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Title: Reactor systems for recovering metals, and related methods

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1824075

A method of recovering metals from electronic waste comprises providing a powder comprising electronic waste in at least a first reactor and a second reactor and providing an electrolyte comprising at least ferric ions in an electrochemical cell in fluid communication with the first reactor and the second reactor. The method further includes contacting the powders within the first reactor and the second reactor with the electrolyte to dissolve at least one base metal from each reactor into the electrolyte and reduce at least some of the ferric ions to ferrous ions. The ferrous ions are oxidized at an anode of the electrochemical cell to regenerate the ferric ions. The powder within the second reactor comprises a higher weight percent of the at least one base metal than the powder in the first reactor. Additional methods of recovering metals from electronic waste are also described, as well as an apparatus of recovering metals from electronic waste.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC07-051D14517
Assignee:
Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
Patent Number(s):
11,035,023
Application Number:
16/524,429
OSTI ID:
1824075
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 07/29/2019
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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