JP2001096261A - Method of recycling waste electric appliance resource - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To recover copper used as copper wires in electric appliances in a high yield without previously disassembling the parts including the copper wires, in the method of recycling waste electric appliances by crushing used electric appliances being wastes and classifying the crushed materials by materials. SOLUTION: Iron-based metals are taken out of the primary crushed materials crushed at the primary crush process 3 at the magnetic classification process 4 and the crushed materials from which iron-based metals are removed are again crushed at the secondary crush process 34. Further, lightweight materials such as films or foamed styrene are separated from plastics other than the lightweight materials and non-ferrous metal crushed materials at the primary air classifying process 29a and the secondary air classifying process 29b. At a density separation process 35 using water, re-crushed materials are separated into three kinds of materials which are composed of a heavyweight material high in specific gravity, comprising a mixture of copper wires, copper alloys, aluminum alloys and mounted print substrates or the like, a material mainly containing styrene resins or the like, having intermediate specific gravity of >1.0 and < about 1.5 and a lightweight material including olefinic resins and having specific gravity of <1.0.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of recycling used home electric appliances, which crushes, separates, and recycles used home electric appliances as waste.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, home electric appliances used by an existing recycler are processed and recycled as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the processing method will be described.

[0003] As shown in FIG. 13, a used home electric appliance is transported from a stock yard 1 to a crushing device in a transporting process 2 and then crushed in a crushing process 3. Collect iron scrap.

[0004] The crushed material after the recovery of the iron scrap is separated into a dust group and a non-ferrous group whose main constituent is plastic in a wind separation step 5. The sorted non-ferrous group is separated by size in the screening step 6. The relatively large non-ferrous group is sorted in the eddy current sorting step 7, and the relatively small non-ferrous group is sorted into copper and aluminum in the specific gravity sorting step 8.

[0005] Another processing method is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-1.
There is a method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 47040, and this processing method will be described with reference to FIG.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 14, a metal lump is conveyed from a stock yard 1 in a conveyance step 2, and a metal lump such as a motor and a compressor is separated in a metal lump separation step 9. Next, the main body from which the metal lump has been separated is crushed in a crushing step 3, and the crushed material is separated into a foam molded material such as urethane foam in a lightweight material separation step 10.

On the other hand, the separated metal lump such as a motor and a compressor is cooled in a cooling step 11 and then crushed in a crushing step 12.
And sent to the metal separation step 13 together with the heavy waste generated in the lightweight separation step 10. In the metal separation step 13, first, iron scrap is collected in the magnetic separation step 4, and stainless steel is collected in the stainless separation step 14.

Next, the non-ferrous group selected in the eddy current selection step 7 is separated into three types of copper, aluminum and other non-ferrous metals in a specific gravity selection step 8. Further, the plastic group from which the metals are recovered is separated into wood and the like in the electrostatic separation step 15 and sent to the plastic separation step 16.

[0009] The plastics cooled in the cooling step 17 are crushed in a crushing step 18, and in a sieving and sorting step 6, finely crushed products, which are mostly made of vinyl chloride plastic,
Sorted into plastics, which are relatively large crushed materials with little vinyl chloride. Fine crushed material is separated into specific gravity 19
, The other resin is separated into an olefin resin, a styrene resin and vinyl chloride in a water separation step 20 together with a relatively large crushed plastic group.

As shown in FIG. 15, a water use separator used in the water use separation step 20 includes a first tank 21 for collecting vinyl chloride, a second tank 22 for collecting styrene resin, and a circulation pump 23. And a third tank 24 for taking in water for circulating water to the first tank 21 through the first tank 21.

[0011] Of the olefin resin 25, styrene resin 26, and vinyl chloride 27 supplied to the water-using separator, the vinyl chloride 27 settles in the first tank 21 without being significantly affected by the flow of circulating water. , Styrene resin 26
Is gradually affected by the flow of the circulating water in the second tank 22.
Settles to the bottom of the. The olefin-based resin 25 moves gradually downstream by the flow of the circulating water, and is collected by the conveyor 28.

[0012]

However, FIG.
In the first treatment method shown in FIG. 1, after a relatively large-sized non-ferrous metal part is crushed, it can be separated into dust groups and non-ferrous metal in a wind separation step 5, but a motor, a compressor, and the like used in home appliances are used. Since the copper wire and the internal wiring and the power cord using the copper wire are easily entangled and light, in the wind separation step 5, most of the copper wire is mixed into the dust group and discarded.
In addition, some of the copper wires that have been wind-sorted to the non-ferrous metal side have problems such as being entangled with the sieve of the sieve sorting process 6 in a state of being finely cut by crushing, thereby deteriorating the function of the sieve sorting process 6. Was.

As a result, in most home appliances except some home appliances having a heat exchanger, most of the copper used is occupied by the motor, the internal wiring, and the copper of the power cord, so that the value of the copper is high. The problem is that the high copper recovery rate is extremely low and that the sieving function of the sieving and sorting step 6 is also impaired.

Further, in order to sort and recover the copper wire mixed in the dust in the vibration sorting step (not shown), it is necessary to arrange the crushed size extremely finely. However, the dust group of home electric appliances has a problem in that the thermoplastic resin occupies a large part and thus has poor heat conduction, and the heat during crushing causes the thermoplastic resin to melt and cannot be crushed. Further, there is a problem that the plastic group is discarded as dust without being sorted out by type.

In the second processing method shown in FIG.
Similar to the first processing method, since the crushed material of the internal wiring and the power cord is easily entangled and light, a considerable amount of the crushed material is mixed into the dust group and discarded in the lightweight material separation step 10. In addition, copper wires such as motors and compressors and some internal wiring from the previous process and crushed materials of power cords are sent to the metal separation process 13, but copper wires with extremely small surface area other than copper and aluminum Since it is extremely difficult to separate the non-ferrous metal in the eddy current sorting step 7, the non-ferrous metal is sent to the next step together with the plastic group, and there is a problem that the copper wire cannot be recovered. In addition, there is a problem that pretreatment must be performed in advance in the metal lump sorting step 9.

Furthermore, polypropylene resin (olefin resin) is the most general-purpose plastic in home electric appliances and is used in the largest amount. However, if the capacitors and sponges for buffering are not removed from the used home appliances in advance, in the water use separation process 20, the capacitor films and sponges that could not be completely removed in the lightweight material sorting process 10 float on the water, There is a problem that it is mixed as a foreign substance into the olefin-based resin, and it is difficult to recycle the material as it is.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to efficiently recover copper using a copper wire without disassembling and removing the component in advance.

[0018]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the first object, an iron-based metal is taken out from a primary crushed material crushed in a primary crushing step in a magnetic separation step, and this magnetic force is removed. The crushed material from which the iron-based metal has been removed in the sorting process is re-crushed in the secondary crushing process, and at least the primary crushed material or the secondary crushed material in the wind sorting process is ultra-lightweight such as film, styrene foam, etc. Plastic and non-ferrous crushed material, and the crushed material re-crushed in the water specific gravity sorting process is separated from copper wire and copper alloy, aluminum alloy, and heavy specific gravity material consisting of a mixture of printed circuit boards and the like. Recycling treatment method that sorts into three types: medium specific gravity mainly composed of styrene resin etc., which is larger than 1.0 and approximately 1.05, and light specific gravity composed of olefin resin whose specific gravity is smaller than 1.0. It is.

[0019] This makes it possible to recover copper efficiently with no need to dismantle and remove parts using copper wires in advance.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a magnetic separation step of extracting an iron-based metal from a primary crushed product crushed in a primary crushing step, and an iron separation in the magnetic separation step. A secondary crushing step of re-crushing the crushed material from which the base metal has been removed, and separating at least the primary crushed material or the secondary crushed material into ultra-lightweight materials such as films and styrofoam and other plastic and non-ferrous crushed materials Wind sorting process
The re-crushed crushed material is made of a mixture of copper wire, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, mounted printed circuit board and the like, and a specific gravity material mainly composed of styrene resin having a specific gravity of more than 1.0 and about 1.05. It is a recycling method that has a medium specific gravity and a water specific gravity separation step of separating into three types of light specific gravity consisting of olefin-based resin whose specific gravity is smaller than 1.0. High copper is generally used for coils such as motors and compressors and copper used for internal wiring and power cords, etc., in general, without separating metal lumps such as motors and compressors in advance. In the wind separation process, only ultra-lightweight objects are separated, and the copper wires used for these coils, internal wiring, power cords, etc. are converted to copper alloys, aluminum alloys, and printed circuit boards. Recovery is possible mixing crushed with a heavy specific gravity crushed. As a result, the copper wire and the aluminum are contained in the crushed material at a high content, and can be easily separated and recovered with high efficiency for each material.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the primary crushed product crushed in the primary crushing step is made of a plastic group and an iron-based metal,
Separates into a mixture of non-ferrous metals, printed circuit boards, etc. 1
A secondary wind separation step, a magnetic separation step of extracting an iron-based metal from the separated mixture, and a secondary step of re-crushing the mixture of the non-ferrous metal, the mounted printed circuit board, etc. after collecting the plastic group and the iron-based metal. A crushing step, a secondary wind sorting step for removing at least a super-light material such as a film and styrene foam from the primary crushed material or the secondary crushed material, and mounting the re-crushed crushed material with a copper wire, a copper alloy or an aluminum alloy, A heavy specific gravity composed of a mixture such as a printed circuit board, a medium specific gravity mainly composed of a styrene-based resin having a specific gravity larger than about 1.0 and about 1.05, and an olefin-based resin having a specific gravity smaller than 1.0. This is a recycling method that has a water specific gravity sorting step for sorting into three types of light specific gravity materials. This method enables highly efficient use of copper without dismantling and removing parts using copper wires in advance. In addition to being able to be recovered, the ferrous metal is reliably recovered in the magnetic separation process from the roughly half amount of the crushed material after separating the plastic group by moderate wind power, and crushed in the crushing process to the secondary crushing process Only non-ferrous metals and plastics with low hardness that do not easily damage the blade of the machine can be loaded.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, after the heavy specific gravity is sorted, only the light specific gravity and the medium specific gravity or only the light specific gravity are recrushed in water. It is a recycling method having an underwater crushing step. In the underwater crushing step, in order to accurately separate the olefin-based resin and the styrene-based resin according to the water specific gravity sorting means, the crushing size required for the sorting accuracy is approximately 10 mm. Alternatively, the thermoplastic resin can be finely crushed to about 5 mm without being melted by the heat generated during crushing, and the effect of washing the dirty plastic surface of the used product can be obtained. Since only soft crushed materials such as plastic are sent to the underwater crushing step, it goes without saying that the blade of the plastic crusher used in the underwater crushing step is not damaged.

The invention described in claim 4 is the above-mentioned claim 1-
3. The recycling method according to claim 3, further comprising a second water-specific-gravity sorting step of selecting the recovered light-specific-gravity substances for close inspection, following the water-specific-gravity sorting step of sorting into three types. Due to the adhesion of water and water repellency, etc., it is not possible to sort in the water specific gravity sorting process in the previous process, and it is possible to efficiently sort and remove small amounts of contaminants by applying centrifugal force etc., recovering higher purity resin can do.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claims 1 to 5.
4. The method according to claim 4, wherein the method includes a first coagulation sedimentation step of coagulating sedimentation of a suspended matter or suspension of water used in the water specific gravity separation step. For example, in the case of a washing machine, various soils such as mud, fiber waste, human soil, mold, and water scale are brought into the water-specific-gravity sorting process. By coagulating and sedimenting the suspended matter or suspended matter of water used in the water specific gravity separation step, when water is circulated, recontamination of the recovered resin can be prevented. SS can be significantly reduced.

[0025] The invention described in claim 6 provides the above-mentioned claims 1 to
4. The recycling method according to claim 4, further comprising a second coagulation sedimentation step of coagulating sedimentation of a molten substance of water used in the water specific gravity separation step, the method including a printed circuit board of a used home electric appliance, an electric component, and the like. Heavy metals eluted from the water into the water specific gravity separator can also be coagulated and precipitated, and clean water circulation and drainage can be ensured.

The invention described in claim 7 is the above-mentioned claim 1
6. The method according to claim 6, wherein a nonionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant and an antifoaming agent are mixed with water used in the water specific gravity separation step, Reduce the tension, improve the water wettability of the crushed material, and prevent the bubbling and the adhesion of air bubbles by the activator by adding an antifoaming agent, and improve the separation accuracy of water specific gravity Can be.

[0027]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) As shown in FIG. 1, a used washing machine is transported from a stockyard 1 to a primary crushing step 3 in a transporting step 2 to be primary crushed. Iron is recovered from the primary crushed material having a size of about 50 mm in a magnetic separation step 4. The crushed material mainly composed of non-ferrous metals and plastics after the recovery of iron is the primary wind sorting process (wind sorting process)
29a.

As shown in FIG. 2, the wind separation device used in the primary wind separation step 29a includes a crushed material inlet 30, an air inlet 31, an ultralight material outlet 32, light, medium, and heavy specific gravity crushed materials. The outlet 33 is formed. The crushed material supplied from the crushed material inlet 30 includes a film such as an electrolytic condenser, styrene foam, or the like (ultralight material).
Is collected from the ultralight discharge port 32 via a cyclone (not shown) by wind power sent to the ultralight discharge port 32.

On the other hand, crushed products of plastic molded products such as polypropylene resin and styrene resin (crushed products of light specific gravity,
Medium-density crushed material), copper wire, aluminum piece, mounted printed circuit board,
The vinyl chloride resin or the like (crushed material with a high specific gravity) has higher gravity than the wind power, and is discharged from the light, medium, and heavy crushed material discharge port 33.

Light, medium, and heavy specific gravity crushed material, medium specific gravity crushed material and heavy specific gravity crushed material discharged from the outlet 33 are
In the secondary crushing step 34, crushing is performed to a size of about 10 mm. In this state, the length is such that the copper wires do not become entangled. Therefore, in the secondary wind separation step (wind separation step) 29b in which the wind power is stronger than the primary wind separation step 29a,
Ultra-light materials such as condenser film and dust generated by re-crushing are removed again.

Then, in a water specific gravity selection step 35, a heavy specific gravity material composed of a mixture of a copper wire and a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, a mounted printed circuit board, etc., and a specific gravity greater than 1.0 and approximately 1.05 mainly It is classified into three types: a medium specific gravity material composed of a styrene resin or the like and a light specific gravity material composed of an olefin resin having a specific gravity of less than 1.0.

As shown in FIG. 3, the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation apparatus used in the water specific gravity separation step 35 includes a first tank 36 for recovering heavy specific gravity and a second tank 36 for recovering medium specific gravity. It comprises a third tank 39 for taking in water for circulating water to the first tank 36 via a circulation pump 38 and a circulation pump 38.

The light, medium, and
Among the heavy specific gravity materials 40, the heavy specific gravity material 41 immediately settles in the first tank 36 without being greatly influenced by the flow of the circulating water, and the heavy specific gravity material deposited on the bottom is removed by the screw conveyor 42a.
Will be recovered by Next, polystyrene resin or AB
The medium specific gravity 43 sinking in water having a specific gravity of S resin or the like larger than 1.0 and smaller than 1.1 gradually sinks to the bottom of the second tank 37 while being influenced by the flow of circulating water, and accumulates on the bottom. The medium specific gravity 43 thus collected is recovered by the screw conveyor 42b. Further, a light specific gravity material 44 having a specific gravity smaller than 1 and floating on water, such as a polypropylene resin or a polyethylene resin.
Is gradually moved downstream by the flow of the circulating water and collected by the conveyor 45.

As a result, the copper wire which was difficult to separate after crushing can be recovered together with aluminum as a heavy non-ferrous material having a high specific gravity without removing the motor and internal wiring of the washing machine in advance. Separately, it can be easily separated and recovered with high efficiency. In the case of a washing machine, a polypropylene resin which accounts for about 80% of the plastic used can be separated and collected.

(Embodiment 2) As shown in FIG. 4, a used washing machine is transported from a stockyard 1 to a primary crushing step 3 in a transporting step 2 to be primary crushed. The primary crushed material having a size of about 50 mm is separated into a mixture of a plastic group and a ferrous metal, a non-ferrous metal, a mounted printed circuit board, and the like in a primary wind sorting step 46a.

As shown in FIG. 5, the wind separation device 49 used in the primary wind separation step 46a includes a primary crushing step 3
The primary crushed material is supplied from a discharge port 47 of the first through a conveyor 48a. The wind separation device 49 has a push-pull relationship with a blower port 50 of a blower blower (not shown) and a suction port 51 of a suction blower (not shown).

As a result, among the primary crushed materials, large and heavy materials such as iron and non-ferrous metals are more favored by gravity than wind power and are collected by the conveyor 48b. In addition, the plastic group reaches the separation unit 52 whose inner diameter is locally increased by wind power. This separation part 52 has a larger internal volume than the front and rear pipes,
A pipe 53 opened in the direction of gravity is provided. For this reason,
Wind power decreases, and crushed plastic molded products such as polypropylene resin and styrene resin (light specific gravity, medium specific gravity) have higher gravity than wind power, and pipes 53
Collected at 8c.

On the other hand, ultra-light materials such as condenser films and styrofoam contained in the plastic group are:
The wind power also prevails in the separation section 52 and is collected as dust by a cyclone (not shown) through the suction port 51.

The iron and non-ferrous metal group recovered by the conveyor 48b recovers iron in the magnetic force separation step 4 and subsequently recovers large non-ferrous metals in the eddy current separation step 54. afterwards,
The remaining non-ferrous metal group is secondarily crushed in the second crushing step 55 together with the plastic group of the conveyor 48c.

Since the secondary crushed material has a length that does not cause the entanglement of the copper wires, in the secondary wind power sorting step 46b, which is stronger than the wind for removing the ultra-lightweight material in the primary wind power sorting step 46a, Removes condenser film, dust, etc. generated during secondary crushing.

Thereafter, in a water specific gravity selection step 35, as in the first embodiment, a specific gravity of a mixture of a copper wire, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, a mounted printed circuit board, and the like, and a specific gravity greater than 1.0. It is classified into three types: a medium specific gravity mainly composed of a styrene-based resin or the like of about 1.05, and a light specific gravity composed of an olefin-based resin having a specific gravity smaller than 1.0.

As a result, it is possible to recover iron with less foreign matter contamination than in the first embodiment, and it is possible not only to recover large non-ferrous metals of high value, but also to remove the motor and internal wiring of the washing machine in advance, The copper wire and small aluminum, which were difficult to separate after crushing, can be collected as a heavy non-ferrous material with a high non-ferrous content, and these can be easily separated and recovered for each material with high efficiency. Further, in the case of a washing machine, polypropylene resin, which accounts for about 80% of the plastic used, can be separated and collected.

(Embodiment 3) As shown in FIG. 6, in the underwater crushing step 56, after the heavy specific gravity is selected in the water specific gravity selecting step 35, the light specific substance and the medium specific substance or only the light specific substance are separated. This is the step of re-crushing in water. Other processing steps are the same as those in the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows an apparatus for realizing this processing step.
As shown in the figure, a submerged crusher 58 used in the submerged crushing step 56 is arranged in a floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separator 57 used in the water specific gravity separation step 35.

The configuration and operation of this device will be described. The floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity sorting device 57 is the same as that described in the first embodiment.

The submersible crusher 58 has a pump function. The submersible crusher 58 is disposed on the side of the first tank 36 of the water specific gravity separator 57, and the water in the first tank 36 is supplied to the submersible crusher 58. The water sucked in from the water inlet 59 and passed through the crushing chamber (not shown) of the underwater crusher 58 is discharged to the second tank 37 through the discharge port 60. Third tank 3 provided at the end of second tank 37
The bottom of 9 and the first tank 36 are communicated with each other by a pipe 61, and the water equivalent to the supplied discharge water amount returns to the first tank 36 again.

In this configuration, when the light, medium, and heavy materials 40 having a size of about 10 mm as shown in the first and second embodiments are supplied to the first tank 36, the motor and the internal wiring are removed. Copper wires, non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, and heavy and heavy materials 41 such as printed circuit boards settle at the bottom of the first tank 36 and are collected by the screw conveyor 42a.

On the other hand, a light having a specific gravity of about 0.9 to 1.1,
The medium specific gravity is sucked through the water suction port 59, and is crushed by the underwater crusher 58.
And is crushed to about 5 mm, and is discharged from the discharge port 60 to the second tank 37 together with the water in the first tank 36. Among the discharged light and medium specific gravity substances, medium specific gravity substances such as styrene resin having a specific gravity of more than 1.0 settle to the bottom of the second tank 37 while flowing in the flow of water, and the screw conveyor 42
b.

Further, a polypropylene resin and a polyethylene resin having a specific gravity of about 0.9 are flowed while floating on the water surface of the second tank 37 and collected by the conveyor 45.

As described above, without removing the motor and the internal wiring of the washing machine in advance, it is possible to recover the copper and the small aluminum, which were difficult to separate after crushing, together with the high specific gravity material having a high non-ferrous content. Can be easily separated and recovered for each material with high efficiency. Further, since the resin is finely crushed by the underwater crusher 58, the sorting accuracy is improved and the effect of washing the plastic surface is obtained. In the case of the washing machine, the polypropylene resin which accounts for about 80% of the plastic used is not pelletized. Can also be separated and collected as a moldable resin piece.

(Embodiment 4) As shown in FIG. 8, a second water-specific-gravity selecting step 62 is provided in the next step of the water-specific-gravity selecting step 35 for selecting into three types, and the collected light specific gravity is subjected to close inspection. This is the step of sorting. Other processing steps are the same as in the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows an apparatus for realizing this processing step.
As shown in the figure, an underwater crusher 5 for re-crushing in water is installed in a floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation device 57 used in the water specific gravity separation process 35.
8, a hydrocyclone 63 used for the second water specific gravity separation step 62 is provided.

The configuration and operation of this device will be described. The floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity sorting device 57 is the same as that described in the first embodiment.

The light, medium, and
Heavy specific gravity (not shown) is sent from the pressure feed pipe 64 to the wind separation device 65. This wind separation device 65 is the same as that shown in FIG. Ultra-light objects such as condenser film and dust that could not be removed by the wind separation device 65 are collected as dust via a cyclone (not shown) from a pipe 66 provided at an upper portion by wind power.

On the other hand, in the secondary crushing step 55 in the preceding step, approximately 1
When the light, medium, and heavy specific gravity materials having a size of 0 mm are supplied to the first tank 36 of the water specific gravity separation device 57, the motor and the copper wires of the internal wiring, the non-ferrous metal such as aluminum, and the printed circuit board are mounted. And the like specific gravity material 41 settles at the bottom of the first tank 36 and is collected by the screw conveyor 42a.

The medium specific gravity material such as styrene resin having a specific gravity of more than 1.0 settles to the bottom of the second tank 37 while flowing in the flow of water, and is collected by the screw conveyor 42b. Further, a mixture of a polypropylene resin and a polyethylene resin having a specific gravity of about 0.9 and foreign matter having some air bubbles attached thereto and water-repellent foreign matter is flowed while floating on the water surface of the second tank 37. The water is sucked into the underwater crusher 58 having a pump function from the third tank 39.

The finely crushed material roughly crushed to about 5 mm by the underwater crusher 58 is supplied from the water supply port 67 of the hydrocyclone 63, and a force is applied by the cyclone principle. The olefinic resin (polypropylene resin and polyethylene resin) 44 having a specific gravity of about 0.9 is discharged from the lower part of the cyclone 63 and collected by the mesh type conveyor 68a. It is discharged and collected.

The water discharged from the hydrocyclone 63 is circulated from the water storage tank 70 via the pump 38 to the first tank 36 of the water specific gravity sorting device 57 from the discharge port 71.

As a result, without removing the motor and the internal wiring of the washing machine in advance, the copper wire and small aluminum, which were difficult to separate after crushing, can be collected together with the small aluminum with a heavy non-ferrous material having a high specific gravity. It can be easily separated and collected for each material with high efficiency.

Further, according to the present invention, most of the materials having a specific gravity of more than 1.0 are primarily sorted by a floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity sorter 57 utilizing only a specific gravity difference, and an olefin resin originally collected for the purpose of material recycling. Underwater crusher 58
By performing fine crushing and washing of the plastic surface by using a configuration in which the ratio between the resin amount and the water amount is increased, the sorting accuracy of the hydrocyclone 63 is improved. Thus, the moldable polypropylene resin can be recovered.

(Embodiment 5) A centrifugal water specific gravity as shown in FIG. 10 is used instead of the hydrocyclone 63 of the embodiment 4 as an apparatus for realizing the second water specific gravity separation step 62 shown in FIG. A sorting device 72 is used.

The configuration and operation of this device will be described. As shown in the fourth embodiment, the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation device 5
A mixture of the polypropylene resin and the polyethylene resin having a specific gravity of about 0.9 selected in step 7, foreign matter having some air bubbles attached thereto, and water-repellent foreign matter mixed together with the circulating water rotates from the raw material supply pipe 73 at 2000 rpm. It is supplied into the body 74. The circulating water is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape by the centrifugal force in the rotating body 74, and a centrifugal force of about 800 g is applied to the supplied raw material.

At this time, the light-weight object having a specific gravity smaller than 1.0 floats on the rotating shaft side of the rotating body 74, is conveyed by the light-weight screw conveyor 75 whose rotation speed is several tens of revolutions higher than the rotating body 74, and is dewatered. The light-weight material is discharged and collected from the light-weight discharge port 76. On the other hand, the foreign matter having a specific gravity larger than 1.0 is pressed against the body wall of the rotating body 74, and is conveyed by the heavy screw conveyor 77 whose rotation speed is higher than the rotating body 74 by several tens of rotations, and is dewatered. Is discharged and recovered from the heavy material discharge port 78.
Further, the circulating water is pumped up from a water level adjusting valve 79 via a drain port 80 to a floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separator 57.

As a result, in addition to the effect of the fourth embodiment, even if the foreign matter was difficult to separate due to the strong centrifugal force due to the shape and surface properties of the foreign matter, if the true specific gravity exceeded 1.0, it was separated and removed. It is possible to collect polypropylene resin that can be recycled. Furthermore, by using the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separator 57 as the first-stage water specific gravity separator, the amount of raw materials can be reduced, and processing can be performed with a compact centrifugal water specific gravity separator.

(Example 6) As shown in FIG. 11, the water specific gravity selection step 35a is a water specific gravity selection step
5 or a second water-specific-gravity selecting step 62 provided in the next step of the water-specific-gravity selecting step 35. The water discharged from the water-specific-gravity selecting step 35a is supplied to pumps 38a, 38
The circulation path 82 is circulated through the flow meter 81 by b.

The first coagulation / precipitation step 83 comprises a reaction step 84
At the same time, a flocculant is supplied from a flocculant tank 86 to the reaction step 84 via a flocculant injection metering pump 85 in a step of flocculating and suspending suspended or suspended water in the circulation path 82.

The tanks are arranged so that the water level of the tank in the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83 is lower than the water level of the tank in the reaction step 84. ) Flows gently with the circulating water to the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83,
Settles and accumulates on the bottom of the tank, and is discharged as sludge 87. The purified circulating water is pumped up by a pump 38b to a water specific gravity sorting step 35a.

When crushing waste home appliances such as used washing machines, dirt such as mud, fiber debris, human soil, and mold, and metal fine particles generated by crushing contaminate the circulating water in the water specific gravity sorting step 35a. By providing the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83 in the circulation path 82, it is possible to sort with purified water, to improve the environment, and to prevent contamination of the recycle material.

In the present embodiment, the first path is
However, since the water is most contaminated in the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity selection step 35, the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83 is provided in the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation device 35 as a separate circuit in parallel with the circulation path. It is needless to say that a considerable effect can be obtained by providing the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83 in the drainage path in the case of successive drainage.

(Embodiment 7) As shown in FIG. 12, the water-specific-gravity sorting step 35a is carried out in the water-specific-gravity sorting step 35 for sorting into three types, as in the case of the above-described embodiment 6, or the water-specific-gravity sorting step 35. The process includes a second water specific gravity sorting process 62 provided in the process, and the water discharged from the water specific gravity sorting process 35a is circulated through a circulation path 82 via a flow meter 81 by pumps 38a and 38b.

The second coagulation / precipitation step 88 includes a reaction step 89
At the same time, in the step of coagulating and precipitating the molten substance of the water circulating in the circulation path 82, the reaction step 89 is supplied from a caustic soda tank 91 via a caustic soda injection metering pump 90 so that the pH of the circulating water is always approximately pH 10. The coagulant is supplied from the coagulant tank 86 via the coagulant injection metering pump 85.

The tanks in the second coagulation / sedimentation step 88 are arranged such that the water level of the tank is lower than the water level of the tank in the reaction step 89. ) Flows gently with the circulating water to the second flocculation and precipitation step 88,
Settles and accumulates on the bottom of the tank, and is discharged as sludge 92. The purified circulating water is pumped up by a pump 38b to a water specific gravity sorting step 35a.

Since heavy metals such as lead in the solder hardly dissolve at pH 10, by providing the second coagulation precipitation step 88, the heavy metals, SS and BOD are reduced, and drainage to sewage becomes possible. In addition, it is possible to sort with high-level purified water, thereby improving the environment and preventing re-contamination of recycled materials.

In this embodiment, the circulation path 82 is
However, since the water is most contaminated in the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation step 35, the second coagulation / sedimentation step 88 is provided as a separate circuit in the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity separation device 35 in parallel with the circulation path. It is needless to say that a considerable effect can be obtained by providing the first coagulation / sedimentation step 83 in the drainage path in the case of successive drainage.

Even if a high-molecular polymer chelating agent charging device is similarly provided instead of the caustic soda charging device, the same or better effects can be obtained.

(Embodiment 8) A nonionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant and an antifoaming agent are mixed with water used in the water specific gravity sorting step in each of the above embodiments, and the water wettability of the material to be sorted is determined. I try to do better.

The principle of water specific gravity separation is to separate the water according to whether it is larger (sinks) or smaller (floats) than the specific gravity of the water to be used. By adding a nonionic surfactant to the circulating water, the surface properties of the substance are determined. Can be reduced, and the sorting accuracy can be improved. In addition, nonionic surfactants are among the least active among the surfactants, but foaming causes bubbles to adhere to the sorted material, and reduces the sorting accuracy. By adding together, foaming of the surfactant can be suppressed.

[0079]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a magnetic force sorting step of extracting an iron-based metal from the primary crushed material crushed in the primary crushing process, and the magnetic force sorting. A secondary crushing step of refracturing the crushed material from which the ferrous metal has been removed in the process, and crushing of at least the primary crushed material or the secondary crushed material such as film, styrofoam and other ultra-lightweight materials and other plastics and non-ferrous materials A wind separation step of separating the crushed material into a heavy specific gravity material composed of a mixture of a copper wire, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, a mounted printed circuit board, and the like; Medium specific gravity mainly composed of styrene resin, etc., and a specific gravity of 1.
It has a water-specific gravity sorting process that sorts into three types of light specific gravity materials composed of olefinic resins smaller than 0. Therefore, motors, compressors and internal wiring used for waste home appliances that were difficult to separate and recover after crushing Copper wires can be collected together with copper wires and aluminum as heavy non-ferrous materials with high non-ferrous content without having to disassemble the product and remove parts beforehand. can do. In the case of a washing machine, a polypropylene resin, which accounts for about 80% of the plastic used, can be separated and collected.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, 1
A primary air separation step of separating the primary crushed material crushed in the next crushing step into a mixture of a plastic group and a ferrous metal, a non-ferrous metal, a mounted printed circuit board, and the like, and a ferrous metal from the separated mixture. A magnetic force sorting step for taking out, a secondary crushing step for refracturing a mixture of the non-ferrous metal and the mounted printed circuit board after collecting the plastic group and the ferrous metal, and a film from at least the primary crushed substance or the secondary crushed substance. And a secondary wind separation step for removing ultra-light materials such as styrene foam, and a refraction-crushed material having a specific gravity of 1.80, which is a mixture of a copper wire, a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy, and a mounted printed circuit board. Medium specific gravity mainly composed of a styrene resin or the like, which is larger than 0 and approximately 1.05;
Since it has a water specific gravity sorting step of sorting into three types of light specific gravity composed of smaller olefin-based resin, after primary crushing, iron is recovered by magnetic force sorting from roughly iron and non-ferrous metal groups by wind power In addition, it is possible to recover iron with less foreign matter, and also to recover large non-ferrous metals of high value by using an eddy current screening device. Furthermore, similar to claim 1, the motors, compressors and copper wires of the internal wiring used in the waste home appliances, which were difficult to separate and collect after crushing, were not dismantled in advance, and the parts were not taken out. Copper wires and small aluminum that could not be recovered by the eddy current sorter can be recovered together as heavy non-ferrous materials with high specific gravity, and these can be easily separated and recovered for each material with high efficiency. In the case of a washing machine, a polypropylene resin, which accounts for about 80% of the plastic used, can be separated and collected.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an underwater crushing step of re-crushing a light specific gravity substance, a medium specific gravity substance, or only a light specific gravity substance in water after selecting a heavy specific gravity substance. Is finely crushed in the underwater crushing process, so that the sorting accuracy can be improved and the plastic surface can be washed effectively.
In the case of a washing machine, the polypropylene resin occupying about 80% of the plastic used can be separated and collected as a moldable resin piece without pelletizing.

According to the invention described in claim 4, 3
In the next step of the water specific gravity sorting step to sort by type, since there is a second water specific gravity sorting step to sort the collected light specific substances for close inspection, in the floating / sedimentation type water specific gravity sorting step using only the specific gravity difference, Primary sorting of most materials with a specific gravity of more than 1.0,
Only the olefin resin group originally collected for the purpose of material recycling is finely crushed in the underwater crushing process and the plastic surface is washed to increase the ratio of resin amount to water amount, so the sorting accuracy of the second water specific gravity sorting process Can be improved, and the moldable polypropylene resin can be collected without pelleting and without molding.
In addition, when the centrifugal water-specific-gravity sorting device is used in the second water-specific-gravity sorting process, centrifugal force one to two orders higher than that of the hydrocyclone can be applied to the sorted product, so that there is less foreign matter contamination. The resin can be recovered, and the centrifugal water-specific gravity separator that rotates at a high speed can be made compact to improve the reliability of the device.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first coagulating sedimentation step for coagulating and sedimenting suspended matters and suspended matters of water used in the water specific gravity sorting step. When such household appliances are crushed, mud, fiber waste,
Metal particles generated by soiling or crushing of human soil, mold, etc., contaminate the circulating water in the water specific gravity selection process, but can be separated with purified water by providing the first coagulation and sedimentation process in the circulating water route, thus improving the environment. And re-contamination of the recyclables can be prevented. Also, in the case of drainage, BOD and SS can be significantly reduced.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a second coagulation sedimentation step for coagulating and sedimenting a molten substance of water used in the water specific gravity separation step, so that it is used in many waste home appliances. Since heavy metals such as lead in solder are hardly dissolved at pH 10, by providing the second coagulation precipitation step, heavy metals, SS and BOD are reduced, and drainage to sewage becomes possible. In addition, sorting can be performed with high-level purified water, thereby improving the environment and preventing re-contamination of recyclables.

According to the invention of claim 7, since a nonionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant and an antifoaming agent are blended in the water used in the water specific gravity separation step, The surface tension of water can be lowered to improve the wettability of the crushed material.Furthermore, by adding an antifoaming agent, foaming and adhesion of air bubbles due to the activator can be prevented. Can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process flowchart of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wind separation device used in the method for recycling used home appliances.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a floating / sedimentation type water-specific gravity separator used in the method for recycling used household electrical appliances.

FIG. 4 is a process flowchart of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partially cut-away side view of a wind separation device used in the method of recycling used household electrical appliances.

FIG. 6 is a process flowchart of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a water-specific-gravity sorting device used in the method for recycling used household electrical appliances.

FIG. 8 is a process flowchart of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a water-specific-gravity separator used in the method for recycling used household electrical appliances.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a water-specific-gravity separator used in a method of recycling waste household electrical appliances according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the main steps of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the main steps of a method for recycling used household electrical appliances according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a process flowchart of an example of a conventional waste home appliance recycling method.

FIG. 14 is a process flowchart of another example of a conventional method for recycling used household electrical appliances.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a water-use separator used in the method for recycling used household electrical appliances.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 Primary crushing process 4 Magnetic force sorting process 29a Primary wind sorting process (wind sorting process) 29b Secondary wind sorting process (wind sorting process) 34 Secondary crushing process 35 Water specific gravity sorting process

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shinji Tanaka 1006 Kadoma Kadoma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yucho Ikegawa 1006 Kadoma Kadoma City, Osaka Pref. F term (reference) 4D004 AA22 BA05 BA07 CA04 CA08 CA09 CA10 CA13 CB13 CC05 DA03 DA20 4F301 AA12 AA15 BA12 BA21 BA29 BE29 BF09 BF12 BF26 BF29 BF32

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic separation step of extracting an iron-based metal from a primary crushed product crushed in a primary crushing step, and a secondary crushing of re-crushing the crushed material from which the iron-based metal has been removed in the magnetic separation step. Process, wind separation process to separate at least primary crushed material or secondary crushed material into ultra-light material such as film and styrofoam and other plastic and non-ferrous crushed material, and re-crushed crushed material with copper A heavy specific gravity object composed of a mixture of a wire and a copper alloy, an aluminum alloy and a printed circuit board; a medium specific gravity mainly composed of a styrene-based resin having a specific gravity of more than 1.0 and about 1.05; .
A method for recycling waste electrical appliances, comprising: a water specific gravity selection step of selecting three types of light specific gravity substances made of an olefin resin smaller than 0. 2. A primary wind separation step of separating the primary crushed material crushed in the primary crushing step into a mixture of a plastic group and a ferrous metal, a non-ferrous metal, a mounted printed circuit board, and the like; A magnetic separation step of extracting the iron-based metal from the mixture, a non-ferrous metal after collecting the plastic group and the iron-based metal, a secondary crushing step of re-crushing the mixture of the mounted printed circuit board and the like, and at least a primary crushed material or A secondary wind sorting process for removing ultra-light materials such as film and styrofoam from the secondary crushed material, and a heavy-gravity material composed of a mixture of copper wire, copper alloy, aluminum alloy, and mounted printed circuit board, etc. And three types of medium specific gravity mainly composed of styrene-based resin, etc., whose specific gravity is larger than 1.0 and about 1.05, and light specific gravity composed of olefin-based resin whose specific gravity is smaller than 1.0. A method for recycling waste home appliances having a water specific gravity sorting step for sorting. 3. The recycling of waste home appliances according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an underwater crushing step of re-crushing the light specific substance, the medium specific substance, or only the light specific substance in water after sorting the heavy specific substances. Processing method. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a second water-specific-gravity sorting step of selecting the collected light-specific-gravity substances for scrutiny, after the water-specific-gravity sorting step of sorting into three types. The recycling method for waste home appliances described in the item. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a first coagulation sedimentation step of coagulating sedimentation of suspended matter or suspension of water used in the water specific gravity separation step. Resource recycling method. 6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a second coagulation sedimentation step for coagulation sedimentation of a molten substance of water used in the water specific gravity separation step.
4. The method for recycling waste electrical home appliances according to any one of the items 4 to 4. 7. The recycling method of a waste home appliance according to claim 1, wherein a nonionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant and an antifoaming agent are blended in water used in the water specific gravity sorting step. Resource recycling method.