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US 9,090,816 B2Granted
Fluorescent lamp phosphor recycling
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJon Bennett Jansma
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is provided for recovering phosphor materials from fluorescent lamps. Particles created from the lamps are washed by mixing with water and carboxylic (e.g., acetic) acid while controlling the temperature. The carboxylic acid reacts with basing cement, particularly calcium carbonate, without significant reaction with the phosphors. After this reaction, the phosphors can be removed and e.g., reused in the production of fluorescent lamps.
Claims20
A method for phosphor recycling, comprising:
- preparing a mixture comprising aqueous carboxylic acid and particles created from phosphor-coated tubes of fluorescent lamps;
- reacting the carboxylic acid with basing cement present in the mixture;
- maintaining the mixture at a temperature of TMAX or less, wherein TMAX is about 30 degrees Celsius;
- and
- separating one or more phosphors from the mixture.
2 more elements
A method for recovering phosphors from fluorescent lamps, comprising:
- mixing particles created from fluorescent lamps with water to provide a mixture;
- adding carboxylic acid to the mixture while keeping the temperature of the mixture below a predetermined maximum temperature TMAX, wherein TMAX is about 30 degrees Celsius;
- and
- separating one or more phosphors from the mixture.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.