FERROUS CHLORIDE CONVERSION
Benefit is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of Provisional Applications: 60/176,490
filed January 18, 2000, 60/190,026 filed March 17, 2000 and 60/221,197 filed July 27, 2000,
all bearing the title Ferrous Chloride Conversion with the inventor being Valery L.
Temyanko.
This invention relates to a process for converting ferrous chloride to ferric
chloride.
It is well known that in the production of steel, especially strip steel, in order to
improve the quality of the surface of the steel, it is subjected to treatment with a solution of
hydrochloric acid. Riegel's Handbook of Industrial Chemistry, Kent, 7th Edition, 1974,
Van Nostrandl Reinhold Co. N.Y. p. 841. This step is called "pickling", and the resultant
liquor from this step containing ferrous chloride "FeCl2" is called "pickle liquor". In general,
the waste pickle liquor from such a treatment comprises an aqueous solution of about 3-5%
HCl and 15-20 weight percent of ferrous chloride.
Several methods have been proposed for economically treating the pickle liquor in
order to dispose of same and/or for converting the liquor to an easily disposable and/or useful
product, e.g. ferric chloride (FeCl3). For example, one process involves treating the pickle
liquor with chlorine gas in order to convert the ferrous chloride to ferric chloride. However,
this latter process is less than desirable because of the cost, toxicity and safety problems
associated with a chlorination step.
An objective of the present invention is not only to provide an improved process for
treating pickle liquor, but also to provide a process for the conversion of ferrous chloride to
ferric chloride irrespective of the source of the ferrous chloride.
Another object is to provide apparatus to conduct the process.
Upon further study of this application, other objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent.
To attain these objects, an essential aspect of the present invention comprises a step of
reacting an aqueous solution of ferrous chloride at temperatures above 50°C (132°F) in
contact with an oxygen-containing gas which can be air, but preferably oxygen-enriched air
up to 100% oxygen. It is preferred that this reaction be conducted in a tower with the oxygen-
containing gas being introduced at the bottom of the reactor and the ferrous chloride solution
being introduced to the top of the reactor. The preferred temperature range is about 150 to
180°F and the preferred temperature is about 180°F. Whereas higher temperatures are
theoretically feasible, an economic analysis would be required to determine if the additional
cost of high temperature and acid-resistant materials of construction e.g. glass-lined stainless
steel, for the reactor would justify any advantages obtained by the use of higher temperatures.
Conversely, at 180 °F, it is preferable to use fiber glass reinforced polymers e.g. a polyester-
fiber glass system such as Derakane, but other materials are also feasible. Conversely, if the
reaction is conducted at a temperature lower than 50 °C, then the rate of reaction becomes so
slow that it would be necessary to increase the size and/or number of reactors to an extent that
the investment and operating costs of the process would be economically unattractive.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the pickle liquor entering the
reactor is enriched with HCl so that the resultant pickle liquor contains a sufficient
concentration of Cl" ions to convert substantially all the FeCl2 to FeCl3, but at the same time,
the concentration of HCl should not exceed about 2% by weight in the final product.
According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the oxygen-containing gas
passed into the reactor is an enriched oxygen gas obtained from a conventional oxygen
generator, e.g. by a conventional membrane or cryogenic system.
The resultant ferric chloride solution is then withdrawn from the reactor. According
to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ferric chloride solution is evaporated
sufficiently so as to obtain a product comprising an aqueous solution comprising at least
about 40 weight percent of ferric chloride, with contaminants of HCl and FeCl2, e.g. about 1-
2 weight percent of HCl and about 1-2 weight percent of ferrous chloride. This product can
then be used, for example, in a sewage or water treatment facility to precipitate solids.
Alternatively, it can be further concentrated and purified to recover solid FeCl3 which can be
used for the same purpose. See Metcalf & Eddy, Wastewater Engineering: Treatment
Disposal Reuse, 3rd Edition, 1991, revised by George Tchobanoglous and Franklin L. Burton,
McGraw Hill, Inc., N.Y. pp. 303 and 304.
Without evaporation, the highest concentration of FeCl3 achievable in the reactor is
about 30%) by weight. Consequently, according to another preferred embodiment of the
invention, the aqueous ferric chloride solution withdrawn from the reactor and evaporated in
any evaporator system, for example, the solution is heated in a heat exchanger and then
passed to an atmospheric evaporator wherein an air blower is employed to cool and
concentrate the solution. Evolving from the atmospheric evaporator, is a gaseous phase
comprising air, hydrogen chloride and H2O which is then passed to a scrubber in order to
remove the HCl, the scrubbing preferably being conducted with an aqueous scrubbing agent,
e.g. water.
The concentrated solution from the atmospheric evaporator is preferably recycled to
the reactor, and by the use of sufficient evaporation and recycling the concentration of the
ferric chloride is gradually increased to the desired value. The ideal flow rate to the heat
exchanger is such that one can renew the reactor in 20-30 minutes. For example, if the size of
the reactor is 30,000 gallons, the desired flow rate is 1,000-1,500 gal/min.
A preferred reactor, thus, comprises a batch reactor from the standpoint of the
pickle liquor being supplied to the reactor, with the same reactor being continuous because of
the use of a continuous recycle stream of ferric chloride solution and the continuous
introduction of an oxygen-containing air stream.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, the hydrochloric acid used to
acidify the pickle liquor is obtained at least partially from the above-mentioned scrubber
which can be operated so as to obtain a hydrochloric acid concentration of about 8-9 weight
percent. If additional hydrochloric acid is required, make-up hydrochloric acid can be
supplied by a conventional source, for example in a concentrated form (an aqueous solution
of 35 percent by weight of hydrochloric acid).
A gaseous phase is also recovered from the reactor and it comprises oxygen, H2O and
HCl. This gas is preferably joined with the gas leaving the atmospheric evaporator and is
likewise treated in the scrubber in order to remove HCl.
It is also contemplated that it may be beneficial, when pickle liquor is treated, to send
the pickle liquor through a filter, and it is also optional to remove any deleterious quantities
of heavy metals by any conventional step.
According to a particularly preferred aspect of the invention, the combination of the
addition of HCl to the pickle liquor and the reaction of the resultant hydrochloric acid-
enriched pickle liquor in the reactor with an oxygen-containing gas at a temperature above
50°C, provides important benefits. From an overall standpoint, the present invention
provides a relatively safe and economical method for the treatment of ferrous chloride
wherein pickle liquor is an exemplified source of ferrous chloride. Description of the Drawing
The attached drawing is a schematic representation of a preferred embodiment of the
invention. The flow lines indicated in a dashed form are used merely to facilitate
comprehension of the process.
Otherwise, the drawing is a self-explanatory description of a preferred comprehensive
embodiment of the invention.
In the final analysis, there are several novel and unobvious aspects to the present
invention, as manifested by single steps and combinations of single steps and in particular, by
the comprehensive embodiment illustrated in the drawing.
A further preferred embodiment is provided as an alternative to the feature in the
drawing showing oxygen being diffused into the bottom of the reactor by a diffuser
terminating at the bottom of a vertical pipe charged by oxygen at the top of the pipe coming
from the oxygen generator. This alternative comprises withdrawing liquid from the reactor
and pumping the liquid through one or more eductors, preferably a plurality of eductors
wherein oxygen from the oxygen generator is mixed with the liquid and the resultant mixture
of oxygen and liquid is recycled into the reactor at one or more levels of the reactor. In
particular, when the reactor has a significant height, the mixture of oxygen and liquid will be
passed into the reactor at several levels so as to ensure thorough and uniform mixing in the
reactor. It is further contemplated that irrespective of the size of the reactor, a mixture of
oxygen and liquid will be fed into at least the bottom zone of the reactor. As for the nature of
the eductor, any conventional type of eductor can be utilized.
A preferred embodiment of the eductor is a LOBESTAR mixing eductor, as disclosed
for example in USP 5,664,733. For the purposes of the present invention, it is contemplated
that the liquid withdrawn from the reactor and pumped into the eductor will be the motive
liquid, causing a suction which will draw in the oxygen from the oxygen generator.
Conversely, it is also contemplated that other eductor systems can be employed so long as
they provide the function of thorough mixing and will permit the resultant mixture to be
passed into the reactor at one or more levels.
EXAMPLES
Laboratory Example
1500 ml of pickle liquor has the following properties: specific gravity - 1.225, HCl -
3.3%>, ferrous iron - 11%. To that solution is added 86 ml of 35%o HCl. The temperature in
the reactor is 160°F. An oxygen-containing gas is bubbled into the reactor, and the batch is
evaporated to the desired concentration. At the end of the batch, the properties of the solution
are: specific gravity 1.41, ferrous chloride: 2%, ferric chloride: 40%, HCl: 1.8%.
Example Using An Eductor
10 L of pickle liquor has the following properties: specific gravity - 1.32, HCl - 1.1%,
ferrous iron - 13.6%. To that solution is added 3.1 L of 30% HCl. The temperature in the
reactor is 160°F. An oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the eductor, which is placed
on the line of reactor-pump-reactor after the pump. The batch is evaporated to the desired
concentration. At the end of the batch, the properties of the solution are: specific gravity -
1.41, HCl - 2.5%, ferrous iron - 2.0%, ferric chloride - 40%, HCl - 2.4%.
The preceding examples can be repeated with similar success by substituting the
generically or specifically described reactants and/or operating conditions of this invention for
those used in the preceding examples. Also, the preceding specific embodiments are to be
construed as merely illustrative, and not limitative of the remainder of the disclosure in any
way whatsoever.
The entire disclosure of all applications, patents and publications, cited above, are
hereby incorporated by reference.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential
characteristics of this invention, and without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can
make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and
conditions.