Browsing by Author "Aguirre, P."
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Item Elimination of organic solvents for decreasing of metal components by use of a novel microwave plasma(2005) Aguirre, P.; Pedro, B. San; Wright, N.; Hopkins, W.; Gaballah, I.; Mishra, B.; Solozabal, R.; Tanaka, M.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationCurrently metallic parts which have been through machining and fabrication processes are degreased by means of organic solvents (e.g. perchloroethlylene, trichloroethylene) before further treatment, coating or final delivery. Although these organic solvents remove oil that covers the part, these chemical products create environmental and health risks. In the DRYDEG project, funded by the EC under the "CRAFT" Programme, the aim is to avoid the use of organic solvents for oil removal from mechanized metallic parts by using a novel plasma. APNEP (Atmospheric Pressure Non Equilibrium Plasma) operates at or near atmospheric pressure and uses relatively cheap commercial microwave engineering at a frequency of 2.45 GHz to create high concentrations of chemically reactive radicals that remove oils from parts. The plasma chemistry has been shown to be very similar to that achieved in vacuum plasmas but without the expense and inconvenience of a vacuum system. Successful degreasing trials have been performed on metallic parts (carbon steel and aluminium) from the automotive and aeronautic industries, working with various parameter values (gas flow, type of gas, power, distance, type of grease/oil etc) in order to arrive at the best conditions of treatment. Parts which have been degreased in the APNEP device have been processed at an industrial site without problems. In addition, the emissions produced in the process have been analysed showing very low concentration of organic compounds, always under the legal limits.Item Recuperación de metales de residuos en corriente de metal fundido(2006-04) Aguirre, P.; Cobos, L.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationItem Recuperacion de metales mediante tecnologia de plasma: Aplicacion a los catalizadores agotados de hidrodesulfuracion(1997-01) Aguirre, P.; Mugica, J. C.; Vieitez, J. A.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationItem Removal of mercury from brine sludges and fluorescent lamps(1999) Aguirre, P.; Uranga, M. S.; Castellano, I.; Gilroy, D.; Campbell, D.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationMercury is present in brine sludges generated in the chloralkali industry and is also part of the composition of the powder contained in domestic fluorescent lamps. The process described in the present paper consists of a hydrometallurgical treatment of the waste, that uses sodium hypochlorite/hydrochloric acid as leaching agents for mercury. The mercury contained in the leachate is recovered in metallic form by means of an electrochemical cell. Also an intermediate solvent extraction step is used in the process for purifying final effluents. The sludge obtained after the leaching process is washed for removing soluble mercury and complies with standard leaching tests for wastes.Item Treatment and immobilization of low and intermediate level radioactive waste by plasma(1999) Múgica, J. C.; Aguirre, P.; Alvarez-Mir, F.; Del Río, S.; Zuloaga, P.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationThe thermal treatment of waste based on plasma technology allows the destruction of organics by a pyrolysis or air controlled process, and the introduction of the inorganic material into a molten pool. As a result, the new products tapped from the reactor are obtained with a significant volume reduction and with appropriate properties to be stored safety. Plasma technology permits the use of different gases at low flow. Consequently the process of organic oxidation can be controlled and compact equipment allows high productivity. Many countries have, or will have in the near future, a major problem in stocking these wastes in their existing installations. The proposed process is an alternative which reduces the volume of waste to be disposed of.Item Treatment of industrial wastes by plasma technology(1998) Aguirre, P.; Mugica, J. C.; Solozabal, R.; Tecnalia Research & InnovationPlasma arc technology offers many advantages over conventional incinerators for industrial wastes treatment. Such advantages are: heat generation is independent of the chemistry involved; the added gas flow rates are low; plasma systems operate at high energy densities; and the atmosphere in the furnace can be selected. Two different plasma equipments are used to treat industrial wastes. The first equipment is orientated to the realization of laboratory scale trials and offers great versatility. The second equipment is orientated to perform pilot scale trials and allows continuous operation, and apart from the plasma reactor, a postcombustion chamber, a quenching and an scrubber are installed in the plasma pilot plant.