Effect of Slag Viscosity on Recycling of Metal Component

초록

In order to explore the possibility to extract metal component from PCB(Printed Circuit Board), a high temperature melting process was adopted to investigate the influence of viscosity of liquid phase on the gravity separation of metal component. For the purpose of optimizing the separation condition of metal from used PCBs, copper converter slag systems and copper matte in copper refining process were chosen as basic compositions for settling media, since they have been known to have low liquid viscosity at relatively low temperature. Size effect of metal component and holding time were selected as main parameters at a given temperature. It was found that the viscosity of liquid phase made an influence on the gravity separation of metal component and that less than 5 poise were needed for more than 90% separation of metal component from the liquid phase in 30 minutes by gravity separation