Project Proposal Feasibility Study - Calvin College · 2012-12-10 · 4 Project Background Information ... The payback period will be approximately three years. ... the carbon and

Project Proposal Feasibility Study Metallic Joules

Sam Allison, Annelle Eben, Allyson Hofman, Joe Mohan

Engr339/340 Senior Design Project

Calvin College

12 Nov 2011

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© 2012, Team Metallic Joules and Calvin College

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Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary

2 Introduction 1.1 Project Overview

1.2 Design Norms

1.2.1 Stewardship 1.2.2 Integrity

1.2.3 Caring

1.2.4 Love 3 Project Management

3.1 Team Organization

3.2 Schedule

3.3 Method of Approach 4 Project Background Information

4.1 What is E-waste?

4.2 Recycling Mandates 4.3 Novel Plasma technology

5 Design Constraints

5.1 Client Communication and Relationship 5.2 Project Scope

5.3 Requirements

6 Equipment Research

6.1 Filter Types 6.2 Reactors

7 Elemental separation Research

8 Process Proposal 8.1 Acid Washing

8.2 Process specific details

8.3 Revenue estimates

9 Business Plan 10 Conclusion

10.1 Choice of separations process

10.2 Future development 11 Bibliography

12 Acknowledgements

13 Appendices

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Table of Figures Figure 1: Overall Process ......................................................................................................................... 3

Figure 2: General Separations Process Description ................................................................................ 13

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a simple pressure Nutsche filter cycle ................................................... 17

Figure 4: Acid Wash Showing Example of Nitric Acid .......................................................................... 29

Figure 5: Quantity of electronic products ready for end-of-life management in the United States............ 32

Figure 6: Quantity of electronic products collected for recycling or disposal by year. ............................. 33

Table of Tables Table 1: Approximate E-Waste Composition ........................................................................................... 4

Table 2: Gantt Chart ................................................................................................................................ 8

Table 3: Uses of Phosphorous ................................................................................................................ 26

Table 4: Lithium Separation .................................................................................................................. 26

Table 5: Results of Electronics Recycling Survey .................................................................................. 31

Table 6: Preliminary Revenues .............................................................................................................. 34

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1 Executive Summary

Our design project involves taking electronic waste and breaking it down to an atomic level where

precious metals can be extracted and resold for a profit. The electronic waste is initially broken down and

fed into an industrial gasification unit. Once broken down, to ensure that there are no waste molecules

left, the stream is fed into a plasma arc reactor. This breaks the e-waste down to an atomic level. Once

broken down, the metal is cooled and ground up into a metallic dust stream. The project focuses

specifically on the separation and purification of a metallic dust stream. After speaking with our client to

determine the goals and objectives of the project, significant research was conducted to determine

separation process. The platinum group metals (PGM) are the focus of the process optimization, because

those metals are expected to provide the most profit. Much research was done to determine the best

process to separate these metals. Technology rejected included electrophoresis, magnetic separation, and

hydrological separation due to their high costs and complexity. The technology selected to isolate the

PGM elements is an acid wash. The dust feed stream is dissolved into an acidic solution, which allows

certain elements to precipitate out as salts and metallic oxides. Those elements will then be filtered out,

purified, and sold.

Our goal for this technique is to optimize for the lowest cost. Our technique will require approximately

$265.5 million in total investment and will cost approximately $115 million a year to operate. The

process will produce approximately $214 million in sales revenue per year, which results in a profit from

this process of approximately $46 million per year once the plant has been paid for. The payback period

will be approximately three years.

Additional considerations have been made regarding the waste that will be generated from the stream. All

toxic elements are separated out and treated according to legal environmental standards which are

discussed in later sections. Other considerations have also been made regarding the economic and

environmental impact of our plant in places where electronic waste pollution is rampant, specifically in

Guiyu, China, the “electronic graveyard” of the world. Not only does this process produce nearly zero

EPA reportable emissions, it can reduce the amount of pollution and waste already present in both

developing and developed countries.

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2 Introduction

2.1 Project Overview

The project focuses on recovering the precious metals out of electronic waste. Electronic waste is defined

as any consumer or business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life. Equipment

that is considered electronic waste includes computers, refrigerators, lamps, microwaves, etc. Because

new electronic products are being developed and sold at an exponential rate, more and more electronic

waste is generated.

Before our process is explained, it is worth noting that electronic waste (e-waste) must be dealt with

differently than municipal waste. This is due to the materials that make up e-waste. Common elements in

this waste include copper, iron, gold, and silver, all of which are relatively harmless. Electronic waste

becomes a problem because of the toxic and hazardous materials within the waste such as lead, mercury,

and cadmium. In parts of China, villages that recycled this material by hand are now uninhabitable

because of the toxic materials released from this waste. In order to stop this from happening, special

techniques must be utilized to eliminate this waste to prevent adverse health and environmental

conditions. This new process eliminates electronic waste in an environmentally friendly, zero emissions

process, all while turning a profit.

The process begins by taking electronic waste and grinding it into a workable stream that is fed into an

industrial gasification unit. This unit melts the waste to a single molten stream. The gasification unit

burns the waste in the absence of oxygen and nitrogen. The significance of this is that it causes zero EPA

reportable emissions from the process. Once the waste is melted down, it is fed into an arc plasma reactor

which reduces everything to an atomic level. This ensures that each element is purely atomic. No

compounds remain after being fed through the plasma separation unit. From the elements in the plasma

unit, the carbon and hydrogen are removed as a byproduct in the form of a synthetic gas, which can be

recycled and used directly as an energy source elsewhere in the plant to reduce costs. Once the carbon and

hydrogen are stripped from the plasma unit, the remaining material is cast into a sheet and cooled. The

sheet of metal is then crushed into a dust that must be separated into its individual elements, purified to

various levels, and sold. This separation and purification process is where our group has decided to focus

our analysis, and can be seen in

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Gasification UnitSeparation and

PurificationPlasma Arc ReactorMolten

Stream

SellableProduct

E-wasteAtomicStream

Figure 1: Overall Process below.

Gasification UnitSeparation and

PurificationPlasma Arc ReactorMolten

Stream

SellableProduct

E-wasteAtomicStream

Figure 1: Overall Process

The goal of our project is to take the metallic dust and separate it into individual elements or

combinations of elements that can be sold. It is important to note the purity of these elements does not

need to be 100%. If an element can be separated to a high level purity in an economically feasible

process, that would be ideal. However, if it is more economically feasible to sell an alloy of gold and

silver for example, that will be done instead of designing a separations unit for separating the gold from

the silver. The system will be designed with the objective of maximizing profits while being safe and

environmentally friendly. Our goal is to recover as much of the purified metal as possible using the least

expensive processes.

Certain design guidelines govern our project. One of which is cost, which was discussed previously.

Another guideline for our project is the environmental impact of our separation units. Our process is

designed so that it will not produce any harmful byproducts that operators would handle, or that would be

released to the environment. It is also designed to use as few separation units as possible in order to

minimize the footprint that our plant creates. This is related to the cost optimization as well as adding an

element of stewardship to our project.

Because we are designing a segment of the metal recovery process, the feed stream is variable over a

wide range depending on the e-waste being recycled. Our design must have the flexibility to allow for this

while still optimizing for cost efficiency. As a starting point for analysis, the following table shows the

approximate composition of our feed stream.

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Table 1: Approximate E-Waste Composition

Element Percent in Feed Element Percent in Feed

Ferrous Metal* 43% Palladium 0.00003%

Aluminum 14% Indium 0.00%

Copper 12% Brominated Plastics 29%

Lead 1.6% Plastics 19%

Cadmium 0.0014% Lead Glass 0.00%

Mercury 0.0038% Glass 1.7%

Gold 0.000067% Other 10%

Silver 0.00077%

*Ferrous metal is removed from the process immediately after the plasma separator using electrophoresis.

The component labeled “other” contains variable amounts of platinum, rhodium, lead, cadmium, arsenic,

mercury, titanium, gallium, cobalt, neodymium, phosphorus, lithium, and sulfur. The obvious elements

that will prove hazardous are the lead, cadmium, and mercury. Waste treatment for hazardous elements is

an essential part of the process that has been taken into account as part of the optimization of the process.

2.2 Design Norms1

2.2.1 Stewardship

The definition of stewardship as a design norm is to design with careful respect to the earth’s resources,

economic resources, and human resources. This includes taking responsibility for the causes and effects

of the design.

Our project is essentially a recycling system for electronic waste. Because the focus is to recover and

repurpose many metals in the waste, the general focus to continue using the resource of that metal. In

addition, regard for the effects of our process is being considered by having the goal of a “green” system.

A “green” system means that it will have next to no emissions, and it will return materials that enter the

process in a better or purer state than when they entered. This is a key objective. If the cost of being

1 Vanderleest, Steve. “Design Norms.” Senior Design. Science Building Calvin College, Grand Rapids. 8 October.

2012. Lecture.

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“green” means the process is not economical and thus not done, this is a problem. Therefore, a way to

handle the waste appropriately will need to be determined.

2.2.2 Integrity

The definition of integrity as a design norm is with respect to the overall finished project. The final

project should be complete, functional and the form should be uniform, promote human values and

relationships, and be easy or intuitive to use.

Again, the focus is one the recycling of the electronic waste. Recycling promotes human values and

relationships by showing a good intention for a cleaner environment and a better use of the world’s

resources. The evidence of how not utilizing the electronic waste can be seen in Guiyu, China2 where

children suffer from lead poisoning as a result of poor recycling methods already in place. Other health

concerns for the area include a higher-than-average miscarriage rate, and lacerations from poor safety of

working with the metals. The last environmental impact includes how the soil is saturated with lead,

chromium, tin, and other heavy metals poisoning it so that it can no longer be useful for agriculture. By

using our electronic waste recycling system the impacts that affect Guiyu can be avoided. That is why it is

an easy choice to use this system.

Industry benefits from considering these environmental and humane considerations because it creates a

better image for the public. The public will be happier with a “green” or friendly plant compared to the

one in Guiyu. Over time, this design will put other options for recycling e-waste because the public will

be partial to this kind of recycling.

2.2.3 Caring

The definition of caring as a design norm is designing so that the care for people is considered and takes

into account the effect physically, socially, and psychologically on individuals.

The recovery of metals from e-waste by a process which includes maximizing profit, a safety, an

environmentally friendliness, and efficiency demonstrates caring. This is because it cares for people by

considering how it impacts the surrounding environment and how it is concerned with the safety of its

employees. Overall, the recycling makes resources available to people again for their benefits.

2.2.4 Trust

The definition of trust as a design norm is that the design should be trustworthy, dependable, reliable, and

avoids conflicts of interest.

2 "Electronic waste in Guiyu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web.

11 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste_in_Guiyu>

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It is an aim of this project that wherever a plant would be, the surrounding community could trust that all

the hazardous materials including the toxic ones are responsibly taken care of.

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3 Project Management

3.1 Team Organization

3.1.1 Team Structure

Team 1 is made up of four chemical engineering students. All four team members took separations and

process design classes relating to the design project. Each of the team members is roughly equal in

technical capability, and each is expected to contribute equally to the project. Team members are held

accountable throughout the project by the amount of effort, time, and quality of work they are able to

contribute. Because members of the team have all their classes together, impromptu collaboration, team

meetings, and when necessary, confrontations are always possible. In addition, the team meets every

Thursday evening to work on the project and collaborate. Weekly meetings with the team advisor happen

every Friday at 10:30am.

Each of the team members has different skills to contribute to the team, which are capitalized on

throughout the project. Some team members are excellent at designing simulations, one team member has

a gift for doing presentations, and others are talented and speedy researchers.

3.1.2 Sam Allison

Sam will graduate in August 2013 with a Chemical Engineering degree. In his time at Calvin College, he

was a four year member of the Men’s Varsity Swimming and Diving Team. He was elected to lead the

team as the captain his senior year. During the summer between his junior and senior years of school,

Sam worked as a process engineering intern at Vertellus Specialty Chemical Company. When he

graduates, Sam plans on moving to Houston to start his career as a Chemical Engineer, Technical Sales

Engineer, or a Petroleum Engineer.

3.1.3 Annelle Eben

Annelle will graduate in May 2013 with a Chemical Engineering degree and international designation.

Annelle has participated in multiple research groups, and was able to discover and isolate the DNA of a

novel virus while at Calvin. She also did research on nonlinearities in high temperature superconductors

and was able to help prove the breaking of time reversal symmetry. This past summer Annelle enjoyed

working as an intern for Michigan Industrial Tools. While at Calvin, Annelle was able to participate in the

summer in Germany program with Calvin, along with the interim in Cambodia trip, and she hopes to

combine this passion for different cultures and travel with engineering by obtaining a chemical

engineering career abroad.

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3.1.4 Allyson Hofman

Allyson is from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She will be graduating from Calvin College in May of 2013 with

degrees in chemical engineering with an international designation and in chemistry. She will be pursuing

a career afterwards in industry, but is uncertain what kind of field it will be. Her hopes are that she will be

working with either energy or agriculture.

3.1.5 Joe Mohan

Joe is from Minneapolis, MN and will be graduating in May 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in

Engineering: Chemical Concentration. He loves experiencing different cultures, speaks 5 languages and

has lived in 3 different countries. After leaving Calvin, Joe plans on earning a Master’s in Business

Administration. In the future, he has designs to work his way up in management in the manufacturing

industry.

3.2 Schedule

Team 1 laid out a detailed Work Breakdown Schedule (WBS) at the beginning of the semester, which can

be found in Appendix 12.1. The schedule helped the team make deadlines, know which team member was

responsible for which deadlines, and estimate time required for different portions of the project. The WBS

was initially created as a rough outline of the bigger deadlines. Details, smaller deadlines, and sub

projects were added or corrected throughout the semester. Table 2: Gantt Chart provides a summary of

the Gantt chart, and the full chart can be found in Appendix 12.2.

Table 2: Gantt Chart

Task Name Duration Start Finish

Project Proposal 2 days Mon 9/10/12 Tue 9/11/12

Project Objectives & Requirements

1 day Sun 9/23/12 Sun 9/23/12

Project Poster 2 days Wed 9/26/12 Thu 9/27/12

Work Breakdown Structure 2 days Wed 10/3/12 Thu 10/4/12

Scheduled WBS 1 day Wed 10/10/12 Wed 10/10/12

Verbal Presentation 1 3 days Thu 10/11/12 Mon 10/15/12

Project Brief for Industrial Consultant

2 days Sat 12/15/12 Mon 12/17/12

PPFS Outline 1 day Sun 10/21/12 Sun 10/21/12

Project Website Posting 4 days Sun 10/21/12 Wed 10/24/12

Preliminary Cost Estimate 2 days Mon 11/5/12 Tue 11/6/12

Updated Project Poster 1 day Wed 11/7/12 Wed 11/7/12

PPFS Draft 4 days Sat 12/8/12 Wed 12/12/12

Final PPFS 5 days Wed 11/28/12 Tue 12/4/12

Verbal Presentation 2 2 days Wed 12/5/12 Thu 12/6/12

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3.3 Method of Approach

3.3.1 Project Definition

Because the project was presented by the client Steve Hester from Houston, Texas, as an open-ended

problem, the team took some time to narrow and define the scope. It was necessary to determine how

many different processes would be considered, and how detailed the optimization would be.

3.3.2 Research

Team 1 took a class on separation processes the Fall semester of 2012. This class was extremely helpful

in designing the separations processes for this project. However, the class covered only the few most

common separations systems. In order to select the optimum separation process, many more processes

were researched. For each new process considered, the extent of current industry use, economic

implications, and effectiveness were all researched in depth.

3.3.3 Process Selection

For each step of the metal separation/purification process, many different separation technologies exist.

These technologies can then be combined in an exponentially large number of ways. In order to determine

which series of separations was the best, the processes used currently in industry were addressed as a

starting point. From there, the processes that worked best for this specific scenario were chosen, and a

quantitative decision was made based on rough cost estimates.

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4 Project Background Information

4.1 What is E-waste?

As previously defined, electronic waste (e-waste) is any old, end-of-life or discarded appliances that used

electricity.3 The composition of this waste is a mixture of various metals, some of which are toxic and

hazardous to the environment. This presents a problem when trying to break the waste down. The process

must be different than normal municipal waste that decomposes in a landfill. Were e-waste left to sit and

decompose in a landfill, toxins like mercury, lead, and cadmium for example would seep into the ground,

polluting the surrounding area. This pollution could make its way into aquifers and other water supplies

which could lead to negative effects on the surrounding inhabitants. Therefore, the Waste Electrical and

Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE) and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS)

were established to make limitations and guidelines for the management of disposal of electronic waste.

This prevents the waste from being deposited in landfills and the eventual pollution of the area.

If not disposed of properly, e-waste pollution could severely impact the area surrounding the landfill in a

catastrophic way. Such is the case for the small city of Guiyu, China4, the largest e-waste site on earth.

The process by which e-waste is broken down in this town is primitive and severely lacks any sort of

regulations that would protect the health and wellbeing of the workers. E-waste there is often broken

down by hand which leads to the heavy metals in the waste being absorbed into the skin of the workers

leading to heavy metal poisoning. Approximately 88% of the children in Guiyu suffer from lead

poisoning. The ash that is formed by melting down the waste gets into the air and eventually settles to the

ground. This is ash is inhaled as well as absorbed through the skin of the inhabitants.

Another major problem in Guiyu is that toxins from the mounds of e-waste around the city seep into the

ground. This contaminates the water table. The ground water is so contaminated that drinking it would be

fatal. The ground is so saturated with these toxins that nothing planted in the ground can grow. Water and

food must be trucked into Guiyu because of the contamination. The toxins also seep into the major river

that flows though the town. The lead levels in the river are twice the European safety levels. Drinking the

river water would be just as fatal as drinking the ground water. Unfortunately, the poor conditions of the

3 "e-Waste Definition | ewasteguide.info."ewasteguide.info | A knowledge base for the sustainable recycling of e-

Waste. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://ewasteguide.info/node/201>.

4 "Electronic waste - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste#Hazardous>

11

town mean that wash must be done in the river which leads to more heavy metals and pollutants coming

in contact with the citizens’ skin.

While the conditions in Guiyu are grim, activist groups and the city government are trying to change the

culture. Bans have been made on many of the furnaces that burn the e-waste. This limits the amount of

pollutants that are released into the air. Fines for violations such as soaking waste in acid or burning the

waste have been instituted to try and deter the manual processing of waste.

Places like Guiyu would be an ideal location for the plant that we are helping to design. The plant would

dramatically decrease the amount of toxins that the workers would come in contact with. The gasification

and plasma units are all zero pollutant emitters according to the EPA. This would significantly improve

the air quality of the area. No more toxic ash would rain down on the citizens, and the contaminated river

would benefit as well. Because this entire process can distil mass amounts of polluted water, the river

water could be converted from undrinkable water to a viable source of drinkable water. Implementing this

plant in Guiyu would greatly improve the quality of life for the more than 150,000 inhabitants.

4.2 Recycling Mandates

4.2.1 WEEE Directive (2002)5

The WEEE Directive stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which is a legal

standard established in the European Union for the collection, recycling, and recovery of electronic

goods. It sets the amounts of how much pollution of a certain type is allowed.6 This makes manufactures

including recyclers responsible for the material they generate in a way that properly contains hazardous

materials.

Additionally, the WEEE Directive holds a list of persons producing electrical and electronic equipment

for the market. These producers are expected to register for a small fee, report their data, and deliver the

data to the appropriate agency. The WEEE Directive plays a large role in the motivation for the

development of novel recycling technologies.

5 "WEEE registration & WEEE compliance."WEEE registration & WEEE compliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov.

2012. <http://www.weeeregistration.com/index.html>

6 "Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free

encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Electrical_and_Electronic_Equipment_Directive>

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4.2.2 RoHS Directive (2002)7

RoHS Directive stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive which restricts the use of six

hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electrical and electronic equipment. These six

hazardous materials include lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium (welding), polybrominated

biphenyls (flame retardant), and polybrominated diphenyl ether (flame retardant). These materials are

only permitted to be found in concentrations of 1000ppm or less.

4.2.3 United States

California passed the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003. This law holds manufactures to the same

standards as the RoHS. These are just two examples of legislation being written to limit the levels of

toxins present in consumer goods and establish mandated limits on pollution of different kinds. Managing

waste, especially electronic waste, is a global issue that is gaining the attention of governments and

legislation.

4.3 Novel Plasma Arc Technology8

Plasma arc technology is a term for new technology generated in the United Kingdom. Because this is

such new technology, it is still considered a trade secret. We do not have very much information about

how the process works and are being held to confidentiality. However, we can divulge the general

workings.

The plasmafication process occurs in an oxygen-deprived vacuum chamber. This prevents combustion or

incineration from happening. Instead, high temperature ionized gas, also known as an electromagnetic

plasma field, causes thermal cracking of the molecules into their elemental states. Liquid or solid

materials enter the chamber and are converted to a gaseous form without burning in less than a fraction of

a second. Because the reactions happen without oxygen and there is no combustion occurring, neither

toxins, including dioxins and furans, or greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, are formed.

Within the plasmafication unit, organic molecules are broken into energy rich Syngas. These gases are let

off, scrubbed and cooled to be used to generate electricity. This electricity can be recycled and used to

power the plasma unit. Excess Syngas can provide additional electricity that can be sold to the grid. The

plasmafication process produces large amounts of heat and requires cooling water. This heat can drive a

7 "Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free


<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive>

8 “Plasma Arc Technology.” Cypress, TX: Engineered Technologies Energy Corporation. <

http://etecenergy.com/Plasma%20%20Arc%20Technology%20Brochure.pdf>

13

steam-powered generator to generate additional electricity. The steam can then undergo a distillation

process and be recycled back as cooling water or sold as purified potable water.

Excess molten materials from the process are cast as scrap steel for sale to steel mills. Excess slag can be

sold as building material aggregate or spun into mineral wool.7 This process is summarized in Figure 2:

General Separations Process Description. The benefits of the plasma arc technology include:

Process All Carbonaceous Waste Materials

Non Burning Process

Not an Incinerator or Boiler

No Emissions from Gasifier

Zero EPA detectable emissions

Reduced Air & Liquid Emissions from Facility compared to Conventional Solutions

Best Available Technology for Destruction of Hazardous Waste Materials

Recoverable Metals and Vitrified Slag Available for Sale

Easily Scalable to Gasify Large or Smaller Amounts of Wastes

GasifierPlasma

Separation Unit

Separations

Metallic Waste

Electronic Waste

Cooling Water

Purified Water

Syn Gas

Recovered Metals

Waste

Figure 2: General Separations Process Description

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5 Design Constraints

5.1 Client Communication and Relationship

Something rather unique about this project is that it is being developed for an actual client. Sam Allison,

one of the members of Team 1, visited Texas for a week to explore the Houston area and network with

different professionals. Sam met Steve Hester over lunch, where Steve explained about a new company

he was starting up. A few weeks later, when projects were being selected, Sam called Steve to see if there

was anything that our group could do to get involved with his new enterprise. Steve responded and asked

if we would develop an optimal process for the separations of the metal stream. Since the project has

begun, several emails and phone calls have occurred to explain the general process, the requirements, the

goals, etc. Sam remains the main contact person with our client to ensure clear and concise

communication between the two parties.

The scope of our project is to design a metals separation process capable of sorting approximately 300

tons per day of a complex metal dust stream into semi-pure components. The goal is to optimize this

process by maximizing profit while being safe and environmentally friendly. Additionally, cost and

efficiency will contribute to the optimum process by using the least amount of separation units as possible

while gaining the maximum amount of separation from each unit. There are few requirements for this

project, as the client has given us free reign. We are free to look at any kind of separation process that

would optimize metal separation. The only requirement is that we develop a process which meets our

goals. These goals include maximizing profit, a safe process, an environmentally friendly process, and an

efficient process. Our client also stated that if we develop an answer to this problem meeting our goals,

his company would use it and the project would be economically successful. He also said that if we

designed a separations process that was economically unfeasible or that did not work, the company would

use that information as well. That would be one less alternative that they would have to consider and the

project would be wildly successful. Either way, this project will benefit the client we are working for.

5.2 Project Scope

The process begins by taking a collection of assorted electronic waste and grinding it into a workable

stream that can be fed into an industrial gasification unit. This unit melts down the waste to a single

molten stream. The gasification unit burns the waste in the absence of oxygen and nitrogen. The

significance of this is that there are zero EPA reportable emissions from the process. Once the waste is

melted down, it is fed into an arc plasma reactor which breaks everything down to an atomic level. This

ensures that each element is purely atomic. No compounds remain after being fed through the plasma

separation unit. From the elements in the plasma unit, the carbon and hydrogen are taken out as a

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byproduct in the form of a synthetic gas which can be used directly as an energy source to cut down on

costs. Once that carbon and hydrogen are stripped from the plasma unit, the remaining material is cast

into a sheet and cooled. The sheet metal is then crushed into a dust that must be separated into its

individual elements, purified, and sold. This is where our group has decided to focus our analysis.

The goal of our project is to take the metallic dust and separate it into individual elements or

combinations of elements that can be sold. It is important to note the purity of these elements does not

need to be 100%. Achieving high purities is a goal of Team 1, but only to an extent that is economically

feasible. If it is more economically feasible to sell the alloy of gold and silver for example, that will be

done instead of designing a separations unit for separating the gold from silver. The system will be

designed with the objective of maximizing profit while being safe and environmentally friendly. Our goal

is to recover the metals at the highest possible purity.

5.3 Requirements

Due to the open-endedness of this project, there are no set requirements. However, certain basic design

guidelines help narrow the focus. Economic feasibility is the driving design guideline, which was

discussed previously. Another guideline for our project is the environmental impact of our separation

units. We want to make sure that we are using processes that do not produce anything harmful to

operators or the environment. We also are looking to use as few separation processes as we can while still

achieving desired separation. This idea ties in with the economic guidelines as well as incorporating an

aspect of stewardship.

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6 Equipment Research

6.1 Filters9

The type of filter is contingent on the flow of the system whether it is batch, semi-batch, or continuous.

Additionally, the filter depends on the size of the particles being separated. The finer the particles, the

more sophisticated separation is required. Difficulty also arises from removing the solids from a liquid in

an efficient manner. To achieve this, the recommended method of separation is batch separation. There

are different options for material to use as the filter collector such as fabrics of woven fibers or pressed

felt or cotton batting. The following are different options for filters.

6.1.1 Nutsche Filters

This filter operates by a gravity, pressure, or vacuum driving force. The slurry is poured into the tank

which has a false, perforated bottom to let the liquid pass through. Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a

simple pressure Nutsche filter cycle. (a) Filtration; (b) displacement washing; (c) gas deliquoring; (d)

cake discharge by plough.shows how the filter works in more detail. In addition to removing the liquid

from the tank, it is also possible to mechanically remove the cake with a plough (part D).

The advantage is that these filters are low cost to make and operate especially on the small scale.

However, they have some large scale disadvantages. The filter requires excessive floor area encumbered

per area of filtration. Additionally, it is difficult to remove the filter and the filter cake (material removed

from the liquid phase of the solution).

9 Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook (pp. 18-90)

17

Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a simple pressure Nutsche filter

cycle. (a) Filtration; (b) displacement washing; (c) gas

deliquoring; (d) cake discharge by plough.10

6.1.2 Plate-and-Frame Press

This filter operates by layers of plate covered with a filter medium. The area constructed by frames is

flooded with the solution of solids and liquid. Then the plates are pressed together, and the liquid is

drained out. There are many possible arrangements for the entry of the solution and exit of the filtrate and

the cake.

The advantages to using this type of filter are low capital cost, simplicity, flexibility, ability to operate at

high or low pressures, and the floor-space and headspace are small. The disadvantages include imperfect

washing, short filter life, and high labor requirements.

6.1.3 Centrifugal discharge filter

This filter operates by filling a tank with the solution. However, inside the tank are proliferated plates

attached to an axial rod that spins. Through the plates, the filtrate is able to be removed or drained to the

10 "6.1: Batch Filter Cycle Configurations On GlobalSpec." GlobalSpec - Engineering Search & Industrial Supplier

Catalogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://www.globalspec.com/reference/26322/203279/6-1-batch-filter-cycle-

configurations>

http://www.globalspec.com/reference/26322/203279/6-1-batch-filter-cycle-configurations


18

next part of the system. The cake builds up on the plates and is removed once the filtrate is removed by

rotating the axial rod. The cake goes to the outside of the tank, falls to the bottom, and removed to the

next step in the system.

The primary advantage of this filter is that the cake can be removed without opening the filter tank. Other

advantages are its ability to handle hazardous material, low labor demand, and its ability for automatic

control. The disadvantages are the complexity and the cost.

6.1.4 Rotary drum filters

Rotary drum filters can be constructed from metals or plastics, making them a reasonable capital cost

filter. They range in size from four feet to two thousand feet, meaning rotary drum filters are versatile in

their application scale. For the metal separation processes being considered, filters capable of handling

large volumes are needed.11

Rotary drum filters operate by first dumping a slurry of liquid and solids into a coated surface within the

drum. Then vacuum suction pulls the liquid through the filter and to the center of the drum. Finally the

drum begins to rotate and the filtrate gets flung to the edges of the drum, from where it is later scraped

off.12

Rotary drum filters are the most widely used filter type for continuous flow systems, which is an

advantage in itself, as it proves the cost effectiveness and adequate operation efficiency.

6.1.5 Roll discharge filter

Roll discharge filters operate with a roll placed directly outside the point where the filter cake would exit

rotating at a speed equal to the drum, but in the opposite direction. When the filter and drum are operating

at material properties to enable adequate cohesiveness, the filter cake attaches to the roll, separates from

the drum, and is spun right out of the drum. A small blow of air is sometimes employed to help separate

the filter cake. This process is best for thin, sticky filter cakes.13

6.2 Reactors

Selecting the best type of reactor to use for each phase of the process starts with determining if the feed is

a continuous stream or a batch system. Other information required to select the best reactor includes

operating conditions, the feed and product specifications, and possible catalysts.


12 "Rotary vacuum-drum filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d.

Web. 7 Dec. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_vacuum-drum_filter>.


19

The most common flow reactors are ideal continuous stirred tank reactors, or CSTRs, which provide

complete mixing, or plug flow reactors, or PFRs, which provide no axial mixing. These reactors represent

the two ends of the mixing spectrum, and real reactors can be found somewhere between. To determine

how close a reactor is to the ideal, a residence time distribution (RTD) should be calculated. This value

helps to determine the overall reactor performance. Brief descriptions of the main reactor types, along

with pros and cons for each can be found below.

6.2.1 CSTR

A continuous stirred-tank reactor is a general ideal reactor model compatible with liquids, gases, and

slurries. CSTRs assume perfect mixing, and the conversion or output composition is a function of reaction

rate and residence time.

Advantages of CSTRs include14

:

Continuous operation

Good temperature control

Capable of handling two phases

Simple construction

Low operating costs

Disadvantages of CSTRs include:

Lowest conversion per volume

Channeling is possible when mixing is not ideal

6.2.2 PFR

A plug flow reactor is a long tube reactor mainly used for gas-phase reactions. In PFRs, the

composition/concentrations change as the mixture travels down the length of the reactor. It is generally

assumed that there is no radial variation in the reaction rate in a PFR.

Advantages of PFRs15

:


Good for fast reactions

Can be used for homogeneous or heterogeneous reactions

Easily used on large scale

14 "Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors."College of Engineering Home | Michigan Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. <http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre/asyLear

15 "Plug Flow Reactors (PFRs)." College of Engineering Home | Michigan Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. <http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre/asyLear

20

Operate at high temperatures

High conversion per volume

Low operating cost

Good heat transfer efficiency

Disadvantages of PFRs:

Unwanted thermal gradients may exist

Bad temperature control

Shutdown and maintenance may be expensive

6.2.3 Batch Reactors

Batch reactors are the simplest type of reactor to design. They have an entrance and exit location for

products and reactants, but throughout the reaction nothing is added or removed from the vessel. Batch

reactors can be used for reactions with solid, liquid, or gaseous reactants, and are often used more for

small-scale production.

Advantages of Batch Reactors:

High conversion per volume

Easy to clean

Regular maintenance not a problem

Flexibility (one reactor can be used for different reactions each time)

Disadvantages of Batch Reactors:

Not continuous operation

High operating cost

Product may vary from batch to batch, more than in continuous processes

Increased labor and materials handling costs

Unproductive down time between batches

6.2.4 Semibatch Reactors

Semibatch reactors operate similar to batch reactors in that the reactants are all combined in a single

stirred vessel at one time. However, semibatch processes allow for the addition of reactant or removal of

product over time. This is done to increase the conversion of the process, or avoid the reverse reaction

from occurring by removing the product with a purge stream. Semibatch reactors have each of the

advantages and disadvantages of a batch reactor written above, as well as the following advantages and

disadvantages.

21

Advantages of semibatch reactors16

:

Improved selectivity of the reaction

Better control of exothermic reactions

Better control of reversibility

Disadvantages of semibatch reactors:

Very expensive for large-scale production

6.2.5 Reactors with Catalysts

6.2.5.1 PBR

Packed bed reactors are tubular reactors that are packed with a solid catalyst. PBRs are used mostly for

gas-phase, or gas-solid reactions.

Advantages of PBRs:


High conversion per catalyst weight

Low operating cost

Disadvantages of PBRs:

Unwanted thermal gradients may exist

Bad temperature control

Channeling is possible

Shutdown and maintenance may be expensive

6.2.5.2 Catalytic Membrane Reactors

Catalytic membrane reactors are catalyst filled chambers that utilize a membrane, which is impervious to

all species involved in the reaction except one or more of the reaction products. This semi-permeability

allows the concentrations within the reactor to shift and drives the reaction forward according to Le

Chatlier’s Principle. This process enables conversions higher than the original equilibrium conversion to

be achieved.

Advantages of Membrane Reactors:

Allows for conversions higher than equilibrium

16 "Semibatch reactor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semibatch_reactor>

22

Good retention of catalyst

Enables selection of reactants

Disadvantages of Membrane Reactors:

High capital cost

6.2.4 Fluid and Solid Catalyst Reactors

For reactions of fluids with granular catalysts, the main concerns for the choice of reactors are heat

transfer, pressure drop, contacting of the phases, and replacement of catalyst. For economic reasons, fixed

catalyst beds are more commonly used than fluidized beds. Fluidized beds can be used for continuous

processesing and kept at a constant temperature, but fixed beds are simpler to operate and more cost

effective. 17

Types of Fluid and Solid Catalyst Reactors include:

1. Single Fixed Beds

2. Multiple Fixed Beds

3. Multitubular Reactors

4. Slurry Reactors

5. Transport Reactors

6. Fluidized Beds

7. Moving Beds

6.2.5 Gas/Liquid Reactors

Reactors designed for reactions between gases and liquids need to consider the mass-transfer between

phases, heat transfer, the magnitude and distribution of residence times of the phases, energy

requirements, etc. For reactions between phases, the reactor selection process is less dependent on theory

and models as other types of reactor design, and more dependent on experience and pilot plant work.

There are four main industrial processes that require Gas/Liquid Reactors:18

1. Purification of gases

2. Liquid phase processes, including hydrogenation, nitration, oxyidation, etc.

3. Biochemical processes, including fermentation, manufacturing of proteins, etc.

4. Synthesis of pure products

For these processes, there are many types of gas/liquid reactors, of which the most common are:

17 Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook (pp.23-36 – 23-38)


23

1. Bubble Reactors

2. Liquid Dispersion

3. Tubular Reactors

4. Falling Film Reactor

6.2.6 Liquid/Liquid Reactors

Many industrial chemical processes are liquid/liquid reactions. This means that the variations on the

equipment are extensive. The equipment can be very specialized versions of towers or mixer-settlers.

Towers can be packed or empty, still or agitated, or include spray injections.

6.2.7 Gas/Solid/Liquid Reactors

In most cases where all three phases are present for a reaction, the solid is a granular or porous catalyst.

The actual reaction normally occurs at the surface of the catalyst or in the liquid regime. Fixed bed

reactors are a common solution, with catalyst filling roughly 50% of the reactor volume.19

Some of the

main considerations for design of multi-phase reactors are catalyst size and stirring

necessity/effectiveness. There is a broad spectrum of multi-phase reactors. For example, in a trickle bed

reactor, the phases flow down over each other as films, but the gas and liquid phases flow up through a

fixed bed in flooded reactors. A slurry reactor keeps the catalysts suspended with mechanical mixing,

while a fluidized bed reactor maintains a stationary bed of catalyst, which the fluids flow through. Some

of the main types of these reactors include:

1. Trickle Beds

2. Flooded Fixed Bed Reactors

3. Suspended Catalyst Beds

6.2.8 Solid Reactors

Reactions between solids often involve combustion reactions at high temperatures with gaseous

byproducts. The activation energy, operating temperature, thermal and mass-transfer resistances, mixing

effectiveness, and residence time are all important considerations for designing or selecting the

appropriate reactor. Some of the more common type of solid-solid reactors include:20

1. Rotary Kiln Reactors

2. Multiple Hearth Reactors

3. Vertical Kiln Reactors

19 Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook (pp. 23-50 – 23-54)


24

7 Separations Research

7.1 Acid Washes

Upon initial patent research, our team determined a viable option for separating some of the metals using

acid washes. Based on solubility of metals, components of the feed stream can be separated as

precipitates. The major components of the feed can be removed from the acid wash by precipitation and

filtration. The solubility rules21

are as follows:

1. All common compounds of Group I and ammonium ions are soluble

2. All nitrates, acetates and chlorates are soluble.

3. All binary compounds of the halogens (other than fluorine) with metals are soluble, except those

of silver, mercury I, and lead. Lead halides are soluble in hot water.

4. All sulfates are soluble, expect those of barium, strontium, calcium, lead, silver, and mercury I.

the latter three are slightly soluble.

5. Expect for rule one, carbonates, hydroxide, oxides, silicates, and phosphates, are insoluble.

6. Sulfides are insoluble except for calcium, barium, strontium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and

ammonium.

A conclusion drawn from these rules is that there are numerous ways to dissolve the metal feed dust into a

solution for further separation rather than separating solids. This led to the resulting acid wash premise.

An example involving nitric acid22

as the mother liquor is described in the following paragraphs.

The system begins with a mother liquid consisting of nitric acid combined with the metal dust feed

stream. The gold and platinum are insoluble in nitric acid, and they will precipitate out of solution. Gold

and platinum can then be further separated independently of the remaining metals.

The remaining solution is comprised of metals oxides formed for the interaction of the metals with the

acid solution. The following steps are dependent on the acid used. The first consecutive step is the

addition of iron filings. The iron reacts with some of the metals, namely silver and copper, in a redox

reaction, which allows a mixture of only silver and copper to be precipitated and then be filtered. An

example redox reaction for copper is below:

21 Sibert, Gwen. "Solubility Rules." Roanoke Valley Governor's School. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

<www.files.chem.vt.edu/RVGS/ACT/notes/solubility_rules.html>

22 Akridge, James R. “System for the Sustainable Recovery of Metals from Electronic Waste.” Patent 129271 A1. 22

October 2009.

25

7.2 Separation of metals by pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy23

Metals could be recycled by mechanical processing, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy,

biohydrometallurgy or a combination of these techniques. Pyrometallurgy is used to recover precious and

non-ferrous metals from e-waste. It involves different high temperature processes, including incineration,

melting, and others.

Leaching agents are also widely used in the separation and purification of metals, of which the most

efficient leaching agents are acids, due to their ability to leach both base and precious metals. Generally,

base metals are leached in nitric acid. Copper is leached by sulfuric acid or aqua regia. Aqua regia can

also be used for gold and silver, but these metals are more often leached by thiourea or cyanide.

One of the advantages of biohydrometallurgy is a new, cleaner and one of the most promising eco-

friendly metal separation technologies. Biosorption is a process that employs biomass to absorb heavy

metals from aqueous solutions. This is physico-chemical mechanism based on ion-exchange, metal ion

surface complexation adsorption, or both. Copper could be recovered from printed circuit boards by

hydrometallurgical techniques. The proposed process involves leaching, solvent extraction, and

electrowinning. In the first stage, mechanical processing is used, followed by magnetic and electrostatic

separation. After pretreatment, the fraction with concentrated copper, lead, and tin is dissolved with acid

and treated in an electrochemical process. The metals are recovered individually using sulfuric acid and

aqua regia.

Gold from computer chips could also be leached and recovered as nanoparticles. The first stage is

leaching of base metals with nitric acid and then gold is leached with aqua regia due to its flexibility, ease

and low capital requirement. Silver could also be recovered from mobile phones using an identical

process. Non-metallic materials are also recovered this way, mainly plastic and ceramics.

7.3 Separation of metals using gaseous reagents24, 25

Elemental phosphorous is categorized as white phosphorus or red phosphorus. White phosphorus ignites

at 30C and reacts strongly with any halogen and produces a white glow upon contact with oxygen. Red

phosphorus is more stable than white phosphorous and ignites at 300C. The longer phosphorus is in air,

23 Kamberović, Željko, Marija Korać, Dragana Ivšić, Vesna Nikolić, and Milisav

Ranitović. HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM ELECTRONIC

WASTE-PART I: MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION AND PROCESS OPTION SELECTION. N.p.: n.p., 2009.

Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

24 "Dynamic Periodic Table." Dynamic Periodic Table. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ptable.com/>.

25 <http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/424/424-035/424-035_pdf.pdf>

26

the darker and more stable it becomes. Elemental phosphorus can be oxidized to , which is an

essential component of fertilizers:

P4 + 5O2 2P2O5

Table 3: Uses of Phosphorous

Widely used compounds Use

Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O Baking powder and fertilizers

CaHPO4·2H2O Animal food additive, toothpowder

H3PO4 Manufacture of phosphate fertilizers

PCl3 Manufacture of POCl3 and pesticides

POCl3 Manufacturing plasticizer

P4S10 Manufacturing of additives and pesticides

Na5P3O10 Detergents

Metallic lithium is corrosive, a serious irritant, and produces caustic hydroxide when exposed to moisture.

However, it has many important uses including lithium-ion batteries, an ingredient in high temperature

lubricating greases, lithium chloride is a desiccant for gas streams, and metallic lithium is used as a high

energy additive for rocket propellants. Lithium metal reacts strongly with hydrogen gas to form lithium

hydride:

Lithium hydride is used in the production of many different reagents, and therefore can be sold as a

reactant.

Table 4: Lithium Separation

Ceramics and glass 29%

Batteries 27%

Lubricating greases 12%

Continuous Casting 5%

Air treatment 4%

Polymers 3%

Primary Aluminum Production 2%

Pharmaceuticals 2%

Other 16%

The advantages of using hydrogen and oxygen as reagents are that they are both readily available and

inexpensive.

27

7.4 Separation of metals by supported liquid membrane16, 17

A supported liquid membrane is used for the extraction of metal ions and consists of a solution of an

organic solvent containing the carrier. The membrane is interposed between two aqueous solutions: a feed

solution containing the metal ions to be extracted, and a stripping solution for the recovery of extracted

ions. The pH is adjusted between the feed solution and the stripping solution thus providing a driving

force for the metal ions to be extracted from the feed solution and transported through the membrane and

into the stripping solution. This method provides a supported liquid membrane apparatus including a

micro porous polybenzimidazole membrane containing an extractant mixture within the membrane pores

to separate metal ions such as arsenic, platinum, cobalt, cadmium, gallium, indium, mercury, and

neodymium.

In this process, a feed solution containing the metal ions is placed in contact with one side of the liquid

supported membrane. The feed solution passes through channels adjacent to the polymer surface. The

other side of the supported liquid membrane is contacted with a stripping solution which also passes

through the channels adjacent to the polymer surface and parallel to the channels through which the feed

solution passed. The driving force for transport is maintained by continuous adjustment of chemical

concentration to achieve a high concentration of the extracted ions in the stripping solution.

One of the advantages of supported liquid membrane over classical ion exchange and solvent extraction

technologies is that small volumes of extractant solutions and the possibility to conduct continuous

process make it more attractive. Due to high diffusion coefficients in supported liquid membrane, it is

possible to have ion extraction, transport, and re-extraction in one continuous step. Hydrophobic hollow

fiber membrane contactors could be used as a porous support and to obtain high membrane surface per

unit of volume with good membrane stability. The high surface area of these systems ensures that the

separation rates viable for industrial purposes. This technology is easily scalable and the payback time is

decreased as plant size increases.

28

7.5 Separation of metals by Eddy Current Separator26, 27

A magnetic field is induced into non-ferrous metals on the belt surface by a high speed, high intensity

magnetic rotor inside the head drum of the Eddy Current Separator conveyor16

. These magnetically

induced metals react with the magnetic field of the rotor causing them to be propelled forward further

than the other material on the belt.

One of the main advantages of the eccentric rotor is that the ferrous metal is significantly less damaging

than it would be to a concentric rotor. Ferrous metal heats up very rapidly on an ECS and needs to

discharge quickly before causing damage. The arrangement of eccentric rotor allows ferrous to discharge

easily from the rotor while on a concentric rotor it discharges less easily and causes significant wear and

damage.

One of the more recent and exciting innovations in material separation is the non-ferrous Eddy Current

Separator which has been playing a key part to reduce waste and damage to the environment by

recovering valuable non-ferrous metals from municipal and industrial refuse17

.

Magnetized systems have been used to sort and separate ferrous metals for many years, but recovering

non-ferrous metals, has been labor intensive, expensive and a time consuming exercise. Hence, metal

mixtures, such as brass, copper, aluminum and steel were relatively worthless as a mixture and were often

land filled.

However, the advantages of the Eddy Current Separator include the ability to separate and recover

aluminum and other non-ferrous metals from household, industrial and incinerated waste, including inert

plastics and other materials, the capacity to separate metals from scrap, and remove metallic particles and

contaminants from glass and other substances, while offering a cost effective method of recovering up to

95% of valuable material from waste, grading precious metal concentrates for further processing and also

improving the purity of non-ferrous auto scrap up to 85-95%, thereby maximizing the speed and

efficiency of recovery and increasing profits. The Eddy Current Separator systems use the latest and most

effective magnetic circuits to produce strong eddy current forces, thus maximizing efficient separation.

16 Takigawa, Doreen. “Separation of metal by supported liquid membrane.” Patent 5114579, 19 May 1992.

17 Kocherginsky, N M., Qian Yang, and Lalitha Seelam. Recent advances in supported liquid membrane

technology. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 171-77. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.

<http://clxy.tjpu.edu.cn/mo/zsyd/js/Recent%20advances%20in%20supported%20liquid%20membrane%20technolo

gy.pdf>.

26 "Eddy Current Separator Operation." Magnetic Processing Technology. MagnaPower, n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.magnapower.co.uk/Eddy-Current-Separator-Operation.asp >.

27 "Eddy Current Separator." Jaykrishna. Jaykrishna Magnetics, n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.magneticequipments.com/eddycurrentseparator.html>.

29

Their design features include quick and easy machine adjustments, single source dependability, and

energy efficiency. The eddy current effect appears if nonferrous conductors of electricity are exposed to a

magnetic alternating field. The eddy currents in turn generate magnetic fields whose flux are opposed to

the fields generating them, thus causing repulsive forces which discharge nonferrous metals out of the

material flow.

Fe + CuNO3 → FeNO3 + Cu

The solution continues to the next step where potassium hydroxide is added to create a pH shift. The shift

in pH causes the iron oxide, Fe2O3, to precipitate and be removed by filtration. What remains in solution

are the hazardous metals, such as mercury and lead, along with other materials (slag). To remove the

mercury and lead, ammonium sulfide, (NH4)2S, is reacted to create mercury sulfide, HgS, and lead

sulfide, PbS and Pb2S. These are separated from the slag. This process can be seen in Figure 4: Acid

Wash Showing Example of Nitric Acid.

pH shift ~3RemainingHg, Pb, slag

Mother liquidHNO3

Metal mixtureFe filings

Au & Pt Ag &Cu Fe2O3 slag

(NH4)2S

KOH or NH3 HgS & PbS/PbS2

Figure 4: Acid Wash Showing Example of Nitric Acid

30

8 Business Plan

8.1 Vision and Mission Statement

Metallic Joules Recycling, Inc. is a firm built on the assumption that there is an intrinsic value, personal

reward and financial reward in producing tangible products and services that offer customers more value

than they expect to receive. We succeed because our customers succeed. We are part of a much larger

community to which we are compelled to act responsibly. We act responsibly when we help protect our

environment, provide economic opportunity fairly, work safely, and consider the person in all of our

business affairs. Our central focus is the recycling of precious metals from electronic waste. Our services

include flexible lead times, custom design by application, design for low cost manufacturing, custom

delivery schedules, and administrative support. We maintain a solid core of business in proprietary

products marketed and sold directly to the end user. In short, we are a robust company that adapts to the

ups and downs in individual industries so our customers can depend on us to be there when they need us

in good times and bad.

8.1 Company Goals and Objectives

The main goal of our company is become a major player in the electronic waste management industry.

We seek to provide an efficient and environmentally way to dispose of electronic waste while turning a

significant profit. Sub-goals have been established to ensure that we meet this overall goal.

The first sub-goal we have has to do with plant operations. We aim to recycle approximately 300 tons of

material a day at each plant. Operating at this capacity allows for the greatest productivity while

maximizing the safety of the employees operating the plant equipment. In order to meet this 300 ton

capacity, equipment must run smoothly and have minimum downtime. While we cannot predict when or

how often equipment problems will arise, we do plan on having an educated and expert maintenance team

that will get the process up and running again as soon as possible.

In addition to a skilled maintenance team, we aim to employ a skilled group of operators. Not only will

these employees know how to do their specific job, they will have a general idea of how other

departments within the plant work. This will allow them to better relate to other employees, producing a

homogeneous work force. There will also be as much transparency regarding the company’s goals and

overall operations as possible in order to give operators a sense of belonging to something bigger than just

the certain process step they are responsible. Operator moral is very important to us as we believe that this

will be a main contribution to the efficiency of the process.

The last operation goal we have has to do with the safety and wellbeing of our employees. Above all,

safety is the main concern for our employees. We plan on shaping the process to allow for approximately

31

one event in roughly 10,000 years. Obviously, the safer the process is, the more controls there are. While

these controls have a significant cost, nothing is more valuable then the lives our employees. Our

employees will see how much the company stresses safety and will feel comfortable operating their

equipment. This will add to the overall moral of the employees and will improve production.

The second sub-goal we have has to do with the company’s finances. Obviously, we aim to gain as much

revenue from this plant as possible. This will allow for future expansion of our company which is critical

as we attempt to establish ourselves as a main player in this market. We aim to be better than industry

standards in all of the financial ratios. To achieve this, we aim to minimize our liabilities while

maximizing our sales.

We are also focusing on proper management of inventories and assets. Once the process becomes

streamlined, we aim to have systems in place that will automatically order the correct amount of materials

that will allow us to run our process. The maximum amount of inventory of process materials will be

enough for two weeks of production. This will minimize the cost of storing raw materials while allowing

for sufficient lead time to obtain more raw materials. As for the products, we aim to have permanent

buyers for the metals that we separate from this electronic waste. This will reduce the costs of storing our

product on our facilities. We aim for products to be stored at our plant for no longer than two weeks. This

allows us to sell products frequently enough to cut down on storage time while providing our customers

with an appealing amount of material.

8.2 Significant Industry Trends

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery requested

annual data on the quantity of electronic products processed by each company in both tonnage and

number of products, for all the electronic products that could fit into the scope of their report collected in

the autumn of 2009.

Table 5: Results of Electronics Recycling Survey

Total tons of consumer

electronic products collected

for recycling by recyclers included in survey

2007

77779

2008

82561

2009

85387

Average Percent:

Reused or refurbished 30% 32% 33%

Recycled 69% 68% 68%

Disposal <1% <1% <1%

32

Figure 5: Quantity of electronic products ready for end-of-life management in the United States.

Figure 5: Quantity of electronic products ready for end-of-life management in the United States. shows

the quantity of electronic products ready for end-of-life management in each year between 1990 and

2010. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery

estimates that 2.37 million short tons of electronic products were ready for end-of-life management in

2009 which represents a 122% increase in the quantity of discarded electronics from 1999.

33

Figure 6: Quantity of electronic products collected for recycling or disposal by year.

Figure 6: Quantity of electronic products collected for recycling or disposal by year., presents the

quantities that are collected for recycling and the quantities sent for disposal to landfills or waste-to-

energy incinerators. The Office estimates that the percentage of electronic waste collected for recycling

has increased from 22% in 2006 to 25% in 2009, with a 27% rate projected for 2010.

8.3 Key Success Factors in the Industry

Low transport costs are an important success factor for a recycling business, and these costs are reduced

by a location that for the operator is ideal for access to the downstream market. More specifically, it is

having the freedom to choose the least costly means of transport that gives one recycling business a

definite competitive advantage over its competitors. Preferential or exclusive access at reduced cost to

multi-modal hubs of transportation networks is an essential factor for the activities under study. In this

respect, the recycler's degree of economic contestability is influenced by (i) the burden of investment

required to equip an area for moving goods as inexpensively as possible (by navigable waterway), (ii) the

cost of this means of transport and (iii) whether or not other existing or potential operators can use the

same network within the reference area for collection. These economic conditions together increase the

competitiveness of the historic operator compared with other existing recyclers.

34

Research into the assets necessary to carry on the business leads to the conclusion that for the downstream

market, the recycler's degree of external economic contestability is low. This analysis is strengthened if

the double view of "upstream market - downstream market" is taken into account. Whether the recycler

has exclusive access to the assets (for instance, a site in a port area equipped for processing materials and

used for loading and transporting them) or whether he does not (for instance, a site in the centre of a

geographic collection area with high potential), location reduces his economic contestability compared

with new operators (external contestability) or with upstream operators who want to compete with the

historic operator.

However, the nature of the assets used to gain a competitive position and sustain transactions when the

quality of the good is uncertain increases exposure to external contestation from environmental and health

organizations. There are two reasons for this. The first is that it is economically impossible to avoid social

contestation by relocating; the second is that, given the geographical position of the principal customer

and what defines an ideal location, the business is bound to be near an urban area sensitive to any

nuisance it causes. A site like this causes the residents to adopt a "challenging vigilance". However,

vigilance does not inevitably result in a real social contestation for the recycling business.

A study of the methods of strategic mechanisms organizing the exchanges of recycled materials in the

downstream market adds to the analysis of the recycler's level of external economic contestability.

External economic contestability is significantly reduced by the nature of the market demand (the quality

produced is specific, because of the production equipment); by the near-impossibility of having several

competing downstream customers (reduced access to national and international markets); and by solutions

to the uncertainty over the quality of the batches of material delivered to the downstream market.

However, the recycler remains exposed to an intermediate level of internal economic contestability,

because vertical integration by the steel manufacturer poses a real entry threat, quite apart from its impact

on activities in upstream part of the branch. The steel manufacturer has location assets that allow him to

develop a similar activity, and if he integrates vertically the activities of the recycling firm, he could

resolve the problems of uncertainty over the quality of the supply.

However, among the assets that the upstream market needs to function properly is the complex incentive

mechanism the recycler uses to prevent the collectors form reverting to defection in spite of information

and expertise asymmetries. This is an intangible asset that reduces the level of internal economic

contestability i.e. the exposure to the threat generates by a downstream operator integrating vertically.

The conditions defined in the Contestable Management model are thus fulfilled: the recycler is presumed

to be significantly exposed to the threat of external social contestation on health and environmental issues.

35

By their nature, the activities in question invite a challenging vigilance from residents and public

authorities.

However, taking anticipatory measures to lower the threat may also result, not from the direct exposure of

the recycler, but of his customer, the steel manufacturer. Given the economic relationship between the

established recycler and his principal steel-making customer, the steel manufacturer may become an

active intermediary of the threat of environmentally-based social protest. The steel manufacturer is

himself exposed to challenging vigilance, or even a more generalized protest, because of his activities.

Because the recycler is captive, the steel manufacturer has a means of encouraging his supplier to respect

particular compliance requirements regarding site management, as distinct from the technical

specifications concerning the quality of the material to be delivered. The compliance required may be

based on legislation or on certification standards.

8.4 Potential Competitors

Municipalities, governments, and corporate America are all looking to polish their green and

sustainability images. Like global warming a few years ago, the drum beat to address e-waste properly is

growing louder everyday on a local, national and international basis. There is no denying or ignoring the

electronic waste crisis anymore. Faced with costly clean-ups, looming health concerns, and growing

climate-change-induced public awareness of the planet’s fragility, more states are mandating e-recycling.

Eventually all states should have an electronic waste ban. The trend creates new opportunities for

nationally positioned electronic recyclers as well as those companies that are involved in the recovery and

refining of base metals.

Global demand for scrap will continue to grow as numerous countries are still undergoing their industrial

and technological evolutions which have created an almost unquenchable demand for all commodities

that are derived from the US. Also, increasing electronic arc furnace production capacity on a worldwide

basis along with relatively high cost of scrap substitutes make scrap metal more economically attractive.

Rising standards of living particularly in developing economies result in a greater demand for steel and all

metal commodities has also contributed due to the growing global demand for scrap metal.

36

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8.1 Preliminary Cost Estimates

A very preliminary estimate of the total capital investment for this plant has come to approximately

$265.5 million dollars. This was calculated using the Order-of-Magnitude Estimate method. The amount

of major equipment was estimated based on the process flow diagram of our acid wash system. In

addition to this initial investment, a yearly operating cost of $115 million was also estimated. Fortunately,

the total sales revenue was estimated at approximately $214 million a year which will mean that it will

take approximately three years to receive a return on our investment. That return will be approximately

$46 million a year after the initial three years. Detailed financial forecasts for the business model

supporting the hypothetical business of Metallic Joules Recycling Inc. can be found in Appendix 12.3.

38

9 Conclusion

After extensive research and analysis, team one has concluded that an acid wash will be a feasible process

when separating broken down electronic waste. Economic analysis and design matrices have concluded

that the acid wash is the ideal choice. The major strength of the acid wash is the low cost which is a major

design criterion for team one. This separations addition to the entire electronic waste recycling plant will

allow our clients to net approximately $46 million dollars a year, after three years. In the future, team one

plans to move away from the macro scale and focusing more on the process specifics on a micro scale.

The major focus will be on the individual streams and their compositions in order to ensure the process is

operating as planned. Another major goal will be to accurately identify the purities from the process.

Once these details have been covered, the project will go into the final design stage and should be

completed accurately and on schedule.

39

10 Bibliography

Akridge, James R. “System for the Sustainable Recovery of Metals from Electronic Waste.” Patent 129271 A1. 22 October 2009.

Kamberović, Željko, Marija Korać, Dragana Ivšić, Vesna Nikolić, and Milisav

Ranitović. HYDROMETALLURGICAL PROCESS FOR EXTRACTION OF METALS FROM ELECTRONIC WASTE-PART I: MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION AND PROCESS OPTION

SELECTION. N.p.: n.p., 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.

Kocherginsky, N M., Qian Yang, and Lalitha Seelam. Recent advances in supported liquid membrane

technology. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 171-77. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. <http://clxy.tjpu.edu.cn/mo/zsyd/js/Recent%20advances%20in%20supported%20liquid%20membrane%2

0technology.pdf>.

Perry, Robert H., and Don W. Green. Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook. 7th ed. N.p.: n.p., 1997. N. pag. Print.

Sibert, Gwen. "Solubility Rules." Roanoke Valley Governor's School. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

<www.files.chem.vt.edu/RVGS/ACT/notes/solubility_rules.html>

Takigawa, Doreen. “Separation of metal by supported liquid membrane.” Patent 5114579, 19 May 1992.

Vanderleest, Steve. “Design Norms.” Senior Design. Science Building Calvin College, Grand Rapids. 8

October. 2012. Lecture.

"6.1: Batch Filter Cycle Configurations On GlobalSpec." GlobalSpec - Engineering Search & Industrial Supplier Catalogs. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. <http://www.globalspec.com/reference/26322/203279/6-

1-batch-filter-cycle-configurations>

"Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors."College of Engineering Home | Michigan Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. <http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre/asyLear>

"Dynamic Periodic Table." Dynamic Periodic Table. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

<http://www.ptable.com/>.

"e-Waste Definition | ewasteguide.info."ewasteguide.info | A knowledge base for the sustainable

recycling of e-Waste. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://ewasteguide.info/node/201>.

"Electronic waste - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste#Hazardous

"Eddy Current Separator." Jaykrishna. Jaykrishna Magnetics, n.d. Web. 3 Dec. 2012. <http://www.magneticequipments.com/eddycurrentseparator.html>.

"Eddy Current Separator Operation." Magnetic Processing Technology. MagnaPower, n.d. Web. 7 Dec.

2012. <http://www.magnapower.co.uk/Eddy-Current-Separator-Operation.asp >.

“Plasma Arc Technology.” Cypress, TX: Engineered Technologies Energy Corporation. < http://etecenergy.com/Plasma%20%20Arc%20Technology%20Brochure.pdf>

"Plug Flow Reactors (PFRs)." College of Engineering Home | Michigan Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web. 7

Dec. 2012. <http://www.engin.umich.edu/~cre/asyLear>

"Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free


<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restriction_of_Hazardous_Substances_Directive>

"Rotary vacuum-drum filter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_vacuum-drum_filter>.



40

"Semibatch reactor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web.

7 Dec. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semibatch_reactor

"Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the

free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Electrical_and_Electronic_Equipment_Directive

"WEEE registration & WEEE compliance."WEEE registration & WEEE compliance. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.weeeregistration.com/index.html>

41

11 Acknowledgements

Team 1 would like to thank those that supported us, encouraged us, and provided feedback, including:

Randy Elenbaas, our industrial consultant

Calvin College Engineering Department

Professor Wentzheimer, our team advisor

Our friends and families

42

12 Appendices

12.1 Work Breakdown Structure

Task Deadline Time Required Who?

Project Proposal

PPFS Outline – Mainly preparing a table of

contents

PPFS Draft – Finding out the expectations of the

client, the feasibility of meeting those

expectations as a design team, and laying out in

stone what solution the team hopes to achieve 1. Design options detailed with research

2. Specification of which option is more

beneficial utilizing a gnat chart

(preliminary) 3. Description of process and indication of

needed designs

PPFS PDF on webpage – Possible revision of

the PPFS draft submitted earlier and uploading it on the webpage for public viewing

10/22/2012

11/12/2012

12/07/2012

5 hours

15 hours

5 hours/option 2 hours

4 hours

5 hours

entire team

entire team

entire team

Project Brief

Preparing a Project Brief for Industrial

Consultant taking into account the non-

disclosure agreement which is on the table from the client and therefore explaining the process in

general terms that would not give away any

classified information.

10/17/2012 2 hours entire team

Project Website

Designing the website using Dreamweaver

Providing information about the project

1. Problem definition and client information

2. Design options and decision matrix

3. Description of process and design variables

Providing a bio for each member of the team

(written individually but team revised)

10/24/2012 5 hours Team

webmaster

Preliminary Cost Estimate

Preparing an Equivalent Annual Operating Cost

of the project 1. Research of material costs

2. Research of available markets and receiving

quotes

3. Decision matrix as to how to sell the products

4. Qualification and written description of

choice

11/09/2012

10 hours

2 hours

3 hours

3 hours

2 hours

entire team

Project Poster

Project Poster PDF on Moodle

Updated Project Poster at station

09/28/2012

11/14/2012

2 hours

4 hours

entire team

43

Team pictures 10/18/2012 1 hour

Devotion Preparation 10/10/2012 ½ hour entire team

Research

What materials are involved in the project

MSDS, Safety, Toxicity of materials involved in

the project

Current prices and market trends of materials

involved in the project

Separation Processes /Techniques that could be

used in the project

1. Design options created 2. Comparison of design options

Costs of the possible separation techniques that

could be used in the project – requires some

preliminary design first

Understanding the technology recommended by

the client and using it to optimize the design while indulging in further research to find the

best solution

Understanding the Process and Possibilities flow

diagram provided by the client to optimize the design while indulging in further research to

find the best solution

Possible environmental impact of the techniques

used for separation

Reading a lot of patents including

1. Finding available separation techniques

2. Determining value

3. Determining our ability to use a given patent

12/07/2012 50 hours

2 hours 3 hours

3-4 hours

3+ hours

3 hours

2 hours

5 hours

5 hours

10+ hours

5 hours 2 hours

3 hours

entire team

Presentation

Verbal Presentation 1 – Creating a PowerPoint

and practicing the presentation

1. Power point slides created including…

Client introduction

Problem definition

Design option 1 and design option 2

Preliminary PFD

2. Team revisions

3. Practice presenting

Verbal Presentation 2 – Revising the

PowerPoint created earlier and adding additional

details including elements from PPFS, and

practicing 1. Additional slides created and revisions made

2. Determining who will present what and

practicing

10/19/2012

11/30/2012

5 hours

3 hours

1 hour

1 hour

6 hours

3 hours 3 hours

entire team

Sam

entire team

Creating the design

PFD – Involves a lot of research and liaison

with the client

04/30/2012

30 hours

entire team

44

1. Differing PFD for each preliminary design

option simple ones 2. Differing PFD for each preliminary design

option complex ones

3. After system is determined, first PFD

4. Revisions (dependent on number of drafts) 5. Final PFD

BFD – Involves a lot of research and liaison

with the client

1. Preliminary design options 2. Determined design

3. Revisions

4. Final BFD

UNISIM Design (Possibly) – Initially setting up

the process and then troubleshooting 1. Preliminary design options

2. Determined design process

3. Revisions and multiple drafts 4. Comparison of drafts as a comparison of

design variables

5. Initial final design 6. Revision and completion of final design

04/30/2012

04/30/2012

3 hours ea.

4 hours ea.

3 hours

3+ hours 2 hours

10 hours

1 hour ea.

2 hours

1 hour

1 hour 60 hours

3 hours ea. 3+ hours

3+ hours ea.

3+ hours

4 hours

4 hours

entire team

entire team

Final Report

Submitting a final report of abstract,

introduction, calculations, analysis, conclusions

and suggesting the best solution to the client. 1. Writing the results of the research

Materials and costs

Patent literature

Quotes and available customers for

purchasing of products

2. Writing the results of design options 3. Writing the decision matrix and results

4. Description of design

5. Cost analysis of design

6. Conclusions

04/30/2012 50 hours

10 hours

3 hours 4 hours

5+ hours

5+ hours 2 hours

entire team

45

12.2 Gantt Chart

46

12.3 Financial Forecasts

Metallic Joules Recycling Inc.

Pro-Forma Statement of Income

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Sales revenue

214,000,000

222,560,000

231,462,400

Variable Cost of Goods Sold

64,200,000

66,768,000

69,438,720

Fixed Cost of Goods Sold

500,000

500,000

500,000

Depreciation

7,145,000

15,103,000

14,357,500

Gross Margin

142,155,000

140,189,000

147,166,180

Variable Operating Costs

42,800,000

44,512,000

46,292,480

Fixed Operating Costs

20,000,000

20,000,000

20,000,000

Operating Income

79,355,000

75,677,000

80,873,700

Interest Expense

1,440,000

2,304,000

963,000

Income Before Tax

77,915,000

73,373,000

79,910,700

Income tax (40%)

31,166,000

29,349,200

31,964,280

Net Income After Tax

46,749,000

44,023,800

47,946,420

Metallic Joules Recycling Inc.

Pro-Forma Statement of Cash Flows

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Beginning Cash Balance

-

45,894,000

72,220,800

Net Income After Tax

46,749,000

44,023,800

47,946,420

Depreciation expense

7,145,000

15,103,000

14,357,500

Invested Capital (Equity)

47

10,000,000 - -

Increase (decrease) in borrowed funds

32,000,000

(12,800,000)

(17,000,000)

Equipment Purchases

(50,000,000)

(20,000,000)

(5,000,000)

Ending Cash Balance

45,894,000

72,220,800

112,524,720

* Assume no change in Accounts Receivable, Inventory or other current assets other than cash; Accounts Payable or other current

Liabilities other than Notes Payable; Fixed Assets other than equipment; or Equity Accounts other than Retained Earnings

Documents

Project Proposal Feasibility Study - Calvin College · 2012-12-10 · 4 Project Background Information ... The payback period will be approximately three years. ... the carbon and