PROCESS FOR PRODUCING BRIQUETTES FROM A WASTE MATERIAL AND BRIQUETTE MADE OF A WASTE MATERIAL

Abstract

A method for producing briquettes made of a waste material includes provisioning of at least one metal and at least one organic material. The waste material is mechanically prepared in a single or multiple stages and at least one first fraction of the waste material is separated. A briquette mixture containing the at least one first fraction is produced, wherein the at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg. A calorific value of the briquette mixture is adjusted by varying at least the first fraction. The briquette mixture is introduced into a briquetting device and pressed into briquettes. Briquettes with a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and with a maximum copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced.

Claims

1. A method for producing briquettes from a waste material comprising the steps: provisioning a waste material which waste material comprises at least one metal and at least one organic material, mechanically preparing the waste material in a single or multiple stages and separating at least one first fraction from the waste material, producing a briquette mixture containing the at least one first fraction wherein the at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg, adjusting a calorific value of the briquette mixture by varying at least the first fraction, introducing the briquette mixture into a briquetting device and pressing the briquette mixture into briquettes, so that briquettes with a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and with a maximum copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first fraction is provisioned as a fine fraction, which fine fraction has predominantly components with a maximum grain size of less than 15 mm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein an at least one second fraction is added to the briquette mixture, which second fraction has a calorific value which is different from the first fraction.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein at the second fraction is a lint fraction or comprises a lint fraction.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the waste material comprises at least one mineral material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the briquettes are produced with a calorific value of 8 MJ/kg to 25 MJ/kg, preferably of 11 MJ/kg to 18 MJ/kg.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the briquettes are produced with a maximum copper content of 0.3 wt % to 10 wt %, preferably of 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %.

8. A method for producing briquettes from a waste material, comprising the steps of: providing a waste material having at least one metal and at least one organic material; mechanically preparing the waste material and separating at least one first fraction from the waste material; producing a briquette mixture containing the at least one first fraction, wherein the at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg; adjusting a calorific value of the briquette mixture by varying at least the first fraction, and introducing the briquette mixture into a briquetting device and pressing the briquette mixture into briquettes, so that briquettes with a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and with a copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the briquettes are, continuously or discontinuously, placed from the briquetting device into a reactor.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the briquette mixture is composed such that the calorific value of the waste material contained therein is so high that the at least one metal contained therein is melted in a combustion in the reactor during an ongoing process together with other briquettes without adding other fuels or without energy input.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein a composition of the briquette mixture, or the calorific value of the briquette mixture, is adapted continuously to process parameters of a reactor.

12. A briquette made of a waste material, which waste material comprises at least one metal and at least one organic material, and which the briquette is produced using a method according to claim 8, characterized in that the briquette is produced from a briquette mixture containing at least one first fraction of the waste material, which at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg, and that the briquette has a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and a maximum copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt %.

13. The briquette according to claim 12, characterized in that the at least one first fraction is a fine fraction or comprises a fine fraction which fine fraction has predominantly components with a maximum grain size of less than 15 mm, preferably of less than 10 mm.

14. The briquette according to claim 13, characterized in that the briquette mixture contains a second fraction, which second fraction has a calorific value which is different from the first fraction.

15. The briquette according to claim 14, characterized in that the second fraction is a lint fraction or comprises a lint fraction.

16. The briquette according to claim 15, characterized in that a proportion of fine fraction to lint fraction is a maximum of 0.1 to 6, preferably a maximum of 0.3 to 5, particularly preferably a maximum of 0.5 to 3.

18. A method for producing briquettes from a waste material, comprising the steps of: providing a waste material having at least one metal and at least one organic material; mechanically preparing the waste material and separating at least one first fraction from the waste material; producing a briquette mixture containing the at least one first fraction, wherein the at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg: adjusting a calorific value of the briquette mixture by varying at least the first fraction; and introducing the briquette mixture into a briquetting device and forming the briquette mixture into briquettes, so that briquettes with a calorific value of 8 MJ/kg to 25 MJ/kg and with a copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced.

19. The briquette according to claim 18, wherein the briquette has a maximum copper content of 0.3 wt % to 10 wt %, preferably of 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %.

20. The briquette according to claim 18, wherein the briquette mixture is composed such that the calorific value of the waste material contained therein is so high that the at least one metal contained therein is melted in a combustion in a reactor during an ongoing process together with other briquettes without adding other fuels or without energy input.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0061] For the purpose of better understanding of the disclosure, it will be elucidated in more detail by means of the figures below.

[0062] These show in a respectively very simplified schematic representation:

[0063] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic method flow chart of a briquetting plant,

[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a simplified schematic representation of a briquetting plant system, in which a preferred method can be carried out.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0065] First of all, it is to be noted that, in the different embodiments described, equal parts are provided with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations, where the disclosures filled into in the entire description may be analogously transferred to equal parts with equal reference numbers and/or equal component designations. Moreover, the specifications of location, such as at the top, at the bottom, at the side, chosen in the description refer to the directly described and depicted figure, and in case of a change of position, these specifications of location are to be analogously transferred to the new position.

[0066] The term “in particular” shall be understood below to mean that it can be a possible more specified embodiment or narrower specification of an object or of a method step but need not necessarily represent a mandatory, preferred embodiment of same or a mandatory procedure.

[0067] In their present use, the terms “comprising,” “comprises,” “having,” “includes,” “including,” “contains,” “containing” and any variations of these shall cover a non-exclusive inclusion.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows a schematic method flow chart of the most important method steps and fluxes of material. It should be understood that not all plant parts and fluxes of material shown and/or described below are mandatorily required. Further, in addition to the plant parts and fluxes of material shown and/or described below, additional ones may be provided.

[0069] The method shown in FIG. 1 and/or the briquette 1 produced therein essentially comprises two main plant areas—a briquetting plant 15 for producing briquettes with one or multiple briquetting devices 7 and a charging plant 16 for charging a subsequent reactor plant 20. Further, a waste preparation plant 25 for preparing and presorting the waste material 2 can be provided, which waste preparation plant 25 can be incorporated in the overall plant, or also be structurally independent.

[0070] In the exemplary embodiment represented, the briquetting plant 15 and the charging plant 16 are configured structurally integrated in an overall plant. The overall plant is essentially fed via a main conveying route for additives 17 and a main conveying route for the waste material 2. The briquetting plant 15 and the charging plant 16 serve the production of briquettes 1, and optionally also the storage, mixture and provision of lumpy material, in particular a coarse fraction 18 from the waste material 2 or from another and/or additional waste material 19. A coarse fraction of the waste material may be, for example, a fraction from a shredder presorting process which contains relatively high contents of metals, in particular of non-ferrous heavy metals. A coarse fraction of another waste material 19 may be, for example, electronic scrap, used metal and/or a plastic fraction. In accordance with the example shown, a flux of material comprising the briquettes 1, and optionally other components such as a coarse fraction 18, can be, continuously or discontinuously, supplied from the overall plant to a reactor plant 20 having a reactor 12. Yet it may also be the case—as is, however, not shown in the figures—that the production of the briquettes 1 takes place in a structurally, or also spatially, separate briquetting plant 15 and that the briquettes 1 are merely stored in the subsequent charging plant 16 and, from there, conveyed to the reactor plant 20 as and when needed. A charging plant 16 can also be configured as a component of a reactor plant 20.

[0071] The briquetting plant 15 and charging plant 16 comprise a plurality of conveying means 21 and storage means 22, for example conveyor screws, sieves, pipes, surge bunkers, silos, one or multiple briquetting device(s) 7, for example configured as (a) briquetting press(es) 23, one or multiple container(s) equipped with load cells 24, as well as conveyor belts. The load cells 24 enable a precisely-dosed charging of the reactor plant 20 and/or of the reactor 12 with the briquettes 1. To that end, also the storage silos for the coarse fraction 18 and also for additives 17 can be configured with load cells 24.

[0072] The method shown in FIG. 1 initially provides a provisioning of a waste material 2, which waste material 2 comprises at least one metal 3, in particular copper, and at least one organic material 4. The waste material 2 can further comprise at least one mineral material 11. The waste material 2 can also contain at least one other metal, wherein an overall content of metals in the briquette mixture 6 is a maximum of 35 wt %, preferably is a maximum of 25 wt %, particularly preferably is a maximum of 20 wt %. Alternatively, it may be the case that an overall content of metals consisting of copper and metals, which metals are listed as nobler than copper in accordance with the periodic table of elements, is a maximum of 25 wt %, preferably is a maximum of 15 wt %, particularly preferably is a maximum of 10 wt %.

[0073] Subsequently, the waste material 2 is mechanically prepared in a single or multiple stages. In particular, these two steps can take place in a waste preparation plant 25, for example in a shredder plant. A waste preparation plant 25 can also be configured structurally or spatially separate from the briquetting plant 15 and from the charging plant 16. The waste preparation plant 25 can also serve the preparation of another waste material 19. In addition to the first fraction 5, also the second fraction 9 can be produced in the waste preparation plant 25. Of course, it would also be conceivable if the waste preparation plant 25 is part of the overall plant. Further, in the waste preparation plant 25 and/or in the briquetting plant 15, at least one first fraction 5 is separated from the waste material 2. The fluxes of material represented in FIG. 1—as mentioned initially—are to be understood as merely schematic and exemplary. Depending on the kind of waste material 2 and separation in the waste preparation plant 25, it may be expedient that the briquetting plant 15 is configured with one or multiple sieves or conveyor screws, which can serve a sufficient separation of the fluxes of material. The arrangement of conveying means 21 and/or of conveyor screws shown in FIG. 1 is to be understood as merely exemplary. The actual arrangement of the conveying means 21 depends on the kind and properties of the material to be transported and rests on the skill of the person skilled in the art. Yet it may also be the case—as is, however, not shown in the figures—that not the briquetting plant 15, but the waste preparation plant 25 is configured with one or multiple sieves or conveyor screws, which can serve a sufficient separation of the fluxes of material.

[0074] Subsequently, i.e. as represented subsequent to the waste preparation plant 25 and/or to the conveying means 21 configured as conveyor screws, a briquette mixture 6 containing the at least one first fraction 5 is produced, wherein the first fraction 5 has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg. In this context, a calorific value of the briquette mixture 6 is produced by varying at least the first fraction 5. Such a variation can be done, for example, by means of the conveying means 21. The at least one first fraction 5 can be provisioned as a fine fraction 8, which fine fraction 8 has predominantly components with a maximum grain size of less than 15 mm, preferably of less than 10 mm. Further, at least one second fraction 9 can be added to the briquette mixture 6, which at least one second fraction 9 has a calorific value which is different from the first fraction 5. The second fraction 9 can equally originate from the waste preparation plant 25. The second fraction 9 can be a lint fraction 10. A proportion of fine fraction 8 to lint fraction 10 is a maximum of 0.1 to 6, preferably a maximum of 0.3 to 5, particularly preferably a maximum of 0.5 to 3.

[0075] Both the fractions 5, 9 for the briquette mixture 6 and the ready-mixed briquette mixture 6 are stored in suitable storage means 22, for example in silos. Further, the briquette mixture 6 is conveyed to the briquetting devices 7 and/or to the briquetting presses 23 by means of the conveying means 21. The briquetting presses 23 can be configured, for example, as piston compressors and/or as extruders with eccentric drives. In this context, FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, four briquetting presses 23, wherein the actual number depends on the plant size and/or plant capacity, of course. The briquetting presses 23 can be operated in parallel, or also alternately. It should be understood that a detailed design of the overall plant lies within the ability of the person skilled in the art. Subsequently, the briquette mixture 6 is pressed into briquettes 1 in the briquetting devices 7 and/or in the briquetting presses 23, so that briquettes 1 with a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and with a maximum copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced. In particular, the briquettes 1 can have a calorific value of 8 MJ/kg to 25 MJ/kg, preferably of 11 MJ/kg to 18 MJ/kg. Further, it may be the case that the briquettes 1 have a maximum copper content of 0.3 wt % to 10 wt %, preferably of 0.5 wt % to 3 wt %. Preferably, the briquette 1 is thermostable up to a temperature of 400° C. The briquette 1 can further, preferably at least essentially, be cylindrically shaped. The length of the briquette 1 and the diameter of the briquette 1 are preferably essentially identical. Yet the briquette 1 may also, preferably at least essentially, be cubically shaped, wherein the length and the width of the briquette 1 are preferably essentially identical. The side length(s) of the briquette 1 and/or the diameter of the briquette 1 can be from 10 mm to 200 mm, preferably from 20 mm to 150 mm, particularly preferably from 50 mm to 120 mm. It may also be advantageous if a proportion of length of the briquette 1 to diameter of the briquette 1 and/or of length of the briquette 1 to the width of the briquette 1 is a maximum of 0.3 to 5, preferably a maximum of 0.5 to 3, particularly preferably a maximum of 0.7 to 2.

[0076] The finished briquettes 1 can be conveyed out of the briquetting presses 23 into one or multiple storage means 22 and/or silos configured with load cells 24. From these silos and/or from the briquetting device 7, the briquettes 1 are, continuously or discontinuously, placed into a reactor 12 of a reactor plant 20. Of course, it would also be conceivable that the briquettes 1 are conveyed directly, i.e. without intermediate storage, from the briquetting devices 7 into the reactor 12. The briquettes 1 can be heated or cooled after pressing. Such a heating or cooling operation can either take place in the plant area between the briquetting device 7 and the storage means 22 or in the conveying route between the storage means 22 and the reactor 12. Of course, it is also conceivable that any and all plant areas between the briquetting device 7 and the reactor 12 are heated or cooled. In addition to the briquettes 1, also various additives 17, as well as a coarse fraction 18, can be charged into the reactor 12. In the reactor 12 and/or in a separation furnace 40 downstream of the reactor 12, the briquettes 1, the additives 17, as well as the coarse fraction 18, are melted into a liquid slag phase 13 and into a liquid metal-containing phase 14.

[0077] The briquette mixture 6 is composed such that the calorific value of the waste material 2 contained therein is so high that the at least one metal contained therein 3 is melted in a combustion in the reactor 12 during an ongoing process together with other briquettes 1 without adding other fuels or without energy input. A composition of the briquette mixture 1, or the calorific value of the briquette mixture 6, is continuously adapted to process parameters of the reactor 12. The process parameters can be, for example: the temperature of a flue gas in a post-combustion plant downstream of the reactor 12, the oxygen content of this flue gas or the composition of this flue gas. Such a continuous measurement of process parameters, as well as a control of the process on the basis of the process parameters, can be done with the help of a control 26. The overall plant can be configured with a central control 26, which enables a monitoring, measurement, control and regulation of individual plant areas. Yet it may also be the case that the main plant areas, or individual plant areas, have a special and/or separate control 26.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows another simplified schematic representation of a system, in which a preferred method can be carried out. It is shown there in an overall process and/or in an overall plant how briquettes 1 produced in accordance with the method are used and/or prepared in a reactor plant 20.

[0079] Shredder light fractions as a present example of a waste material 2 containing metal 3 and other substances, whose metal content is to be essentially recovered, are initially introduced into a stock bunker 27 in order to be processed further from there. From the stock bunker 27, the waste material 2 is supplied, via conveyor screws 28 and suchlike, to a briquetting press 23 configured as a piston compressor 29, where the waste material is compacted 2 into briquettes 1. In terms of metal 3, the shredder light fractions can contain, in particular, copper, lead, tin, zinc, nickel and/or noble metals.

[0080] In a specific plant, for example four briquetting presses 23 configured as piston compressors 29 can compact and briquet about 10 tons of shredder light fractions per hour.

[0081] The briquettes 1 are subsequently transported, via a scale 30, into a dosing bunker 31 in order to be introduced, from there, into a melting reactor 33 via a charging lance 32. In addition to the briquettes 1, also air 43 is introduced into the melting reactor 33 in order to generate a reactive mixture inside the melting reactor 33. The introduction of the briquettes 1 takes place batchwise, i.e. in stages.

[0082] Before the briquettes 1 are introduced into the melting reactor 33, the melting reactor 33 is heated up, for example to 1200° C. to 1250° C. By compacting the waste material 2 into briquettes 1, it can be adjusted with great precision how much organic material 4 is introduced into the interior of the melting reactor 33. To that end, for example a content of 35% to 50% organic material 4 of the introduced mass has proven successful for an autothermal reaction with the participation of the air and pyrolysis gases supplied via a separate compressed-air lance 34.

[0083] The autothermal reaction can be stabilized by controlling the quantity of supplied air and pyrolysis gases, wherein it is of essential importance, to that end, to know how much organic material 4 participating in the reaction is located in the melting reactor 33. Only as much air as is needed for the reaction to take place in the melting reactor 33, i.e. for the organic material 4 and the pyrolysis gases to burn, is supplied. The supply of air, however, is limited in order not to have all pyrolysis gases directly combust and not to overheat the melting reactor 33. This reaction can proceed in the melting reactor 33, for example over 5 to 5.5 hours, without external firing, and a bath of liquid slag 13 and liquid metal 14 will form in the interior of the melting reactor 33 in this manner.

[0084] Hot process gases 44 are generated during the autothermal reaction, which hot process gases 44 are extracted via an extraction hood 35 and supplied to a boiler 37 via a post-combustion chamber 36, in which boiler 37 steam can be generated in the usual manner, which steam can be used for generating electric energy via a turbine 38. The steam can alternatively and additionally be used in local and remote district heating distribution networks.

[0085] After the reaction in the melting reactor 33 has proceeded as completely as possible, the melting reactor 33 can be poured out and its liquid content conveyed further via a transport line 39. Preferably, the bath of liquid slag 13 and liquid metal 14 is therefore supplied to a separation furnace 40, which separation furnace 40 can be realized, for example, as a drum-type furnace, and which can have an internal temperature of, for example, 1200° C. to 1250° C. As opposed to the melting reactor 33, the separation furnace 40 is fired externally in order to reach and maintain its temperature, as no reaction is to take place inside it any longer. After the melting reactor 33 has been emptied, it can be filled with another charge of waste material 2.

[0086] In the separation furnace 40, a separation of the slag phase 13 from the metal phase 14 can take place over a time span of, for example, equally 5 to 5.5 hours. Gravimetric separation is favorable to that end, as the slag phase 13 has a density of about 3 t/m.sup.3 to 3.5 t/m.sup.3, while the metal phase 14 has a density of about 8 t/m.sup.3, wherein these values are only exemplary and will change from material to material, of course. In case of different densities of the two or more phases, the two or more phases will isolate from one another in layers in the separation furnace 40.

[0087] In the separation furnace 40, an adjusting of the slag can take place over a time span of, for example, 3 hours to 4 hours, and the slag can then be granulated over a time span of, for example, 2 hours to 3 hours, and be removed from the separation furnace 40 via a slag output line 41.

[0088] Preferably subsequently, the metal 3 can be removed from the separation furnace 40 via a metal output line 42 and therefore recovered. The metal 3 can be, for example, in the form of a liquid metal phase 14, for example copper phase, which can be enriched with other metals or heavy metals such as lead, tin, zinc, nickel and/or noble metals.

[0089] The exemplary embodiments show possible embodiment variants, wherein it should be noted in this respect that the disclosure is not restricted to these particular illustrated embodiment variants of it, but that rather also various combinations of the individual embodiment variants are possible and that this possibility of variation owing to the teaching for technical action provided by the present disclosure lies within the ability of the person skilled in the art in this technical field.

[0090] The scope of protection is determined by the claims. However, the description and the drawings are to be adduced for construing the claims. Individual features or feature combinations from the different exemplary embodiments shown and described may represent independent inventive solutions. The object underlying the independent inventive solutions may be gathered from the description.

[0091] Any and all specifications of value ranges in the description at issue are to be understood to comprise any and all sub-ranges of same, for example the specification 1 to 10 is to be understood to mean that any and all sub-ranges starting from the lower limit 1 and from the upper limit 10 are comprised therein, i.e. any and all sub-ranges start at a lower limit of 1 or larger and end at an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g. 1 to 1.7, or 3.2 to 8.1, or 5.5 to 10.

[0092] Finally, as a matter of form, it should be noted that for ease of understanding of the structure, elements are partially not depicted to scale and/or are enlarged and/or are reduced in size.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0093] 1 briquette [0094] 2 waste material [0095] 3 metal [0096] 4 organic material [0097] 5 first fraction [0098] 6 briquette mixture [0099] 7 briquetting device [0100] 8 fine fraction [0101] 9 second fraction [0102] 10 lint fraction [0103] 11 mineral material [0104] 12 reactor [0105] 13 slag phase [0106] 14 metal-containing phase [0107] 15 briquetting plant [0108] 16 charging plant [0109] 17 additive [0110] 18 coarse fraction [0111] 19 other waste material [0112] 20 reactor plant [0113] 21 conveying means [0114] 22 storage means [0115] 23 briquetting press [0116] 24 load cell [0117] 25 waste preparation plant [0118] 26 control [0119] 27 stock bunker [0120] 28 conveyor screw [0121] 29 piston compressor [0122] 30 scale [0123] 31 dosing bunker [0124] 32 charging lance [0125] 33 melting reactor [0126] 34 compressed-air lance [0127] 35 extraction hood [0128] 36 post-combustion chamber [0129] 37 boiler [0130] 38 turbine [0131] 39 transport line [0132] 40 separation furnace [0133] 41 slag output line [0134] 42 metal output line [0135] 43 air [0136] 44 process gas