Integrated electronic waste recycling and recovery system and process of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021040581-A1
Application number	US-201616069722-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2016
Priority date	Jan 14, 2016
Publication date	Feb 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and processes for recycling printed circuit boards, wherein precious metals may be reclaimed. The system generally includes a number of modules to systematically remove materials from the printed circuit boards and to separate the precious metals from the materials.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An integrated, intelligent system for recycling material selected from the group consisting of printed circuit boards (PCB), PCB components, materials comprising gold, and combinations thereof, wherein the system efficiently recovers more than about 80% of the gold contained in the material, wherein the system comprises a solids processing technology (SPT) base metal removal module and a SPT gold removal module, and optionally at least one additional module selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a SPT furnace module, (b) a SPT milling module, (c) a SPT silver leaching module, (d) any combination of (a)-(c), and (e) every module of (a)-(c),
wherein the modules are positioned and/or operated in series with one another, with or without intervening parts.

2 . An integrated, intelligent system for recycling material selected from the group consisting of printed circuit boards (PCB), PCB components, materials comprising gold, and combinations thereof, wherein the system efficiently recovers more than about 80% of the gold contained in the material, wherein the system comprises a solids processing technology (SPT) furnace module and a SPT gold removal module, and optionally at least one additional module selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a SPT milling module, (b) a SPT base metal removal module (c) a SPT silver leaching module, (d) any combination of (a)-(c), and (e) every module of (a)-(c),
wherein the modules are positioned and/or operated in series with one another, with or without intervening parts.

3 . An integrated, intelligent system for recycling material selected from the group consisting of printed circuit boards (PCB), PCB components, materials comprising gold, and combinations thereof, wherein the system efficiently recovers more than about 80% of the gold contained in the material, said system comprising a gold leaching module and a SPT gold removal module, and optionally at least one additional module selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a pre-board clearing module, (b) a Board clearing module, (c) a desoldering module, (d) a base metal removal module, (e) a SPT furnace module, (f) a SPT milling module, (g) a SPT base metal removal module, (h) a SPT silver leaching module, (i) any combination of (a)-(h), and (j) every module of (a)-(h),
wherein the modules are positioned and/or operated in series with one another, with or without intervening parts.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The system of any of claim 14 , wherein the material to be recycled moves from module to module and/or within a module, automatically or manually, using a moving means.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the SPT base metal removal module comprises:
(a) at least one reaction tank, (b) at least one holding tank in liquid communication with the at least one reaction tank, (c) at least one rinse tank in liquid communication with the at least one holding tank, wherein said SPT base metal removal module is capable of removing at least one base metal from a solid, wherein the solid comprises material that has been ashed, ground, and/or crushed.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the SPT base metal removal module further comprise at least one of: at least one base metal removal composition tank in liquid communication with the at least one reaction tank; at least one rinse liquid tank in liquid communication with the at least one rinse tank; at least one centrifuge; agitation means in at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; at least one pump; heating/cooling means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; at least one air input for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; realtime sampling and adjustment; programmable logic controllers or equivalent thereof; sensing means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; and ventilation means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank.

8 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the at least one reaction tank and/or the at least one holding tank comprise a base metal removal composition.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the base metal removal composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent and water and optionally at least one additional constituent selected from the group consisting of at least one complexing agent, at least one organic solvent, at least one anti-foaming agent, at least one NOx suppressing agent, and at least one passivating agent for passivating the precious metals.

10 . (canceled)

11 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the SPT gold removal module comprises at least one of:
(a) at least one reaction tank, (b) at least one holding tank in liquid communication with the at least one reaction tank, (c) at least one rinse tank in liquid communication with the at least one holding tank, and wherein said SPT gold removal module is capable of removing gold from a solid, wherein the solid comprises material that has been ashed, ground, and/or crushed.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the SPT gold removal module further comprise at least one of: at least one gold removal composition tank in liquid communication with the at least one reaction tank; at least one rinse liquid tank in liquid communication with the at least one rinse tank; at least one centrifuge; agitation means in at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; at least one pump; heating/cooling means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; at least one air input for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; real-time sampling and adjustment; programmable logic controllers or equivalent thereof; sensing means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank; and ventilation means for at least one of the reaction tank, the at least one holding tank, and/or the at least one rinse tank, wherein said SPT gold removal module is capable of removing gold from a solid, wherein the solid comprises material that has been ashed, ground, and/or crushed.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one reaction tank and/or the at least one holding tank comprise a gold removal composition.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the gold removal composition comprises at least one oxidizing agent, optionally at least one halide, optionally at least one acid, and optionally at least one solvent, preferably at least one oxidizing agent, at least one halide, at least one acid, and at least one solvent.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the SPT furnace module comprises (a) a furnace and (b) means to control the air input into the furnace, wherein the SPT furnace module converts the material into ash or powder.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the SPT furnace module further comprises (i) support surfaces within the furnace, (ii) moving means, or both (i) and (ii).

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the moving means comprises at least one mechanism selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt, a conveyor track, a conveying wheel, a conveying roller, gravity c

Assignees

• Entegris Inc

Inventors

• Song Yuxin
• Simms Eric David
• Moen James
• Tong Jianfen
• Chen Biqin
• Korzenski Michael B
• Jiang Ping
• Hinzie Bryan
• Graves Richard T
• Khoroshahi Maryam
• Garstka James R
• Vroman Christopher
• Diessel-Horst Brian Wesley

Classifications

• B09B3/70

  Chemical treatment, e.g. pH adjustment or oxidation (involving an extraction step B09B3/80) · CPC title

• B09B3/35

  Shredding, crushing or cutting · CPC title

• B09B3/40

  involving thermal treatment, e.g. evaporation (processes using mineral binders involving a melting or softening step B09B3/29; involving radiation B09B3/50) · CPC title

• C22B11/046 Primary

  from manufactured products, e.g. from printed circuit boards, from photographic films, paper or baths · CPC title

• Y02W30/82

  Recycling of waste of electrical or electronic equipment [WEEE] · CPC title