Recover Metals from PCBs

[Matt “Ducky”]

I’m always trying to find the most efficient and safe way of doing things, and I was curious if anyone has tried it as I have not seen anything online about it.

I have a heavy-duty grinder for turning certain compounds into a mesh powder. Instead of using their acids for whatever, I know I will have to use some, but the fewer, the better.

What if I pulverize the PCBs into a fine powder or, at least as best, pour the powder into a furnace but bring it no higher than 700°F just enough to burn off anything except for metal? It's not too hot to get them to where they melt into each other, but just enough. If I can do this with this, it would be helpful. I think it would be, but you all are the experts.

Please let me know if there’s anything that I’m missing. I like to store up the metals until I have a lot of them before I use the acids so this way, it will break everything down to the metals, but without the non-metallic parts then I can store the metals until I get enough of them to use the acids and then break them down to the elements.

I know I’m missing something, but if somebody wouldn’t mind helping me out on this, I would appreciate it. FYI, I have three motherboards to go through. This would save me a lot of space

I’m adding a video of what I’m talking about. It is three motherboards turned into a powder. If it’s something that I can do without messing up something else, it will save me time, I think, and use fewer acids.

Be brutal if need be. Just let me know what you think, but if you’re ruthless, at least explain.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I’m always trying to find the most efficient and safe way of doing things, and I was curious if anyone has tried it as I have not seen anything online about it.

I have a heavy-duty grinder for turning certain compounds into a mesh powder. Instead of using their acids for whatever, I know I will have to use some, but the fewer, the better.

What if I pulverize the PCBs into a fine powder or, at least as best, pour the powder into a furnace but bring it no higher than 700°F just enough to burn off anything except for metal? It's not too hot to get them to where they melt into each other, but just enough. If I can do this with this, it would be helpful. I think it would be, but you all are the experts.

Please let me know if there’s anything that I’m missing. I like to store up the metals until I have a lot of them before I use the acids so this way, it will break everything down to the metals, but without the non-metallic parts then I can store the metals until I get enough of them to use the acids and then break them down to the elements.

I know I’m missing something, but if somebody wouldn’t mind helping me out on this, I would appreciate it. FYI, I have three motherboards to go through. This would save me a lot of space

I’m adding a video of what I’m talking about. It is three motherboards turned into a powder. If it’s something that I can do without messing up something else, it will save me time, I think, and use fewer acids.

Be brutal if need be. Just let me know what you think, but if you’re ruthless, at least explain.

Shredded or not, it need to pyrolized with an afterburner to render the VOC's harmless.
When that is done it need to be incinerated and then it can be leached, smelted or what ever.

 

[Yggdrasil]

Just to add:
The VOC's will be relatively harmless if done like this and it will be ok in a hobby scale.
Larger it needs extra cleaning of the smoke.

 

[Matt “Ducky”]

that sounds like a really cool idea my problem is how do you do what you’re asking and do so without it being in an oxygen atmosphere I don’t have any set up like that that would be able to get to those temperatures what I was wanting to do was very similar to what you are suggesting but do so in the smelter or furnace just by making certain that I stay below 700 . I live on a large tractor land nobody’s around anyway I was just curious if anybody had any ideas if there was a problem with what I had suggested

 

[Yggdrasil]

that sounds like a really cool idea my problem is how do you do what you’re asking and do so without it being in an oxygen atmosphere I don’t have any set up like that that would be able to get to those temperatures what I was wanting to do was very similar to what you are suggesting but do so in the smelter or furnace just by making certain that I stay below 700 . I live on a large tractor land nobody’s around anyway I was just curious if anybody had any ideas if there was a problem with what I had suggested

How did you come up with the temperature of 700?
And is it F or C?
Many here has been pyrolizing for years and there are a great many threads on it.

 

[kurtak]

I’m always trying to find the most efficient and safe way of doing things, and I was curious if anyone has tried it as I have not seen anything online about it.

Per the bold print - I have posted a GREAT deal of information on the incineration & smelting processes

So it is time for you to do your research

Type in - incineration - by member kurtak

Type in - smelting - by member kurtak

In your search results you will see information posted not only by me but by other members (like 4metals etc.) that know as much if not more then me about the incineration & smelting processes

Be prepared to do LOTS of reading - if you really want to learn how to do it & do it right

Kurt