Adsorption vessels

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filtration unit containing pellets or granules of fine-particle iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides with a large specific surface area, processes for their production and processes for their use in the filtration units.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to filtration unit suitable for the through-flow of a fluid medium for the removal of a contaminant from the fluid medium, like an adsorption vessel through which a liquid to be treated can flow, particularly a filter adsorption vessel which, when filled with granulated or powdered, solid, water-insoluble adsorption media, particularly iron (oxy)hydroxide, is used for the removal of arsenic or heavy metals from drinking water. The device can be connected to the sanitary and drinking water supply in the home, for example.

[0002] The invention also concerns a process for the production of the iron (oxy)hydroxide adsorbents for use in the filtration units according to the invention.

[0003] In 1999, studies by the National Academy of Science verified that arsenic in drinking water causes bladder, lung and skin cancer.

[0004] A commonly occurring problem, particularly in regions where spring water, tap water or drinking water in general is contaminated with arsenic or other heavy metals, is that there is no suitable drinking water treatment plant nearby or no suitable device to hand that would continuously remove the contaminants.

[0005] Filter cartridges for cleaning liquids, preferably contaminated water, which can also contain an adsorption medium, are known in various forms.

[0006] For example, membrane filter cartridges in suitable housings are used to separate solids from water.

[0007] Cartridges and devices for the treatment of liquids are known from Brita Wasser-Filter-Systeme GmbH (DE-A 19 905 601; DE-A 19 915 829; DE-A 19 814 008, DE-A 19 615 102, DE-A 4 304 536, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,728). These devices are very suitable for the entire or partial removal of salts from drinking water in domestic jugs immediately before the drinking water is used.

[0008] A filtration unit in the form of a filter cartridge having a bed of activated carbon particles between a polyester urethane foam layer and a glass-fibre layer is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,876.

[0009] DE-A 19 816 871 (Sartorius) describes a filtration unit for the removal of contaminants from fluids.

[0010] RU-A 2 027 676 describes a cartridge filter with sorption agent for drinking water purification with a connection to the water tap in the home.

[0011] HU-A 00 209 500 describes a filter cartridge for the removal of radioactive material and heavy metals from water, which is filled with a mixture of ion-exchange material, activated carbon, filter sand, zeolites, aluminium oxide and red mud.

[0012] These adsorber cartridges are generally filled with activated carbon or ion-exchange resins. The disadvantage of activated carbon, however, is that due to the low adsorption capacity of activated carbon, arsenic and heavy metal salts occurring in aqueous systems are not removed to an adequate extent, and this has an effect on the service life of the cartridges.

[0013] The disadvantage of ion-exchange resins is that they are very unselective in the way that they bind ions from aqueous solution, and competitive reactions commonly occur in the adsorption. A further disadvantage of ion exchangers is that the adsorption capacity of the ion exchanger is extremely dependent on the pH value of the water, such that large quantities of chemicals are needed to adjust the pH of the water, which is not practicable when the adsorber cartridge is used in the home.

[0014] Contact and adsorbent granules, including those based on iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides, have already been described. They are predominantly used in continuous processes, whereby they are conventionally found in tower or column-type units through which the medium to be treated flows, and the chemical or physical reaction or adsorption processes take place at the outer and inner surface of the granules. Powdered materials cannot be used for this purpose because they compact in the direction of flow of the medium, thereby increasing the flow resistance until the unit becomes blocked. If a unit is cleaned by back-flushing (see below), large amounts of the powder are discharged and lost or cause an unacceptable contamination of the waste water.

[0015] The flowing media also exert forces on the granules, however, which can lead to abrasion and/or movement through to violent agitation of the granules. Consequently the granules collide, leading to undesirable abrasion. This results in loss of contact or adsorbent material and contamination of the medium to be treated.

[0016] In gas purification the agent is used in adsorbers for binding undesirable components such as hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans and hydrogen cyanide, as well as other phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, cyano and heavy metal compounds in waste gases. Gases such as HF, HCl, H2S, SOx, NOx can also be adsorbed.

[0017] A filter cartridge for drying gases is described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,330.

[0018] The removal of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, selenium, tellurium, cyano and heavy metal compounds from waste oils and other contaminated organic solvents is also possible.

[0019] Contact and adsorbent granules based on iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides are also used for the catalysis of chemical reactions in the gas phase or in the liquid phase.

[0020] Various methods of removing trace constituents and contaminants from aqueous systems with the aid of adsorbents are known.

[0021] DE-A 3 800 873 describes an adsorbent based on porous materials such as e.g. hydrophobed chalk with a fine to medium grain size to remove contaminants from water.

[0022] DE-A 3 703 169 discloses a process for the production of a granulated filter medium to treat natural water. The adsorbent is produced by granulating an aqueous suspension of kaolin with addition of powdered dolomite in a fluidised bed. The granules are then baked at 900 to 950° C.

[0023] A process for the production and use of highly reactive reagents for waste gas and waste water purification is known from DE-A 40 34 417. Mixtures consisting of Ca(OH)2 with additions of clays, stone dust, entrained dust and fly ashes, made porous and having a surface area of approx. 200 m2/g, are described here.

[0024] The cited processes and the contacts used therein have the shared disadvantage that the component responsible in each case for the selective adsorption of constituents of the media to be cleaned, in other words the actual adsorbent, must be supplemented with large quantities of additives to enable it to be shaped into granules. This significantly reduces the binding capacity for the water contaminants to be removed. Moreover, subsequent reprocessing or reuse of the material is problematic since the foreign substances used as binders first have to be separated out.

[0025] DE-A 4 214 487 describes a process and a reactor for the removal of impurities from water. The medium flows horizontally through a funnel-shaped reactor, in which finely divided iron hydroxide in flocculent form is used as a sorption agent for water impurities. The disadvantage of this process lies in the use of the iron hydroxide in flocculent form, which means that because there is little difference in density between water and iron hydroxide, a reactor of this type can be operated at only very low flow rates and there is a risk of the sorption agent, which is possibly already loaded with contaminants, being discharged from the reactor along with the water.

[0026] JP-A 55 132 633 describes granulated red mud, a by-product of aluminium production, as an adsorbent for arsenic. This consists of Fe2O3, Al2O3 and SiO2. No mention is made of the stability of the granules or of the granulation process. A further disadvantage of this adsorbent is the lack of consistency in the composition of the product, its unreliable availability and the possible contamination of the drinking water with aluminium. Since aluminium is suspected of encouraging the development of Alzheimer's Disease, contamination with this substance in particular is to be avoided.

[0027] DE-A 19 826 186 describes a process for the production of an adsorbent containing iron hydroxide. An aqueous polymer dispersion is incorporated into iron hydroxide in water-dispersible form. This mixture is then either dried until it reaches a solid state and the solid material then comminuted mechanically to the desired shape and/or size or the mixture is shaped, optionally after a preliminary drying stage, and a final drying stage then performed, during which a solid state is achieved. In this way a material is obtained in which the iron hydroxide is firmly embedded in the polymer and which is said to display a high binding capacity for the contaminants conventionally contained in waste waters or waste gases.

[0028] The disadvantage of this process lies in the use of organic binders, which further contaminate the water to be treated due to leaching and/or abrasion of organic substances. Furthermore, the stability of the adsorbent composite is not guaranteed in extended use. Bacteria and other microorganisms can also serve as a nutrient medium for an organic binder, presenting a risk that microorganisms may populate the contact and thereby contaminate the medium.

[0029] The presence of foreign auxiliary substances, which are required for the manufacture of the adsorbents, during reprocessing, recycling or reuse of used adsorbents is disadvantageous in principle because the reuse of pure substances is less problematic than is the case with mixed substances. For example, polymeric binders are disadvantageous when iron oxide-based adsorption materials are reused as pigments for concrete coloration because these binders inhibit dispersion of the pigment in liquid concrete.

[0030] DE-A 4 320 003 describes a process for the removal of dissolved arsenic from ground water with the aid of colloidal or granulated iron hydroxide. Where fine, suspended iron(III) hydroxide products are used, it is recommended here that the iron hydroxide suspension be placed in fixed-bed filters filled with granular material or other supports having a high external or internal porosity. This process likewise has the disadvantage that, relative to the adsorbent “substrate+iron hydroxide”, only low specific loading capacities are achievable. Furthermore, there is only a weak bond between substrate and iron hydroxide, which means that there is a risk of iron hydroxide or iron arsenate being discharged during subsequent treatment with arsenic-containing water. This publication also cites the use of granulated iron hydroxide as an adsorption material for a fixed-bed reactor. The granulated iron hydroxide is produced by freeze conditioning (freeze drying) of iron hydroxide obtained by neutralisation of acid iron(III) salt solutions at temperatures of below minus 5° C. This production process is extremely energy-intensive and leads to heavily salt-contaminated waste waters. Moreover, as a result of this production process only very small granules with low mechanical resistance are obtained. When used in a fixed-bed reactor, this means that the size spectrum is significantly reduced by mechanical abrasion of the particles during operation, which in turn results in finely dispersed particles of contaminated or uncontaminated adsorption agent being discharged from the reactor. A further disadvantage of these granules lies in the fact that the adsorption capacity in respect of arsenic compounds is reduced considerably if the granules lose water, by being stored dry for extended periods for example.

[0031] Adsorbent/binder systems obtained by removing a sufficiently large amount of water from a mixture of (a) a crosslinkable binder consisting of colloidal metal or non-metal oxides, (b) oxidic adsorbents such as metal oxides and (c) an acid such that components (a) and (b) crosslink to form an adsorbent/binder system, are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,726. According to the embodiments, colloidal alumina or aluminium oxide is used as binder.

[0032] The disadvantage of these compositions lies in the need to use acid in their production (column 9, line 4) and in the fact that they are not pure but heterogeneous substances, which is undesirable both for the production, regeneration, removal and permanent disposal of such adsorbents, e.g. on a waste disposal site. The scope of disclosure of this publication is also intended to include adsorbents that are suitable for the adsorption of arsenic; specific examples are not provided, however. Aluminium oxide is known to be significantly inferior to iron oxides in regard to force of adsorption for arsenic.

[0033] Continuous adsorbers, which are commonly grouped together in parallel for operation, are preferably used for water treatment. To free drinking water from organic impurities, for example, such adsorbers are filled with activated carbon. At peak consumption times, the available adsorbers are then operated in parallel to prevent the flow rate from rising above the maximum permitted by the particular arrangement. At times of lower water consumption, individual adsorbers are taken out of operation and can be serviced, for example, whereby the adsorption material is subjected to special loads, as described in greater detail below.

[0034] The use of granules, which can be produced by compacting e.g. powdered iron oxide using high linear forces, has also already been considered. Such granules have already been described as a means of homogeneously colouring liquid concrete. The use of high linear forces for compacting is extremely expensive and energy-intensive, and the stability of the compacted materials is inadequate for extended use in adsorbers. The use of such materials in adsorbers, for example, particularly continuous models, for water purification is therefore of no interest. During maintenance or cleaning of adsorber plants by back-flushing in particular (see below), such granules lose large amounts of substance due to the associated agitation. The abraded material renders the waste water from back-flushing extremely turbid. This is unacceptable for a number of reasons: firstly, adsorption material, which is heavily laden with impurities and therefore toxic after extended use, is lost. Secondly, the stream of waste water is laden with abraded material, which can sediment, damaging piping systems and ultimately subjecting the waste treatment plant to undesirable physical and toxicological stresses, to name but a few reasons. Preferably the abrasion should be below 20% by weight, more preferably below 15% by weight, 10% by weight or most preferably below 5% by weight according to the method described in the examples of the present invention.

[0035] An object underlying the present invention was therefore to provide a filtration unit for the removal of arsenic and heavy metals from drinking, process, mineral, garden pond, agricultural, holy and medicinal water using iron oxyhydroxide or iron oxide particles as a contact or adsorbent/catalyst, which guarantees a high degree of removal of the dissolved contaminants due to the adsorption capacity of the packing medium, which at the same time withstands the mechanical and hydraulic stresses in the adsorber housing and which for safety reasons, due to the filter performance of built-in filters, additionally prevents the discharge of suspended impurities or abraded material from the adsorbent, possibly laden with contaminants.

[0036] This complex object is achieved by the contacts or adsorbents/catalysts according to the invention, their preparation, their use and units filled therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The invention relates to a filtration unit suitable for the through-flow of a fluid medium for the removal of a contaminant from the fluid medium comprising a cartridge housing (4), which comprises a vessel having a centrally positioned inlet pipe (6), flat filter layers (3), (10), a cover ensuring the inflow (1) and outflow (12) of the medium, together with a base part (9), wherein the cartridge housing is filled at least partially some particles prepared from fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide having a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawings show different embodiments of the invention.

[0039] FIG. 1a. describes an adsorber tank with iron hydroxide adsorbent.

[0040] FIG. 1b. describes a tapered adsorber tank with iron hydroxide adsorbent.

[0041] FIG. 2a. describes an adsorber tank with iron (oxy)hydroxide-containing adsorber cartridge and housing.

[0042] FIG. 2b. describes an adsorber tank operated in the reverse direction (cf. FIG. 2a).

[0043] FIG. 3. describes a filter cartridge housing with iron (oxy)hydroxide adsorbents.

[0044] FIG. 5. describes a bag filter with iron hydroxide granules.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] The cartridge housing can optionally contain iron oxide pigments with BET surface areas below the above limits, whereby the maximum content of these is such that the resistance of the charge to the forces exerted upon it by the flowing medium is sufficiently great that the stress exerted on the charge by the flowing medium does not lead to an undesirable abrasion of the charge material.

[0046] The invention also relates to a process for the production of particles from fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide comprising the steps of producing an aqueous suspension of fine-particle iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides having a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g, removing the water and dissolved constituents by either

[0047] I) a) first removing only the water from the suspension, b) introducing the residue thus obtained in water, c) filtering the material obtained, d) washing the residue, and e) either e1) completely dehydrating the filter cake obtained as residue and comminuting the filter cake to the desired shape and/or size or e2) partially dehydrating it to obtain a paste, shaping the paste and subsequently additionally drying the paste until a pellet is obtained, or

[0048] II) a) filtering the suspension, b) washing the residue, c) either c1) completely dehydrating the filter cake obtained as residue in the form of a solid to semisolid paste and then comminuting the material thus obtained to the desired shape and/or size or c2) partially dehydrating it to obtain a paste, shaping the paste, followed by subsequent additional drying until a pellet is obtained.

[0049] In this process the pellet can be further subjected to a further comminution by grinding or rough grinding.

[0050] In this process the BET surface area can be 80 to 200 m2/g.

[0051] In this process the water can be removed by evaporation.

[0052] In this process the residue can be washed until it is low in salts.

[0053] In this process the residue can be washed until it is free from salts.

[0054] In this process the iron oxides and/or iron (oxy)hydroxides can be a commercial pigment.

[0055] In this process the iron oxides and/or iron (oxy)hydroxides can be a transparent pigment.

[0056] In this process the iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide can comprise Fe(OH)2.

[0057] The object of the invention is achieved by a filtration unit consisting of a housing made from plastic, wood, glass, ceramics, metal or a composite material, provided with inlet and outlet openings. Simple exemplary embodiments are illustrated by FIGS. 1a and 1b. These housings are described in detail in DE-A 19 816 871. The inlet and outlet openings are separated from the actual housing chamber, which contains a bed of the iron oxyhydroxide adsorption medium, by flat filter units which cover them. The fluid to be treated thus passes successively through the first flat filter layer, the adsorbent particles, the second flat filter layer and the outlet opening. The housing chamber can be entirely or partially filled with the adsorbent particles. The housing chamber is preferably conical or pyramidal, but may also be obtained in a cylindrical, spherical, cuboid or spirally wound form. By tapering the housing chamber (see FIG. 1b), the filtration can be performed in any of the layers, for example, preventing the formation of a bypass between the bed of adsorbent particles through which the fluid to be filtered can pass unhindered without adsorption. Filling the housing chamber with a bed of adsorbent particles taking up between 97 and 99% of the volume of the housing ensures a high flow rate of the fluid to be cleaned, since the flow of liquid meets a low resistance due to the resistance of the adsorbent granules.

[0058] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the housing chamber takes the form of a truncated cone or truncated pyramid in the tapered sections.

[0059] Depending on the area of application, a variety of materials are shown for the flat filter layers, e.g. in DE-A 19 816 871.

[0060] FIG. 2a and 2b show an improved embodiment of an adsorber tank. They both illustrate the domestic filter module in longitudinal section.

[0061] The adsorber housing (4) with the iron oxyhydroxide adsorbent material (5) with filter plates positioned top (3) and bottom (10) at the front and a centrally positioned inlet pipe (6) can be isolated as a unit by means of a screw fitting with the cover (13) at the upper end and a screw fitting with the base cap (9) at the lower end by unfastening the screw fittings. When the cartridge is exhausted, a new one can be inserted and the base and cover plate cleaned. At the upper end the inlet pipe (6) is firmly attached to the feed nozzle (2) during use by means of a suitable sealing ring. The inlet pipe can be removed from the cartridge housing and inserted in a new, fresh cartridge housing. The incoming liquid flows through it directly onto a strainer basket (7), which prefilters suspended matter, algae and the like and retains it at the entrance to the actual adsorber cartridge, preventing the adsorbent material from caking or agglutinating. The strainer (7) serves to distribute the incoming stream of liquid uniformly in the base chamber, is therefore preferably conical, i.e. in the form of a truncated cone, and completely encloses the inlet pipe and is fixed both to this and to the surrounding filter plate (10) by means of loose sealing rings. The straining cloth can be made from standard fine-meshed filter materials, e.g. from plastic, natural material or metal.

[0062] The screwed-on base part (9) can additionally contain a suitable filter material or filter cloth (8), which can be selected according to the type and quantity of the anticipated suspended material. With large quantities of solid impurities, the strainer (7) and the filter cloth (8) can easily be removed and cleaned by unscrewing the base part. The filter plate (10), which can consist of fine-pored ceramics, separates the base chamber (9) from the contact chamber with the iron oxyhydroxide granules (5), preventing adsorbent material from entering the base chamber and prefiltered material from entering the contact chamber. As the water to be cleaned rises up through the contact room with the iron oxyhydroxide adsorbent, the contaminants to be removed are removed by physisorption and/or chemisorption at the adsorbent material. An additional filter plate at the upper end of the cartridge housing prevents any adsorbent material from entering the outlet (12). Elevated water pressure or extended operating life of the adsorber tank can cause fines to abrade from the adsorbent material and pass through the filter plate (3). To prevent these fines (which are laden with contaminants) from entering the outlet, filter material or filter cloth (11), which retains the fines, is embedded inside the cover (13).

[0063] The filter layers (3) and (10) also serve to distribute the fluid uniformly in the adsorber chamber (5) and to collect it together again when it emerges.

[0064] The clean water, freed from impurities and contaminants, leaves the adsorber tank via the discharge nozzle (12).

[0065] The cover (13) can also include a valve to release the gases entrained during operation for the first time (e.g. air contained in the cartridge housing).

[0066] Depending on the application, it can be advantageous to operate the adsorber tank described above in the reverse sequence (FIG. 2b). This means that the water to be cleaned now passes from the feed nozzle (1) directly onto the prefilter (11), which retains suspended matter and foreign material, then passes through the filter plate (3), enters the contact chamber, where the dissolved contaminants are adsorbed on the adsorbent material, passes through the cartridge base plate (10) into the base chamber (9), which may contain embedded filter material (8) to retain abraded adsorbent material, whereby the strainer basket (7) provides additional filtration functions, such that the cleaned water leaves the adsorber tank through the opening (1) via the outlet pipe (6) and the discharge nozzle.

[0067] FIG. 4 illustrates a simpler embodiment, which nevertheless operates according to the principle described above. It shows the adsorber tank, which contains the adsorbent granules according to the invention, and in which the adsorber cartridge forms a unit.

[0068] Naturally other embodiments and designs resembling the structure described and operating by the methods described are possible in principle, i.e. containing an inlet and outlet opening for water and iron oxide and/or iron (oxy)hydroxide as adsorbent media.

[0069] FIG. 5 illustrates a filter bag which, when filled with adsorbent granules, can be fed to a body of water to be cleaned in order to remove the contaminants contained within it by adsorption.

[0070] Filter bags and extraction thimbles, for example, are known in many forms and designs for the preparation of hot infusions, particularly tea. DE-A 839 405 describes a folding bag of this type, for example, such as is used to prepare tea and the like. A special folding technique, by means of which a dual chamber system is formed, ensures a thorough mixing of the eluent with the substance to be extracted.

[0071] Conversely, however, iron oxides or iron (oxy)hydroxides in powdered, finely granulated or coarsely granulated form can be embedded in semipermeable bags or sachets having a filtering action (such as the folding bag described above, for example), and these packages fed to the body of water to be cleaned in order to remove the contaminants from the water by adsorption on the adsorbent material after a certain contact time (see FIG. 5). The iron oxides and/or iron (oxy)hydroxides withstand the mechanical and hydraulic stresses in the filter bag on the one hand and on the other hand the filter performance of the filter membrane prevents any fines from the adsorbent caused by abrasion from entering the water to be cleaned.

[0072] Common to the various embodiments of the present invention is the fact that iron hydroxide or iron oxyhydroxide in finely granulated, coarsely granulated or powdered form is embedded in housings having a filtering action, and the liquid to be cleaned is allowed to flow through the filter housing or the filter pack is fed to the liquid to be cleaned, thereby ensuring adsorption of the contaminants.

[0073] To prepare the granules according to the invention, an aqueous suspension of fine-particle iron oxyhydroxides and/or iron oxides is first produced according to the prior art. The water and constituents dissolved within it can be removed from this in two different ways:

[0074] Method 1

[0075] For applications in which lower demands are made of the mechanical strength of the granules/contacts, only the water is removed initially, e.g. by evaporation. A residue is obtained which in addition to the fine-particle iron oxide and/or hydroxide also contains the entire salt content. This residue is redispersed in water after being dried, for which purpose only relatively little shear force needs to be applied. This suspension is then filtered and the residue washed until it is substantially free from salts. The filter cake obtained as residue is a solid to semisolid paste which generally has a water content of between 10 and 90 wt. %.

[0076] This can then be completely or partially dehydrated, and the material thus obtained can then be comminuted to the desired shape and/or size. Alternatively the paste or filter cake, optionally after predrying to achieve a sufficiently solid state, can undergo shaping followed by (additional) drying until a pellet state is achieved. The subsequent application of the granules determines the preferred procedure to be followed for their production, which can be determined by the person skilled in the art in the particular field of application by means of simple preliminary orienting experiments. Both the directly dried filter cake and the dried shaped bodies can then be used as contact or adsorbent.

[0077] Method 2

[0078] For applications in which higher demands are made of the mechanical strength of the granules/contacts, the suspension is filtered and the residue washed until it is substantially free from salts. The filter cake obtained as residue is a solid to semisolid paste. This can then be completely or partially dehydrated, and the material thus obtained can then be comminuted to the desired shape and/or size. Alternatively the paste or filter cake, optionally after predrying to achieve a sufficiently solid state, can undergo shaping followed by (additional) drying until a pellet state is achieved. The subsequent application of the granules determines the preferred procedure to be followed for their production, which can be determined by the person skilled in the art in the particular field of application by means of simple preliminary orienting experiments. Both the directly dried filter cake and the dried shaped bodies can then be used as contact or adsorbent.

[0079] Although the products obtained according to method 1 are less mechanically resistant, filtration can be performed more easily and quickly. The fine-particle pigments isolated in this way can moreover be incorporated very easily into paints and polymers, for example, because considerably less shear force is required than is needed to incorporate the fine-particle pigments obtained according to method 2.

[0080] The fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide used has a particle size of up to 500 nm, preferably up to 100 nm, particularly preferably 4 to 50 nm, and a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g, preferably 80 to 200 m2/g.

[0081] The primary particle size was determined by measurement from scanning electron micrographs, e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1 (instrument: XL30 ESEM FEG, Philips). If the primary particles are needle-shaped, as in the (&agr;-FeOOH phase for example, the needle width can be given as a measurement for the particle size. Needle widths of up to 100 nm, but mainly between 4 and 50 nm, are observed in the case of nanoparticle &agr;-FeOOH particles. &agr;-FeOOH primary particles conventionally have a length:width ratio of 5:1 to 50:1, typically of 5:1 to 20:1. The length:width ratio of the needle shapes can be varied, however, by doping or by special reaction processes. If the primary particles are isometric, as in the &agr;-Fe2O3, &ggr;-Fe2O3, Fe3O4 phases for example, the particle diameters can quite easily also be below 20 nm.

[0082] By mixing nanoparticle iron oxides or iron (oxy)hydroxides with pigments and/or Fe(OH)3, the presence of the cited pigment or nucleus particles in their known particle morphology, held or glued together by the nanoparticle nucleus particles or the amorphous Fe(OH)3 polymer, can be detected on the scanning electron micrographs.

[0083] Products obtainable by methods 1) or 2) can then be comminuted further, for example by rough grinding or grinding. However, since the products reduce in size autogenously on first coming into contact with water, for example when a freshly charged adsorber unit is first filled with water, this will generally be unnecessary.

[0084] Granulation of a semi-wet paste has proven effective as another method of producing granules. Here pellets or strands are formed from a semi-wet paste, e.g. using a simple perforated metal sheet, a roll press or an extruder, and either dried immediately or additionally shaped into a spherical or granular form by means of a spheroniser. The still wet spherules or granules can subsequently be dried to any moisture content whatsoever. A residual moisture content of <50% is recommended to prevent the granules from agglomerating. A spherical shape of this type can be advantageous for use in fixed-bed adsorbers due to the improved packing in the adsorber vessel that is obtained in comparison with rough-ground granules or pellets in strand form.

[0085] The filtration performance of the suspensions can generally be improved by the use of conventional filtration-improving measures, such as are described for example in Solid-Liquid Filtration and Separation Technology, A. Rushton, A. S. Ward, R. G. Holdich, 2nd edition 2000, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, and in Handbuch der Industriellen Fest/Flüssig-Filtration, H. Gasper, D. Öchsle, E. Pongratz, 2nd edition 2000, Wiley-VCH Weinheim. Coagulants can thus be added to the suspensions, for example.

[0086] Iron carbonates can also be used in addition to or in place of the iron oxyhydroxides.

[0087] The products according to the invention can undergo drying in air, and/or in vacuo, and/or in a drying oven and/or on belt dryers or by spray drying, preferably at temperatures from −25 to 250° C., particularly preferably at 60 to 120° C.

[0088] The products according to the invention preferably have a residual water content of less than 20 wt. %.

[0089] It was found that the pellets or granules obtained in this way have a high binding capacity for contaminants contained in water, liquids or gases and they additionally have an adequately high resistance to flowing media in terms of mechanical or hydraulic stressing.

[0090] It is particularly surprising that during drying, fine-particle iron oxyhydroxides or iron oxides having large specific surface areas solidify into very hard agglomerates, which without the addition of binders have a high mechanical abrasion resistance and high hydraulic resistance to contact with flowing water, and which have a high binding capacity for the contaminants and trace constituents contained in the water.

[0091] Transparent iron oxyhydroxide pigments, for example, having specific surface areas of over 80 m2 are suitable for the use according to the invention of fine-particle iron oxyhydroxides. Correspondingly fine-particle iron oxide pigments, preferably haematite, magnetite or maghemite, can also be used, however.

[0092] The production of yellow fine-particle iron oxyhydroxide pigments (e.g. goethite) in the acid or alkaline pH range, known as acid or alkaline nuclei, is prior art. The production of other fine-particle iron oxide or iron oxyhydroxide pigments is also prior art. Such pigments can contain structures based on &agr;, &bgr;, &ggr;, &dgr;, &dgr;′, &egr; phases and/or Fe(OH)2 and mixed and intermediate phases thereof. Fine-particle yellow iron oxyhydroxides can be calcined to fine-particle red iron oxides.

[0093] The production of transparent iron oxides and iron oxyhydroxides is known e.g. according to DE-A 2 603 050 from BIOS 1144, p. 29 to 33 or from FIAT 814, p. 1 to 26.

[0094] Fine-particle yellow iron oxihydroxide pigments are generally synthesised by precipitating iron(II) hydroxides or carbonates from corresponding iron(II) salt solutions such as e.g. FeSO4, FeCl2 in pure form or as pickling solutions in the acid or alkaline pH range, followed by oxidation to iron(III) oxihydroxides (see inter alia G. Buxbaum, Industrial Inorganic Pigments, VCH Weinheim, 2nd edition, 1998, p. 231ff). Oxidation of the divalent to the trivalent iron is preferably performed with air, whereby intensive aeration is advantageous. Oxidation with H2O2 also leads to fine-particle iron oxyhydroxides. The temperature chosen for precipitation and oxidation should be as low as possible in order to obtain very fine-particle yellow pigments. It is preferably between 15° C. and 45° C. NaOH is preferably used as alkaline precipitant. Other precipitants, such as KOH, Na2CO3, K2CO3, CaO, Ca(OH)2, CaCO3, NH3, NH4OH, MgO and/or MgCO3, can also be used, however.

[0095] To steer the precipitated pigments in the direction of the extremely fine-particle character that is required, the precipitations, e.g. of yellow &agr;-FeOOH as described in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,558,303 and 2,558,304, are performed in the alkaline pH range with alkali carbonates as precipitants, and modifiers such as SiO2, zinc, aluminium or magnesium salts, hydroxycarbonic acids, phosphates and metaphosphates are generally added. Products produced in this way are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,302. Such nucleus modifiers do not interfere with the subsequent reprocessing, recycling or any other use of the adsorbents according to the invention. In the case of precipitation processes in an aqueous medium, it is known that precipitations in an alkaline environment lead to less solidly agglomerated powders than those in an acid environment.

[0096] DE-A 4 235 945 reports on the production of fine-particle iron oxides using a precipitation method in the acid pH range and without modifiers.

[0097] DE-A 4 434 669 describes a process by which highly transparent yellow, chemically pure iron oxide pigments can be produced by secondary treatment thereof with sodium hydroxide solution.

[0098] DE-A 4 434 972 reports on highly transparent, yellow iron oxide pigments in the &agr;-FeOOH modification having a specific surface area of over 100 m2/g and high temperature resistance.

[0099] DE-A 4 434 973 describes highly transparent yellow iron oxide pigments, which are produced by means of the process steps of nuclear precipitation in the acid pH range, nuclear oxidation, nuclear maturation and pigment formulation.

[0100] Red, transparent iron oxide pigments obtained by calcining from yellow, transparent iron oxide pigments are known from DE-A 4 434 668 and DE-A 4 235 946.

[0101] By preparing diverse phases of iron oxyhydroxides in pure form or in any mixture from iron(II) salt solutions using the known precipitation and oxidation reactions, separating the resultant iron oxyhydroxides out of the suspension, optionally after a secondary treatment, by filtering the salt solution and washing them until they are largely free from salts, preferably down to a residual conductivity of <5 mS/cm, then drying the solid or semisolid filter cake just as it is or optionally after mechanical shaping until it achieves a solid state, a mechanically highly resistant material displaying a high binding capacity for the contaminants conventionally contained in waste waters or waste gases is obtained.

[0102] Drying is conveniently performed at temperatures of up to 250° C. The material can also be vacuum or freeze dried. The particle size of the material can be freely selected but is preferably between 0.2 and 40 mm, particularly preferably between 0.2 and 20 mm. This can be achieved by shaping the semisolid, pasty filter cake mechanically before drying in a granulation or pelletising plant or in an extruder to form shaped bodies whose size is in the range between 0.2 and 20 mm, with subsequent drying in the air, on a belt dryer or in a drying oven, and/or by mechanical comminution to the desired particle size after drying.

[0103] The products described, the process for their production and their use represent an improvement over the prior art. In contrast to those based on coarse-particle iron oxyhydroxides and/or oxides, the granules according to the invention based on fine-particle iron (oxy)hydroxides and/or oxides can be subjected to much higher stresses and therefore display a much greater abrasion resistance to mechanical and hydraulic stressing. They can be used directly as such. When used in adsorber plants for water purification, for example, there is no need even for comminution or rough grinding of the crude dry substance initially obtained from filter cakes or extruders, since the coarse pellets break down independently on contact with water. This results in a random particle-size distribution, but no particles of such a size that they are discharged from the adsorber to any significant extent by the flowing medium.

[0104] There is absolutely no need for a separate granulation process, such as would be necessary when using conventional iron oxyhydroxides in the form of (flowable) powders, either with the aid of foreign binders or using extremely high linear forces during compacting.

[0105] According to the invention, the suspensions of fine-particle iron oxyhydroxides or iron oxides can also be supplemented with conventional powdered iron oxyhydroxides or iron oxides. The quantities in each case are determined by the properties of these powdered iron oxyhydroxides or iron oxides and by the requirements of the product according to the invention in terms of its mechanical stability and abrasion resistance. Although the addition of powdered pigments will generally reduce the mechanical strength of the products according to the invention, filtration of the fine-particle suspensions is made easier. The person skilled in the art and practising in the particular field of application will be able to determine the optimum mixing ratio for the intended application by means of a few orienting experiments.

[0106] A quantity of aqueous salts of Fe3+, Al3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ or mixtures thereof corresponding to the NaOH excess can be added to the suspensions of the alkaline fine-particle nuclei until sufficiently poorly soluble deposits of Fe(OH)3, Al(OH)3, Mg(OH)2, TiO(OH)2 or ageing products and dehydrated secondary products thereof are precipitated onto the suspended iron oxide and/or iron (oxy)hydroxide particles. Conversely, the poorly soluble deposits of Fe(OH)3, Al(OH)3, Mg(OH)2, TiO(OH)2 or ageing products and secondary products thereof can be precipitated onto the iron oxide or iron (oxy)hydroxide particles suspended in Fe3+, Al3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ solutions by the addition of alkalis, such as e.g. NaOH, Ca(OH)2, KOH, CaCO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3, NH4OH. The aluminium oxide or aluminium (oxy)hydroxide can also be precipitated from an aluminate suspension (e.g. NaAlO2) onto the iron oxide and/or iron (oxy)hydroxide particles.

[0107] The initially amorphous Fe(OH)3 or Al(OH)3 produced mature over time, to the FeOOH or AlOOH phase, for example. This ensures that the sodium hydroxide solution used in excess to produce the alkaline nucleus is completely used up. The materials thus obtained also display large specific surface areas. Just like the nanoparticle iron oxyhydroxides described above, the material is extremely suitable for use in adsorbers since it possesses a high resistance to mechanical loading in addition to a high adsorption capacity.

[0108] The granules according to the invention are particularly preferably used in the cleaning of liquids, especially for the removal of heavy metals. A preferred application in this industrial field is the decontamination of water, particularly of drinking water. Particular attention has recently been paid to the removal of arsenic from drinking water. The granules according to the invention are extremely suitable for this purpose, since levels that not only meet but actually fall below even the lowest limiting values set by the US authority the EPA can be achieved using the granules according to the invention.

[0109] To this end the granules can be used in conventional adsorber units, such as are already used with a charge of activated carbon, for example, to remove other types of contaminants. Batchwise operation, in cisterns or similar containers for example, optionally fitted with agitators, is also possible. However, use in continuous plants such as continuous-flow adsorbers is preferred.

[0110] Since untreated water to be processed into drinking water conventionally also contains organic impurities such as algae and similar organisms, the surface of adsorbents, especially the outer surface of granular adsorbents, becomes coated during use with mostly slimy deposits, which impede or even prevent the inflow of water and hence the adsorption of constituents to be removed. For this reason adsorber units are periodically back-flushed with water, a process which is preferably performed at times of low water consumption (see above) on individual units that have been taken out of service. The adsorbent is whirled up and the associated mechanical stress to which the surface is subjected causes the undesirable coating to be removed and discharged against the direction of flow during active operation. The wash water is conventionally sent to a sewage treatment plant. The adsorbents according to the invention have proven to be particularly effective in this process, since their high strength enables them to be cleaned quickly without suffering any significant losses of adsorption material and without the back-flush water sent for waste treatment being rich in discharged adsorption material, which is possibly already highly contaminated with heavy metals.

[0111] The impurities that could block the adsorber cartridge are retained by a suitable prefilter and afterfilter.

[0112] Material abrasion is minimised by the resistance according to the invention of the granules and by suitable packing of the adsorber granules.

[0113] Spraying granules of iron oxyhydroxide adsorbent having a particle size <250&mgr; have proven to be particularly favourable because they lead to a particularly good packing density.

[0114] Since the granules according to the invention are free from foreign binders, the material is comparatively easy to dispose of after use. For instance, the adsorbed arsenic can be removed by thermal or chemical means in special units, for example, resulting in an iron oxide pigment as a pure substance which can either be recycled for use in the same application or supplied for conventional pigment applications. Depending on the application and legal regulations, the content of the adsorber can also be used without prior removal of the heavy metals, for example as a pigment for colouring durable construction materials such as concrete, since the heavy metals removed from the drinking water are permanently immobilised in this way and taken out of the hydrological cycle.

[0115] The invention therefore also provides water treatment plants or waterworks in which units filled with the granules according to the invention are operated, and processes for the decontamination of water by means of such units, as well as such units themselves.

[0116] For many applications, particularly those in which a maximum mechanical strength is not required of the granules, the addition of powdered pigments during production of the granules according to the invention is a preferred embodiment.

[0117] Thus, for example, up to 40 wt. % of commercial goethite (e.g. Bayferrox® 920, Bayer AG, Leverkusen DE) can be added to a nucleus suspension according to example 2 of the present application if the granules obtained according to the invention are to be used for the removal of arsenic from drinking water in adsorbers with a through-flow of water.

[0118] The BET specific surface area of the products according to the invention is determined by the carrier gas process (He:N2=90:10) using the single-point method, according to DIN 66131 (1993). The sample is baked for 1 h at 140° C. in a stream of dry nitrogen before measurement.

[0119] In order to measure the adsorption of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V), 3 litres of an aqueous solution of NaAsO2 or Na2HAsO4, each with the specified concentration of approx. 2-3 mg/l arsenic, are treated with 3 g of the sample to be tested in a 5 litre PE flask for a specific period and the flask moved on rotating rollers. The adsorption rate of As ions on iron hydroxide over this specific period, e.g. one hour, is stated as mg(As3+/5+)/g(FeOOH)·h, calculated from the balance of the As3+/5+ ions remaining in solution.

[0120] The adsorption of Sb3+, Sb5+, Pb2+, Hg2+, Cr6+ or Cd2+ ions is measured in the same way, whereby the desired concentrations are established by dissolving appropriate amounts of Sb2O3, KSb(OH)6, PbCl2, NaCrO4 or CdCl2 in H2O and adjusting the pH value to 7-9.

[0121] The As, Sb, Cd, Cr, Hg or Pb contents of the contaminated iron oxyhydroxide or of the solutions are determined using mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) according to DIN 38406-29 (1999) or by optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) according to EN-ISO 11885 (1998), with inductively coupled plasma as excitation agent in each case.

[0122] The mechanical and hydraulic abrasion resistance was assessed using the following method: 150 ml of demineralised water were added to 10 g of the granules to be tested, having particle sizes >0.1 mm, in a 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask, which was rotated on a LabShaker shaking machine (Kühner model from Braun) for a period of 30 minutes at 250 rpm. The >0.1 mm fraction was then isolated from the suspension using a screen, dried and weighed. The weight ratio between the amount weighed out and the amount weighed in determines the abrasion value in %.

[0123] The invention is described in greater detail below by means of examples. The examples are intended to illustrate the process and do not constitute a limitation.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0124] 237 l of an aqueous iron sulfate solution with a concentration of 150 g/l FeSO4 were prepared at 24° C. 113 l of an aqueous NaOH solution (227 g/l) were then quickly added and the light blue suspension then oxidised with 40 l of air per hour and per mol of iron for 1.5 hours.

[0125] The yellow suspension thus obtained was filtered out through a filter press and the solid washed until the residual filtrate conductivity was 1 mS/cm. The filter cake was in the form of a spreadable and kneadable paste, which was dried on metal sheets in a circulating air drying oven at 75° C. until the residual moisture content was 3 wt. %. The dried material was then roughly ground to produce particle sizes of between 0.5 and 2 mm. The hard pellets thus obtained were then placed directly in an adsorber tank.

[0126] The product consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH with an extremely short-needled habit, whereby the needles were congregated to form solid macroscopic agglomerates. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 35 nm, the needle lengths between 150 and 350 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated.

[0127] The BET specific surface area was 122 m2/g. The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.3 mg (As3+)/l was 2.14 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As5+)/l it was 2.29 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 2

[0128] 800 l of an aqueous iron sulfate solution with a concentration of 150 g/l FeSO4 were prepared at 29° C. and 147 l of an aqueous NaOH solution (300 g/l) added over 20 minutes with stirring. 2.16 kg of a 57% aqueous glycolic acid solution were then added to the grey-blue suspension formed and oxidation performed for 7 hours with 38 l of air per hour and per mol of iron.

[0129] The dark brown suspension was filtered out through a filter press and the solid washed until the residual filtrate conductivity was 1 mS/cm. The filter cake was dried at 70° C. in a circulating air drying oven to a residual moisture of 5%, and the very hard blackish brown dry product was roughly ground in a roller crusher to particle sizes of up to 2 mm. The fine fraction <0.2 mm was separated out using a screen.

[0130] An X-ray diffractogram showed that the product consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 20 nm, the needle lengths between 50 and 80 nm. The particles were extremely agglomerated. The BET specific surface area was 202 m2/g. The granules thus obtained were placed directly in an adsorber tank with no further treatment.

[0131] The granules displayed an excellent adsorption performance in respect of the contaminants contained in the flowing water and demonstrated a high abrasion resistance, particularly when the adsorber tank is being back-flushed causing the granules to be whirled up strongly. The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 1%.

[0132] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.4 mg (As3+)/l was 1.0 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.8 mg (As5+)/l it was 2.07 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 3

[0133] 1.3 l of an aqueous 300 g/l NaOH solution were added to an &agr;-FeOOH suspension obtained according to example 2 after a two-hour maturation at 30° C. with stirring, and post-oxidation was performed simultaneously for one hour with 190 l of air. The product was processed as described in example 2. Fine-particle needles of pure &agr;-FeOOH with a BET specific surface area of 130 m2/g were obtained. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 20 nm, the needle lengths between 50 and 90 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated. The granules proved to be very mechanically and hydraulically resistant, and the abrasion value was only 3.9%.

[0134] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.3 mg (As3+)/l was 1.1 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.8 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.7 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 4

[0135] 306 l of an aqueous NaOH solution (45 g/l) were prepared at 31° C. and 43 l of an aqueous solution of FeCl2 (344 g/l) quickly added with stirring, and oxidation was then performed with 60 l of air per hour and per mol Fe. The dark yellow suspension thus obtained was processed in the same way as in example 1.

[0136] An X-ray diffractogram showed that the product consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 50 nm, the needle lengths between 100 and 200 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated. The BET specific surface area was 132 m2/g.

[0137] The granules thus obtained were placed in an adsorber tank with no further treatment. The granules displayed an excellent adsorption performance in respect of the contaminants contained in the water and demonstrated a high abrasion resistance, particularly when the adsorber tank is being back-flushed causing the granules to be whirled up strongly. The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 12 wt. %.

[0138] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.4 mg (As3+)/l was 2.11 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As5+)/l it was 2.03 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 5

[0139] 124 l of an aqueous NaOH solution (114 g/l) were prepared at 24° C. and 171 l of an aqueous solution of FeSO4 (100 g/l) quickly added with stirring, and oxidation was then performed with 10 l of air per hour and per mol Fe. Immediately upon completion of oxidation, 56 l of an aqueous solution of Fe2(SO4)3 (100 g/l) were added and stirred for 30 minutes. The yellowish brown suspension thus obtained was processed in the same way as in example 1.

[0140] An X-ray diffractogram showed that the product consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 35 nm, the needle lengths between 70 and 180 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated. The BET specific surface area was 131 ml/g. The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 7 wt. %.

[0141] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.3 mg (As3+)/l was 1.7 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.2 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 6

[0142] 7905 kg FeSO4 were measured out, dissolved with water to a volume of 53.3 m3, the solution cooled to 14° C. and 1000 kg MgSO4·7 H2O added to this solution. The prepared solution was then diluted at 14° C. with 5056 kg NaOH as a solution with approx. 300 g/l and then oxidised with 4000 m3/h air to a precipitation degree of >99.5%. The batch was washed on a filter press until the residual filtrate conductivity was <1000 &mgr;S/cm and the paste pushed through a perforated metal plate with hole diameters of 7 mm, causing it to be formed into strands. The strands were dried on a belt dryer to a residual moisture of approx. 3%. An X-ray diffractogram showed that the product consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH with very short needles. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 30 and 50 nm. The needle lengths could not be clearly determined as the needles were too greatly agglomerated. The BET specific surface area was 145 m2/g. The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 6%.

[0143] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.5 mg (As3+)/l was 1.8 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.9 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.5 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 7

[0144] 4096 kg NaOH (as solution with approx. 300 g/l) were prepared and diluted with water to 40 m3. 4950 kg FeSO4 were dissolved with water to form 48.5 m3 solution, cooled to 15° C. and then pumped into the prepared NaOH over 1 h. The suspension was then oxidised with 1500 m3/h air over approx. 2 h. Approx. 2 m3 of the nucleus suspension was washed on a filter press to obtain a filtrate conductivity <1000 &mgr;S/cm, the filter cake was dried in a drying oven at 75° C. and the dried material roughly ground to particle sizes <1.5 mm. The fine fraction <0.5 mm was separated out using a screen. The material thus obtained had a BET specific surface area of 153 m2/g and consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 35 nm, the needle lengths between 50 and 100 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated.

[0145] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As3+)/l was 1.7 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.8 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.4 mg(As5+) g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 8

[0146] An aqueous solution of FeSO4 (100 g/l) was added to 1600 g of the alkaline nucleus suspension prepared according to example 7 (2.7% FeOOH) at room temperature with stirring and simultaneous aeration with 130 l/h of air until a pH of 8 was obtained. The nucleus suspension obtained was filtered, washed and the filter cake dried at 75° C. and roughly ground to particle sizes of between 0.5 and 2 mm as described in example 7. The material thus obtained had a BET specific surface area of 163 m2/g and according to the X-ray diffractogram consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. The scanning electron micrograph, e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, showed that the needles were extremely agglomerated. Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As3+)/l was 2.0 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.9 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for KSb(OH)6 (original concentration 3.0 mg (Sb5+)/l) the adsorption was 2.5 mg (Sb5+)/g (FeOOH)·h, for Na2CrO4 (original concentration 47 &mgr;g (Cr6+)/l) 42 &mgr;g (Cr6+)/g(FeOOH)·h were adsorbed, for PbCl2 (original concentration 0.94 mg (Pb2+)/l) 0.46 mg (Pb2+)/ g(FeOOH)·h were adsorbed.

Example 9

[0147] 6.4 l of an aqueous solution of NaOH (100 g/l) were prepared at 29° C. with stirring and 12.2 l of an aqueous iron(II) sulfate solution (100 g/l) were added with simultaneous introduction of air until a pH of 9 was obtained. The suspension thus obtained was processed in the same way as in example 1. The material had a BET specific surface area of 251 m2/g and according to the X-ray diffractogram consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. The scanning electron micrograph shows short, stumpy needles, which are extremely agglomerated. Abrasion performance: 5%.

[0148] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As3+)/l was 1.1 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As3+)/l it was 1.0 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 10

[0149] 4096 kg NaOH (as solution with approx. 300 g/l) were measured out and diluted with water to 40 m3. 4950 kg FeSO4 were dissolved with water to form 48.5 m3 solution, cooled to 15° C. and then pumped into the prepared NaOH over 1 h. The suspension was then oxidised with 1500 m3/h air in approx. 2 h. 14.4 m3 FeClSO4 solution (113.4 g/l) were added to approx. 87 m3 of this suspension with stirring, and stirred for a further 30 min. The batch was washed on a filter press until the residual filtrate conductivity was <1000 &mgr;S/cm and the paste pushed through a perforated metal plate with hole diameters of 7 mm and formed into strands. The strands were dried on a belt dryer to a residual moisture of approx. 5%. The dry pellets were roughly ground to obtain a particle size of 2 mm. The material thus obtained had a BET specific surface area of 142 m2/g and consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH. Using a scanning electron micrograph e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, the needle widths were measured at between 15 and 50 nm, the needle lengths between 10 and 150 nm. The needles were extremely agglomerated.

[0150] Adsorption performance: The adsorption rate for NaAsO2 with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As3+)/l was 2.1 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2HAsO4 with an original concentration of 2.8 mg (As5+)/l it was 2.0 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for CdCl2 (original concentration 2.7 mg (Cd2+)/l) the adsorption was 1.1 mg (Cd2+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for KSb(OH)6 (original concentration 2.6 mg (Sb5+)/l) it was 1.9 mg (Sb5+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Sb2O3 (original concentration 2.3 mg (Sb3+)/l) it was 2.0 mg (Sb3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for Na2CrO4 (original concentration 2.6 mg (Cr6+)/l) it was 1.1 mg (Cr6+), for PbCl2 (original concentration 1.6 mg (Pb2+)/l) it was 1.57 mg (Pb2+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 11

[0151] 3100 kg NaOH (as solution with approx. 100 g/l) were measured out and diluted with cold water to 31 m3. The temperature of the solution was 26° C. 3800 kg FeSO4 were dissolved with water to form about 38 m3 solution, cooled to 13-14° C. and then pumped with stirring into the prepared NaOH. The suspension was then oxidised with 2500 m3/h air in approx. 75 m. 18.2 m3 FeSO4 solution (100 g/l) were added at a rate of 150 l/min to this suspension with stirring and gassing. The suspension was filtered on a filter press and washed until the residual filtrate conductivity was <1000 &mgr;S/cm, the paste was pushed through a perforated metal plate and were dried on a belt dryer to a residual moisture of less than 20%. The dry pellets were roughly ground to obtain a particle size of less than 2 mm. The portion of the particles with less then 0.5 mm was removed. The material thus obtained had a BET specific surface area of 145 m2/g and consisted of 100% &agr;-FeOOH.

Example 12

[0152] 569 ml of an MgSO4 solution (100 g/l) were added to 1 l of a suspension of Bayferrox© 920 with a solids content of 50 g/l FeOOH, then 173 g of a 24% NaOH solution were added with stirring, and stirring was continued for a further 15 min. The yellow suspension is washed at a nutsch filter to obtain a residual filtrate conductivity of 1 mS/cm, and the filter cake dried to a residual moisture of <2% in a drying oven at 75° C. The product was granulated to particle sizes of between 0.5 and 2 mm and the granules used for arsenic adsorption.

[0153] An X-ray diffractogram shows that the product consists of &agr;-FeOOH and Mg(OH)2. The scanning electron micrograph, e.g. at a magnification of 60000:1, shows that the &agr;-FeOOH type needles are agglomerated or glued together by amorphous layers. The BET specific surface area was 43 m2/g and therefore, compared with Bayferrox© 920 (BET approx. 15 m2/g). The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 11%.

[0154] The adsorption rate for an aqueous NaAsO2 solution with an original concentration of 2.6 mg (As3+)/l was 1.2 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for an Na2HAsO4 solution with an original concentration of 2.7 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.5 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Example 13

[0155] 46 ml of an Al2(SO4)3 solution (100 g/l Al2O3) were added to 950 g of a suspension of an alkaline nanoparticle nucleus of &agr;-FeOOH (solids content: 5.26 g/l FeOOH, 1.14% NaOH) with stirring, and stirring was continued for a further 15 min. The brown suspension is washed at a nutsch filter to obtain a residual filtrate conductivity of 1 mS/cm, and the filter cake dried to a residual moisture of <2% in a drying oven at 75° C. The product was granulated to particle sizes of between 0.5 and 2 mm and the granules used for arsenic adsorption.

[0156] The X-ray diffractogram of the product indicated only &agr;-FeOOH, which, as can be seen from the scanning electron microgram, is present as very short and extremely agglomerated needles. The BET specific surface area was 102 m2/g. The abrasion value after 30 minutes was only 5%.

[0157] The adsorption rate for an aqueous NaAsO2 solution with an original concentration of 2.6 mg (As3+)/l was 2.0 mg(As3+)/g(FeOOH)·h, for an Na2HAsO4 solution with an original concentration of 2.1 mg (As5+)/l it was 1.5 mg(As5+)/g(FeOOH)·h.

Embodiment Example 14

[0158] Adsorbent granules produced according to examples 1 to 12, typically between 0.5 and 2 mm or in comminuted form are placed in a contact chamber as shown in FIG. 1 or 2. The filtration unit displays a flow rate for air as fluid of 2000 ml per minute at a pressure difference of 0.1 bar.

Claims

1. A unit suitable for the through-flow of a fluid medium for the removal of a contaminant from the fluid medium comprising

a cartridge housing, which comprises a vessel having a centrally positioned inlet pipe, flat filter layers, a cover ensuring the inflow and outflow of the medium, together with a base part, wherein the cartridge housing is filled with at least partially some particles prepared from fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide having a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g.

2. The unit of claim 1, wherein the cartridge housing is separated from the cover and/or from the base part by means of a plug-in or screw fitting.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein the inlet pipe can be removed from the cartridge housing.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein the fluid medium is a gas.

5. The unit of claim 4, wherein the flat filter units comprise a hydrophobic membrane.

6. The unit of claim 5, wherein the membrane displays a pore diameter in the range from 0.2 to 0.5 &mgr;m.

7. The unit of claim 5, wherein the hydrophobic membrane comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

8. The unit of claim 1 wherein the fluid medium comprises a liquid.

9. The unit of claim 8 wherein the medium comprises an aqueous liquid.

10. The unit of claim 9, wherein the flat filter units comprise a hydrophilic membrane.

11. The unit of claim 10, wherein the hydrophilic membrane is a membrane adsorber.

12. The unit of claim 9, wherein the membrane displays a pore diameter in the range from 0.2 to 0.5 &mgr;m.

13. The unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the flat filter layers is supported on one or both sides.

14. The unit of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a valve for escaping gases.

15. The unit of claim 1, wherein the housing chamber is in the form of a truncated cone.

16. The unit of claim 1, wherein the cartridge housing can optionally contain iron oxide pigments with BET surface areas below the above limits, whereby the maximum content of these is such that the resistance of the particles to the forces exerted upon it by the flowing medium is sufficiently great that the stress exerted on the particles by the flowing medium does not lead to an undesirable abrasion of the particles.

17. A process for treating a fluid medium in a unit of claim 1, comprising the steps of flowing the medium through the feed nozzle, into the inlet pipe, the strainer basket, any filter material in the base chamber, the lower fritted plate, followed by the adsorbent material in the contact chamber, the upper fritted plate, the cover chamber with filter material and then the outlet pipe via the discharge nozzle.

18. A process of claim 17, wherein the flow of the fluid medium is reversed.

19. A process comprising the step of treating a fluid medium in a unit according to claim 1, by contacting the fluid medium with particles obtained by a process for the production of an adsorbent/catalyst, wherein

(a) aluminium, iron, magnesium and/or titanium oxides or (oxy)hydroxides or ageing products and dehydrated secondary products thereof are incorporated into an aqueous suspension of iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide, including Fe(OH)2 and then

(b) either

(b1) the suspension is dried until it reaches a solid state and the solid material then comminuted mechanically to the desired shape and/or size or

(b2) the suspension undergoes mechanical shaping, optionally in the semisolid state after predrying, followed by additional drying until a solid state is achieved.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein the fluid medium comprises water.

21. The process of claim 19 comprising removing a heavy metal, phosphorus, antimony, beryllium, selenium, tellurium or cyano compound from water.

22. The process of claim 19 comprising removing an arsenic compound from water.

23. A process comprising the step of treating a fluid medium in a unit according to claim 1, by contacting the fluid medium with particles obtained by a process for the production of particles from fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide comprising the steps of producing an aqueous suspension of fine-particle iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides having a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g, removing the water and dissolved constituents by either

I) a) first removing only the water from the suspension, b) introducing the residue thus obtained in water, c) filtering the material obtained, d) washing the residue, and e) either e1) completely dehydrating the filter cake obtained as residue and comminuting the filter cake to the desired shape and/or size or e2) partially dehydrating it to obtain a paste, shaping the paste and subsequently additionally drying the paste until a pellet is obtained, or

II) a) filtering the suspension, b) washing the residue, c) either c1) completely dehydrating the filter cake obtained as residue in the form of a solid to semisolid paste and then comminuting the material thus obtained to the desired shape and/or size or c2) partially dehydrating it to obtain a paste, shaping the paste, followed by subsequent additional drying until a pellet is obtained.

24. The process of claim 23 wherein the fluid medium comprises water.

25. The process of claim 23 comprising removing a heavy metal, phosphorus, antimony, beryllium, selenium, tellurium or cyano compound from water.

26. The process of claim 23 comprising removing an arsenic compound from water.

27. A container able to be contacted with a fluid medium, at least partially filled with particles agglomerated from fine-particle iron oxide and/or iron oxyhydroxide wherein the particles are prepared from an aqueous suspension of fine-particle iron oxides and/or iron oxyhydroxides having a BET surface area of 50 to 500 m2/g, by removing the water and dissolved constituents.