Alternative Technology for Processing Scrap in Refineries
摘要
A novel reactive electro-dialysis (RED) cell was employed at the laboratory scale to process industrial scrap, producing a high-purity acidic electrolyteElectrolyte with a controlled copperCopper and sulfuric acidSulfuric acid content while minimizing impuritiesImpurity such as As, Sb, and Bi. This electrolyteElectrolyte can be directly reused in electro-refiningRefining cells or utilized for the production of CuSO₄·5H₂O, copperCopper foil, copper nanoparticles or 5N cathodes. The anodic reaction involves the oxidation of scrap, releasing cupric ions into the electrolyteElectrolyte, while the cathodic reaction reduces protons from an acidic solution, generating hydrogenHydrogen gas. The resulting electrolyteElectrolyte contained approximately 180 g/L of H₂SO₄, 45 g/L of Cu, less than 75 mg/L of As, and less than 10 mg/L of Sb and Bi. Additionally, the process generated around 300 m3 of hydrogenHydrogen gas per ton of dissolved scrap, with the potential to produce an equivalent volume of high-purity water.