Preparation of Calcium Sulfate Hemihydrate Using Stainless Refinery Sludge and Waste Sulfuric Acid

In this study, calcium sulfate(gypsum) powder was obtained using waste sulfuric acid and stainless refinery sludge by- produced from chemical reagent and the iron industry, by the neutralization of waste sulfuric acid. As variables for the experiment the mole ratio of the H$_2$SO$_4$ : Ca(OH)$_2$, the pH, the reaction temperature and time, the amount of catalyst were used. The crystal shape and microstructure of obtained powder were observed by XRD and SEM, and the thermal property was investigated by DTA. As the NaCl is added 0~20wt% as a catalyst to the H$_2$SO$_4$ : Ca(OH)$_2$, system it can be found that the crystal shape goes through the processes as follows : gypsum dihydratlongrightarrowgypsum hemihydrate＋gypsum dihydratelongrightarrowgypsum hemihydrate. And gypsum hemihydrate is $\beta$-type as the result of DTA. As waste sulfuric acid and stainless refinery sludge were used, the pH of reacted solution (which was 0.8) was rapidly raised up to 8~9 by the addition of stainless sludge and gypsum dihydrate was produced as a by-product. Therefore, it was found that stainless refinery sludge is sufficiently applicable for the neutralization of waste sulfuric acid.