The Use of PCB Scrap in the Reduction in Metallurgical Copper Slags

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study on metallurgical sludge reduction using electronic waste such as Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). Two aspects were taken into account when selecting such a reducer, namely the environmental aspect and the technological aspect. The research was an attempt to use waste metal-bearing material of which the effective management causes many problems from an environmental point of view. In the technological aspect, the specific chemical composition of this waste was taken into account. Its gasification yields significant amounts of hydrocarbons, which are excellent reducing agents in such process. The separation of these compounds may additionally cause the mixing of the molten slag, which should result in faster separation of the formed metal droplets and the molten slag. In the case of the fragmented PCB (Printed Circuit Board) reducer used in this study, a significant degree of copper removal was achieved, as much as 92%. As the reduction-process time increased, the degree of copper removal also increased. For the 1 h process, the average value of copper removal was 60%, and for the 4.5 h process it was over 70%. The case was the same with the addition of reductant: as the amount of reductant added to the process increased, an increase in copper removal was observed. With the addition of 30 g of the reducing agent (per 65 g of slag), the degree of copper removal was over 90%.

Determining the Reactivity of Selected Biomass Types Considering Their Application in Pyrometallurgical Processes of Metal Production

“…For the tests of slag reduction in the presence of biomass, copper slag was applied containing the following main metals: 10.3 wt% Cu, 2.25 wt% Pb and 11.1 wt% Fe. It should be noted that these metals were present in the slag in the form of oxides [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42]. A thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the samples was performed in a thermal analyser (Derivatograph-C, MOM Budapest) to study thermal stability and reactivity with CO 2 .…”

“…For the tests of slag reduction in the presence of biomass, copper slag was applied containing the following main metals: 10.3 wt% Cu, 2.25 wt% Pb and 11.1 wt% Fe. It should be noted that these metals were present in the slag in the form of oxides [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ].…”

Application of Sunflower Husk Pellet as a Reducer in Metallurgical Processes

“…The identified particles were characterised by clearly specified surfaces: flat, rounded, and spherical. The results of the phase analysis of the slag showed the presence of iron and copper, mainly in the oxide form, i.e., Fe3O4, Fe2O3 , and Cu2O [49]. The images of the tested slag and pellet are presented in Figure 2.…”

<span aria-describedby="tippy-17">Research on Solid Biomass Fuels Efficiency and Consumer Pref-Erences in Bulgaria

“…This diverse range of applications makes them a key component of strategies to diversify the energy mix and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Interestingly, around the world, this type of solid biofuel often replaces coal in electricity production [41][42][43][44].…”