Process for extracting metals from spent desulphurization catalysts
AssigneeAkzona Incorporated
InventorGerhard E. W. K. Steenken
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Abstract
Vanadium and molybdenum are recovered from a spent desulfurization catalyst containing the same by a process involving intimately admixing with comminuted catalyst an amount of a solid alkali metal carbonate, such as calcined sodium carbonate, sufficient to convert the vanadium and molybdenum present into water-soluble compounds, heating the mixture in the solid state in the presence of air at a temperature between about 650.degree. C and about 850.degree. C for a period of about 1 to 2 hours, and extracting the vanadium and molybdenum compounds with water.
Claims5
A process for the extraction of vanadium and molybdenum from a spent desulfurization catalyst containing the same, and having an aluminum oxide carrier, said spent catalyst not having been subjected to previous oxidative roasting, comprising the steps of:
- (a) intimately admixing comminuted spent catalyst with an amount of a solid alkali metal carbonate sufficient to convert the vanadium, molybdenum, and any sulfur which may be present, into water-soluble compounds;
- (b) heating the mixture produced in step (a) in the solid state in the presence of air at a temperature between about 650.degree. C and about 850.degree. C for a period between about 1 and about 2 hours;
- and
- (c) leaching the product of step (b) with water to dissolve the vanadium and molybdenum compounds and recovering said compounds from the extract;
- the amount of solid alkali metal carbonate also being sufficient so that the extract of step (c), after filtration, has a pH higher than 7.5 but lower than 10.0.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.