Processing coal combustion products (CCP), ore, or other material using functionally electrolyzed water (FEW)

Abstract

The object of this process is to remove heavy metals and other elements and compounds from the Coal Combustion Products (CCP), ore, or other material by processing and recovery of the individual elements and/or compounds in a marketable form leaving an inert residual meeting the ground water quality standards.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PROCESS

[0001] 1. Field of the Process

[0002] This process is a method for processing CCP especially fly ash, ore, or other material that contain elements or compounds which needs to be separated. More specifically the process incorporates Functionally Electrolyzed Water (FEW) as a replacement for the current methods of extracting elements and compounds.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] Currently processing CCP, ore, or other material that contains elements, or compounds which needs to be separated is a very dangerous and very expensive process. It may require the use of sulfuric, hydrochloric acid, or nitric acid to name but three of the dangerous chemicals that have a part in processing out the required elements or compounds. These chemicals are not only dangerous to handle but also cause severe environmental problems. These chemicals are expensive and also require special handling which is also very expensive. Other methods of processing that use high heat and pressure are also dangerous, expensive, and cause environmental problems.

[0005] There are many Patents that explain the above processes involved, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,332,909; 5,968,229; and 5,755,853. These all require a high initial investment for infrastructure and a continuing outlay for fuel and/or chemicals. No process is currently environmentally friendly or affordable enough to be used on CCP. To eliminate extensive CCP piles, something new is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE PROCESS

[0006] This process relates to a method for processing CCP, ore, or other material that have elements that need to be removed for economic and/or environmental reasons.

[0007] Stages: (Where FEW is used it will stand for Functionally Electrolyzed Water)

[0008] (Where ORP is used it will stand for Oxidation Reduction Potential)

[0009] A. Screen to minus 325 mesh using the appropriate screening equipment. Grind oversize particles to minus 325 mesh.

[0010] B. Prepare the appropriate FEW so it will have the appropriate Ph and ORP for the Process. FEW is made from water and electrolytes such as various salts (NaCl, NaBr,NaSO4)

[0011] Example: Industrial water source—not potable.

[0012] Salt impure NaC1

[0013] Electro-Chemical Processing 1 ACID BASE HCLO NaOH 1-7 Ph 7-11.5 Ph 1,100 MV −800 MV Leach Acidic CCP Leach Basic CCP

[0014] It is the object of the process to remove all heavy metals and other elements and compounds from CCP ore, or other material by processing and recovery of the individual elements in a marketable form leaving an inert residual meeting the ground water quality standards. It is another object of the process to use non toxic FEW to leach the elements and compounds from ores and other materials.

[0015] Briefly the process provides a method to extract elements and compounds from coal combustion products (CCP), ore, or other material and recovering them in a marketable form and leaving an inert residual.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0016] The FIGURE depicts the several stages necessary to process CCP, ore, or other material. CCP, ORE, or OTHER MATERIAL

[0017] 1. Use a magnetic separator to remove the magnetic portion of the CCP, ore or other material.

[0018] 2. Classify to the correct size if necessary.

[0019] 3. Leach in one or more stages using the most effective FEW Ph and Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) strengths in each stage to extract the maximum amount of elements and compounds.

[0020] 4. Filter out the residual of the CCP, ore, or other material in ever decreasing sizes.

[0021] 5. Recover extracted elements and compounds that are dissolved in the FEW solution on to ion exchange resins selectively or in groups, by solvent extraction methods and or other appropriate precipitating methods.

[0022] 6. Transport recovered elements and compounds to a refinery to upgrade to the highest marketable grade possible.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Stages of processing the Non Homogeneous CCP, Ore, or Other Material

[0023] 1. Crushing, if necessary, any of the above to 325 mesh.

[0024] 2. Remove the magnetic particles in the CCP, ore, or other material (For the purpose of this description all CCP will be considered non homogeneous.) using one of several types of magnetic separators:

[0025] A. Belt Magnetic Separator.

[0026] B. Drum Magnetic Separator.

[0027] C. Electro-magnetic Separator.

[0028] 3. Process in one or more stages using different strength FEW (adjusting the pH and/or ORP as necessary) depending on the make up of the CCP, ore, or other material.

[0029] 4. Filter out the residual using one or more type filters.

[0030] A. Belt Filter

[0031] B. Drum Filter

[0032] C. Leaf Filter

[0033] In three or more stages:

[0034] 1. Large Particles

[0035] 2. Medium Particles

[0036] 3. Fine Particles

[0037] This residual will be inert and will be disposed of as fill or other appropriate uses.

[0038] 5. Recover dissolved elements or compounds from the FEW solution/s that were formed in step 3 using:

[0039] a. Ion Exchange Resins

[0040] (i) Individually or in

[0041] (ii) Groups

[0042] b. Solvent Extraction Chemicals

[0043] c. Precipitation

[0044] The following list of compounds and elements that can be processed by the FEW solutions: 2 COMPOUNDS NAME SYMBOL Silica Dioxide SiO2 Aluminum Trioxide Al2O3 Ferric Oxide Fe2O3 Magnesium Oxide MgO Calcium Oxide CaO Sodium Oxide Na2O Potassium Oxide K2O Titanium Dioxide TiO2 Phosphorus Pentoxide P2O5 Manganese Oxide MnO Chrome Oxide Cr2O3

[0045] 3 ELEMENTS NAME SYMBOL Barium Ba Nickel Ni Scandium Sc Cobalt Co Cesium Cs Gallium Ga Hafnium Hf Niobium Nb Rubidium Rb Tin Sn Strontium Sr Tantalum Ta Thorium Th Uranium U Vanadium V Tungsten W Zirconium Zr Yttrium Y Lanthanum La Cerium Ce Praseodymium Pr Neodymium Nd Samarium Sm Europium Eu Gadolinium Gd Terbium Tb Dysprosium Dy Holmium Ho Erbium Er Thulium Tm Ytterbium Yb Lutetium Lu Molybdenum Mo Copper Cu Lead Pb Zinc Zn Arsenic As Cadium Cd Antimony Sb Bismuth Bi Silver Ag Gold Au Platinum Pt Palladium Pd Iridium Ir Rhodium Rh Ruthenium Ru Osmium Os Mercury Hg Thallium Tl Germanium Ge Carbon C

[0046]

Claims

1. A method for processing a non-homogeneous CCP, ore, or other material that contains elements or compounds that need to be processed, the following steps make up the process:

a) crushing, if necessary, any of the above into particles no larger than 325 mesh;

b) processing with the appropriate FEW solution which will be at a specified pH and ORP required to extract the targeted elements and/or compounds for the CCP, ore, or other material, the pH range of the FEW solution will vary as required from 1.0 to 11.5 and the ORP will range from a −800 mv to a +1100 mv, the elements and compounds will be recovered out of solutions into a form as required;

c) recovery with, one of Ion Exchange Resins, Solvent extraction, and Precipitation;

d) selective recovery using a specific resin for each element or group of elements or compounds; and

e) this residual will be inert and will be disposed of as fill or other appropriate uses.

The following lists some of the compounds and elements that can be processed by the FEW solutions on an individual basis.

4 COMPOUNDS NAME SYMBOL Silica Dioxide SiO2 Aluminum Trioxide Al2O3 Ferric Oxide Fe2O3 Magnesium Oxide MgO Calcium Oxide CaO Sodium Oxide Na2O Potassium Oxide K2O Titanium Dioxide TiO2 Phosphorus Pentoxide P2O5 Manganese Oxide MnO Chrome Oxide Cr2O3

5 ELEMENTS NAME SYMBOL Barium Ba Nickel Ni Scandium Sc Cobalt Co Cesium Cs Gallium Ga Hafnium Hf Niobium Nb Rubidium Rb Tin Sn Strontium Sr Tantalum Ta Thorium Th Uranium U Vanadium V Tungsten W Zirconium Zr Yttrium Y Lanthanum La Cerium Ce Praseodymium Pr Neodymium Nd Samarium Sm Europium Eu Gadolinium Gd Terbium Tb Dysprosium Dy Holmium Ho Erbium Er Thulium Tm Ytterbium Yb Lutetium Lu Molybdenum Mo Copper Cu Lead Pb Zinc Zn Arsenic As Cadium Cd Antimony Sb Bismuth Bi Silver Ag Gold Au Platinum Pt Palladium Pd Iridium Ir Rhodium Rh Ruthenium Ru Osmium Os Mercury Hg Thallium Tl Germanium Ge Carbon C

2. A method for processing a non-homogeneous CCP, ore, or other material that contains individual elements or compounds that need to be extracted' comprising the steps of:

a) crushing, if necessary, any of the above with the largest particles no larger than 325 mesh;

b) processing with the appropriate FEW solution which will have a specified pH range as required to extract the targeted elements and/or compounds from the CCP, ore or other material, the pH range of the FEW solutions will vary as required from 1.0 to 11.5;

c) recover with one of Ion Exchange Resins, Solvent extraction, and Precipitation;

d) selective recovery using a specific resin for each element or group of elements; and

e) this residual will be inert and will be disposed of as fill or other appropriate uses.

The following lists some of the compounds and elements that can be processed by the FEW solutions on an individual basis.

6 COMPOUNDS NAME SYMBOL Silica Dioxide SiO2 Aluminum Trioxide Al2O3 Ferric Oxide Fe2O3 Magnesium Oxide MgO Calcium Oxide CaO Sodium Oxide Na2O Potassium Oxide K2O Titanium Dioxide TiO2 Phosphorus Pentoxide P2O5 Manganese Oxide MnO Chrome Oxide Cr2O3

7 ELEMENTS NAME SYMBOL Barium Ba Nickel Ni Scandium Sc Cobalt Co Cesium Cs Gallium Ga Hafnium Hf Niobium Nb Rubidium Rb Tin Sn Strontium Sr Tantalum Ta Thorium Th Uranium U Vanadium V Tungsten W Zirconium Zr Yttrium Y Lanthanum La Cerium Ce Praseodymium Pr Neodymium Nd Samarium Sm Europium Eu Gadolinium Gd Terbium Tb Dysprosium Dy Holmium Ho Erbium Er Thulium Tm Ytterbium Yb Lutetium Lu Molybdenum Mo Copper Cu Lead Pb Zinc Zn Arsenic As Cadium Cd Antimony Sb Bismuth Bi Silver Ag Gold Au Platinum Pt Palladium Pd Iridium Ir Rhodium Rh Ruthenium Ru Osmium Os Mercury Hg Thallium Tl Germanium Ge Carbon C

3. A method for processing a non-homogeneous coal combustion product (CCP), ore, or other material that contains elements or compounds that need to be separated, comprising the steps of:

crushing, if necessary, the material to obtain particles no larger than 325 mesh;

preparing an appropriate Functionally Electrolyzed Water (FEW) solution having an appropriate pH (potential of Hydrogen) and ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) for the process;

recovering dissolved elements or compounds from the FEW solution; and

disposing of the inert residue as fill or other appropriate uses.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein in the step of preparing an appropriate FEW, the appropriate pH is in the range of 1.0 to 11.5.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein in the step of preparing an appropriate FEW, the appropriate ORP is in the range of −800 mv to +100 mv.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein in the step of recovering dissolved elements or compounds the recovery is accomplished by using one of Ion Exchange Resins, Solvent Extraction, and Precipitation processes.

7. The method of claim 3 including the step of selectively recovering each desired element, group of elements, or compound by using a specific resin for each.

8. The method of claim 3 including the step of upgrading the separated elements or compounds into a marketable form.