HEAT TREATMENT: POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE RECOVERY IN SLUDGE MERCURY GENERATED CHLOR-SOSA

Abstract

In the Sagua electrochemistry factory because the use of electrolytic cell of cathode of mercury, has been generated more tan 5000 t of mercurial sludge, confined in niches. The confination in these niches is a phenomenon that can be potentially danger. In this work is developed the thermical
treatment at pilot plant scale as efficient method from techno- economical and environmental point of view, for the recuperation of the mercury present in the mercurial sludge generated at the Sagua electrochemistry factory. For this we carried out a bibliographical study of the alternatives of
treatment employed in the world and selected as the most efficient, the thermical treatment having account the specific characteristic of this mercurial sludge (High content of mercury).
Later we realized the chemical - physic characterization of the mercurial sludges sample, been determined the concentration of mercury using up date techniques like Cold Vapors Atomic
Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS). After that we developed the equipment design of principal’s step of process: Draying, Retorting and Condensation. With the use of computer software we evaluated the thermical treatment from techno-economical
and environmental point of view employing methods of simulation process. The pilot plant of thermical treatment, represents an effective alternative, because recover the total
investment in less of one year and get the permissible level of residual mercury of 231mg/m3, fulfilling with the TCLP test by the EPA regulation for this type of hazardous waste.