title: Recovery of valuable materials from spent NIMH batteries using spouted bed elutriation.
abstract: In recent years, a great increase in the generation of spent batteries occurred. Then, efficient recycling ways and correct disposal of hazardous wastes are necessary. An alternative to recover the valuable materials from spent NiMH batteries is the spouted bed elutriation. The aim of this study was to apply the mechanical processing (grinding and sieving) followed by spouted bed elutriation to separate the valuable materials present in spent NiMH batteries. The results of the manual characterization showed that about 62 wt.% of the batteries are composed by positive and negative electrodes. After the mechanical separation processes (grinding, sieving and spouted bed elutriation), three different fractions were obtained: 24.21 wt.% of metals, 28.20 wt.% of polymers and 42.00 wt.% of powder (the positive and negative electrodes). It was demonstrated that the different materials present in the spent NiMH batteries can be efficiently separated using a simple and inexpensive mechanical processing.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Processes Laboratory (LAPAM), Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: edutanabe@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Eduardo H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.affiliation: Environmental Processes Laboratory (LAPAM), Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Schlemmer
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of São Carlos - UFSCAR, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mônica L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Environmental Processes Laboratory (LAPAM), Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Dotto
authors.affiliation: Environmental Processes Laboratory (LAPAM), Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bertuol
mesh_terms: D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011108:Polymers / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D011208:Powders; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006256:Hazardous Waste; D008670:Metals; D011108:Polymers; D011208:Powders
keywords: Elutriation; Mechanical processing; NiMH batteries; Recycling; Spouted bed