Zinc mining involves extracting zinc metal from the earth through a series of specialized processes. This typically begins with finely grinding the ore, followed by froth flotation to separate valuable minerals from waste materials. Zinc is then produced through extractive metallurgy, a method that refines the ore into pure metal through a series of chemical and physical steps. The final stage yields zinc sulfide ore concentrate that contains 50% zinc, 32% sulfur, 13% iron, and 5% SiO2. The concentrate is subsequently roasted to produce zinc oxide and sulfur dioxide. The former is utilized to create sulfuric acid, essential for the leaching procedure. Sulfuric acid is a major component of zinc production, but also one of the most prevalent pollutants that occur during the process.
The amount of sulfuric acid vapor or mist varies depending on the method of zinc production. The vapors might escape the tanks filled with acid causing harm to human health and the production process. Exposure to strong inorganic acid mists containing sulfuric acid may occur by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact. Workers in zinc refining are considered to have low exposure to sulfuric acid vapors, however, even limited exposure to the mist may result in detrimental effects on human health. There has been sufficient evidence for the carcinogenic effects of sulfuric acid on humans.
The production of zinc generates a quantity of sulfuric acid that can significantly affect both zinc manufacturing and the health of workers. Hence, there is a necessity for methods and solutions to control pollution. The use of wet air scrubbers is popular among industry professionals as they are highly effective at collecting both aerosol and particulate matter, cost-efficient, and can operate in both low and high temperatures.
Scroiler™ is a new type of wet air scrubber that has been tested at a zinc production plant. We installed a Scroiler™ system to absorb this pollutant at one of the zinc production plants in Kazakhstan. The air treatment quality appeared 10% higher than for Venturi scrubbers that have been previously installed. The client had noticed especially the easy maintenance and low operation cost of the Scroiler™ system.
Scroiler™ cleans air from gases, dust, vapors and other admixtures using water or other cleaning liquid. Scroiler™ produces the cleaning mist differently from other scrubber systems, which results in running costs that are much lower than for a common wet air scrubber. Scroiler™ is the new type of wet air scrubber that saves water.
If you are interested in Scroiler™, please contact us at info@optromix.com