Apparatus and method for stripping solder metals during the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment
AssigneeAdvanced Technology Materials, Inc.
InventorsTianniu Chen, Michael B. Korzenski, Ping Jiang
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Abstract
Apparatuses and processes for recycling printed wire boards, wherein electronic components, precious metals and base metals may be collected for reuse and recycling. The apparatuses generally include a mechanical solder removal module and/or a thermal module, a chemical solder removal module, and a precious metal leaching module, wherein the modules are attached for continuous passage of the e-waste from module to module.
Claims19
An apparatus for processing e-waste, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a mechanical solder removal module;
- and
- (b) a chemical solder removal module;
- wherein the modules are contiguously attached to one another.
A method of recycling e-waste comprising:
- removing at least a portion of the solder using a mechanical solder remover, wherein the mechanical solder remover comprises at least one blade and at least one agitator for the mechanical removal of solder from the surface;
- removing at least a portion of the solder using a chemical solder remover, wherein the chemical solder remover comprises a container for a first composition and at least one agitator, wherein the PWB is partially immersed in the first composition;
- and
- removing at least a portion of a precious metal using a leaching composition.
An apparatus for processing e-waste, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a heating module for removing casing or epoxied components from a PWB;
- and
- (b) a chemical solder removal module,
- wherein the modules are contiguously attached to one another.
-33. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.