DELIVERED LINE · ARSENIC-FREE FEED
Germanium Purification Line for Arsenic-Free Fly Ash
This germanium purification line was delivered to a rare-metal processor in central China to recover a germanium product from arsenic-free fly ash. Explore germanium recovery plant equipment for the wider recovery scope.
Germanium purification line: Project Overview
- Customer
- a rare-metal processor in central China
- Feed
- arsenic-free fly ash
- Product
- germanium product from fly ash
- Scale
- 35 t/d fly ash
- Delivery
- 2026 · delivered
The Challenge
The feed was low-grade germanium-bearing fly ash, with a throughput of 35 t/d. The chlorination and separation section needed to transfer germanium into the recoverable process stream. This feed was arsenic-free and did not require a dedicated de-arsenic stage.
The general equipment challenges include sustained operation at the stated feed duty, materials suited to chloride media, and matching the rectification, filtration and condensation-recovery sections. Matching these sections is part of defining a connected equipment package. The materials selected for each item need to suit the media it handles.
Process Route
The line combines the following unit operations:
Chlorination and separation — rectification — filtration — condensation recovery — hydrolysis — vacuum drying
The chlorination reactor addresses the chlorination section. Rectification, filtration and condensation recovery are part of the equipment package before hydrolysis and vacuum drying.
Scope of Supply
The delivered scope comprises line equipment and PLC electrical control, covering the process sections identified above. The equipment agreement defines the supplied items and the connections to site services.
Installation and commissioning are covered by a separate service contract after the order.
Equipment and Materials
The equipment schedule below identifies the supplied equipment and quantities. Materials of construction are selected for the material processed. The schedule should be read together with the agreed scope of supply, rather than as a universal configuration for another feed.
On a narrow screen, scroll the equipment table sideways.
| Equipment | Qty |
|---|---|
| Weighing bucket elevator | 1 |
| Feed hopper / silo | 1 |
| High-temperature chlorination reaction-separation furnace (induction heated) | 1 |
| Screw conveyor | 1 |
| 1st/2nd-stage coil heat exchangers (chlorination section) | 2 |
| Water-jet vacuum unit | 2 |
| Chlorination reaction-rectification still | 2 |
| Bag filter press-dryer | 4 |
| Coil condenser / solvent recovery condenser | 4 |
| Reaction-rectification still | 1 |
| Low-temperature chiller unit | 1 |
| Hydrolysis reactor | 2 |
| Multifunction vacuum dryer | 2 |
| Mobile material trough | 3 |
| Screw metering feeder | 1 |
| High-temperature hydrogen reduction furnace | 1 |
| Screw discharge conveyor | 1 |
| 1st/2nd-stage coil heat exchangers (reduction section) | 2 |
| High-pressure blower | 1 |
| Thermal-oil heating unit | 1 |
| Nitrogen generator | 1 |
| Air compressor | 1 |
| Closed-circuit cooling tower | 1 |
| Transfer pumps (feed, HCl, residue, filtrate, reaction liquor, condensate, DI water, cooling water) | ×16 |
| PLC electrical control cabinet | 1 |
Results
The line was delivered for 35 t/d of arsenic-free fly ash, producing a germanium product from fly ash. The supplied equipment covers chlorination and separation through vacuum drying, with PLC electrical control.
The scale is the incoming fly-ash basis. It should not be read as germanium output or transferred to a different feed without defining the material and product requirements.
FAQ
What daily fly ash capacity was this line built for?
The line was delivered for 35 t/d of arsenic-free fly ash. This is the incoming feed basis.
Does an arsenic-free feed need a de-arsenic step?
This arsenic-free fly-ash reference does not include a dedicated de-arsenic stage.
Which unit operations are included from chlorination to drying?
Chlorination and separation, rectification, filtration, condensation recovery, hydrolysis and vacuum drying are the listed unit operations.
DISCUSS A SIMILAR FEED
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