trap or neutralize the fumes from aqua rigia

[rostamis]

Hi, I am trying to trap or neutralize the fumes from aqua rigia during gold refining process, everyone I know either does it out doors and does not worry about it or uses a fume hood which can be very expensive. Well I am going to do this out door and have build a scrubber which needs your input.

I have rubber tube going from Filtering flask which contains the AR and gold in to the top of closed empty bucket (in case of back siphon) and from top again another rubber tube is going to the second bucket all the way to the bottom, this bucket is left open and is filled with soda ash water.

My questions

1- Is soda ash the best option? 2-Is there a better way of building this system? 3- Is this going to need a pump of some sort to help with the flow? 4- If yes to 3 then what kind and where would you attach it and would it need a opening in the lines some place for extra air?

[dr.syntax]

It sounds to me like you know a lot about what you are doing. But if you are setting this up as some sort of a bussiness where you are going to being doing a lot of it a vented fume hood seems a worthwhile investment. How much money does one cost ? The only other thought that crossed my mind was would activated charcoal be of any use ? It`s an effective absorbant for so many things. Would the acid fumes react with it and make it useless for your purposes ? I think I found a website that you will find helpfull. They seem to have the sort of answers you are looking for. Go to : http://shorinternational.com/RefinAcidinstr.htm . Regards, Dr. Syntax

Edited September 21, 2009 by dr.syntax
addition

[rostamis]

Hi: I am going to do this for my own store only.I don’t mind spending the money on fume hood, I have seen very small ones as low as 2000.00, but I like to do this out door, I am real good with the art of refining but I like to learn the art of trapping the bad fume, most hoods that I know, I believe they work on the principal of a blower and a filter which I don’t know what kind and a water mist going on the filter, many years ago I had a problem with a hood and the fumes destroyed very expensive equipment. I don’t even know if there is such thing as a portable hood for outside work. There are companies that make small refining systems based on what I want to do but I could not find a seller in USA. I contact India where it is made but did not hear from them. I have a feeling if I figure out the air flow part (since the fumes are so heavy) then I will have a system that would work better than fume hood for gold refining only. I may be wrong and if I am it wouldn’t be the first time. Here is a link to the machine in India.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/106424468/Gold_Refinery.html

[CharonY]

Well, most fume food work on the principle of having a constant air flow in a partially closed comparment (to ensure said flow). Obviously that setup won't work properly in a open setting. Often coal filters are used, depending on what things you expect.

In addition to fume hoods there are also fume extractors, for low levels of fumes. I can check for some manufacturers, to give you some ideas, a bit later.

 

Well, here is an example http://www.sentryair.com/floor-sentry.htm

 

Usually the systems do not work well outside as wind usually disrupts proper air flow.

[rostamis]

I like those; I have contacted the company to get more info and pricing and waiting to get a call back. I really like to make my idea work, it would be very clean and professional for gold refining only, the systems are out there already in big versions but no information on the best way to put it together on your own.

Do you know what kind of pump someone would use to generate just enough airflow from one container to another through lab tubes? Or a web site that shows it or sells it. I have no knowledge of lab work maybe that is not of any use in a lab, I hope you excuse my lack of lab knowledge. The system would work without a additional air flow but the fumes from Aquarigia are very heavy and without a extra air flow there will always be some left In the containers. Thank you everyone for your support.

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I found out those systems are for low level fumes and would not handle aquarigia fumes

[CharonY]

That is what I was thinking. Airflows required to for larger amounts of fumes generally required a semi-closed system. Pumping systems or similar are simply not up to par for this. There are transportable fume hoods around, which are still kind of bulky. But other than that I am running out of ideas, sorry.

[Mr Skeptic]

Eh, if you're going to do it outdoors anyways, maybe a big fan behind you would work better than an expensive fume hood. Until the wind blows, anyways.