DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Process for removing copper in a recoverable form from solid scrap metal

Abstract

A process for removing copper in a recoverable form from a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix is disclosed. The process begins by placing a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix into a reactor vessel. The atmosphere within the reactor vessel is purged with an inert gas or oxidizing while the reactor vessel is heated in the area of the copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix to raise the temperature within the reactor vessel to a selected elevated temperature. Air is introduced into the reactor vessel and thereafter hydrogen chloride is introduced into the reactor vessel to obtain a desired air-hydrogen chloride mix. The air-hydrogen chloride mix is operable to form an oxidizing and chloridizing atmosphere which provides a protective oxide coating on the surface of the solid ferrous scrap metal in the mix and simultaneously oxidizes/chloridizes the copper in the mix to convert the copper to a copper monochloride gas for transport away from the solid ferrous scrap metal. After the copper is completely removed from the copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix, the flows of air and hydrogen chloride are stopped and the copper monochloride gas is collected for conversion to a recoverable copper species.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Albany, OR
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
869738
Patent Number(s):
5387273
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by Secretary of (Washington, DC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C22 - METALLURGY C22B - PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
process; removing; copper; recoverable; form; solid; scrap; metal; ferrous; mix; disclosed; begins; placing; reactor; vessel; atmosphere; purged; inert; gas; oxidizing; heated; raise; temperature; selected; elevated; air; introduced; thereafter; hydrogen; chloride; obtain; desired; air-hydrogen; operable; chloridizing; provides; protective; oxide; coating; surface; simultaneously; oxidizes; chloridizes; convert; monochloride; transport; completely; removed; flows; stopped; collected; conversion; species; solid ferrous; ferrous scrap; oxide coating; reactor vessel; elevated temperature; inert gas; hydrogen chloride; scrap metal; recoverable form; removing copper; metal mix; chloride gas; /75/

Citation Formats

Hartman, Alan D, Oden, Laurance L, and White, Jack C. Process for removing copper in a recoverable form from solid scrap metal. United States: N. p., 1995. Web.
Hartman, Alan D, Oden, Laurance L, & White, Jack C. Process for removing copper in a recoverable form from solid scrap metal. United States.
Hartman, Alan D, Oden, Laurance L, and White, Jack C. Sun . "Process for removing copper in a recoverable form from solid scrap metal". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869738.
@article{osti_869738,
title = {Process for removing copper in a recoverable form from solid scrap metal},
author = {Hartman, Alan D and Oden, Laurance L and White, Jack C},
abstractNote = {A process for removing copper in a recoverable form from a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix is disclosed. The process begins by placing a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix into a reactor vessel. The atmosphere within the reactor vessel is purged with an inert gas or oxidizing while the reactor vessel is heated in the area of the copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix to raise the temperature within the reactor vessel to a selected elevated temperature. Air is introduced into the reactor vessel and thereafter hydrogen chloride is introduced into the reactor vessel to obtain a desired air-hydrogen chloride mix. The air-hydrogen chloride mix is operable to form an oxidizing and chloridizing atmosphere which provides a protective oxide coating on the surface of the solid ferrous scrap metal in the mix and simultaneously oxidizes/chloridizes the copper in the mix to convert the copper to a copper monochloride gas for transport away from the solid ferrous scrap metal. After the copper is completely removed from the copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix, the flows of air and hydrogen chloride are stopped and the copper monochloride gas is collected for conversion to a recoverable copper species.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1995},
month = {1}
}