Study of the factors influencing the metals solubilisation from a mixture of waste batteries by response surface methodology.
This paper presents an innovative process for the recovery of valuable metals from a mixture of spent batteries. Different types of batteries, including alkaline, zinc-carbon (Zn-C), nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH), lithium ion (Li-ion) and lithium metallic (Li-M) batteries, were mixed according to the proportion of the Canadian sales of batteries. A Box-Behnken design was applied to find the optimum leaching conditions allowing a maximum of valuable metal removals from a mixture of spent batteries in the presence of an inorganic acid and a reducing agent. The results highlighted the positive effect of sodium metabisulfite on the performance of metals removal, especially for Mn. The solid/liquid ratio and the concentration of H2SO4were the main factors affecting the leaching behavior of valuable metals (Zn, Mn, Cd, Ni) present in spent batteries. Finally, the optimum leaching conditions were found as follows: one leaching step, solid/liquid ratio = 10.9%, [H2SO4] = 1.34 M, sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) = 0.45 g/g of battery powder and retention time = 45 min. Under such conditions, the removal yields achieved were 94% for Mn, 81% for Cd, 99% for Zn, 96% for Co and 68% for Ni.
a Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement) , Université du Québec , Québec , QC , Canada.
Kulchaya
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2847-1480
K
Tanong
a Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement) , Université du Québec , Québec , QC , Canada.
Lucie
L
Coudert
a Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement) , Université du Québec , Québec , QC , Canada.
Myriam
M
Chartier
a Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement) , Université du Québec , Québec , QC , Canada.
Guy
G
Mercier
a Institut national de la recherche scientifique (Centre Eau, Terre et Environnement) , Université du Québec , Québec , QC , Canada.
Jean-François
JF
Blais
D002170:Canada; D011211:Electric Power Supplies / Q000145:classification; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D059027:Recycling / Q000379:methods*; D012995:Solubility
D008670:Metals
Box-Behnken design; leaching; reducing agent; spent batteries; sulfuric acid