Continuous recovery of copper@ from used circuit boards

摘要

In a continuous process for the removal of copper from used circuit boards (3), the circuit boards (3) are carried through an electrolysis bath (1) containing an electrolyte (11) and a cathode (2). They move through the bath on a path between the inlet and outlet openings (12, 13) in the side walls (15) of the bath (1). The used circuit board (3) acts as the anode. The copper in the used circuit board is oxidised to form copper ions in the electrolyte, to detach the copper from the board (3). The copper ions are reduced and separated at the cathode (2). The used circuit boards (3) are carried through the process by a number of paired rollers (41, 42) on horizontal axes. To use the circuit board (3) as the anode, a power supply (5) is connected electrically to at least one of the rollers (42) in contact with the circuit board (3) and outside the electrolyte bath (1). The bath (1) is fed with electrolyte (11) continuously to maintain the liquid level for the immersion of the used circuit boards (3), and cover the cathode (2), to replace liquid escaping through the inlet and outlet openings (12, 13). The escaped electrolyte (11) is caught, and recirculated through the bath (1). The copper is recovered through separation at the cathode (2).