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Fixing sulfur dioxide by feeding calcine oxide into the rotary volatilization kiln in zinc smelting plant

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Abstract

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a toxic pollutant and its fixation is a high cost but imperative task for sulfide metallurgy industry. Although being a mature technology for on-line fixation of SO2 by limestone injection in coal-fired boilers, its application is rarely investigated in the sulfide metallurgy plant. Extending this technology to the metallurgy industry is highly plausible, but with the feasibility and practicability waiting to be uncovered. Herein, feeding CaO into the rotary volatilization kiln as SO2-fixation agent is demonstrated to be an efficient in-furnace desulfurization strategy for zinc smelting plant. The sulfur distribution within the entire smelting process is systematically analyzed, determining that the critical procedure for pressuring the desulfurization system is the rotary volatilization kiln. The thermodynamics analysis shows that addition of CaO is feasible for SO2 fixation by forming CaS or restraining the reductive decomposition of SO42−. The industrial tests, including the online monitoring of kiln flue gas and kiln slag analysis, validate the thermodynamics analysis, realizing a 24.6% reduction of SO2 in the flue gas by converting gaseous SO2 to solid CaS via feeding 20% CaO. The present study highlights an effective strategy for on-line fixing the SO2, being a potential way for relieving the desulfurization pressures in zinc sulfide metallurgy plant.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the sample analysis by Suyu Chen and Lei Yang in Zi** School of Geology and Mining, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China.

Funding

This research was funded by the National Key Basic Research and Development Program (No. 2022YFC3900801) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (51874101, 52274349).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zi** School of Geology and Mining, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China

    Wei Weng, Wenze Zhang, ** Zhong

  2. Fujian Key Laboratory of Green Extraction and High-Value Utilization of New Energy Metals, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China

    Wei Weng, Wenze Zhang, ** Zhong

  3. Zi** Mining Group Co. Ltd., State Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Low Grade Refractory Gold Ores, Shanghang, 364200, Fujian, China

    Hongfu Lin & Shui** Zhong

Authors
  1. Wei Weng
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  2. Wenze Zhang
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  3. Hongfu Lin
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  4. **aopeng Chi
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Shui** Zhong and Wei Weng.

Literature search and data analysis: Wenze Zhang.

Writing—original draft preparation: Wei Weng.

Writing—review and editing: Shui** Zhong, Hongfu Lin, ** Zhong.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shui** Zhong.

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Weng, W., Zhang, W., Lin, H. et al. Fixing sulfur dioxide by feeding calcine oxide into the rotary volatilization kiln in zinc smelting plant. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 43768–43777 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25164-9

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