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US 4,058,396 AGranted
Recovery of lead from batteries
AssigneeElectric Power Research Institute, Inc.
InventorJames R. Birk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lead is recovered from batteries by contacting comminuted batteries with a molten alkali metal salt, reducing lead compounds to lead, separating molten lead from the molten salt, and transferring the molten salt and char to a combustion zone, where the salt is reheated to the desired temperature and recycled for contacting with the batteries. A portion of the alkali metal salt is withdrawn and purified, so as to maintain a relatively constant composition of the alkali metal salt.
Claims6
A method for isolating lead from lead storage batteries comprised of organic materials, said method comprising:
- in a lead recovery zone, contacting lead batteries substantially free of acid with molten alkali metal carbonate salt at a temperature substantially in excess of 350.degree. C for a time sufficient to degrade the organic materials to volatiles and char, wherein said char reduces lead compounds to lead and said lead is melted;
- withdrawing the char and molten salt to a combustion zone;
- burning the char in the presence of oxygen to raise the temperature of said molten salt to the desired temperature;
- recycling said salt for contact with fresh battery in said lead recovery zone;
- and
- withdrawing a portion of said molten salt from said combustion zone for removal of impurities and returning the purified salt to the combustion zone.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.