Apparatus for precipitation/separation of excess copper in lead-free solder

A deposition and separation apparatus for depositing and separating, as an intermetallic compound, excess copper dissolved in molten lead-free solder having tin as the main element thereof, comprising:

• a deposition bath for causing an intermetallic compound of tin in the molten lead-free solder, a metal added from the outside and copper in the molten lead-free solder to be deposited with the lead-free solder maintained at a molten state thereof,
• a granulation bath including a plate having a large number of openings for allowing the molten lead-free solder to pass through the plate to merge the intermetallic compounds with each other into particles having a larger diameter, wherein the granulation bath comprises a cylinder as the plate, and wherein the cylinder has the top and bottom portions thereof closed, and a supply pipe is connected to the inside of the cylinder to supply into the inside of the cylinder the molten lead-free solder having the intermetallic compounds deposited therewithin and
• a separation bath for causing the enlarged intermetallic compounds to precipitate and separate in the molten lead-free solder.

A deposition and separation apparatus for depositing and separating, as an intermetallic compound, excess copper dissolved in molten lead-free solder having tin as the main element thereof, comprising:

• a deposition bath for causing an intermetallic compound of tin in the molten lead-free solder, a metal added from the outside and copper in the molten lead-free solder to be deposited with the lead-free solder maintained at a molten state thereof,
• a granulation bath including a plate having a large number of openings for allowing the molten lead-free solder to pass through the plate to merge the intermetallic compounds with each other into particles having a larger diameter, and
• a separation bath for causing the enlarged intermetallic compounds to precipitate and separate in the molten lead-free solder, wherein the separation bath comprises whirl current generating means for causing a whirl current therewithin, and wherein the enlarged intermetallic compounds are guided to the center portion of the whirl current.