Lead smelting is a crucial step in the lead battery recycling process, which involves the extraction of lead from used batteries and the recycling of this lead for use in new batteries or other industrial applications.
In a lead battery recycling plant, the lead-acid batteries are first broken down into their component parts, which typically includes the lead plates, lead oxide paste, and plastic components. The lead plates and lead oxide paste are then smelted in a furnace to extract the lead.
How it works the smelting process
The smelting process involves heating the lead plates and paste to a high temperature, typically around 1,200 degrees Celsius, in a furnace. This melts the lead and separates it from other impurities, which are removed from the furnace. The resulting molten lead is then cast into ingots or other forms for further processing.
During the smelting process, impurities in the lead material are separated from the lead and removed from the furnace. This process can take several hours or even days, depending on the quantity and quality of the materials being smelted.
The resulting lead is then refined and purified, typically through a process called electrolysis. This involves passing an electric current through the lead to remove any remaining impurities.
Once the lead has been extracted from the batteries and refined, it can be used to manufacture new batteries or other lead-based products. Recycling lead from used batteries is an important way to reduce waste and conserve natural resources, as lead is a valuable and finite resource.
Overall, lead smelting is a critical process in the lead battery recycling plant, allowing for the extraction of lead from used batteries and the recycling of this lead for use in new batteries or other industrial applications. The recycling of lead from used batteries is an important way to promote sustainability and conserve natural resources, and lead smelting is a key component of this process.
LEAD SMELTING FURNACE: what is and how it works
The lead smelting furnace is a crucial piece of equipment in the lead smelting process, used to heat the lead ore or recycled material to high temperatures to extract the lead. Let’s take a closer look at what a furnace is and how it works.
A furnace is essentially a container made of heat-resistant materials such as bricks, refractory concrete, or ceramic fiber. It is designed to withstand high temperatures and to contain the heat within the furnace chamber. The furnace can be fueled by a variety of materials, including coal, oil, natural gas, or electricity.
The lead smelting furnace is typically a blast furnace, which operates by blowing air or oxygen through the furnace to promote combustion and heat transfer. This creates a high-temperature environment that melts the lead material, allowing it to be separated from other impurities.
The furnace is typically divided into several zones, each with its own purpose.
- The uppermost zone is the charging zone, where the lead ore or recycled material is loaded into the furnace.
- The middle zone is the combustion or reaction zone, where the fuel and air are introduced to create a high-temperature environment.
- The lowermost zone is the tapping zone, where the molten lead is collected and removed from the furnace.
The furnace operates continuously, with new material added to the charging zone as the lead is extracted from the molten material in the tapping zone. The process can take several hours or even days to complete, depending on the quantity and quality of the materials being smelted.
Overall, the lead smelting furnace is a complex and highly specialized piece of equipment that requires skilled operators and advanced technology to function effectively. As the demand for lead-based products continues to grow, the development of new furnace technologies and techniques will be crucial for the continued success of the lead smelting industry.
Smelter main functions
Below, the GME’s Foundry machinery for battery lead recycling main functions:
- Grids & Lead paste melting based on rotary furnace
- Refinery units of lead alloys based on Kettles
- Loader vibrating channel for rotary furnace
- Rotary smelting furnace powered by oxy gas
- Treatment and filtration of exhaust gas with bag filters specifically designed for Lead
- Water Quencher systems for dioxins abatement
- Reactors sodium bicarbonate for the reduction of Sox, HCl e HF
Lead Refining process
The refining process for lead obtained from exhausted batteries involves several steps to purify the lead and remove any remaining impurities. After the smelting process it comes the Electrolysis phase wherethe lead ingots are then subjected to electrolysis to remove any remaining impurities. This involves immersing the lead ingots in an electrolytic bath of dilute sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and passing an electric current through the bath. This causes the impurities in the lead to migrate to the cathode, where they can be removed.
Finally, the lead is subjected to a refining process to further remove any remaining impurities. This involves treating the lead with a refining agent, typically a mixture of zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg). The refining agent reacts with any remaining impurities, forming a slag material that can be skimmed off the surface of the lead.
The refining process for lead obtained from exhausted batteries is a complex and highly technical process that requires skilled operators and specialized equipment. The process is critical for ensuring that the lead obtained from batteries is of high quality and suitable for use in various industrial applications.
Below the GME’s refinery main functions:
- GME Refining Plant is based on latest pyrometallurgical technology for Lead Refining, guaranteeing a Lead circular production with one of the highest purity level of the Market: 99.985% of refined lead.
- Refining system has the aim to remove the totality of the major impurities present in the Lead after the recycling phase, such as Copper, Arsenic, Tin, Antimony, Bismuth and much more.
- GME Refining Kettle Furnaces are designed to cover different sizes, ranging from 25 to 100 tonnes cap., engineered to drastically reduce the energy consumption thanks to the special design of the oven using high efficiency natural gas / LPG / Air burners.
- Pollutions and Emissions are controlled thanks to a special design of the hood on top of the kettle with a major suction system and with a monitoring sensor on stack, after bag filters, to keep the contaminants level under the limits and automatically control the reagent’s feeding along with all the others parameters such as: flow rate, temperature, pressure.
Comments are closed.
