere without risk. A dry, purified product remains behind in the furnaces 1. After being held for some time in the cooling region C, the furnaces are wheeled back to the loading/unloading station B and emptied. The dry, purified material is stored in containers 19. It can be seen from the floor plan according to Figure 3 that six furnaces with standpipes 3 have been placed in a circle around the distillation vessel 5 and form a cluster. Of course, it is possible for various clusters of furnaces, standpipes and distillation vessels to be dealt with at the same time and to be connected to the same filters 9, 13 and the separator 11. The most important advantages of the installation described are: that the portion-by-portion treatment of the waste material leads to a situation in which no mercury-containing vapours such as spurious air can pass into the ambient atmosphere, that the cycle time is under control, that, despite the portion-by-portion treatment, the procedure can be carried out very efficiently and rapidly as a result of the use of relatively small mobile furnaces, - that when a special vacuum pump is used mercury can be removed from intact batteries.

Claims: Claims 1. Installation for removing mercury from waste materials by vacuum distillation, comprising: - a sealable chamber in which the waste materials can be exposed to elevated temperature and reduced pressure, a line for removing vapour from said chamber, and means for cooling the vapour removed and collecting condensed mercury, characterised in that the installation comprises at least three electrically heatable, mobile, hermetically sealable furnaces (1) which, in order to form a cluster, are connected via a connecting line (3) and a cooling unit (4) to a distillation vessel ( 5 ) , which vessel ( 5 ) is connected to a vacuum pump ( 8 ) . 2. Installation according to Claim 1, characterised in that a standpipe ( 8 ) with a mercury trap ( 6 ) is incorporated in each of the connecting lines between the furnaces ( 1 ) and the distillation vessel (5). 3. Installation according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the said cooling unit (4) consists of a heat exchanger which is mounted on the distillation vessel ( 5 ) and can be cooled with cooling water. 4. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the lids of the furnaces ( 1 ) are pan- or dome-shaped and extend inwards into the furnaces ( 1 ) . 5. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a water filter ( 9 ) is incorporated in the line (10) between the distillation vessel (5) and the vacuum pump ( 8 ) . 6. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an oil/water separator (11) and one or more carbon filters ( 13 ) for the off-gases are connected in succession on the output side of the vacuum pump ( 8 ) . 7. Method for removing mercury from waste materials by vacuum distillation using the installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a number of mobile hermetically sealed furnaces ( 1 ) loaded with mercury-containing waste are each connected via a line ( 8 ) with a collector section (6) for condensed mercury and a cooling unit (4) to a distillation vessel ( 5 ) , the temperature in the furnaces is raised to a value above 360 °C, a pressure of less than 100 mbar is generated by means of a vacuum pump ( 8 ) in the distillation vessel ( 5 ) , the water filter ( 9 ) , the said lines (3, 7 and 10), the cooling unit (4) and the furnaces (1), the condensed mercury is collected in the collector sections and the furnaces ( 1 ) are disconnected from the distillation vessel and cooled, their lids (2) are removed therefrom and the furnaces (1) are prepared to take a new load. 8. Method according to Claim 7, characterised in that the said vacuum is increased to a value below 10 mbar.

Inventors: HAVERKAMP BEGEMANN ROELAND, HAVERKAMP BEGEMANN, ROELAND
Applicants: BEGEMANN HOLDING BV, HAVERKAMP BEGEMANN R, BEGEMANN HOLDING B.V., HAVERKAMP BEGEMANN, ROELAND
Application year: 1997
Main classification: C22B43
IPC codes: B09C1, C22B43, F27B17, H01M6