Process and equipment for opening of cathode ray tubes - in order to facilitate removal, and separation of their component parts for re-use or safe disposal

摘要

A process and equipment for opening of cathode ray tubes (CAT) to allow clearing off or separating their material components. In a cathode ray tube (15) is a narrow linear expansion, approximately ring shaped in the region between the light shield (front part) and the tube base (rear part) of the wall of the cathode ray tube. By heating of the cathode ray tube over its entire length for a fixed time, the resulting stresses in the glass cause the forward, light shield part of the tube to separate from the rear, base, part of the cathode ray tube due to fracturing. The fracture region is approximately horizontal to the C.R.T. middle axis. USE/ADVANTAGE - Due to the rising number of waste CRTs (from televisions) arising n household waste, it is necessary to find a way to re-use, dispose of safely, or re-condition the component parts. The first step in any such process is the opening up of the CRT. The removal of the luminescent layers from the CRT is environmentally advantageous as they include many harmful heavy metals. It is also economically advantageous as some of the elements e.g. yttrium are very rare.