The emission of fluorine gas during incineration of fluoroborate residue

Abstract

The emission behaviors of wastes from fluorine chemical industry during incineration have raised concerns because multiple fluorine products might danger human health. In this study, fluorine emission from a two-stage incineration system during the combustion of fluoroborate residue was examined. In a TG-FTIR analysis BF3, SiF4 and HF were identified as the initial fluorine forms to be released, while fluorine gases of greenhouse effect such as CF4 and SF6 were not found. Below 700°C, NaBF4 in the sample decomposed to generate BF3. Then part of BF3 reacted with SiO2 in the system to form SiF4 or hydrolyzed to HF. At higher temperatures, the NaF left in the sample was gradually hydrolyzed to form HF. A lab-scale two-stage tube furnace is established to simulate the typical two-stage combustion chamber in China. Experimental tests proved that HF was the only fluorine gas in the flue gas, and emissions of BF3 and SiF4 can be negligible. Thermodynamic equilibrium model predicted that all SiF4 would be hydrolyzed at 1100°C in the secondary-chamber, which agreed well with the experimental results.