Boric Acid Waste Cementation Volume Reduction and Strength

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cement-solidification methods for boric acid-containing waste liquids face challenges in achieving high volume reduction and stability due to interference with cement setting reactions and potential adherence of waste components to equipment.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the addition of sodium hydroxide to reduce the volume of boric acid-containing waste liquid, followed by kneading with hydraulic solidifying materials and quartz sand, with a specific weight ratio, to produce a stable cement-solidified product with improved strength and reduced adherence issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cement solidification is used for boric acid-containing waste liquid, then the waste liquid can be solidified, but the boric acid interferes with the setting reaction of cement, resulting in hardening retardation or decrease in strength

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesolidification stabilityVSAvoidcement solidified product strength

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary substance (such as calcium hydroxide or other chemical agents) that mediates between the boric acid and the cement. This intermediary reacts with the boric acid to form a compound that no longer interferes with the cement setting reaction, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving solidification and maintaining cement strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical parameters of the waste liquid by adding chemical agents that alter the boron species distribution. By adjusting pH, temperature, or other parameters, the boric acid is transformed into forms that are less harmful to cement hydration, thus improving both solidification stability and product strength

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If calcium hydroxide is added as a pretreatment agent to avoid hardening retardation, then borate is stabilized, but hardly-soluble waste liquid components adhere to the inside of piping and the inside of a dryer

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveborate stabilityVSAvoidcleaning difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts or removes the problematic hardly-soluble components from the waste liquid stream before they can adhere to equipment. This may be achieved through filtration, separation, or chemical transformation that keeps boron in a soluble form while removing other interfering substances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful hardly-soluble components into beneficial or harmless substances. By adding specific chemical agents, the boron compounds are transformed into soluble complexes that stabilize borate while preventing adhesion to piping and dryer surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Loss of substance

If volume reduction is achieved by adding sodium hydroxide, then the waste liquid volume is reduced, but the boric acid still interferes with cement setting reaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewaste liquid volume reductionVSAvoidcement setting reaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary chemical treatment of the waste liquid before cement addition. By pre-reacting the boric acid with sodium hydroxide or other agents to form stable complexes or precipitates, the harmful interference with cement setting is eliminated in advance, allowing subsequent solidification to proceed normally

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

The method effectively achieves high volume reduction and enhances the strength and solidification characteristics of the cement-solidified product, preventing adherence to equipment and improving cleaning properties.

Implementation Method 1

a volume reduction step of adding a sodium hydroxide to the boric acid-containing waste liquid and reducing a volume thereof to prepare a matter to be solidified

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNeutralization reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

a first kneading step of kneading the matter to be solidified, a kneading water, and a hydraulic solidifying material to prepare a first kneaded product

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydration reaction: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentEP3012839B1Cementation method and cementation device for boric-acid-containing liquid waste

Publication Date: 2020.01.15 KK TOSHIBA

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AI summary

A cement-solidification method includes: a volume reduction step of adding a sodium hydroxide 2 to a radioactive boric acid-containing waste liquid 1 and reducing a volume thereof to prepare a matter to be solidified; a first kneading step of kneading the matter to be solidified, a kneading water 4, and a hydraulic solidifying material 5 to prepare a first kneaded product; and a second kneading step of kneading quartz sand 6 and the first kneaded product to prepare a second kneaded product, wherein a weight ratio of the quartz sand 6 to the hydraulic solidifying material 5 (a weight of the quartz sand/a weight of the hydraulic solidifying material) is 1.5 to 3.0. A cement-solidification apparatus 10 includes: a kneader 11; a to-be-solidified matter supply device 12; a kneading water supply device 13; a hydraulic solidifying material supply device 14; and a quartz sand supply device 15.