Method for obtaining non-ferrous metals, in particular black and/or raw copper, from scrap containing organic matter

Abstract

A method for obtaining non-ferrous metals, in particular black and/or raw copper, from scrap containing organic matter, comprises the following steps: i) providing a melting reactor, wherein the melting reactor includes a melting region, a combustion region and a pyrolysis region; ii) supplying the melting reactor with a mixture comprising the scrap such that it first passes through the pyrolysis region and the combustion region before it reaches the melting region, and is at least partially pre-pyrolyzed and/or combusted, such that an energy-containing gas stream is formed; iii) transferring the energy-containing gas stream into a thermal post-combustion chamber, in which the energy-containing gas stream is completely combusted and thermal energy released during combustion is carried off via an energy recovery unit; and iv) melting the scrap containing organic matter at least part of which has been pre-pyrolized and/or combusted.

Claims

1.-12. (canceled)

13. A method for obtaining non-ferrous metals, in particular black and/or raw copper, from scrap containing organic matter (8), comprising the following steps: i) providing a melting reactor (2), wherein the melting reactor (2) is configured such that it has a melting region (5), a combustion region (6), and a pyrolysis region (7); ii) supplying the melting reactor (2) with a mixture comprising the scrap containing organic matter (8) such that it first passes through the pyrolysis region (7) and the combustion region (6) before it reaches the melting region (5), wherein the mixture has an organic content of at least 10 wt %, and wherein the mixture is at least partially pre-pyrolyzed and/or combusted such that an energy-containing gas stream (9) is formed before the mixture reaches the melting region (5); iii) transferring the energy-containing gas stream (9) into a thermal post-combustion chamber (3), in which the energy-containing gas stream (9) is completely combusted and thermal energy released during combustion is carried off via an energy recovery unit (11); and iv) melting the scrap containing organic matter (8) at least part of which has been pre-pyrolized and/or combusted.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the melt is cooled by feeding an inert gas into the combustion and/or melting region (5, 6) forming an energy-charged inert gas stream (14).

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the energy-containing gas stream (9) is transferred into the thermal post-combustion chamber (3) by the energy-charged inert gas stream (14).

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the scrap containing organic matter (8) is fed to the melting reactor (2) in countercurrent to the energy-charged inert gas stream (14).

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the pyrolysis region (7) has a temperature of at least 180° C.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the pyrolysis region (7) has a temperature of at least 900° C.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the scrap containing organic matter (8) in accordance with step ii) is fed in crushed form.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein an exhaust gas stream (15) formed in the thermal post-combustion chamber (3) is fed to a filter device (4).

21. The method according to claim 13, wherein step ii) is assisted by selectively injecting an oxygen-containing gas.

22. A plant (1) for recovering non-ferrous metals, in particular black and/or raw copper, from scrap containing organic matter (8) having an organic content of at least 10 wt %, comprising: i) a melting reactor (2), wherein the melting reactor (2) is configured such that it has at least one melting region (5), a combustion region (6) and a pyrolysis region (7); ii) a thermal post-combustion chamber (3) in which an energy-containing gas stream (9) is completely combustible; and iii) an energy recovery unit (11) through which thermal energy released during combustion can be carried off.

23. The plant (1) according to claim 22, further comprising at least one injector (12, 13) for feeding an oxygen-containing gas and/or an inert gas.

24. The plant (1) according to claim 22, further comprising a filter device (4).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a highly simplified schematic illustration of a design variant of a plant for obtaining non-ferrous metals from scrap, on the basis of which the method for obtaining non-ferrous metals from scrap is explained.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The plant 1 is formed to carry out the method for the recovery of black and/or raw copper from scrap containing organic matter, wherein fractions of silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) can also be obtained.

[0038] The plant 1 comprises a melting reactor 2, a thermal post-combustion chamber 3 and a filter device 4. In the present case, the melting reactor 2 is designed in the form of a shaft furnace and has a melting region 5, a combustion region 6 along with a pyrolysis region 7.

[0039] In a first process step, a crushed mixture of 100 wt % of a scrap containing organic matter 8 of a shredder light fraction (SLF) is first fed into the melting reactor 2 through an opening above (not shown). Thereby, the crushed scrap containing organic matter 8 has an average particle size of 1.0 to 5.0 inches, wherein smaller particle sizes and/or dusts are unavoidable due to the process and may therefore be included.

[0040] The scrap containing organic matter 8 fed to the melting reactor 2 first passes through the pyrolysis section 7 along with the combustion section 6. The temperature in the pyrolysis region 7 is in the range of 900° to 1200° C. Of the scrap containing organic matter 8 that is added to the melting reactor, a fraction of 10-50 wt % of the organic component is pyrolyzed in the pyrolysis region 7 and an energy-containing gas stream 9 is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, this is then fed to the thermal post-combustion chamber 3 and completely combusted using a burner 10, wherein the thermal energy released during combustion is carried off via an energy recovery unit 11, which comprises an evaporator. Advantageously, hydrogen that has been produced from renewable energy sources (a so-called “green hydrogen”) is used as a fuel for the burner 10.

[0041] The at least partially pre-pyrolyzed and/or combusted scrap containing organic matter 8 is then melted down in the melting reactor 2. The combustion reaction can be specifically controlled in this case by the addition of oxygen, which is fed to the melting reactor 2 via an oxygen injector 12. The volume flow of oxygen is adjusted in such a manner that a reducing atmosphere always prevails at the surface of the melt and complete combustion of the organic fraction to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O does not take place; rather, specific contents of CO along with H.sub.2 are present in the process gas, which are also fed to the thermal post-combustion chamber 3 and combusted.

[0042] Furthermore, an inert gas, such as nitrogen, can be selectively introduced into the combustion and/or the melting region 5, 6 via the injector 12. This cools the melt and forms an energy-charged inert gas stream 14. As shown by the schematic illustration, the energy-charged inert gas stream 14 transfers the energy-containing gas stream 9 formed in the upper part of the melting reactor 2 to the thermal post-combustion chamber 3. The exhaust gas stream 15 formed in the thermal post-combustion chamber 3 is then fed to the filter device 4.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Plant

[0043] 2 Melting reactor
3 Thermal post-combustion chamber
4 Filter device
5 Melting region
6 Combustion region
7 Pyrolysis region
8 Electronic scrap
9 Energy-containing gas stream

10 Burner

[0044] 11 Heat exchanger

12 Injector

[0045] 13 Inert gas stream

14 Exhaust gas

[0046] 15 Exhaust gas stream