Multistage thermolysis method for safe and efficient conversion of E-waste materials
AssigneeCHZ Technologies, LLC
InventorsHenry W. Brandhorst, Jr., Ullrich H. Engel, Charles T. Ludwig, Ernest J. Zavoral, Sr.
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Abstract
Clean, safe and efficient methods, systems, and processes for utilizing thermolysis methods to processes to convert various e-waste sources into Clean Fuel Gas and Char source are disclosed. The invention processes e-waste sources, such as for example whole circuit boards, to effectively shred and/or grind the waste source, and then process using thermolysis methods to destroy and/or separate halogen and other dangerous components to provide a Clean Fuel Gas and Char source, along with the ability to recover precious metals and other valuable components from the Char.
Claims15
A method for converting an electric and/or electronic waste source to a Clean Fuel Gas and Char source comprising:
- inputting an electric and electronic waste source comprising hazardous halogenated substances into a thermolysis system;
- wherein the thermolysis system comprises at least two reactors, an oil/water separator, an oil/tar cracker, and at least two gas scrubbers;
- and
- undergoing a depolymerization and a cracking reaction of hydrocarbons in the waste source;
- destroying and/or removing the halogenated substances present in the waste sources;
- and
- generating the Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source,
- wherein the reactors have a process temperature of about 300° C.-800° C. and generate tars and oils;
- wherein all of the oils and tars are separated from the Clean Fuel Gas source in the at least two gas scrubbers, thereafter cracked in the oil/tar cracker, and sent back to the secondary reactor to generate more of the Clean Fuel Gas source;
- wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source is used to power a system or application;
- wherein the Char source contains recoverable metals;
- and
- wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source are substantially-free of halogenated organic compounds and do not contain oils and/or tars.
A method for converting e-waste sources to a Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source comprising:
- shredding or grinding an e-waste source comprising hazardous halogenated substances to provide a substantially uniform e-waste source having an average diameter of less than 1 inch,
- inputting the uniform e-waste source into a thermolysis system comprising at least two reactors, an oil/water separator, an oil/tar cracker, and at least two gas scrubbers;
- wherein the reactors have a process temperature of about 300° C.-800° C. and a pressure range of from about 10 to about 100 millibar, and generate oils and tars;
- wherein all of the oils and tars are separated in the at least two gas scrubbers, thereafter cracked in the oil/tar cracker, and sent back to the secondary reactor to generate more of the Clean Fuel Gas source;
- wherein the thermolysis system is provided indirect heat that is free of oxygen;
- undergoing a depolymerization and a cracking of hydrocarbons in the e-waste source;
- destroying and/or removing the halogenated substances present in the e-waste source;
- generating a Char;
- wherein the Char source is in a fine metallic state that is free of halogenated organic compounds and the Char source comprises valuable electronic metals, rare earth metals, precious metals, glass reinforcement, or a combination thereof;
- separating the metals, glass reinforcement, a combination thereof from the Char source;
- generating a Clean Fuel Gas source from the pyrolytic conversion of hydrocarbons in the e-waste source, wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source is free of halogenated organic compounds;
- and
- wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source do not include tars and/or oils.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.