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US 5,690,718 AGranted
Battery paste recycling process
AssigneeGlobal Aener/Cology Corp.
InventorCullen M. Sabin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of recovering fine lead-containing particles (battery paste) from expended lead-acid batteries in a form which can be used as battery paste in the manufacturing of new batteries without smelting is disclosed. A method of heating lead carbonate particles to about 315.degree. C. to convert them to lead monoxide particles for use in battery manufacturing is also disclosed.
Claims21
A method of separating lead containing particles from battery paste, comprising the steps of:
- providing an aqueous slurry of used lead-acid battery paste material particles comprising aggregates of metallic lead-containing particles, wherein at least some of the aggregates include crystal lead sulfate bonds between metallic lead-containing particles;
- breaking said battery paste material particles by impinging a flow of said slurry against a barrier to form an aqueous suspension of metallic lead-containing particles;
- separating a portion of the metallic lead-containing particles from said battery paste material particles on the basis of particle size by directing said aqueous suspension in an upward flow of a solution having sufficient velocity that said metallic lead-containing particles are carried upward with said upward flow and battery paste material particles larger than said metallic lead-containing particles are not carried upward;
- and
- collecting a portion of said metallic lead-containing particles that are carried upward with said flow.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.