A process to recover plastics from obsolete automobiles by using solvents at ambient pressure
Recycling of the metal content of obsolete vehicles has been actively pursued since the 1950s; today, obsolete automobiles are the single largest source of scrap iron. They contribute over 25% of the 36 metric tonnes (40 million short tons) of ferrous scrap recovered annually by the secondary metals industry and used in the production of finished steel products. They also contribute over one million metric tonnes (1.1 million short tons) of nonferrous metallic scrap a year for recycling. For each ton of metals recovered, about 500 lb of nonmetallic residue or waste is co-produced. Auto shredder residue (ASR) is a very heterogeneous mixture of solids and liquids. Table I lists most of the materials that are commonly present in the ASR are listed. We have developed and tested in the laboratory a three-step process to separate thermoplastics, and other potentially recyclable products, from ASR. The process involves a drying step followed by a mechanical separation step to concentrate the thermoplastics by separating the polyurethane foam and the fines, which are mostly metal oxides and other inert materials that are smaller than 0.62 cm (0.25 in.) in size. The concentrated plastics stream is then treated with organic solvents at ambient pressure and elevated temperatures to dissolve the desired plastics. The salient features of the process are described.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 10181023
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/ES/CP-79996; CONF-930802-10; ON: DE93019513
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 206. American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting,Chicago, IL (United States),22-27 Aug 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
THERMOPLASTICS
RECYCLING
AUTOMOBILES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
IRON
SHREDDERS
POLYURETHANES
FOAMS
OXIDES
SOLVENTS
320604
320305
400105
MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
INDUSTRIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
SEPARATION PROCEDURES