Aluminum waste

The first-cycle raffinate wastes produced at the ICPP are the acid aluminum waste from various test reactor fuels, fluoride-bearing waste from zirconium-matrix fuel, a small amount of stainless steel sulfate waste from fuel from developmental reactors such as the Organic Moderated Reactor Experiment (OMRE), acid stainless steel nitrate waste from the electrolytic dissolution of Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) reactor fuel, and an acid waste from the recovery of uranium... 

Typical physical, chemical, and radiochemical properties of calcined solids from acid aluminum waste and fluoride-bearing zirconium waste are given in Table V. Other components in the calcine, e.g., actinide elements, can be calculated on the basis of the analyses of the liquid waste. 

Physical Properties Aluminum Waste Zirconium Waste... 

Cryolite is utilized in the manufacture of aluminum, in the processing of aluminum waste (as a flux in the electrochemical removal of magnesium), as a flux in the aluminization of steel and in welding technology, in the manufacture of glass and enamel, as an additive in the manufacture of abrasives and as an auxiliary product in the remelting of light metals. 

Fig. 8.34 Th ree different MRF aluminum wastes as collected and processed (top) and after roller press compaction [Section 13.3, ref 132], From left...

While with-in the mobile x-ray system, the waste in the sampler, is contained within a replaceable (and disposable) polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sleeve with a wall thickness of approximately 0.2-inches and a sealed bottom. It was anticipated that the PVC tube or sleeve would, with use, become highly contaminated with waste residues which drip of fall-off the sampler. The sleeve is coated with a conductive coating to prevent static electricity buildup . There are no sources of ignition in this sealed spare. The sampler (and waste) is coupling which includes a positive pressure gasket. This barrier is further isolated by a second barrier consisting of an epoxy coated aluminum sleeve also sealed-off from the main x-ray cabinet and PVC sleeve. There are also no potential sources of ignition in this isolated secondary space as well. 

When processing municipal solid wastes, an eddy current separation unit is often used to separate aluminum and other nonferrous metals from the waste stream. This is done after removal of the ferrous metals (see Fig. 1). The eddy current separator produces an electromagnetic field through which the waste passes. The nonferrous metals produce currents having a magnetic moment that is phased to repel the moment of the appHed magnetic field. This repulsion causes the nonferrous metals to be thrown out of the process stream away from nonmetallic objects (13). 

Environmental Considerations. Environmental problems in Ziegler chemistry alcohol processes are not severe. A small quantity of aluminum alkyl wastes is usually produced and represents the most significant disposal problem. It can be handled by controlled hydrolysis and separate disposal of the aqueous and organic streams. Organic by-products produced in chain growth and hydrolysis can be cleanly burned. Wastewater streams must be monitored for dissolved carbon, such as short-chain alcohols, and treated conventionally when necessary. 

Significant amounts of cryoHte are also recovered from waste material ia the manufacture of aluminum. The carbon lining of the electrolysis ceUs, which may contain 10—30% by weight of cryoHte, is extracted with sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate solution and the cryoHte precipitated with carbon dioxide (28). Gases from operating ceUs containing HF, CO2, and fluorine-containing dusts may be used for the carbonation (29). 

Waste treatment of fluoroborate solutions includes a pretreatment with aluminum sulfate to facditate hydrolysis, and final precipitation of fluoride with lime (18). The aluminum sulfate treatment can be avoided by hydrolyzing the fluoroborates at pH 2 in the presence of calcium chloride at this pH, hydrolysis is most rapid at elevated temperature (19). 

Air oxidation of dyestuff waste streams has been accompHshed using cobalt phthalocyanine sulfonate catalysts (176). Aluminum has been colored with copper phthalocyanine sulfonate (177,178). Iron phthalocyanine can be used as a drier in wood oil and linseed oil paints (179). 

Lewis acids, such as the haUde salts of the alkaline-earth metals, Cu(I), Cu(II), 2inc, Fe(III), aluminum, etc, are effective catalysts for this reaction (63). The ammonolysis of polyamides obtained from post-consumer waste has been used to cleave the polymer chain as the first step in a recycle process in which mixtures of nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 can be reconverted to diamine (64). The advantage of this approach Hes in the fact that both the adipamide [628-94-4] and 6-aminohexanoamide can be converted to hexarnethylenediarnine via their respective nitriles in a conventional two-step process in the presence of the diamine formed in the original ammonolysis reaction, thus avoiding a difficult and cosdy separation process. In addition, the mixture of nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 appears to react faster than does either polyamide alone. 

The choice of catalyst is based primarily on economic effects and product purity requirements. More recentiy, the handling of waste associated with the choice of catalyst has become an important factor in the economic evaluation. Catalysts that produce less waste and more easily handled waste by-products are strongly preferred by alkylphenol producers. Some commonly used catalysts are sulfuric acid, boron trifluoride, aluminum phenoxide, methanesulfonic acid, toluene—xylene sulfonic acid, cationic-exchange resin, acidic clays, and modified zeoHtes. 

Sodium alumiaate is an effective precipitant for soluble phosphate ia sewage and is especially useful ia wastewater having low alkaliaity (20,21). Sodium alumiaate hydrolyzes ia water to Al(OH)2 and Al" which precipitate soluble phosphate as aluminum phosphate [7784-30-7], AlPO. Sodium alumiaate has also been described as an effective aid for the removal of fluorides from some iadustrial waste waters (22). Combiaations of sodium alumiaate and other chemicals are being used to improve the detackification of paint particles ia water from spray-painting operations (23). 

Typical values for mf n are 0.5 to 2.5. Gommercially used bases include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide (lime), magnesium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium alurninate, calcium carbonate, or various mixtures. For certain appHcations, PAG can be made from waste grades of aluminum chloride [7446-70-0] such as spent catalyst solutions from Friedel-Grafts synthesis (see Friedel-Grafts reaction). 

Water and Waste Water Treatment. PAG products are used in water treatment for removal of suspended soHds (turbidity) and other contaminants such as natural organic matter from surface waters. Microorganisms and colloidal particles of silt and clay are stabilized by surface electrostatic charges preventing the particles from coalescing. Historically, alum (aluminum sulfate hydrate) was used to neutralize these charges by surface adsorption of Al cations formed upon hydrolysis of the alum. Since 1983 PAG has been sold as an alum replacement in the treatment of natural water for U.S. municipal and industrial use. 

Recovered copper in electronic scrap (old) is small in comparison representing about 14,000 t/yr of copper from 68,000 t/yr of waste (25). Electronic scrap accounts for iron (27,000 t), tin (14,000 t), nickel, lead, and aluminum (6,800 t each), and zinc (3,500 t). Precious metal value, which is the primary economic reason for the reclamation of electronic waste, accounts for 345 t of gold, twice that in silver, and some palladium. 

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