Produção de carvão ativado a partir de madeira tratada com arseniato de cobre cromatado (CCA) para adsorção de dióxido de carbono (CO2)

Abstract

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is the most used preservative in wooden poles of electricity distribution network, due to its high efficiency in the wood preservation. The CCAtreated wooden poles may be properly disposed to avoid damage to the environment due to the metals. The thermochemical process (pyrolysis) can be an alternative to the disposal of this waste. In this work, CCA-treated wooden poles, in service for 20 years in the electricity distribution network in Rio Grande do Sul, provided by Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz (CPFL), were fractionated and the metal concentration was measured. The samples of the internal sapwood and heartwood presented low metal concentrations (4.00 mg.kg-1 of copper, 4.19 mg.kg-1 of chromium and 4.72 mg.kg-1 of arsenic) and were subject to the pyrolysis. The solid, liquid and gaseous fractions were measured and characterized. The high content of volatile matter (83.53 wt.% to A23 and 83.23 wt.% to A3) and low ash content (0.62 wt.% to A23 and 0.61 wt.% to A3) make the samples of CCA- treated wood an attractive raw material for thermochemical process. The pyrolysis process was conducted in the absence of oxygen at 700 ºC to minimize the metal release and presenting mass fractions with the following yields: char (25.3±1.1 wt.%), pyrolytic oil (44,2±0.6 wt.%) and gas fuel (30.6±1,7 wt.%). The maximum concentration of non-condensable gas (77 vol%) from the pyrolysis of CCA-treated wood and the maximum high heating value of the fuel gas (15.32 MJ.N-1m-3 ) were observed in temperature of 500 ºC. With temperature increasing (700 oC) the generation of non-condensable gases (14 vol%) and the high heating value of the fuel gas (14.16 MJ.N-1m-3 ) were reduced. However, with temperature increasing the concentration H2 increased. Most than 68 wt.% of metals are retained in the char. It is possible to use of the activated carbon from char due resistance to leaching. The gas generated presented a molar ratio H2/CO of 6 to 8 is favorable to the iron oxide reduction in reduction process in steel industry. The char produced from the pyrolysis process was impregnated with H3PO4 and physically activated in the presence of CO2 at temperatures of 800 to 900 ºC for activated carbon production. The temperature of 900 oC, isotherm of 240 min and 1:1 impregnation H3PO4 were responsible to formation of an activated carbon with a high surface area (1324 m2 .g -1 ). With the increased of time isotherm of 60 to 240 min (900 ºC / 2:1 impregnation H3PO4) there was obtained increased microporous volume with 0.3 a 1 nm diameter (0.159 to 0.209 cm3 .g-1 ). The activated carbon produced was evaluated in CO2 adsorption assays at atmospheric pressure and 25 oC. The results indicated that the activated carbons obtained from the CCA-treated wood showed high CO2 adsorption capacity ranging 69-83 mg.g -1 . The presence of metals (Cr/Cu) can be contributed to the high CO2 adsorption.