Effect of particle size on the transformation kinetics of flue gas desulfurization gypsum to α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate under hydrothermal conditions--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Fu, H., Jia, C., Chen, Q., Cao, X., & Zhang, X. (2018). Effect of particle size on the transformation kinetics of flue gas desulfurization gypsum to α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate under hydrothermal conditions. Particuology, 40, 98-104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2017.10.004

Effect of particle size on the transformation kinetics of flue gas desulfurization gypsum to α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate under hydrothermal conditions

Hailu Fu ^a *, Caiyun Jia ^b, Qiaoshan Chen ^b, Xueting Cao ^a, Xiaomin Zhang ^a

a Department of Environmental Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
b Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

10.1016/j.partic.2017.10.004

Volume 40, October 2018, Pages 98-104

Received 26 February 2017, Revised 17 October 2017, Accepted 17 October 2017, Available online 1 February 2018, Version of Record 28 July 2018.

E-mail: hlfu@cjlu.edu.cn

Highlights

• Effect of particle size on transformation kinetics of FGD gypsum to α-HH was investigated.

• Particle size exerted significant effect on induction time but little effect on growth time of α-HH.

• Gypsum of smaller size provided more nucleation sites but can hardly enhance the driving force.

• The activation enthalpy decreased and activation entropy increased with decreasing particle size.

• The proportion of smaller α-HH crystals in products increased with decreasing parent crystal size.

Abstract

The effect of particle size on the transformation kinetics of flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum to α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-HH) in calcium chloride (CaCl2) solutions was investigated to better guide value-added FGD gypsum use. Gypsum samples from different sources were sieved into several size groups, and their transformation rates were compared. The results showed that using FGD gypsum with a smaller particle size accelerated the transformation to α-HH. The size effect accelerated nucleation kinetics of α-HH rather than its crystal growth rate (that is, the thermodynamic driving force for the transformation changed little with particle size variation). Analysis using a kinetics model revealed that a smaller gypsum particle size lowered the overall activation energy barrier for the transformation. This is because the smaller gypsum particles had a larger relative specific surface area and thus provided more nucleation sites and crystalline defects to promote α-HH nucleation. A smaller particle size of FGD gypsum also gave a higher yield of fine α-HH particles because of the increased incidence of primary and secondary nucleation coupled with attrition. This paper indicates the transformation of FGD gypsum into α-HH could be effectively promoted by regulating FGD gypsum particle size.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Particle size; Gypsum; Phase transformation; Crystallization

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