TNO The project Why What How FP7

Transcription

1 TNO The project Why What How 1

2 Company: Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research; Knowledge centre on technical, behavioural and life sciences Research groups involved: Materials for Integrated Products (MIP), Climate, Air and Sustainability (CAS), and Water Treatment (WT), contributing with their expertise on multi-material (electronic) components, ecoefficiency assessment and purification technologies RECLAIM: Reclamation of Gallium, Indium and Rare-Earth Elements from Photovoltaics, Solid-State Lighting and Electronics Waste Objectives: Technological solutions that relieve current bottlenecks in the recycling of gallium, indium and rare-earth elements Demonstration of their application potential by means of a pilot implementation in an industrial setting 2

3 Role: Technological development of disconnection processes for electronic components (WP2) and recovery processes (WP3) for gallium and indium; economical/ecological studies to assess the impact of developed methodologies and technologies (WP4); consortium co-ordination (WP7) Duration: 4 years Start date: Resources: 596 person months Costs: 7 Million EUR (4.7 EU) Partners: 12* Countries: 6* 3

4 Targeted results: Separation methods for electronic assemblies that reduce manual work (>80% automation) Subsequent recovery methods that yield recycled materials of commercial-grade quality (> %, depending on the element), apt to fit an industrial context and being environmentally compliant How: Development of (mech/thermal) disconnection & sorting methods, part recognition methods and hydrometallurgical refining processes Impact assessments on High-value Recycling routes, Economic aspects and Eco-efficiency Decision support 4

5 The intensification of recycling activities for this kind of waste in Europe will bring some relief to the environmental disaster and exploitation of people under unhealthy and harsh working conditions in such regions as Guiyu (often referred to as the E-waste capital of China or electronics graveyard ) and may mark the end of this intrinsically unsustainable practice. Projected growth for Gallium and Indium, indicating that global supply will increasingly lag behind on demand if the current circumstances pertain. Growing demand driven by PV, SSL (lightemitting diodes, or LEDs) and electronics (integrated circuits) for gallium and by PV and electronics (LCDs) for indium 5

6 Yttrium and Europium being the most important rare earths for lighting applications, this places a particular emphasis on the availability of these specific key metals World-wide supply and demand forecasts for Yttrium (left) and Europium (right) Dilute concentrations in ores of other minerals (Bastnäsite, Monazite,..) Reserves around the world: Chn 36%, Rus 19%, US 13%, Aus 5% World production kton 95% produced by China Export quota decreasing -35%/yr Need for increased production other countries or recycling (e.g fluorescent lighting phosphors) 6

7 Scarce, critical for EU (EC 2010) ITO (84%) Indium Tin (transparant) Oxide for Indium based LED s, Optical data transmission, FP/LCD displays (75%) 5% of the Indium is used in electrical components and semiconductors 81% of import to EU from China By-product of Zn, Pb ans Sn production Worldwide production ~550 tons Price ~ US$/kg strongly fluctuating Recycling scrap 700 tons, ~70% reclaim potential US: 74% in IC s (mainly compound semiconductor GaAs), 25% in optoelectronic devices (laser diodes, LED s) Mining coupled to production of bulk Al (Bauxite, Al2O3) and from Zn ore In 2010: Primary 106 tons (50-75% China, rest Eu, Rus) Refinery 177 tons (China, US, Jpn) Recycling 141 tons (increasing) Prices ~500US$/kg Worldwide demand mainly PV and IC 7

8 Phosphors for lighting powders 100% Eu applied in coloring fluorescent lamps, CRT screens Price Y >100 US$/kg Eu US$/kg Allocation of the targeted key metals in current and prospective E-waste types 8

9 General process scheme for the recovery of the key metals 9

10 Objective: Selection of e-waste streams Collection of data concerning the metals of interest in electronic waste. As a result, a selection has been made of (green) electronic products that are of interest using as starting materials to develop: flat panel displays, printed circuit board, solar cells and lighting powders. SELECTED WASTE STREAMS KEY METALS Flat Panel Displays indium Printed Circuit Boards neodynium, yttrium, tantalum, Energy Efficient Lighting yttrium, europium High Efficient Solar cells (CIGS) indium, gallium Setups for lab-scale processes for disconnection and sorting of E-waste parts and components (target 80%) Pre-treatment Disconnection Recognition/Sorting Evaluation Necessary steps prior to Recovery 10

11 Technological concepts for melting, delamination, optical and spectroscopic principles FPD panel after manual dismantling CIGS solar cell Printed circuit board with mixed components types to be studied by means of different identification techniques 11

12 Fluorescent lamp powders are obtained by crushing and sieving for optimization of the recovery process, resulting in higher concentrated powder for re-use Flat Panel Display: hidden target metals Lab/bench-scale processes of processes for release of the target metals from E-waste parts and components (efficiency target 95%) REE/REO for Re-use Release Concentration and purification (remove contaminations, purity target 99%) Evaluation 12

13 Europium and Yttrium metals and some other valuable salts are present in the powder coating on the inner surface of the glass tubes of fluorescent lamps Methodologies and selection of- and recommendations for end-of-life routes have been investigated including already some first estimates of commercial and economical aspects. Recycling routes Environmental assessment Economical assessment Eco-efficiency profiles Decision support tool 13

14 Eco-efficiency profiles for high-value recycling routes that give directions for optimal closed-loop recycling Example WP starts in 2015 Separation, sorting and/or Recovery Financial aspects Gallium/Indium Pilot plant (PV/FPD) Yttrium/Europium Pilot plant (Lighting) EL components 14

15 For more information contact RECLAIM project coördinator Marc van Kleef 15