Separation of heavy metals from salts in multicomponent gas by a two-stage dust collection technique

Highlights: • A heavy metal separation method from salts in a multicomponent gas was studied. • A two-stage dust collection technique was used for the metal separation. • The first stage dust collection at 800 °C was better for the separation. • A reductive atmosphere also promoted the efficiency of the separation. •The collected heavy metals were extracted with water, acid, or CH3COONH4 solution. -- Abstract: A Pb and Zn separation method from salts (Na, K, and Cl) in a simulated multicomponent gas generated by the incineration fly ash melting is studied. The heavy metals are separated using a two-stage dust collection technique. A standard reagents mixture is volatilized by heating in a lab-scale reactor to generate the simulated multicomponent gas. The volatilized salts in the gas are condensed and collected by a filter at a high temperature (600–800 °C), allowing Pb and Zn to pass through the filter as gaseous species. The gaseous heavy metals are condensed by lowering their temperature to 100 °C and collected. The metal separation is promoted by elevating the temperature used in the first-stage dust collection to 800 °C and maintaining a reductive atmosphere in the reactor. Subsequently, a sequential chemical extraction is performed on the obtained materials to evaluate the metals leaching characteristics from the materials. In the separated salts to be landfilled, a portion of toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, As, and Cr remain as water-soluble compounds. The separated Pb and Zn, to be extracted and recovered with precipitation for the metal enrichment, can be extracted using water, acid (pH 3), or CH3COONH4 solution (1 M)