Experimental Investigation of Vitrification Process for the Disposal of Hazardous Solid Waste Containing Chlorides

Abstract

Vitrification has attracted much attention as an efficient method for solidifying heavy metals in hazardous solid wastes, but its effect is limited when hazardous solid wastes contain chlorides. Aiming at fly ash, a normal chlorine-containing solid waste, a novel process of chlorination melting and glass curing was developed to completely realize the harmlessness of heavy metals. Melting temperature, time, and auxiliary agent were adequate to realize the harmlessness, and their influence on the migration and transformation of Cl, Na, Pb, and Zn and the leaching of slag were studied. The results showed that the majority of Cl, Na, Pb, and Zn in the fly ash had been transferred to the soot, and the residual part in the slag had been solidified in glass by controlling the process conditions. Under the optimized conditions (12 wt.% CaO and 5 wt.% SiO2 was added, the N2 flow ratio was at 1 L/min, and the melting temperature was 1300 °C for 2 h), the leaching index was determined, including the acid dissolution ratio, the Pb and Zn content of the water leaching solution, and the acid leaching solution, which all met the requirements of the relevant standards. Furthermore, the novel process provided a simple and efficient approach for the disposal of other similar solid wastes containing chlorides and heavy metals.