Boiler Residues
LCR specialises in Boiler Residues and also handles many types and forms of non-ferrous secondaries including, fines, slags, residues, Nickel sludges, ashes etc. containing: Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, V, W, Zn.
Chemical boiler residues are byproducts or waste materials that result from the boiler water treatment process. Boilers, especially those used in industrial processes, often require the use of various chemicals to ensure their effective and safe operation.
Some common boiler water treatment chemicals include:
Oxygen Scavengers: These are used to remove oxygen from the boiler water to prevent corrosion. Common examples include sodium sulfite and hydrazine.
pH Boosters or Alkalinity builders: These are used to maintain the alkalinity of the boiler water to prevent corrosion. Sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) is a commonly used pH booster.
Scale Inhibitors: These prevent the buildup of scale (deposits) on the boiler tubes which can affect heat transfer and lead to overheating and failure. Common scale inhibitors include phosphates, polymers, and chelants.
Sludge Conditioners: These are used to prevent the buildup of sludge in the boiler. Sludge can clog up the boiler and affect its operation.
The residues or waste generated from these chemicals and the boiler water treatment process can include spent chemicals, precipitates, and sludge. These residues can contain traces of the treatment chemicals and other potentially harmful substances, so they need to be handled and disposed of carefully to prevent environmental contamination.
Additionally, during maintenance and cleaning, boilers may produce a type of waste known as boiler chemical cleaning waste. This waste is generated when the water side of the boiler and condenser tubes are cleaned to remove deposits and oxides. It’s crucial for this waste to be managed properly due to its potential impact on the environment.
Who Are We?
LCR aims to offer commercially competitive recycling options with an emphasis on environmentally sound management including assistance with notification procedures where necessary. We are partnered with fully licenced recycling facilities in Europe and the Far East.
The spent catalysts are recycled and used to produce high-quality metal salts for final applications including new catalyst manufacture, pigments and CO2 removal processes.
However, the importance of environmentally sound recycling options has grown significantly in recent years due to the pressure both legislatively and environmentally. National and international requirements for spent catalyst generators have forced refiners to comply with increasingly restrictive legislation.
This situation has now been exacerbated by the downturn in the metal markets worldwide. For example, from 2003 until 2013 the price of Molybdenum, the main metal of value in HDS catalyst, remained above $10 per lb, peaking at over $45 per lb in 2004.
Offering Something Different
But since the end of 2013, the price has fallen to below $ 5 per lb and despite the recent recovery to above $8 per lb the future remains unclear. The major usage for Molybdenum is in the steel industry and due to the downturn in the steel market, particularly in China, supply far outstrips demand and until the industry recovers prices are likely to remain low. At these low prices we have recently witnessed a number of spent catalyst recycling facilities being unable to make a profit and choosing to exit the market. In some cases, the decision has been to mothball their facilities in the hope of re-entering the market at a later date but others have been forced into permanent closure. Spent catalyst has gone from being an easily traded by-product to something of little or no value leaving refiners with fewer and fewer options and even having to consider landfill rather than recycling.
Recycling Solutions
In our opinion, there should only be one answer – recycling. In a world of declining natural resources, sustainable resource management through recycling must be the chosen path wherever possible. We understand that landfilling what in most cases is a classified hazardous waste, may in the short term save some costs but it can also have a negative impact on the industry, particularly if an acceptable recycling alternative is available. But how can the refiner make an informed decision if they are not in possession of all the facts required to make the decision and do not have the necessary know-how to act upon it? We believe that the solution is to partner with a company whose business is not oil refining but is in recycling and who have the knowledge, experience and understanding required.
We at London Chemicals & Resources Ltd have over 10 years experience of in offering generators of spent catalyst customised solutions for their spent catalyst.
For more about us, please click here.
How Did We Do?
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Contact Us
If you would like to speak to someone directly about our recycling of boiler residues related services, please call us on +44 (0)20 7183 0651 or visit our contact page, or contact us via LinkedIn and we will be happy to answer any of your questions.
