Method for recovering zinc and zinc alloys from automobile scrap
AssigneeAmerican Can Company
InventorFrederic T. Winters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for separating and recovering zinc and zinc alloy particles which are nickel plated from non-ferrous non-magnetic automotive scrap material. The scrap material is transported on a belt conveyor past a magnetic field where the path of the zinc particles with nickel are deflected into a path separated from the remaining scrap material. Subsequently the zinc and zinc alloy materials are recovered by a pyrometallurgical process.
Claims7
A method of separating and removing zinc particles coated with a relatively thin layer of magnetic material from a heterogeneous scrap mixture thereof with particles of non-magnetic materials, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a heterogeneous mixture including said zinc particles coated with magnetic material, and said particles of non-magnetic materials onto a moving conveyor;
- exposing said scrap mixture on said moving conveyor to a magnetic field of strength sufficient to separate the moving zinc particles coated with magnetic material from the moving particles of non-magnetic materials;
- and
- removing the separated zinc particles into a collection zone separate from the remaining particles of non-magnetic materials of said mixture.
A method of separating and removing zinc particles, having on at least portions thereof relatively thin coatings of nickel, from a mixture of said zinc particles with particles of non-magnetic materials, comprising the steps of:
- placing a mono-layer of such a mixture on a moving conveyor;
- subjecting said mixture on said conveyor to a magnetic field of strength sufficient magnetically to attract said zinc particles and separate the latter from the particles of non-magnetic materials;
- and
- directing said magnetically attracted, separated zinc particles into a collection zone.
A method for separating and removing zinc particles having a relatively thin nickel coating thereon from a heterogeneous scrap mixture thereof with particles of non-magnetic material, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a heterogeneous scrap mixture of particles smaller than 3/4 inch size, including said non-magnetic particles and said zinc particles having relatively thin nickel coatings;
- evenly distributing a mono-layer of scrap mixture of particles onto a conveyor belt for transport of said mixture along a predetermined path;
- subjecting said scrap mixture, as it is moved along said predetermined path, to a magnetic field of strength sufficient magnetically to separate the moving zinc particles coated with nickel from the non-magnetic particles;
- and
- collecting said zinc particles as they are separated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.