Batrec – Mercury waste
treatment Center (Hg
Center) and Catalyst
Recycling Plant (CRP)
Yves THELIER,Veolia
PhD , Chemical Engineering, Ecole Centrale Paris,
France;
Started career as industrial wastewater engineer
for chemical industries;
Joined Veolia 23 years ago as hazardous waste
sales manager;
YVES THELIER Active in setting up new hazwaste activities in
foreign countries in Europe & Asia;
Global
Industrial services & waste services for O&G
Director
industries for the Veolia specialized subsidiary;
HPI/CPI
Now Global Director O&G Downstream for Veolia
Veolia
Group;
Introduction of BATREC
 Year of foundation:
1989
 Turnover in 2013:
13,8 Mio Euros.
 Employees:
72
 Certifications:
ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OSHAS 18001
 Shareholders:
100% Veolia
 Business areas:
- Battery recycling
- Decontamination of Hg-guards
- Reactivation of activated carbon
- Recycling of Hg waste
BATREC – where we are placed
Introduction of BATREC – business areas
Battery Recycling
Hg recycling
Decontamination of Hg-guards
Reactivation of activated carbon
development of volumes from 2006 to
2014


260 t/year mean value over the last 9 years
700
2012
- 27 containers from AUS
- 14 containers from GCC
618.9
600
500
371.9
2014 – expected volumes
- 100 t Bolivia
- 84 t Trinidad
400
[t]

252.1
300
260.0
261.6
232.0
200
123.3
109.4 120.2
100
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
origin of the volumes from 2006 to
2014



Trinidad
Bolivia
4%
6%
GCC, Bolivia, Trinidad,
Netherlands - spot business
(so far)
Oman
17%
UK – regular business
Australia
- 2 shipments 2008 & 2012
Netherlands
1%
Australia
18%
UK
54%
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business
 decontamination of the Hg guards to enable a subsequent Cu
recycling
1. waste reception (drums or CHEP bins)
2. sampling
3. storage
4. thermal decontamination
5. sampling & Hg reporting
6. forwarding of the material to Nickelhütte for Cu recovery
Batrec’s part in Puracare – sampling
Batrec’s part in Puracare – storage

storage for 18
containers

IR detection in front of
the boxes
Batrec’s part in Puracare – thermal
decontamination
CRP Anlage
F4180A
K4680
F4160
Q4210A
K4220
K4320
K4410
F4510
B4623
W4610
F4630
W4650
K4660A
K4690
K4660B
VW4310
W4530
N4060A
W4240
W4330
Gegenstrom
Gleichstrom
F4670A
P4330
P4420
P4520
P4620
V4640
S4080A
F4670B
V4710
P4230
F4100A
B4450
NaOH
H2SO4
F4700
N4090A
SC
S4450
N4020A
N4140A
P4490
P4470/71
S4145A
B4770
B4480
B4490
B4470
Gips
SC
N4060D
P4225
B4223
F4180D
B4224A
S4080D
B4224B
Q4210C
Quecksilber
B4224C
F4100D
TK4800
sauer
TK4805
alkalisch
N4090D
Havariebecken
P4894
N4020D
N4140D
AK
S4145D
N4146D
F4862
TK4855
TK4838
R4831
F4878
F4879
R4884
N4147D
P4892/93
P4828
P4862/63
F4847
AK
AK
P4849/50
P4844
TK4848
Wärmebehandlung
Abgasreinigung
CaO Löschanlage / Gipsabwurf
Quecksilber- Abscheidung
Abwasseraufbereitung
F4100A
F4100D
F4160
F4180A
F4180D
N4020A
N4020D
N4060A
N4060D
N4090A
N4090D
N4140A
N4140D
N4146D
N4147D
S4080A
S4080D
S4145A
S4145D
B4623
F4510
F4630
F4670A/B
K4220
K4320
K4410
K4660A/B
K4680
K4690
P4230 A/B
P4330 A/B
P4420 A/B
P4520 A/B
P4620
Q4210A
Q4210C
V4640
V4710
VW4310
W4240
W4330
W4530
W4610
W4650
B4450
B4470
B4480
B4490
B4770
F4700
P4470/71
P4490
S4450
B4223
B4224 A-C
P4225
F4847
F4862
F4878
F4879
P4828
P4844
P4849/50
P4862/63
P4892/93
P4894
R4831
R4884
TK4800
TK4805
TK4838
TK4848
TK4855
TK4888
Ofen SC
Ofen AK
Heisgasfilter
Nachbrenner SC
Nachbrenner AK
Aufgabestelle SC
Aufgabestelle AK
Rohrkettenförderer SC
Rohrkettenförderer AK
Förderschnecke SC
Förderschnecke AK
Kühlschnecke SC
Kühlschnecke AK
Zellenradschleuse
Sieb AK
Silo SC
Silo AK
Silo SC
Silo AK
Puffertank
H2O2 Kolonne
Lühr- Filter
HEPA- Filter
Sprühkühler
Kühlkolonne
Kalkmilchkolonne
Aktivkohleadsorber
Kamin Prozess
Kamin Hallenabluft
Pumpen
Pumpen
Pumpen
Pumpen
Pumpen
Heissgasquench SC
Heissgasquench AK
Ventilator
Ventilator Hallenabluft
Venturiwäscher
Plattenwärmetauscher
Plattenwärmetauscher
Plattenwärmetauscher
Rohrbündel Wärmetauscher
Rohrbündel Wärmetauscher
Kalksilo
Löschbehälter
Vorratsbehälter
Vorratsbehälter Prozesswasser
Sammelbehälter
Vakuumbandfilter
Pumpe
Pumpe
Förderschnecke
Sammelbehälter
Absetzbehälter
Pumpe
Kammerfilterpresse
Kiesfilter
Beutelfilter
Beutelfilter
Pumpe
Pumpe
Pumpen
Pumpen
Pumpen
Pumpe
Reaktionsbecken
Nachneutralisation
Sammelbecken sauer
Sammelbecken alkalisch
Schrägklärer
Filtratbecken
Vorlauf Kiesfilter
Endkontrolle
Abgas
örtliche Absaugung
Abwasser
Aktivkohle / Spent Catalyst
Schlamm / Gips
Quecksilber
Additive
Notleitungen
TK4888
Kanalisation
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
chemical reactions
 thermal desorption in furnace (850 °C)
HgS  Hg + S
 post-combustion chamber (1100 °C)
S + O2  SO2
 lime milk washer
SO2 + CaO + ½ O2  CaSO4
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
thermal decontamination – charging of
catalysts
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
thermal decontamination – the
furnace
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
thermal decontamination – the
furnace
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
thermal decontamination – the
furnace
Batrec’s part in Puracare – thermal
decontamination – post-combustion
chamber
Batrec’s part in Puracare – thermal
decontamination – scrubbers
Batrec’s Catalyst Recycling business –
thermal decontamination – waste
water treatment
recent developments – Hg stabilization

motivation for Batrec
 offer one hand solution to JM and other customers that require Hg stabilization
(no subcontractors needed for stabilization of Hg)

technical approach
Hg + S = HgS (red or black)
- liquid S + liquid Hg react to HgS
- very toxic Hg is transformed into
non toxic HgS
- produced stone (50 % S, 50 % Hg)
can be safely stored in German salt
mines
recent developments – Hg stabilization

what is the idea behind stabilization to HgS?
 the most stable mercury compound
 the most insoluble metallic-sulphide compound
 the natural mineral form known as cinnabar

alternatives
 amalgamation
BATREC’s business areas
Battery Recycling
Hg recycling
Decontamination of Hg-guards
Reactivation of activated carbon
Hg Recycling




Capacity: ca. 300 t/year of waste containing Hg
3 distillation units (2 retorts, 1 rotary kiln)
Treatment of all types of Hg waste
Production of Hg with a purity of 99.99 %
examples for Hg containing wastes
treated at Batrec

lamps (Hg vapour pressure )

button cells, Hg cells

relays, switches

dental waste (amalgams, centrifuges,…)

thermometers, blood pressure meters

Hg containing chemicals (Hg2Cl2, HgO, HgS, Hg,...)

calomel (solutions) from Cu + Zn metallurgy

concrete & soils & slurries contaminated with Hg

Hg containing solutions

activated carbon, coke and graphite containing Hg

......
25
Mercury Centre installation scheme
18
19
20
9
17
11
8
3
2
7
13
6
12
15
14
22
16
21
4
24
10
23
25
1
5
1 A500-Ofen
1 A500
Furnace
6 Brenner
6 Burner
11 Scrubber
Waschkolonne
4
11
column
4
2 Brenner
2 Burner
3 Waschkolonne 1
4 Saurer Wäscher
3 Scrubber
column 1
5 F2000-Ofen
7 Waschkolonne 2
8 Kühler column
1
7 Scrubber
2
9 Waschkolonne 3
8 Cooler
1
10 Basischer
Wäscher
12
13
12
14
13
15
4 Acid Scrubber
9 Scrubber column 3
14 Activated carbon filter 1
19 Activated carbon filter 3
24 Wastewater (acid)
5 F2000 Furnace
10 Basic scrubber
15 Activated carbon filter 2
20 Activated carbon filter 4
25 Wastewater (Basic)
Kühler 2
Ventilator
Cooler
2
Aktivkohlefilter 1
Ventilator
Aktivkohlefilter 2
16
17
18
19
20
Kamin
(Prozessabluft)
(Raumabluft)
21 Ventilator
(room exhaust air)
16
Chimney
(exhaust air) 21 Ventilator
Sortierzelt
Raumabluft
17
Sorting Tent
Aktivkohlefilter 3
18
Room exhaust
air
Aktivkohlefilter
4
22
23
24
25
Kamin (Raumabluft)
Quecksilber
22 Chimney (room exhaust air)
Abwasser (sauer)
23 Mercury
Abwasser
(basisch)
26
Hg removal from Hg centre off gas

distillation at 600 – 700 °C
(Hg vaporises at 356.6 °C)

distillation under negative pressure to
avoid Hg emissions

Hg is removed by a 3 scrubber system

the washers are actively cooled to <5°C in
order to condense the Hg

remaining traces of Hg are removed by a
final activated carbon filter, filled with S
impregnated carbon
27
Hg distillation

2 retorts
A500
F2000
Hg distillation

1 rotary kiln for batch operation
Hg distillation
BATREC’s business areas
Battery Recycling
Hg recycling
Decontamination of Hg-guards
Reactivation of activated carbon
Adsorbent Recycling
Decontamination of Hg guards coming from natural gas production
Reactivation of activated carbon




Installation running since November 2011
1.000T capacity for the treatment of catalysts coming from the gas extraction
industry („mercury guards“)
3.000T capacity for the reactivation of activated carbon
others wastes containing Hg:
 powder carbon.
 contaminated soil with Hg and/or Dioxins.
 Hg containing waste with organic compounds.
Treatment of spent active carbon
 Regeneration
Treatment at low temperature at 180°C
 Reactivation
Treatment at high temperature
(up to 850°C) that gives back to the
carbon its original adsorption capacity
 Thermal recycling
Carbon’s combustion
Reactivation of activated carbon by
BATREC



Reactivation of granular active carbon coming from water treatment
Reactivation of extruded active carbon coming from gas treatment plants.
First trials have been made to treat powder active carbon coming the
adsorption of suspended pollutants.

During reactivation
– Thermal desorption of the pollutants at a temperature of 700 – 750°C
– Thermal destruction of the pollutants in the post-combustion chamber.
– The original adsorption of the carbon is renewed (iodine index)
Added value for customers
– Lower purchasing costs for «fresh» carbon (1 – 5 Euros/kg)
– Lower disposal treatment costs
– Reduction CO2 emissions
Thank you for your attention!
yves.thelier@veolia.com