Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions
With the increasing amount of electrical cable and wire scrap, copper recycling has become a priority to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. This study presents an innovative process for recycling copper wire and cable of various types, including greased ones. The process com...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Polish Academy of Sciences
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Archives of Foundry Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133783/AFE%204_2024_20.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832584917928640512 |
|---|---|
| author | O. Choukri E. Mohsine S. Taibi |
| author_facet | O. Choukri E. Mohsine S. Taibi |
| author_sort | O. Choukri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With the increasing amount of electrical cable and wire scrap, copper recycling has become a priority to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. This study presents an innovative process for recycling copper wire and cable of various types, including greased ones. The process combines cold and hot treatments to maximise metal recovery while minimising polluting emissions. Initially, the cables are stripped and the PVC sheaths and other components are separated. Subsequently, these cables are subjected to pyrolysis in a hermetical furnace operating under an inert atmosphere, ensuring the absence of toxic emissions. The pyrolysis, carried out at temperatures between 500 °C and 600 °C, decomposed the insulating materials while minimising copper oxidation. A 100 kg sample of wire and cable pyrolysed at 540 °C was melted in an Indian foundry using the Upcast process to produce 8 mm oxygen-free copper rods. The electrical conductivity measurement of these rods showed a value of 98.2% IACS, making them suitable for many applications, especially electrical ones. The copper recovery rate reached a maximum value of 99.5%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the process. This sustainable process, suitable for small and medium foundries, offers an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for copper cables recycling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2ca558291e474a34a629c1e803f4d36d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2299-2944 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Polish Academy of Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Foundry Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-2ca558291e474a34a629c1e803f4d36d2025-01-27T10:10:36ZengPolish Academy of SciencesArchives of Foundry Engineering2299-29442024-12-01vol. 24No 4153162https://doi.org/10.24425/afe.2024.151323Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal EmissionsO. Choukri0E. Mohsine1S. Taibi2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mohammadia School of Engineers, MoroccoDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Mohammadia School of Engineers, MoroccoDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Mohammadia School of Engineers, MoroccoWith the increasing amount of electrical cable and wire scrap, copper recycling has become a priority to conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. This study presents an innovative process for recycling copper wire and cable of various types, including greased ones. The process combines cold and hot treatments to maximise metal recovery while minimising polluting emissions. Initially, the cables are stripped and the PVC sheaths and other components are separated. Subsequently, these cables are subjected to pyrolysis in a hermetical furnace operating under an inert atmosphere, ensuring the absence of toxic emissions. The pyrolysis, carried out at temperatures between 500 °C and 600 °C, decomposed the insulating materials while minimising copper oxidation. A 100 kg sample of wire and cable pyrolysed at 540 °C was melted in an Indian foundry using the Upcast process to produce 8 mm oxygen-free copper rods. The electrical conductivity measurement of these rods showed a value of 98.2% IACS, making them suitable for many applications, especially electrical ones. The copper recovery rate reached a maximum value of 99.5%, demonstrating the effectiveness of the process. This sustainable process, suitable for small and medium foundries, offers an efficient and environmentally friendly solution for copper cables recycling.https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133783/AFE%204_2024_20.pdfcopper recyclinggreased cablescold treatmentpyrolysis processupcast process |
| spellingShingle | O. Choukri E. Mohsine S. Taibi Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions Archives of Foundry Engineering copper recycling greased cables cold treatment pyrolysis process upcast process |
| title | Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions |
| title_full | Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions |
| title_fullStr | Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions |
| title_short | Industrial Recycling of Scrap Copper Cables and Wires: Combining Cold and Hot Treatments for Maximum Recovery and Minimal Emissions |
| title_sort | industrial recycling of scrap copper cables and wires combining cold and hot treatments for maximum recovery and minimal emissions |
| topic | copper recycling greased cables cold treatment pyrolysis process upcast process |
| url | https://journals.pan.pl/Content/133783/AFE%204_2024_20.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ochoukri industrialrecyclingofscrapcoppercablesandwirescombiningcoldandhottreatmentsformaximumrecoveryandminimalemissions AT emohsine industrialrecyclingofscrapcoppercablesandwirescombiningcoldandhottreatmentsformaximumrecoveryandminimalemissions AT staibi industrialrecyclingofscrapcoppercablesandwirescombiningcoldandhottreatmentsformaximumrecoveryandminimalemissions |