Abstract: A method is provided for recovering rhenium from a titania-supported, rhenium-containing catalyst by treating the catalyst in the reduced form with an acid in an amount and for a time sufficient to dissolve the rhenium without dissolving the support.

Abstract: Processing for the extraction of metals consisting of platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium, osmium, ruthenium, rhenium and gold (PGMRA) includes dissolution of the PGMRA metals from solid materials in an acidic aqueous solution, preferably with a halogen acid sparged with the corresponding halogen element. The acidic solution is then exposed to extraction material of non-cross-linked polyamine composite resin. The bound metal, following washing of the extraction material is eluted from the resin using stronger acidic processes than that provided in the wash of the resin. Conventional extraction by organic solvents or other known techniques is employed to recover the PGMRA metals. Rhodium is separated from the rest of the PGMRA metals either near the beginning or the end of the process. Rhodium is separated by creating hydroxides with the metals in the solution and then reacidifying the metals such that the rhodium remains as aquochlororhodate complexes.

Abstract: Process for recovering catalytic coating material from catalytic converters, catalytic material or catalytic assemblies where the catalytic coating material is bonded to a metal supporting structure, the process being carried out by contacting the catalytic coating material with nitric acid and/or a nitrate-containing chemical or material, applying heat, agitating the catalytic converters, catalytic material or catalytic assemblies being processed to dislodge the catalytic coating material, and rinsing the catalytic converters, catalytic material or catalytic assemblies with water to facilitate the removal of remaining catalytic coating material, and recovering ionic metal species dissolved by the nitric acid and/or nitrate-containing chemical or material.

Abstract: Process for recovering catalyst coating material from a supporting structure, such as, for example, a catalytic converter assembly having a metal mantle, including contacting the catalytic coating material with a sodium; potassium or ammonium hydroxide-containing compound at an elevated temperature; and rinsing with a liquid and filtering the solid catalyst coating material from the solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving energy supply when heating and melting a scrap bulk wherein a preheated oxidizing gas with addition of fossil fuels melts a channel into the scrap bulk and further energy supply occurs through this channel. A significant improvement of the process is achieved by supplying hot blast to the scrap bulk from the top.

Abstract: In a postage payment system, a secure integrated circuit (IC) card is used to manage postage funds, and create encrypted postage indicia. Among other things, the system is capable of performing charge-back accounting of postage expenses and generating mail contents. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the postage indicia are applied onto selected locations of the mail contents while they are being generated. In the preferred embodiment, each mail content is placed in a window envelope such that the postage indicium on the mail content exposes through a window of the envelope to facilitate inspection of the indicium. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, by including transactional data in addition to the traditional postal data in a postage indicium, the indicium can be used to pay bills, purchase products and services, including any courier service different than the postal service.

Abstract: A method of recycling metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the coating layer liquidus temperature is lower than the core layer solidus temperature, such as brazing sheet scrap pieces, or metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the upper part of the melting range of the coating layer overlaps the lower part of the melting range of the core layer, by at least partially removing the coating layer from the core layer of the scrap pieces making use of a heat resistant metallurgical vessel having an opening for introducing the scrap pieces into the vessel and an exit for discharging essentially molten alloy. The vessel being rotatable around an axis of rotation.

Abstract: A method of operating mechanical separation devices at high temperatures to separate various volatile metals, metal halides and metal oxides to produce high purity materials.

Abstract: A method of recycling metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the coating layer liquidus temperature is lower than the core layer solidus temperature, such as brazing sheet scrap pieces, or metallic coated scrap pieces wherein the upper part of the melting range of the coating layer overlaps the lower part of the melting range of the core layer, by at least partially removing the coating layer from the core layer of the scrap pieces making use of a heat resistant metallurgical vessel having an opening for introducing the scrap pieces into the vessel and an exit for discharging essentially molten alloy. The vessel being rotatable around an axis of rotation.

Abstract: In a method and a system for sorting shredder residues of metal-containing wastes, in particular from vehicle body shells, shredder residues are separated into a light shredder fraction and a non-ferromagnetic fraction. The method and system provide for a raw-granulate fraction being produced during the sorting of the light shredder fraction and the heavy shredder fraction in preliminary processes and a main process, by separating out at least one ferromagnetic fraction, a nonferrous-metal fraction, a lint fraction, and a sand fraction, and the raw-granulate fraction being split up in a refining process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of purifying polluted soil and/or burned ash containing heavy metals and/or organic compounds with a higher throughput than a conventional method. In this method, polluted soil and/or burned ash is dried by, for example, a rotary dryer so that the moisture content is 5% by mass or less, preferably 3% by mass or less, and then large lumps having a particle diameter of 10 mm or more are removed by a vibrating screen. Only an undersize portion is formed into a briquette having a volume of about 6 cm3 by a press molding machine. The briquette is charged in a rotary hearth furnace together with the large lumps, and heated in the furnace to remove or detoxify the heavy metals and organic compounds by evaporation with high efficiency.

Abstract: A process comprises a separating process to mechanically separate refuse secondary batteries and to separate them into a separated cathode material and a separated anode material, and a process to recover valent metals from the separated anode and the separated cathode material separated in the separating process is disclosed.

Abstract: A continuous process for transforming, by chemico-physical reactions inside molten slag, materials to be gasified, thermally destroyed, inertized, or from which elements of commercial value are to be recovered, yielding controlled composition products, in an apparatus made of a single reaction chamber, called reactor, having a substantially cylindrical symmetry, including two portions, a top and a bottom one, communicating and functionally distinct therebetween for carrying out the process, said process being characterised in that it comprises the steps of:

Abstract: A metallic coating layer is removed at least partly from scrap metal pieces having a core and the coating layer on the core. The coating layer has a lower melting temperature than the core. The scrap metal pieces are agitated in a container with abrading elements so as to cause multiple collisions, whereby the coating layer is at least partly removed. During the agitating the container temperature is a temperature T in the range Ts(coat)<T<TL(core) wherein Ts(coat) is the solidus temperature of the coating layer and TL(core) is the liquidus temperature of the core. The agitation may be by rotationally tumbling or shaking the scrap metal pieces and the abrading elements.

Abstract: A processing apparatus capable of separating and recovering resins and metals, respectively, from an object being processed, which has resins and metals as its constituent, comprises a first gastight area (102), in which temperature and pressure are regulated so as to permit selective thermal decomposition of resins from the object (150) being processed, a second gastight area (103), which is partitioned from the first gastight area by an openable and closeable partition (105C) and in which temperature and pressure are regulated so as to permit selective vaporization of metals from the object, first recovering chamber (111) connected to the first gastight area for recovering gases produced by thermal decomposition of resins, and second recovering chamber (115) connected to the second gastight area for recovering vaporized metals.

Abstract: A mercury retorting apparatus, a retorting system, and a method for continuous removal of mercury from dry, semi-granular, and sludge materials contaminated with mercury without shutting down the system for removal of accumulated liquid mercury, water, and dust particles. The retorting apparatus comprises a powered screw feed assembly having a feed tube with a closely fitting feed screw therein. The screw feed assembly feeds the material from the lower portion of a hopper configured to contain a quantity thereof into a rotatably powered retorting tube in which a vacuum is drawn. The material forms a seal within the powered screw feed assembly against vacuum loss in the retorting tube during operation thereof. A first rotatable seal between the feed tube and retorting tube prevents vacuum loss therebetween. An elongate electric kiln encloses the mid-portion of the retorting tube.

Abstract: An aluminium base alloy for production of casting alloys with magnesium as the most essential alloy element contains at least 50% scrap metal on primary aluminium base and as the remainder primary aluminium and/or scrap metal on secondary aluminium base of known composition. For production of the aluminium base alloy mainly foodstuff and animal feed packings are used, separated with a pyrolysis process and then the aluminium contained in the packing recycled by melting. The casting alloys produced from the aluminium base alloy are suitable in particular for production of heat-resistant and/or corrosion-resistant parts in the engine area, in particular for production of engine blocks, cylinder heads and oil sumps, by means of sand casting, chilled casting, diecasting, thixocasting or thixoforging.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously recycling a plurality of used oil filters involves placing a plurality of the filters into a rectangular compartment having a top, opposite sides, a bottom, and first and second ends. Pressure is exerted on the oil filters in a first longitudinal direction, and a second compressive pressure is imposed on the filters in a second longitudinal direction at a substantial right angle with respect to the first longitudinal direction. The first and second pressures are sufficient to compress the air filters to a substantial self-contained rectangular block. This method produces a self-contained block wherein 90% to 95% of the residual oil in the filters is removed.

Abstract: In order to preheat pieces of iron scrap of various sizes and shapes highly effectively while avoiding the fusion of the pieces of iron scrap, a rotary kiln type preheating furnace and a shaft type preheating furnace are arranged in parallel with each other in the front stage of a melting furnace in which iron scrap is melted, and preheated iron scrap is charged from both preheating furnaces into the melting furnace. A damper is provided between the shaft type preheating furnace and the melting furnace, so that exhaust gas discharged from the melting furnace is prevented from directly flowing into the shaft type preheating furnace and introduced into the rotary kiln type preheating furnace. Exhaust gas which has passed through the rotary kiln type preheating furnace is introduced into the shaft type preheating furnace preferably from an upper portion and discharged from a lower portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing waste that contains contaminants. The contaminants may be metals modified by carbon, oxygen, phosphorus, or sulfur. The waste in the form of a powder is mixed with an ionic reducing agent in an inert liquid medium. The mixture is melted to give a first liquid phase and a second metal phase. The two phases are separated and solidified to enable disposal or temporary storage of the first liquid phase and to enable recycling of the second metal phase. The method is useful for inerting or reclaiming waste containing metal contaminants.

Abstract: Niobium, Nb, is refined from FeNb by electron beam melt refining. The amount of the impurities in the FeNb which form suboxides with oxygen is optionally determined. Sufficient oxygen is added to form oxides with these impurities. The electron beam melt refining process is carried out at a sufficiently high temperature and under a sufficiently low vacuum so that the impurities are removed as oxides from the liquid Nb and the purified Nb is recovered. Preferably the oxygen is added as an oxygen-containing compound such as Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5. The recovered Nb can be subjected to additional electron beam melt refining cycles to obtain the desired purity.

Abstract: A methods for re-utilizing, for example, scrap steels are provided. A method is provided for separating Sn-containing oxides from steel by blowing Sn-containing oxides away from a steel using a gas. Also provided is a method of making a reclaimed steel by(a) heating a coated steel having an Sn-containing surface layer to oxidize at least a portion of the surface layer;(b) separating at least a portion of the surface layer from the coated steel to produce Sn-containing oxides and an uncoated steel;(c) blowing the Sn-containing oxides away from the uncoated steel using an exhaust gas,where steps (a), (b), and (c) are conducted in a first reaction zone;(d) melting the steel in a second reaction zone to produce the reclaimed steel and an exhaust gas; and(e) recycling at least a portion of the exhaust gas produced in the second reaction zone to the first reaction zone for use in the blowing step,where steps (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) are conducted simultaneously.

Abstract: To provide a method for taking out gas generators readily from waste vehicles and then recovering metallic materials of gas generators taken out efficiently. The method is comprised by a) crushing waste vehicles in which air bag apparatuses are installed by a crushing means so that the crushed pieces have approximately the same size as that of the gas generators themselves and the gas generators themselves can be separated from the air bag apparatuses as single bodies without being substantially crushed; b) taking the gas generators out of the crushed pieces of the waste vehicles; c) charging the gas generators thus taken out into a melting furnace; and d) recovering the metallic materials of the gas generator from the melting furnace.

Abstract: This process comprises; mixing (1) the solid residues with a solid reducing agent; treating (2) the mixture in a furnace at a temperature above 1000.degree. C. to obtain (3) a vitrified product rendered poor in metals and an emission of gas enriched in metallic elements in a vapour phase; air quenching (4) the gases rich in metals; filtering (5) the products resulting from the air quenching to obtain secondary ashes rich in metallic salts; at the end of the filtering operation, washing the smoke (6) for discharging it to the atmosphere; and subjecting the secondary ashes rich in metallic salts to a treatment for producing a product rich in valuable metals (7 to 10).

Abstract: A method is described which allows two hazardous waste products, namely PVC and electric arc furnace dust, both of which have negative commercial value, to be combined to produce an iron oxide suitable for steel making and making pure cadmium lead and zinc and chlorine, all of which can be sold. The heat generated during the exothermic reaction may be used to generate electricity which may be sold or used in plants where the reaction is carded out. The method can also be used for metal scraps.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recovery of raw materials from presorted collected waste, especially scrap electrochemical batteries and accumulators in which the scrap (10)is first mechanically prepared and divided into coarse and fine fractions (15, 16) which are further processed separately. Materials to be recovered are extracted by dissolution in steps by a first and a second solvent in a wet chemical preparation process from the fine fraction and then recovered individually from the two solutions.

Abstract: A method for dealing with mercury-containing waste including button-type batteries, wherein the waste is heated in a furnace while being agitated and in the presence of elementary selenium vapour in an amount sufficient to form mercury-selenide from essentially all the mercury contained by the waste. The waste is heated to a temperature at which mercury and selenium will be present in a gaseous state and at which solid mercury-selenide will not form, and a partial pressure of oxygen is maintained at a sufficiently low level to avoid oxidation of the selenium. The thus treated mercury-freed waste is extracted from the resultant process gas and from any other solid material that may be present and is either dumped or worked-up metallurgically.

Abstract: A process for removing copper in a recoverable form from a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix is disclosed. The process begins by placing a copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix into a reactor vessel. The atmosphere within the reactor vessel is purged with an inert gas or oxidizing while the reactor vessel is heated in the area of the copper/solid ferrous scrap metal mix to raise the temperature within the reactor vessel to a selected elevated temperature. Air is introduced into the reactor vessel and thereafter hydrogen chloride is introduced into the reactor vessel to obtain a desired air-hydrogen chloride mix. The air-hydrogen chloride mix is operable to form an oxidizing and chloridizing atmosphere which provides a protective oxide coating on the surface of the solid ferrous scrap metal in the mix and simultaneously oxidizes/chloridizes the copper in the mix to convert the copper to a copper monochloride gas for transport away from the solid ferrous scrap metal.

Abstract: Metal plated steel sheet scraps are heated to a temperature in the range of about 200.degree. C.-500.degree. C. so that organic material adhered to the scraps is evaporated and removed. Then, the scraps from which organic material has been removed are heated to a temperature in the range of about 500.degree. C.-950.degree. C. so that the plated metal, for example zinc or aluminum, is evaporated. The evaporated metal flows to a retrieving device where the evaporated metal is condensed and retrieved.

Abstract: A method for removing free lead from a feed stream of used aluminum beverage cans (UBC) to reduce the total lead content of the feed stream. The UBC material is shredded, heated to a temperature above the lead melting point, and agitated to cause the molten lead to fragment and form small particles. The material is then screened to form a second particle stream containing a large percentage of any free lead present in the feed stream and a third particle stream comprised primarily of shredded UBC. The second particle stream is introduced into a fluidized bed to separate the fines from the aluminum particles, the fines containing the majority of the free lead. The aluminum-enriched remaining particles, after separation from the fines, are conveyed for subsequent reprocessing.

Abstract: A method of recovering an aluminum alloy and a stainless steel alloy from an air bag inflator 10 that has aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing 12 and non-aluminum alloy parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter 18. The non-aluminum parts have a higher melting temperature than the aluminum alloy parts of the air bag inflator 10. The method comprises heating the air bag inflator 10 in the range of the melting temperature of aluminum and then recovering the aluminum alloy which is not contaminated with the material of the higher melting temperature parts. After the aluminum alloy has melted from the air bag inflator 10, the non-aluminum parts are heated to a higher temperature to melt any stainless steel alloy from the non-aluminum parts. The stainless steel alloy is recovered as a high purity stainless steel alloy end product.

Abstract: A method of simultaneous disposal of liquid and solid wastes comprises the steps of introducing liquid and solid wastes into a gasification reactor with a cooled reactor inner wall and liquid slag discharge and gasifying the liquid and solid wastes at a temperature which is at least 50.degree. C. higher than a melting temperature of mineral components of the solid wastes with a dwelling time of a produced gas in the gasification reactor more than 2 seconds.

Abstract: A method for recovering substance such as zincing or the like adhered to the surface of an object to be processed, by causing such materials to be evaporated in a vacuum. In this method, the object to the processed is placed in a furnace provided with heating means; the temperature within the furnace is elevated up to a predetermined level with the aid of an oxidizing gas atmosphere; the pressure in the furnace is reduced so that the quantity of the oxidizing gas is reduced to be below the explosion limit; and vaccum or a reducing gas atmosphere is fed into the furnace to reduce the oxidization of the object to be processed. Thereafter, the interior of the furnace is evacuated while being maintained under a predetermined evaporation temperature condition; and the substance evaporated from the object to be processed is passed to recovery means provided in communication with the furnace, so that the substance thus evaporated is condensed in the recovery means and recovered therefrom.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering cadmium in used nickel-cadmium batteries by heat treatment. According to the invention, a plastic case for a battery can be separated from a battery body easily without leaking cadmium. High purity cadmium can be recovered by volatilizing cadmium in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for the continuous pyrolytic decomposition of a feed material having an organic and an inorganic component and recovery of the inorganic component, carbon-free, for reuse in essentially the same material as from which it originally emanated inter alia. The apparatus includes a reactor assembly for receiving and pyrolytically decomposing the organic component of the feed material. The reactor assembly includes a screw-type conveyer assembly wherein the flights which convey the residue through a housing having openings therein to allow gaseous decomposition products to pass therethrough to preclude pressurization of the housing by the decomposition products.

Abstract: This method of preheating scrap iron mixed with plastic, rubber and resinous, ie organic, materials and intended for electric furnaces, in particular electric arc furnaces, is characterized by transforming the plastic, rubbery or resinous and like materials of organic nature present in the scrap iron, to advantageously eliminate them by a path able to produce thermal energy usable for preheating the scrap to be melted, said path consisting of pyrolysis in an environment fed both with the scrap to be melted and with said organic materials, the whole being previously shredded.

Abstract: A process and an arrangement are disclosed for the removal of a low-melting embedding body from a higher-melting embedded component. A groove is provided along a molding-in base of the component and by means of the widening of the groove via heatable elements, the resulting halves of the embedding body are removed. The process and the arrangement are particularly suitable for separating embedded guide and moving blades from the manufactured embedding body.