Sulfuric acid baking and leaching of spent sulfuric acid catalyst

Abstract

Vanadium, iron and aluminum were recovered from the spent sulfuric acid catalyst with efficiency of 98%, 95% and 85%, respectively by using low temperature sulphuric acid baking followed by leaching. The optimum baking conditions were four grams of concentrated sulfuric acid per ten grams of spent catalyst at 300 C for two hours. Sulphuric acid baking followed by leaching was found to be the best and it is more effective in Iron and Aluminum dissolution. Sulfuric acid baking is expected to consume small amount of chemicals and generate much less waste effluents during the separation process of metals with alkali solutions. It is economically favorable, as it avoids us much more environmental contamination. © Periodica Polytechnica 2011.