Properties Evaluation of Metallic, Polymeric and Ceramic Packing Materials for the Emission Reduction to the Atmosphere From Burning Kilns

The climate change and its impact to the environment is a topic of general importance which in the last years has raised a growing interest, to such a degree that many groups have been created worldwide to analyze it. The use of structured packing materials in an absorption column for washing sour gases proceeding from brick kilns is a suitable way to determine the material of more mechanical and chemical resistant and efficient in the treatment of these gases. In this work, three materials were characterized, a ceramic, a polymer and a metal by means of hardness test and electron microscopy (morphology). These materials are used as gas-liquid contactors, or packing beds in the absorption column for the sour gases treatment. The hardness results indicated that the ceramic material is the hardest one and therefore the most weak mechanically, the polymeric one is the most ductile, and the mechanical behavior of the metal material is intermediate. This study focuses on the first experimental stage, which is before the contact with the gases and particles from the kilns. The initial properties of the above materials were studied before being introduced the absorption column. The resistance to corrosion or the deposition, from the treatment of the gases in real conditions will be evaluated in a second phase on the research. The hydrodynamic behaviors were determined in the absorption column in order to determine the ideal conditions of operation, usually in the turbulence or load region. It was found that the polymeric material can work with a wide range of liquid load: from 0 to 30.03 m3 /m2 h, while with the metallic material it is better to work with a liquid load of 27.16 m3 /m2 h, Also, a standard test of corrosion (TAFEL), was performed using a solution of sulphuric acid 1N.. This was done in agreement to the ASTM G5-1999 standard procedure and the methods ININ No. P, SC (LC)-05. It found that the polymeric material is the most resistance to corrosion.Copyright © 2010 by ASME