[en] The use of Electro Dynamic Fragmentation (EDF) enables selective fragmentation of materials through generating electrical discharges as a means of fracturing. Liberated materials can be thus processed downstream in a more efficient way especially when value-added End-of-Life (EoL) electronic equipment is recycled. The aim of this study was to assess the benefits of the EDF technology towards processing of EoL printed wiring boards (PWBs) in view their recyclability.
Printed wiring boards were comminuted using EDF at three different settings and with a hammer mill for comparative experiment. The products coming out were characterized by optical microscopy, SEM and liberation oriented leaching. Subsamples from the various EDF stages were inspected to investigate the progress of cracks and degree of copper layers exposure. The different energy levels used during the EDF processing have resulted in different degrees of PWBs damages, starting from components removal to entire structure perturbation and size reduction. EDF has resulted in generation of a lesser amount of fines, however the optimal approach in view energy efficient post-processing of the studied PWBs was the combination between single-stage EDF for components removal only with subsequent shredding of the depopulated boards.
Disciplines :
Geological, petroleum & mining engineering
Author, co-author :
Martino, Rémi; Université de Liège
Iseli, Cedric; Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz
Gaydardzhiev, Stoyan ; Université de Liège > Département ArGEnCo > Traitement et recyclage des matières minérales
Duan, C.L., Diao, Z.J., Zhao, Y.M., Huang, W., Liberation of valuable materials in waste printed circuit boards by high-voltage electrical pulses. Miner. Eng. 70 (2015), 170–177.
Eurostat, 2016. Waste Statistics – Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Accessed on July 20, 2016. ISSN 2443–8219.
Guo, Y., Huang, C., Zhang, H., Dong, Q., Heavy metal contamination from electronic waste recycling at Guiyu, Southeastern China. J. Environ. Qual. 38:4 (2009), 1617–1626.
Hagelüken, C., 2006a. Recycling of electronic scrap at Umicore's integrated metals smelter and refinery. In: Erzmetall, 59, pp. 152–161.
Hagelüken, C., Recycling of electronic scrap at Umicore precious metals refining. Acta Metallurgica Slovaca 12 (2006), 111–120.
Hurtony, T., Szakál, A., Almásy, L., Len, A., Kugler, S., Bonyár, A., Gordon, P., Characterization of the microstructure of tin-silver lead free solder. J. Alloy. Compd. 672 (2016), 13–19.
Razavian, S.M., Rezai, B., Irannajad, M., Investigation on pre-weakening and crushing of phosphate ore using high voltage electric pulses. Adv. Powder Technol. 25 (2014), 1672–1678.
Reuter, M., Hudson, C., van Schaik, A., Heiskanen, K., Meskers, C., Hagelüken, C., Metal Recyling – Opportunities, Limits, Infrastructure. International Resource Panel. 2013, UNEP, 318.
Roux, M., Dransfeld, K., Eguemann, N., Giger, L., Proceedings of the 16th European Conference of Composite Materials (ECCM16): Seville, Spain, 22–26 June 2014, 2014.
Schluep, M., Hagelueken, C., Kuehr, R., Magalini, F., Maurer, C., Meskers, C., Mueller, E., Wang, F., Recycling – From E-Waste to Resources. Sustainable Innovation and Technology Transfer Industrial Sector Studies. 2009, UNEP, 94.
Shi, F., Zuo, W., Manlapig, E., Characterisation of pre-weakening effect on ores by high voltage electrical pulses based on single-particle tests. Miner. Eng. 50–51 (2013), 69–76.
Tuncuk, A., Stazi, V., Akcil, A., Yazici, E.Y., Deveci, H., Aqueous metal recovery techniques from e-scrap: Hydrometallurgy in recycling. Miner. Eng. 25 (2012), 28–37.
Van der Wielen, K.P., Application of High Voltage Breakage to a Range of Rock Types of Varying Physical Properties (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from Open Research Exeter, 2013, University of Exeter.
Wang, E., Shi, F., Manlapig, E., Pre-weakening of mineral ores by high voltage pulses. Miner. Eng. 24 (2011), 455–462.
Wang, E., Shi, F., Manlapig, E., Mineral liberation by high voltage pulses and conventional comminution with same specific energy levels. Miner. Eng. 27–28 (2012), 28–36.
Wang, J., Guo, J., Xu, Z., An environmentally friendly technology of disassembling electronic components from waste printed circuit boards. Waste Manage. 53 (2016), 218–224.
Zhao, Y., Zhang, B., Duan, C., Chen, X., Sun, S., Material port fractal of fragmentation of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) by high-voltage pulse. Powder Technol. 269 (2015), 219–226.
Zuo, W., Shi, F., van der Wielen, K.P., Weh, A., Ore particle breakage behavior in a pilot scale high voltage pulse machine. Miner. Eng. 84 (2015), 64–73.
