Method for recovering metals from waste
Abstract
A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, and 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.degree.-800.degree. C. to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1,000.degree.-1,550.degree. 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:
-
- North Augusta, SC
- Gainesville, FL
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872005
- Patent Number(s):
- 5843287
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B09 - DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE B09B - DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE
H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05K - PRINTED CIRCUITS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-89SR18035
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; recovering; metals; waste; metals-containing; wastes; vitrifying; remainder; disposal; circuit; boards; cathode; ray; tubes; vacuum; transistors; forth; broken; placed; suitable; container; heated; microwaves; temperature; range; approximately; 300; degree; -800; combust; organic; materials; 000; -1; 550; glass; formers; melt; vitrify; low-melting-point; aluminum; recovered; organics; combustion; substantially; complete; melting; gold; silver; copper; solidified; product; separated; respective; network; former-containing; added; start; process; assist; vitrification; recovering metals; cathode ray; glass former; ray tube; circuit board; organic materials; organic material; glass formers; substantially complete; circuit boards; respective melting; solidified product; metals-containing wastes; containing material; vacuum tube; vacuum tubes; temperature glass; containing wastes; ray tubes; containing waste; covering metal; containing materials; /204/219/588/
Citation Formats
Wicks, George G, Clark, David E, and Schulz, Rebecca L. Method for recovering metals from waste. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Wicks, George G, Clark, David E, & Schulz, Rebecca L. Method for recovering metals from waste. United States.
Wicks, George G, Clark, David E, and Schulz, Rebecca L. Thu .
"Method for recovering metals from waste". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872005.
@article{osti_872005,
title = {Method for recovering metals from waste},
author = {Wicks, George G and Clark, David E and Schulz, Rebecca L},
abstractNote = {A method for recovering metals from metals-containing wastes, and 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.degree.-800.degree. C. to combust organic materials in the waste, then heated further to a second temperature in the range of approximately 1,000.degree.-1,550.degree. 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 = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}