Molten lead scrap submergence apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023037016-A1
Application number	US-202017783585-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2020
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Feb 2, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for melting lead scrap pieces. The system includes a vessel. A vortexing chamber is disposed in the vessel. The vortexing chamber includes an inlet, an outlet and an open top configured to receive lead pieces. A pump is disposed in the vessel and directs molten lead to the inlet of the vortexing chamber. A dross dam divides the vessel into a first region and a second region. The vortexing chamber is disposed in the second region and a conduit extends between the vortexing chamber outlet and the first region. A transfer pump is disposed in the second region and is configured for removal of molten lead from the vessel. The system allows dross to be skimmed from a surface of the molten lead bath in the first region.

First claim

1 . A system for recycling lead pieces comprising a vessel defining a vortexing chamber, said vortexing chamber includes an inlet, an outlet and an open top configured to receive lead pieces, a circulation pump is disposed in said vessel for providing molten lead to the inlet of the vortexing chamber, a dross dam divides the vessel into a first region and a second region, a conduit extends between the vortexing chamber outlet and the first region, a transfer pump is disposed in the second region and is configured for removal of molten lead from the vessel.

2 . The system of claim 1 wherein said vessel, said dross dam and said vortexing chamber are comprised of steel.

3 . The system of claim 1 wherein said conduit further includes a dispersion plate.

4 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a lid overlying the vessel, said lid including an opening overlying the vortexing chamber and a structure for suspending the transfer pump.

5 . The system of claim 1 wherein said dross dam extends from above a surface of a molten lead bath within the vessel to above a bottom of the vessel.

6 . The system of claim 1 wherein said vortexing chamber includes a radial ramp.

7 . The system of claim 1 wherein the vortexing chamber includes a frame member receiving the circulation pump.

8 . The system of claim 7 wherein the frame member includes a pipe providing fluid communicating between an exit of the circulation pump and the inlet of the vortexing chamber.

9 . A system for recycling lead pieces comprising a vessel configured to contain a bath of molten lead, the vessel being divided into a vortexing chamber, a dross chamber and a main bath region, the vortexing chamber including an inlet, an outlet and an open top configured to receive lead pieces, a first pump disposed in the main bath region and positioned to provide molten lead to the inlet of the vortexing chamber, a dross dam separating the dross chamber from the main bath region, a conduit extending between the vortexing chamber outlet and the dross chamber, and a second pump disposed in the main bath region for removal of molten lead from the vessel.

10 . The system of claim 9 wherein the vessel is cylindrical.

11 . The system of claim 9 wherein the vessel includes at least one heater.

12 . The system of claim 9 wherein a volume of the dross chamber is less than a volume of the main bath region.

13 . The system of claim 9 wherein the conduit includes a dispersion plate at an exit end within the dross chamber.

14 . The system of claim 9 wherein a pipe connects the first pump and the vortexing chamber and wherein the pipe intersects the vortexing chamber at a tangent or angled secant.

15 . The system of claim 9 further including a lid having an opening facilitating access to the vortexing chamber and an opening facilitating access to the dross chamber.

16 . A process for recycling lead comprising providing a vessel including a bath region, a vortexing region and a dross removal region; introducing molten lead to the vessel; introducing a stream of the molten lead to the vortexing region; introducing solid lead pieces into the molten lead in the vortexing region; directing a portion of the molten lead from the vortexing region into the dross removal region and removing floating dross; allowing molten lead to flow from the dross removal region to the bath region, and removing molten lead from the bath region for downstream processing.

17 . The process of claim 16 wherein the lead pieces are derived from a recycled lead acid battery.

18 . The process of claim 16 wherein the lead pieces are derived from scrap remnants of lead component manufacture.

19 . The process of claim 16 wherein the vessel is maintained at between 327.5° C. and 600° C.

20 . The process of claim 16 wherein a dam separates the dross removal region from the bath region and wherein molten lead flows under the dam.

Assignees

• Pyrotek Inc

Inventors

• Horsfall Andrew
• Jetten Peter

Classifications

• Y02P10/20

  Recycling · CPC title

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M10/06

  Lead-acid accumulators (semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20) · CPC title

• C22B13/045 Primary

  Recovery from waste materials · CPC title

• C22B3/02 Primary

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title