Claims
- 1. A process for the separation of scrap lead storage batteries and parts thereof in three parts, namely metallic components, paste and inactive material, essentially comprising:
- emptying from the batteries their sulphuric acid content; then crushing the batteries into pieces of sizes between 2 and 15 cm, apart from the paste which is detached;
- heating the pieces and paste at 35.degree.-50.degree. C., while tumbling them, until the paste reaches a humidity content of 2-7%, thereby neutralizing the residual acidity of the paste;
- then separating and recovering the dry paste from the materials from the preceding step by dry screening said materials using a screen having openings of size in the range of 2 to 30 mm;
- then feeding the residual material, substantially free of paste, into a separating zone containing an aqueous suspension of the paste, and having a density from 10 to 100% greater than that of the battery containers, and a pH regulated between 7 and 10, the pH and viscosity of the suspension being regulated by addition of sulphuric acid;
- removing as sink the metallic components and as float the inactive material;
- draining and washing the sink and float respectively, and recirculating the suspension of paste at the proper density to the separating zone.
- 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein crushing and heating are carried out contemporaneously.
- 3. A process according to claim 1, wherein water from the washing steps is recirculated through a thickener for recovering paste therefrom, the overflow from said thickener being recirculated as reuseable wash water.
- 4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the heating is performed by direct heating with hot gases in counter-current flow with respect to the material.
- 5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the density of the fluidized pulp, when the cases are in ebonite, is between 1.7 and 2 kg/dm.sup.3.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
796/65 |
Jan 1965 |
IT |
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Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 56,070, filed June 26, 1970, now abandoned, which was a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 516,396, filed Dec. 27, 1965, also now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
516396 |
Dec 1965 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
56070 |
Jun 1970 |
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