Atomized Melt Droplet Phosphorus Recovery Process
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Solution Overview
Problem
The recovery of elemental phosphorus from waste materials containing iron oxides is hindered due to the formation of phosphorus iron at high temperatures, leading to a significant reduction in phosphorus yield, as elemental phosphorus dissolves in molten iron, making it difficult to obtain elemental phosphorus efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The process involves atomizing a melt containing iron oxide and phosphorus oxides and exposing the resulting droplets to carbon monoxide as a reducing agent, increasing the surface area for reaction, and using a separator to remove gaseous elemental phosphorus, thereby preventing phosphation of iron and maximizing phosphorus yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the melt is atomized and exposed to carbon monoxide for direct reduction, then the phosphorus yield is significantly improved, but the process complexity increases due to the need for atomization equipment and separator
Solution Approach 1:
The melt is atomized into fine droplets, dividing the bulk liquid into numerous small particles. This segmentation dramatically increases the surface area-to-volume ratio, enabling efficient contact with carbon monoxide for reduction and preventing phosphorus dissolution in iron by dispersing the phosphorus-containing phases throughout the droplet population
Solution Approach 2:
The separator extracts gaseous elementary phosphorus from the melt droplets after reduction. By removing the phosphorus in gaseous form before the droplets cool and solidify, the process prevents phosphorus loss to the iron phase and achieves high recovery yields
2Device complexity
If conventional reduction with carbon is used, then the process is simpler, but phosphorus yield is significantly reduced due to formation of phosphorus iron
Solution Approach 1:
The reducing agent is changed from solid carbon to gaseous carbon monoxide, and the reaction conditions are changed from bulk melt treatment to atomized droplet treatment. This parameter change transforms the reduction mechanism, allowing phosphorus oxides to be reduced to gaseous phosphorus that can be immediately separated, preventing formation of phosphorus iron
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively increases the yield of elemental phosphorus by enhancing the sublimation and reduction of phosphorus oxides to gaseous phosphorus, preventing phosphation of iron and allowing for efficient separation and collection of phosphorus, even in the presence of iron oxides.
Implementation Method 1
the melt is atomized and the resulting melt droplets come into contact with carbon monoxide
Implementation Method 2
a considerable part of the P2O5 contained sublimates from the melt droplets into the gas phase
Implementation Method 3
the phosphorus oxides contained are at least partially reduced into gaseous elementary phosphorus
Implementation Method 4
the reduction reaction can be described as follows: P2O5 + 5CO -> 5CO2 + P2
Implementation Method 5
the melt droplets are fed together with the gaseous elementary phosphorus to a separator, by means of which the gaseous elementary phosphorus is separated from the melt droplets
Implementation Method 6
At the same time, the already metallized iron is carburized
Data Source
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AI summary
In a process for workup of a melt containing iron oxide and phosphorus oxides for recovering elemental phosphorus by direct carbothermic reduction of the phosphorus oxides the melt is atomized and the thus obtained melt droplets in contact with carbon monoxide as a reductant are passed through a direct reduction sector in which the phosphorus oxides present are at least partly reduced to afford gaseous elemental phosphorus and from which the melt droplets together with the gaseous elemental phosphorus are supplied to a separator by means of which the gaseous elemental phosphorus is separated from the melt droplets.