Method and apparatus for recovering copper, bronze and lead from mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022002837-A1
Application number	US-201917436031-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2019
Priority date	Mar 5, 2019
Publication date	Jan 6, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for recovering copper, bronze and lead by allowing methane gas to flow into a reactor and heat-treating a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide under a temperature condition of 700-900° C., and comprises the steps of: placing a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide in a reactor; increasing the temperature inside the reactor; and allowing a reductive gas to flow into the reactor so as to heat-treat the mixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for recovering copper, bronze and lead from a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide, the method comprising:
placing a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide into a reactor; raising a temperature inside the reactor; and introducing reductive gas into the reactor and heat-treating the mixture.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reductive gas includes methane gas.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat-treatment is carried out at 700° C. to 900° C.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein raising the temperature includes introducing nitrogen or argon gas into the reactor.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reactor contains a mesh structure therein,
wherein the mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide is placed on a top face of the mesh structure, wherein a recovering unit for recovering molten material is disposed below the mesh structure.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the molten material includes molten copper-tin alloy.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein in the heat-treatment of the mixture, at least one of an inertial force, an impact force or a rotational force is applied to the mixture or the reactor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the inertial force, the impact force or the rotational force is applied to the mixture or the reactor 10 times for 1 minute to 3 minutes.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a recovering line for recovering vaporized lead is connected to an upper end of the reactor, and the method further includes recovering the lead using the recovering line.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein recovering the lead using the recovering line includes:
cooling and depositing the vaporized lead; dust-collecting a portion of lead not deposited in the depositing step; and recovering a portion of lead not dust-collected in the dust-collecting step.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the cooling and depositing step is performed one or more times.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of the copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide is obtained by burning a waste solar power module.

13 . An apparatus for recovering copper, bronze and lead from a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide, the apparatus comprising:
a reactor into which reductive gas is introduced; a mesh structure disposed inside the reactor, wherein a mixture of copper oxide, tin oxide and lead oxide is placed on a top face of the mesh structure; a recovering unit disposed below the mesh structure; a heater for heating an inside of the reactor; and a recovering line connected to an upper end of the reactor for recovering vaporized lead inside the reactor.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the reductive gas includes methane gas.

15 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the heater heats the inside of the reactor to a temperature range of 700° C. to 900° C.

16 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein nitrogen or argon gas is introduced into the reactor.

17 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a pressing device for applying an impact force or an inertial force to the mixture or the reactor; and a rotating device for rotating the reactor.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the pressing device applies the impact force or the inertial force to the mixture or the reactor 10 times for 1 to 3 minutes,
wherein the rotating device rotates the reactor 10 times for 1 minute to 3 minutes.

19 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the recovering line includes:
at least one condenser for depositing the vaporized lead; a dust-collector connected in series to the condenser for dust-collecting a portion of lead not deposited using the condenser; and a scrubber connected in series to the dust-collector for recovering a portion of lead not dust-collected using the dust-collector.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein a cooling plate is disposed inside the condenser.

Assignees

• Nat Univ Pukyong Ind Univ Coop Found

Inventors

• Wang Jei Pil

Classifications

• Y02P10/20

  Recycling · CPC title

• C22B25/02

  by dry processes · CPC title

• C22B5/12 Primary

  by gases · CPC title

• C22B13/02

  by dry processes · CPC title

• C22B15/00

  Obtaining copper · CPC title