Method for recovering materials from waste
Abstract
A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, a vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300--800{degrees}C to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1000--1550{degrees}C at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 206628
- Patent Number(s):
- 8228901
- Application Number:
- ON: DE96006522; PAN: 8-228,901; TRN: 96:009339
- Assignee:
- Dept. of Energy
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04L - TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
H - ELECTRICITY H04 - ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE H04M - TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING NOT INCLUDED IN OTHER CATEGORIES; METALS; MATERIALS RECOVERY; WASTES; VITRIFICATION; WASTE PROCESSING
Citation Formats
Wicks, G G, Clark, D E, and Schulz, R L. Method for recovering materials from waste. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web.
Wicks, G G, Clark, D E, & Schulz, R L. Method for recovering materials from waste. United States.
Wicks, G G, Clark, D E, and Schulz, R L. Sat .
"Method for recovering materials from waste". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/206628.
@article{osti_206628,
title = {Method for recovering materials from waste},
author = {Wicks, G G and Clark, D E and Schulz, R L},
abstractNote = {A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, a vitrifying the remainder of the wastes for disposal. Metals-containing wastes such as circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, vacuum tubes, transistors and so forth, are broken up and placed in a suitable container. The container is heated by microwaves to a first temperature in the range of approximately 300--800{degrees}C to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1000--1550{degrees}C at which temperature glass formers present in the waste will cause it to melt and vitrify. Low-melting-point metals such as tin and aluminum can be recovered after organics combustion is substantially complete. Metals with higher melting points, such as gold, silver and copper, can be recovered from the solidified product or separated from the waste at their respective melting points. Network former-containing materials can be added at the start of the process to assist vitrification.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1994},
month = {1}
}