Background Of The Invention
[0001] This invention relates to the treatment of the waste stream from aluminum dissolution
operations and, more particularly, to an improved method for regenerating the alkali
etch solution and recovering aluminum hydroxide.
[0002] Treatment of aluminum articles of manufacture is carried out by such well known processes
as etching, cleaning or chemical milling. Typically these processes involve the dissolution
of aluminum metal according to the equation:
[0003] According to reaction (1), there is an increase in the concentration of the NaAI0
2 and a decrease in the concentration of the alkali as the aluminum metal dissolves.
However, the aluminate is not stable in water and, depending on existing conditions
of temperature, concentrations and time, reacts with the water according to the following
equilibrium equation:
[0004] Theoretically, further additions of NaOH are required only to replace that which
is physically attached to the work pieces removed from the bath. However, if the AI(OH)
3 is allowed to precipitate out in the etch bath, it is well known that the etch solution
eventually becomes ineffective and unusable for carrying on the process and must be
discarded and replaced. Attempts have been made to avoid the problems and waste of
materials alluded to above.
[0005] In U.S. Patent No. 4,372,805, there is shown a method for regenerating the sodium
hydroxide wherein water is added to the solution containing dissolved aluminum to
create a supersaturated solution of aluminum hydroxide, crystallizing the aluminum
hydroxide, removing the same from the etch waste solution by centrifugation, and then
recycling the remaining liquid to the etch tank. Examining equation (2) above, it
would appear that the addition of water to the etch waste solution causes a shift
of the equilibrium to the right in accordance with Le Chatelier's Principle, thereby
causing the formation of increased aluminum hydroxide. However, that process is not
completely satisfactory because the sodium hydroxide being recycled is diluted to
such an extent that it is not sufficiently concentrated for use in the etching bath.
In this regard, it is noted that the patent teaches the use of an evaporator in an
effort to increase the concentration of the alkali.
[0006] In U.S. Patent No. 4,136,026, there is shown another method wherein the etch waste
solution is transferred first to a reactor vessel where it is apparently agitated
to induce some precipitation of aluminum hydroxide. Some of the liquid from the reactor
vessel is then transferred to a separator vessel where the aluminum hydroxide is separated
from the solution with a vacuum drum filter. Due to the slow precipitation rate of
aluminum hydroxide, the filter medium, as well as the filter cake, collects precipitate
and problems of plugging soon occurred.
[0007] There thus exists a need for a more effective method of recovering and recycling
the alkali from the etch waste solutions of aluminum dissolution operations.
Summary Of The Invention
[0008] The present invention provides an improved method of recovering sodium hydroxide
from etch waste solutions that substantially eliminates the above described problems
inherent in the prior art methods. The sodium hydroxide recovered is sufficiently
concentrated for recycling and use in the etching operations and is also substantially
free of contamination by dissolved aluminum present in the waste solution being treated.
The method of the invention also permits the recovery of substantial amounts of aluminum
hydroxide which is a commercially useful product.
[0009] Briefly, the invention comprises a departure from the prior art methods which add
water to the etch waste solution in order to induce aluminum hydroxide precipitation
and sodium hydroxide formation. Instead, the inventive method removes sodium hydroxide
initially from the waste solution and recycles it directly back into the etching tank.
The remaining aluminum-containing solution is treated in a particle-contacting crystallizer
where solid aluminum hydroxide is recovered.
[0010] An important component of the present method is a diffusion dialyzer. The dialyzer
includes one or more ion exchange membranes which are substantially permeable to sodium
hydroxide but substantially less permeable to aluminum salts. The etch waste solution
is fed into a diffusion dialyzer stack on one side of the ion exchange membrane. Water
is simultaneously fed into the stack on the opposite side of the membrane and countercurrent
to the flow of the waste solution. Sodium hydroxide diffuses across the membrane into
the receiving water stream which is returned to the etching tank. Since this addition
of sodium hydroxide would tend to precipitate many multi-valent cations present in
tap water, it is beneficial to feed soft water into the diffusion dialyzer. Also,
it is known that air is much less soluble in sodium hydroxide solution than in water,
so the diffusion of sodium hydroxide into the water would tend to cause air bubbles
to be released into the solution. Since accumulation of the air in the tops of the
downward-flowing stream could lead to maldistribution of flow rates among the multiple
parallel compartments of a diffusion dialyzer, it is beneficial to deaerate the feed
water and to periodically reverse the water flow to purge any gases that accumulate
in the water compartments. The salt-containing waste solution passes, after cooling,
to a crystallizer vessel for removal of precipitated aluminum hydroxide. The remaining
dilute waste solution may be discarded or treated further for the recovery of what
small amounts of alkali remain therein.
[0011] Some aluminum etching operations, especially chemical milling, evolve enough heat
to boil away considerable water from the bath, and this water must be replaced. Since
the overflow from the crystallizer in the present method contains useful components
of the bath, i.e., NaOH and other bath additives, it is a preferred source of make-up
water for the etch bath. Moreover, return of the overflow to the bath eliminates the
need for disposal or further treatment of the overflow. However, a high utilization
of the crystallizer overflow as makeup water would eliminate a means of purge or blowdown
of impurities that enter with makeup water. In such a case it is beneficial to deionize
the make-up water and the feed water to the diffusion dialyzer.
[0012] The method is simple and efficient and does not require the use of many sophisticated
controls. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from
the following description of preferred embodiments from the claims and from the accompanying
drawing.
Brief Description Of The Drawings
[0013]
Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the steps and apparatus for practicing the
method embodying the principles of the invention; and
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the inventive method and apparatus shown
in use with a milling operation plant.
Description Of Preferred Embodiments
[0014] Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a method of recovering and recycling sodium
hydroxide and also recovering useful aluminum hydroxide. The embodiment shown is employed
in connection with a conventional aluminum etching operation wherein aluminum articles
are immersed for relatively short periods in an etch tank 10 containing a bath of
sodium hydroxide and water. Dissolution of the aluminum takes place as indicated in
equation (1) above.
[0015] Waste solution is pumped from the tank 10 through line 12 and into a diffusion dialyzer
15. Diffusion dialyzer 15 comprises a liquid flow vessel 16 divided into chambers
or channels 18 and 20 on opposite sides of an ion-exchange membrane 22. As shown,
the waste solution is pumped into and flows upwardly through channel 18. Simultaneously,
a stream of warm water, which has been softened and degassed by boiling, is pumped
into and flows downwardly through channel 20. Preferably, the water and waste solution
are here supplied to the dialyzer 15 at substantially equal rates.
[0016] Membrane 22 is substantially permeable to sodium hydroxide and substantially less
permeable to the dissolved aluminum or aluminum salts. Such membranes are of a type
commonly available and manufactured by companies like Pall/RAI under the trade designation
BDM and Tokuyama Soda under the trade designation Neosepta CR-2. Inside the dialyzer
column 15, sodium hydroxide migrates across the membrane 22 and into the water stream
and the recovered sodium hydroxide is discharged back into the etch tank 10 as indicated
through line 24. The recycled sodium hydroxide is sufficiently concentrated to be
useful in carrying on the basic etching operation.
[0017] The alkali-depleted waste stream exits from the top of channel 18 through line 26
and is cooled, preferably by a water jacket heat exchanger or the like, and then pumped
into a crystallizer vessel 28. The waste solution exiting from the dialyzer column
15 is believed to be supersaturated in aluminum hydroxide, which is known to be extremely
slow to precipitate from aqueous solution under normal conditions. The crystallizer
vessel 28 is of known construction and provides nucleation sites for enhancing the
formation and precipitation of aluminum hydroxide which is removable from the bottom
of the vessel as illustrated. The overflow from vessel 28 is a dilute waste solution
30 low in remaining sodium hydroxide and/or aluminum hydroxide and may be disposed
of as waste or in some cases used as make-up water for the etch tank. However, if
desired, the waste solution 30 may be further treated as before in a second diffusion
dialyzer for recovery of any remaining usable components.
[0018] It has been determined that optimum results are achieved if the water fed into the
dialyzer is warmed to a temperature at or above that of the waste solution being fed
to the dialyzer. Thus, the water temperature should be preferably between 40.6 ° C
(105 F) and 54.4 ° C (130 F), and most preferably about 48.9 C (120 F). The ratio
of water flow rate to waste solution flow rate also affects the results achieved.
That ratio is preferably in the range of 0.5 and 4.0 to 1 and most preferably about
2 to 1.
[0019] Depending upon the size and nature of the particular aluminum dissolution operation
(i.e., etching, cleaning or chemical milling), the diffusion dialyzer may comprise
a plurality of diffusion membranes properly spaced to provide a stack with waste solution
and water channels on opposite sides of each membrane. The nature of the operation
will also determine if certain temperature and/or filtration controls of the waste
solution being fed into the dialyzer are required. For example, in a simple etching
operation of the type already described, the temperature of the etch bath is not raised
substantially above ambient. On the other hand, chemical milling operations which
dissolve larger amounts of metal produce bath temperatures at or near the boiling
point of water and also significant amounts of other metals, such as copper. Since
waste solution temperatures approaching 99.9 C (212 F) would be destructive of the
membranes in the dialyzer, it is desirable to first cool the waste solution to temperatures
near ambient. Similarly, it is common practice in milling operations to add a precipitating
agent like Na
2S to the bath for precipitating out the dissolved copper and other metals. The precipitated
sulfides form a sludge which desirably is filtered from the waste solution before
feeding into the dialyzer.
[0020] Referring now to Figure 2, there is schematically illustrated a chemical milling
operation with which the inventive method is used for recovering the sodium hydroxide
and aluminum hydroxide. The milling operation comprises multiple etch tanks 50, 52,
54, from which the waste solution is fed first into settling tanks 56, 58, 60, for
removal of sulfide precipitates. The supernatant solution is then pumped through filter
means 62, 64, to remove any remaining sludge. The temperature of the clear waste solution
is regulated in suitable temperature control means 66 to approximately ambient, and
then pumped into a diffusion dialyzer stack 75 to flow upwardly therethrough. A water
tank 68 is provided having associated hot air or steam means for degassing the water.
The degassed water is pumped through suitable temperature control means 70 to reach
a preferred temperature of around 48.89 ° C (120 F) and then into the top of the dialyzer
75 to flow downwardly therethrough. In the embodiment of Figure 2, the dialyzer 75
comprises multiple diffusion membranes and includes vent means 76 for periodically
purging any air bubbles from the flow channels in the dialyzer. Storage tanks 78 and
80 are provided for respectively receiving the sodium hydroxide and the alkali-depleted
salt solution. Sodium hydroxide from tank 78 is recycled and fed back into the etch
tanks 50, 52, 54, as desired. The salt solution from tank 80 is fed into conventional
crystallizing or precipitating means, in this embodiment, a mixing tank 82, where
the solution may contact previously precipitated AI(OH)
3, and settling tank 84 from which precipitated aluminum hydroxide is removed. The
supernatant liquid from the settling tank 84 is, in this operation, also recycled
back into the etch tanks, for recapture of the remaining sodium hydroxide and also
to replace the water which is being evaporated from the hot etch tanks.
[0021] The invention is illustrated further by the following examples.
Example 1
[0022] In accordance with Figure 1, etch waste solution containing about 8% sodium hydroxide
was fed into a dialyzer column comprising a single BDM ion-exchange membrane with
about 2dm
2 of exposed area. The waste solution and water were fed to the dialyzer by a dual
head, size 13 Master- flex pump operating at 28.5 rpm to supply the solutions at equal
rates. The system was operated overnight and samples taken the following day. The
measured output flow rates were 0.44 ml/min. for the recovered base and 1.22 ml/min.
for the treated etching solution. Analysis of the samples by titration with HCI showed
that the concentration of the recovered base (viz, free base) was substantially higher
than in the feed waste solution, thereby suggesting that NaAI0
2 was being decomposed and releasing bound sodium hydroxide. Titration of the treated
waste solution indicated that virtually all of the free sodium hydroxide had been
removed and that most of the dissolved aluminum remained, although some aluminum may
also have permeated the membrane and returned with the recovered sodium hydroxide.
Example 2
[0023] In a system according to Figure 2, a diffusion dialysis stack was assembled with
ten sheets of Neosepta CR-2 membrane separated by Vexar- type spacers about 0.75 mm
thick. Each membrane sheet had about 175 cm
2 of its surface exposed to the solutions. Alternate solution compartments were fed
with water flowing downward and a spent aluminum chemical milling etchant flowing
upward. The water, which had been demineralized and boiled, was warmed to about 43.33
C (110 F) by passing it through a heating coil before it entered the stack. Analysis
was by titration with H
2S0
4. In an experiment of 450 min duration, a 2371 ml batch of etchant was treated in
the stack. The etchant contained 144 g/li of free NaOH, and 476 g/li of NaAI0
2. A 2644 ml batch of base was recovered composed of 109 g/li of free NaOH, and 15
g/li of NaAI0
2. The 4060 ml batch of base-depleted salt solution contained 12 g/li of free NaOH,
and 272 g/li of NaAI0
2. Upon standing at room temperature, a voluminous white precipitate of AI(OH)
3 formed in the base-depleted salt solution.
[0024] The precise chemistry of the method is not completely understood, but it is theorized
that the salutary results obtained indicate another operation of Le Chatelier's Principle.
Referring again to equilibrium equation (2), it will be noted that removal of sodium
hydroxide causes shifting of the equilibrium to the right with the depletion of sodium
aluminate and the increased production of aluminum hydroxide. The treated solution
exiting from the dialyzer apparently becomes supersaturated in aluminum hydroxide
which is then readily removable in the nucleating crystallizer or other settling vessel.
It is also theorized that the difference in flow rates and increase in concentration
of free sodium hydroxide in the recovered base was caused by osmotic water removal
from the water stream through the membrane.
[0025] It should be understood that the language employed herein is for descriptive purposes
only and is not intended to be otherwise limiting of the concepts of the invention.
Although the illustrations and examples herein utilize flat sheet membranes, other
configurations such as tubular or spiral wound devices could be employed. While preferred
embodiments have been described, changes and variations may be made by those skilled
in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined
in the appended claims.
1. A method of recovering sodium hydroxide from an etch tank waste solution containing
dissolved aluminum comprising:
directing a stream of the waste solution into a diffusion dialyzer (15) containing
permeable membrane means (22) that is permeable to sodium hydroxide and substantially
less permeable to dissolved aluminum on one side of the membrane means (22);
simultaneously directing a stream of water into the dialyzer (15) on the opposite
side of the membrane means (22) whereby sodium hydroxide migrates through said membrane
means (22) from the waste solution stream into the water stream; and
recycling the sodium hydroxide-containing stream back into the etch tank (10).
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the streams of water and waste solution flow
countercurrently through the dialyzer (15).
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the water directed into the dialyzer (15)
is first softened.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the water directed into the dialyzer (15)
is first degassed.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the flow rate of the water to
the waste solution is between 0.5 and 4.0 to 1.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the water directed into the dialyzer (15)
is heated to a temperature between 40.5 C (105 F) and 54.44 C (130 F).
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the waste solution exiting from the dialyzer
(15) is directed into settling vessel means (28) to precipitate aluminum hydroxide
therefrom.
8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the waste solution exiting from the dialyzer
(15) is cooled to a temperature between 18.33 ° C (65 °F) and 46.11 C (115 F) before
being directed into the settling vessel means.
9. A method according to claim 7 wherein overflow liquid from the settling vessel
means (84) is directed back into the etch tank (50, 52, 54).
10. A method according to claim 7 comprising further directing a stream of the overflow
liquid from the settling vessel means into a second diffusion dialyzer containing
permeable membrane means that is permeable to sodium hydroxide and substantially less
permeable to dissolved aluminum on one side of the membrane means;
simultaneously directing a stream of deionized water into the second dialyzer on the
opposite side of the membrane means; and
directing the water stream into the etch tank.
11. A method according to claim 7 wherein the settling vessel means (28) comprises
a particle-contacting crystallizer adapted to provide nucleating sites for the precipitation
of the aluminum hydroxide.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said membrane means (22) comprises at least
one ion-exchange membrane.
13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the dialyzer (15) comprises a stack of
a plurality of ion-exchange membranes (22) providing liquid flow channels (18,20)
on opposite sides of each of the membranes (22), and periodically purging the dialyzer
(15) of gas bubbles formed in the channels (18,20) by the diffusion of sodium hydroxide
into the water stream.
14. Apparatus for recovering sodium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide from an etch
tank waste solution comprising: diffusion dialysis means (15) having channels (18,20)
on opposite sides of permeable membrane means (22) that is permeable to sodium hydroxide
and substantially less permeable to dissolved aluminum for receiving respectively
a stream of the waste solution and a stream of water;
pumping means for directing said two streams in opposite directions through the dialysis
means (15) on opposite sides (18,20) of said membrane means (22); and
settling vessel means (28) for receiving the waste solution exiting from the diffusion
dialysis means (15) and collecting aluminum hydroxide precipitating therein.
15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said membrane means (22) comprises an
ion-exchange membrane.
16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said diffusion dialysis means comprises
a dialyzer having a stack of a plurality of ion-exchange membranes (22) and means
purging gas bubbles forming in the channels (18,20) during flow of the streams of
liquids therethrough.
17. Apparatus according to claim 14 comprising deionizing and degassing means for
treating the water before pumping into the diffusion dialysis means.
18. Apparatus accoring to claim 14 wherein the settling vessel means (28) comprises
a particle-contacting crystallizer for providing nucleating sites for the precipitation
of aluminum hydroxide.
19. A method of recovering sodium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide from a sodium aluminate
solution comprising: directing a stream of sodium aluminate solution into a diffusion
dialyzer containing permeable membrane means (22) that is permeable to sodium hydroxide
and substantially less permeable to sodium aluminate on one side (18) of the membrane
means (22);
simultaneously directing a stream of water into the dialyzer on the opposite side
(20) of the membrane means (22) whereby sodium hydroxide migrates through said membrane
means from the sodium aluminate solution stream into the water stream;
directing the water stream exiting from the dialyzer into a sodium hydroxide storage
vessel (78); and
directing the sodium aluminate stream exiting the dialyzer (75) into settling vessel
means (84) to precipitate aluminum hydroxide therefrom.
20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the streams of sodium aluminate solution
and water flow countercurrently through the dialyzer (75).
21. A method according to claim 19 wherein the water directed into the dialyzer (75)
is first softened and degassed.
22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the softened and degassed water is heated
to a temperature between 40.5 C (105 F) and 54.44 C (130 F).
23. A method according to claim 19 wherein the sodium aluminate solution exiting from
the dialyzer is cooled to a temperature between 18.33 °C (65 F) and 46.11 °C (115
F) before being directed into the settling vessel means (84).