Recycling von Elektronikschrott unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Sondermetalle und Seltenen Erden

Translated title of the contribution: Recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment with particular focus on special metals and the rare earths

Philipp Stuhlpfarrer

Research output: ThesisDoctoral Thesis

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Abstract

The recycling of secondary sources from urban mines enables the protection of primary raw materials, saves energy and leads to a minimized landfill capacity. Furthermore the recovery strategies achieve independence against primary producers and volatility of prices. The waste of electric and electronic equipment is a valuable material. These include also elements with high economic relevance and potentially supply risk. The increasing production of electric devise leads to more equipment for a recycling process after its life cycle. The high and concentrated content of elements in the e-scrap represents ideal conditions for the recovery process. This material needs a special treatment, because of the complex consistency and variety of accompanying substances. The advantages of the bundled target elements with low inert materials comprised the separation of hazardous substances and overpassing into a harmless conjunction without increasing the landfill quantity. The pyrolytic treatment enables a separation of the organic content and transfers the halogens into the gas phase. The use of an off-gas scrubber allows a collection of the chlorine, fluorine and bromine and makes a recovery possible. Alternatively to this thermal process a chemical can be used, without high temperatures and a securing inert atmosphere. The aim of the treatment is besides of the organic removal also the concentration of the special metals. High potential raw materials for the recovery of rare earths are hard disc drives. These include the powerful neodymium-iron-boron magnets, which need a special pre-treatment to create ideal opportunities for the recycling process. Besides of the critical raw materials there are also others elements which lead to economic valuable sources. At first a thermal separation process recovers the magnets and divides the fractions apart, following by a hydro- and pyrometallurgical recycling with minor additional substances and less landfilling. The research is based on the ecological, economic and social aspects of recycling to enrich and recover different sources from these urban mines. A high recycling rate of the target elements is the aim of the presented work and is accompanied with the sustainable developments.
Translated title of the contributionRecycling of waste electric and electronic equipment with particular focus on special metals and the rare earths
Original languageGerman
QualificationDr.mont.
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Antrekowitsch, Helmut, Assessor A (internal)
  • Rotter, Vera Susanne, Assessor B (external), External person
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

  • recycling
  • waste electric and electronic equipment
  • WEEE
  • pyrolysis
  • metallurgie
  • special metals
  • metallurgy
  • rare earths
  • sustainability

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