Download Recycling of used catalysts – reactivation of

Recycling of used catalysts –
reactivation of active carbon
Mercury – Problem or Challenge?
The recyling of used materials is today a recognized
basic environmental element of a modern business
philosophy. In most countries Companies are obliged
today to take legal responsibility for their products,
materials and wastes.
Mercury is a shining silver metal which is liquid at ambient temperature. Mercury and its compounds are
extremely volatile and poisonous. It attacks the body
by attacking the nerve and immune system by settling
in organs and brain. Today mercury is classified as toxic to reproduction.
The Environmental Program of the United Nations
(UNEP) is concerned with the elimination or reduction
of mis-use and abuse of mercury. The overall goal is
to bring forward concrete measures to stop mercury
emissions into air, water and soil, that are results of
human activities.
The European Union issued a regulation for the prohibition of the export of mercury and including legal
safe storage. (Regulation (EEC) No. 1102/2008). Therefore the trade and employment of mercury is limited
to encourage that surplus mercury is placed into longterm storage.
Mercury-contaiminated materials from industrial processes represent a major environmental problem for
disposal. Often spent catalysts and Active Carbons
habe been used in cleaning exhaust gases or waste
water. Spent material contains only traces of mercury.
Safe storage of these is only possible when mercury
has been previously separated by distillation. It is often possible there after the material can be profitably
recycled rather than using land-fill.
Catalysts from the natural
gas cleaning
Active carbon from industrial
processes
Batrec provide a Recycling Solution
world-wide uniquely
The Batrec plant for the recycling of used catalysts
and saturated active carbon is the only one of it’s type
world-wide. It is used by customers from Petrochemical, chemical, waste water treatment and Waste Management Companies from Europe and overseas.
We have obtained a technological breakthrough with
a procedure that releases mercury and sulphur at the
same time in the same process. Both pollutants are
carried away from the catalyst or active carbon by a
gas stream. This happens in a high temperature treatment at temperatures up to 800° Celsius. The distilled
pollutants are separated afterwards in a waste gas
treatment system.
With the ultramodern and safe plant for the recycling
of catalysts and active carbon Batrec covers the needs
of a rapidly changing market. Customers can improve
their environmental targets, close material cycles and
lower their raw material consumption.
The high temperature furnace is
the heart of the Batrec plant.
From Battery Recycler
to the Environmental
Business Leader
Batrec was created in 1989 for the recycling
of household batteries in Switzerland. At
that time the batteries contained considerable quantities mercury. The acquired Knowhow was continually developed further and
extended to recycle new mercury or heavy
metal-containing wastes. Today the Company belongs to the Veolia Environment Service
Switzerland AG and is specialising in technologically complex recycling of waste processes.
From Waste to Resource:
Reactivation of Active Carbon
Active carbon consists mainly of carbon with a porous
structure. The pores are like a sponge connected with
each other and creating a huge inner surface. This is
used for the adsorption of pollutants from gas, air or
liquids. The active carbon differs in two types – extruded and granulated forms. Extruded carbon is used in
the gas or air processes. In the water or liquid processes the granulated carbon is used.
Used carbon can be reactivated even when saturated,
usually for several times and still be re-used. During
reactivation the pollutants will be removed and the
pores cleaned. The active carbon regains its activity
and can be used again.
This process runs at temperatures of up to 800° Celsius
in a specially designed furnace. The activated carbon is
heated gently and reactivated with water vapour. The
pollutants will be selectively removed in the waste gas
treatment system. The plant is suitable in particular
for the deposition of heavy metals, such as Mercury.
By reactivation we are contributing to the conservation of resources and reduction of CO2 emissions
world-wide, as well as the sustainable solution of disposal issues.
Batrec recovers pure
mercury from the
recycling process.
Closing the Loop:
Recycling of used catalysts
Catalysts consist of a porous ceramic with a large inner surface, similar to active carbon. It is used in chemical or petrochemical processes for the cleaning or
refinement of gases. Catalysts used for the removal
of mercury from natural gas can’t be recycled without
pre-treatment. Used catalysts contain up to 40% sulphur and up to 15% mercury.
The Batrec recycling plant closes the material cycle
with this process. Mercury and sulphur contained in
the catalysts are distilled, separated and recovered in
the following waste gas treatment system. Mercury
is condensed and recovered as metal. The sulphur is
converted to gypsum.
The base metals of the catalysts when cleaned from
mercury are recovered in Metal Refineries. The metal
from the catalysts can then be supplied to the material cycle once more.
By the care of the catalysts we carry the good of resources and sustainability of disposal problems.
Waste gas treatment
Mercury removal
from natural gas
Production of
Catalysts
Closed loop of Catalysts
Recovery of metals
from catalysts
Removal of mercury
from catalysts
An innovative and safe process
1
Delivery and receipt control
Used catalysts and active carbon arrive via rail or road
to Batrec at Wimmis. The transport documents are controlled and retained. The delivered wastes are weighed, analyzed in the Batrec laboratory and stored
within a partitioned area.
2
Active carbon
The active carbon is charged to the process by means of a silo to the high temperature furnace. Here
it is cleaned and re-activated at temperatures up to
800° Celsius. The pollutants go with the exhaust gas
into the waste gas treatment system. The re-activated
carbon is cooled down, analyzed, sieved, packed and
weighed.
3
Catalysts
The catalysts are charged by means of a silo to the
high temperature furnace. Here they are treated at
temperatures up to 800° Celsius. Mercury, sulphur and
other pollutants are removed by distillation. The exhaust gases go into the waste gas treatment system.
The treated catalysts are cooled down, analyzed, packed and weighed.
4
Waste gas treatment
The pollutants contained in the exhaust gases are
washed and separated from the exhaust-gas in the
waste gas treatment system. Mercury together with
the mud is passed on into the mercury distillation
plant. The sulphur is converted to gypsum.
5
Waste water cleaning
The plant has its own waste water cleaning system.
The water used in the waste gas treatment system is
cleaned there with physicochemical processes. The
pollutants are precipitated and concentrated by removal as filter cake.
6
Quality control and distribution
The recycled catalysts and the re-activated carbon arrive after a last quality control by rail and road traffic
back to the customer.
Quality control
Exit
Cleaned Catalysts
and reactivated carbon
Delivery
road/railway
Gas treatment
4
Water treatment
Heat treatment
6
5
ACTIVE CARBON
Distillation
Control
Import
transport
documents
STO
RA
GE
1
2
CATALYSTS
3
Analysis
receipt
control
Laboratory
STO
RA
GE
BA
TR
EC
Plant visit
Address
BATREC INDUSTRIE AG
Postfach 20, CH-3752 Wimmis
Tel.: +41 (0)33 657 85 00
Fax: +41 (0)33 657 85 01
[email protected]
www.batrec.ch