Product-Centric Simulation-Based Design for Recycling: Case of LED Lamp Recycling

Abstract

This paper will illustrate how a product-centric simulation approach to recycling is core to Design for Recycling (DfR) & Design for Resource Efficiency. This approach is underpinned by rigorous recycling rate calculations, building on the extensive expertise, knowhow and tools of classical minerals, and metallurgical processing. Process simulation and design tools such as the commercial HSC Sim software are applied to quantify critical DfR rules for a particular product as well as to quantify the recycling rates of all materials and elements in a product. The ten DfR rules we have developed for Waste Electric and Electronic Waste recycling in a study performed for NVMP/Wecycle (the Netherlands) are applied to light emitting diode (LED) lamps. The results produced include recycling and recovery rates, as well as recyclate qualities and quantities, and losses and emissions of materials during recycling for various LED lamp redesigns. Metallurgical processing is also briefly discussed, showing that, in many cases, element recoveries are reduced to zero due to product complexity and ppm levels in the products. Simulation models are linked to life cycle assessment (LCA) and exergy, demonstrating how the applied simulation basis provides the detail to innovate the system. In addition, rigorous environmental assessment is a further outcome of the approach, while at the same time revealing the development that has to occur in LCA databases to improve their value for Ecodesign.

Digitalizing the Circular Economy

“…In order to be able to achieve the quantification and the digitalization of the m-IoT, various research and [11,[42][43][44] development will be required, as reflected by Pillars 1 through 3 in Figure 4, all embedded and embraced in sustainability (social, economic, and environmental). Also of importance is the development of analysis tools and sensors that can be used to calibrate the unit models from industrial materials, recyclates, residues, scrap, etc.…”

“…However, most flow sheets in environmental analysis do not consider or simplify the preceding detail. We considered these aspects, for example, in detail for lead, [43,47,50] zinc, [43,47,50] and copper flow sheets, [11,42] including their optimization and industrial understanding. (8) The quality of the recyclate streams ultimately determines in which processing steps of the complex flow sheet ( Figure 9) [39] these materials can be economically processed to metals, high-quality materials, or energy.…”

“…Metallurgical reactors, such as the top submerged lance (TSL), [42,43,60] can be rather complex and difficult to model due to issues with understanding the true feed compositions and mineralogy of scrap and residues, measuring representative data of the temperature of phases, sampling of materials inside high-temperature reactors, the distributed nature of conditions within the reactors, the poor definition of feeds, in particular, of residues and scrap entering furnaces, the poor mixing in some reactor types, etc. Modern analytical techniques provide a manner to estimate and also provide insights into these reactor types and systems.…”

Assessment of end-of-life design in solid-state lighting

“…Such a study is important as the metals within LED lighting products are a major source of environmental impacts. Along with Van Schaik, Reuter showed that the recycling potential for a product depends heavily on the types of materials used, how they are combined, and the available recycling technology [26]. They further encourage the research community to conduct context-specific analyses rather than generic analysis as changes in product design and the recycling system can lead to significant differences in material recovery [26].…”

Mechanical pre-treatment of mobile phones and its effect on the Printed Circuit Assemblies (PCAs)

“…In addition, research on the further treatment of the PCA to separate metals from organics as well as alternative metallurgical recovery methods for PCA has been carried out (Kasper et al, 2011;Yamane et al, 2011). When considering a broader holistic approach to the research on WEEE, valuable research on modelling of WEEE treatment focusing on overall recovery of different elements has been extensively carried out by van Schaik and Reuter (2010Reuter ( , 2012Reuter ( , 2014 and Reuter and van Schaik (2015). In addition, the behaviour of precious metals in the mechanical treatment of different small electronic appliances has been studied .…”