JP3669956B2 - Mercury recovery method and equipment for waste fluorescent lamps - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a mercury recovery method and apparatus for waste fluorescent lamps, particularly used lamps.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the energy saving era, fluorescent lamps have high lamp efficiency as a feature among the light sources for illumination, and therefore, the demand for main light sources is expected to grow in the future.
[0003]
On the other hand, for the recent protection of the global environment, there is a demand for the collection of harmful substances used in products and the recycling of components. Here, mercury, which is an ultraviolet radiation substance enclosed as a basic component in fluorescent lamps, is a harmful substance. Therefore, in recent years, waste fluorescent lamps and related parts have become particularly pollution-free when they are disposed of or recycled. Therefore, removal by the recovery of encapsulated mercury has been required.
[0004]
Conventional waste fluorescent lamps are divided into two waste categories when they are disposed of: (a) general waste that is used fluorescent lamps in general households, and (b) used fluorescent lamps in general building offices and factories. It is classified as industrial waste such as lamps and defective lamps in the manufacturing process. And most of the former general waste is currently landfilled in the same way as non-combustible general household waste. On the other hand, the waste fluorescent lamps and related components, which are the latter industrial waste, are dissolved in the dissolution test method stipulated in the Environmental Agency Notification No. 13 of February 17, 1973. It is required to be less than a liter. Here, it is stipulated that industrial waste whose mercury content exceeds the above-mentioned standard value should be detoxified or transported to a specially managed landfill for processing.
[0005]
As described above, waste fluorescent lamps that are required to recover mercury as industrial waste are used fluorescent lamps on the market and poorly manufactured lamps in the manufacturing process. Further, as a related member of the waste fluorescent lamp, there is an exhaust tube glass used in the manufacturing process. Such mercury fluorescent lamps and related member mercury recovery methods have been widely studied. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 52-33387, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-137426, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-154641 JP-A-8-168747, JP-A-10-12149, JP-A-11-207313, JP-A-2000-202319, JP-A-2000-215811, JP-A-2000-303125, JP-A-2000-125125 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-11548, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-81449, and the like.
[0006]
By the way, in addition to the enclosed mercury, the constituent members of the fluorescent lamp are (i) an arc tube glass that forms an arc tube, and (ii) a stem that is hermetically sealed at both ends of the tube while holding a pair of tungsten coil electrode portions. It consists of glass and a base attached thereto, and (iii) a phosphor applied to the inner surface of the tube. The enclosed mercury in the waste fluorescent lamp is particularly attached and contained in the phosphor (iii). Therefore, in the processing process of waste fluorescent lamps generally applied in the prior art, the lamp is first separated into three members: an arc tube glass, a phosphor, and a stem glass with a base (some phosphors are also mixed). Subsequently, methods suitable for mercury recovery of each member have been adopted.
[0007]
In addition, soda glass and lead glass have been mainly used as the light emitting glass and the stem glass of the conventional fluorescent lamp, respectively. However, recently, in order to improve the efficiency and life characteristics of the fluorescent lamp, sodium-free barium-based glass or the like is used instead of soda glass for the arc tube glass.
[0008]
Conventional methods for recovering mercury from waste fluorescent lamps and related members can be broadly classified into two types: dry and wet.
[0009]
In the former dry method, basically, the waste fluorescent lamp member and the thin tube glass member are first heated in a reduced pressure apparatus including atmospheric pressure or vacuum to separate the adhering / containing mercury as mercury vapor, and then the mercury vapor In general, a method of (a) cooling and aggregating and recovering (b) adsorbing and removing by a mercury adsorbent such as activated carbon or chelate resin has been widely applied.
[0010]
On the other hand, as the latter wet method, for example, (a) a once crushed waste fluorescent lamp member is immersed in a mercury solution such as dilute nitric acid, and the adhering / containing mercury is separated by dissolution, and then the mercury solution The mercury dissolved therein is adsorbed and recovered by a mercury adsorbent such as a chelate resin, or (b) the crushed waste fluorescent lamp member is brought into contact with an aqueous solution such as a sulfide treatment agent mainly composed of active sulfur. A method of recovering adhering / containing mercury as a water-insoluble mercury sulfide compound has been disclosed and applied. In particular, with regard to the related thin tube glass members, the adhering mercury is first separated as free mercury by washing the crushed thin tube glass with water and immersing it in the floating washing water tank, and then the washing water and the free mercury in the floating washing water tank. A method has been proposed in which sediment is recovered by sedimentation.
[0011]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the future, as efforts to protect the global environment are accelerated, it is certain that thorough recovery of mercury from waste fluorescent lamps, including general waste, will be required, especially the recycling of its components.
[0012]
According to the investigation of the recycling status of waste fluorescent lamps by the present inventors, at present, the production failure lamp and the fluorescent tube glass member of the thin tube glass and some phosphor members are mainly recycled. I'm just there. Therefore, the future main issue will be to promote the recycling of used fluorescent lamp members, including general waste, which occupies the majority of waste fluorescent lamps, and arc tube glass members with the largest amount of used members among them. is there.
[0013]
In light of the above-mentioned background, the inventors of the present invention have worked on the development of a mercury recovery method and an apparatus to which the mercury recovery method is particularly required for promoting the recycling of arc tube glass members of used fluorescent lamps.
[0014]
First, the inventors searched for a mercury recovery method suitable for recycling of the arc tube glass member in the present development from among the prior arts. In this case, the conforming conditions are as follows: (a) Firstly, the mercury content in the arc tube glass can be removed to a level below the reference value 0.005 mg / liter; In order to progress the ramp process, three processes were set: the process and equipment are relatively simple and the process cost can be reduced, and (c) the work environment in the process is safe.
[0015]
However, as a result, it has been found that none of the mercury recovery methods according to the prior art can satisfy the above three conforming conditions. For example, the dry method of “recovering mercury vapor from heating”, which has been widely applied to the treatment of lamps that have been poorly manufactured in the past, has not been able to satisfy the above condition (a). In addition, the wet method using a mercury solution, a sulfide treatment agent or the like cannot satisfy the above conditions (b) and (c). Further, the wet method such as simple water washing for treating the thin tube glass member does not completely satisfy the condition (a).
[0016]
As described above, in order to proceed with the recycling of arc tube glass members of used fluorescent lamps in the future, first find a mercury treatment method that satisfies the above three conditions, and then devise a treatment process and equipment to which it is applied. Is a major technical challenge.
[0017]
The present invention can recover and remove the mercury content of the arc tube glass to a level below the reference value of 0.005 mg / liter in the mercury recovery processing of the arc tube glass member of the waste fluorescent lamp, particularly the used fluorescent lamp, and It is an object of the present invention to provide a processing method and apparatus that can find a mercury recovery method that is low in processing cost and safe in the work environment, and that can be applied to advance recycling of the arc tube glass member.
[0018]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a method for recovering mercury from a waste fluorescent lamp according to the present invention is a method for recovering mercury from an arc tube glass member separated from a waste fluorescent lamp,
Crush the arc tube glass member And crushed ,
The crushed material is put into a warm water washing machine and stirred with warm water, separated into glass crushed material and mercury,
The separated mercury is put into a storage tank together with hot water, and collected by being precipitated at the bottom of the storage tank,
The glass crushed material is dried and taken out,
The hot water of the supernatant of the storage tank is recycled and supplied to a hot water washing machine.
[0019]
Next, a mercury recovery apparatus for waste fluorescent lamps of the present invention Is An apparatus for recovering mercury from an arc tube glass member separated from a waste fluorescent lamp,
Crush the arc tube glass member And then crushed Means to
Means for charging the crushed material into a warm water washer, means for supplying warm water to the warm water washer, and stirring means for separating the crushed glass and mercury,
Means for putting the separated mercury into a storage tank together with hot water, and precipitating and recovering it at the bottom of the storage tank;
Means for drying and taking out the crushed glass;
The hot water of the supernatant liquid of the storage tank is provided with means for recycling and supplying it to the hot water washing machine.
[0020]
As a result, the mercury content in the arc tube glass member can basically be recovered and removed to a level below the specified standard value of 0.005 mg / liter, and a low processing cost and a safe working environment can be obtained. By applying the method, it is possible to implement a method and an apparatus for progressing recycling of the arc tube glass member.
[0021]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In this invention, it is preferable that the temperature of the warm water used for the said warm water washing process is the range of 35 degreeC or more. As a result, the mercury content in the arc tube glass member can be recovered and removed to a level below the specified reference value of 0.005 mg / liter, more preferably 0.002 mg / liter, and the arc tube glass member can be recycled. It becomes. The temperature of the warm water is preferably in the range of 40 ° C. or higher and 80 ° C. or lower.
[0022]
Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable that the process in the said warm water washing machine with a stirrer is a batch type or a continuous type.
[0023]
Moreover, in this invention, it is preferable that the stirring means in the said warm water washing machine is stirring by stirring by a stirrer or the tank of the said warm water washing machine rotating.
[0024]
As a result, the amount of mercury contained in the arc tube glass member can be recovered and removed to a level below the specified standard value of 0.005 mg / liter, and a low processing cost and a safe working environment can be obtained. A highly efficient processing method and apparatus for the arc tube glass member with reduced time can be realized.
[0025]
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0026]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a mercury recovery method for an arc tube glass member of a used fluorescent lamp according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and a processing apparatus for an arc tube glass member to which the method is applied. In the used fluorescent lamp 1, the stem glass members 2 and 3 with caps at both ends of the tube are first cut and separated by a mixed gas burner of propane gas and oxygen gas, and then applied to the inner surface of the arc tube glass member 4 by high-pressure air blow. The phosphor 5 member is peeled and separated. And the arc tube glass 4 member relevant to the remaining this invention is processed by the process and equipment which applied the mercury collection method which is this Embodiment 1 below.
[0027]
The separated stem glass members 2 and 3 with caps are specially treated as detoxified as industrial waste after some mercury is collected and removed by heat treatment in a heating furnace (not shown). It is transported and processed in landfills managed by the company. In addition, as described above, the phosphor member 5 containing a large amount of mercury is once recovered as a powder, and then the mercury contained in the powder is recovered by a mercury distillation apparatus (not shown). The formed phosphor member 5 is similarly treated as industrial waste. Here, the mercury recovered by the mercury distillation apparatus is recycled as it is for a fluorescent lamp.
[0028]
In developing the process and apparatus for the arc tube glass member 4 of the used fluorescent lamp 1 of FIG. 1, the present inventors searched and examined a method for recovering mercury from the arc tube glass member 4 in particular. As a result, it has been found that a mercury recovery method in which the arc tube glass member 4 crushed in the used fluorescent lamp 1 is basically washed with warm water as described below can satisfy the above three conforming conditions.
[0029]
As a series of processing steps for the arc tube glass member 4, (i) the arc tube glass member 4 is crushed by the glass crusher 6, and (ii) the crushed arc tube glass member 4 is heated by the hot water washing machine 8 by the conveyor 7. (Iii) The mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 4 is removed to the reference value 0.005 mg / liter or less by the cleaning process in the hot water cleaning machine 8 according to the first embodiment, iv) The arc tube glass from which mercury has been removed is transported and put into the rotary dryer 18 equipped with the warm air circulation device 19 by the transport conveyor 17, and (v) the arc tube glass member 4 is finally dried here. Then, it will be collected into the glass container 20. The recovered arc tube glass member 4 can be recycled as it is for a glass melting furnace cullet, glass tile, road roadbed material, and the like.
[0030]
The processing step and the equipment of (iii) to which the mercury recovery method according to the first embodiment is applied will be described in detail. First, a storage tank 9 is provided at the lower part of the hot water washing machine 8, and a hot water circulation pump 21 is provided therefor. Attached and hot water whose temperature is controlled from the hot water circulation line 10 is injected from the upper water supply pipe 11. In addition, a stirring blade 12 that is rotated by a motor is also attached to the hot water washing machine 8, and the arc tube glass member 4 immersed in the hot water is stirred and processed. Here, as described below, the stirring blade 12 is installed in order to shorten the processing time of the hot water cleaning. When the diameter of the hot water washer is 150 cm, the height is 200 cm, and the treatment amount is 3500 liters, the rotational speed of the stirrer is preferably 3 to 5 rpm, and the treatment time is preferably about 20 minutes.
[0031]
In addition, in the hot water cleaning processing step according to the first embodiment, a predetermined amount of the arc tube glass member 4 is put into the hot water cleaning machine 8 at a time, and mercury recovery and processing is performed by a so-called batch method. The arc tube glass member 4 is transferred to the conveyor 17 through the lower opening 14 together with warm water by opening the shutter 13 for each batch process. At the same time, the hot water is once collected and processed in the storage tank 9 through the hot water hopper 15 and supplied again to the water supply pipe 11 as temperature-controlled hot water. Here, the mercury contained in the hot water once collected in the storage tank 9 is deposited together with the phosphor and glass powder litter at the bottom of the storage tank 9, and the deposit containing the mercury is used as a pancake sludge 16. Collected. The sludge 16 is detoxified as industrial waste or is transported and processed to a specially managed landfill.
[0032]
The number of used fluorescent lamps for each batch process was about 4000 lamps for the 40 W type when, for example, a cylindrical hot water washer 8 having a diameter of 1.5 m / depth of 2.0 m was used.
[0033]
The feature of the mercury recovery method according to the first embodiment is that hot water cleaning is adopted to recover and remove the mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 4.
[0034]
In the search and examination of the mercury recovery method for the arc tube glass member 4 of the used fluorescent lamp 1, the present inventors paid attention to the hot water cleaning treatment, and in particular, the temperature of the hot water used for the processing and the cleaning processing time are two. The recovery and removal effects of mercury contained when the parameters were changed were investigated. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, it has been found that the temperature of hot water is closely related to the effect of collecting and removing mercury.
[0035]
FIG. 2 shows a soda glass arc tube glass member 4 coated with a halogen phosphoric acid phosphor and a three-wavelength rare earth phosphor as the phosphor member 5 by hot water cleaning which is the mercury recovery method of the first embodiment. The relationship between the mercury content (value by the said elution test method) of the processed arc tube glass member 4 and the temperature of warm water is shown. In this measurement, the stirring blade 12 attached to the hot water washer 8 was stirred at 5 rpm. Moreover, the mercury content of the crushed arc tube glass member 4 before the hot water washing treatment was 0.031 mg / liter and 0.032 mg / liter, respectively.
[0036]
From the results shown in FIG. 2, it is found that the mercury content decreases to 80 ° C. as the temperature of hot water rises from 20 ° C. regardless of the type of phosphor used, and then saturates at 80 ° C. or higher. did. Then, it was found that so-called simple water cleaning around room temperature of 20 ° C. has a particularly small effect of reducing and removing the mercury content in the arc tube glass member 4 of the used fluorescent lamp 1. Furthermore, in the temperature range of the hot water 10 of 35 ° C. or more, particularly 40 ° C. or more, the mercury content in the arc tube glass member 4 can be reliably reduced or removed to the level of the reference value 0.005 mg / liter or less. It was revealed.
[0037]
On the other hand, even if the temperature is raised above 80 ° C., the decrease in mercury content is saturated, so it is appropriate to keep the temperature within the range of 80 ° C. or less from the viewpoint of energy saving in the treatment process.
[0038]
On the other hand, before investigating the relationship with the washing treatment time, which is another parameter, first, the agitation effect by the agitation blade 12 attached to the hot water washing machine 8 was examined in advance. As a result, it has been found that the processing time by the hot water cleaning can be significantly shortened. In other words, the cleaning processing time required to reduce or remove the mercury content to the same value is reduced to about 1/3 on average by stirring the stirring blade 12 attached to the hot water cleaning machine 8 as compared with the case without stirring. We were able to.
[0039]
Next, the diffusion blade 12 originally included in the configuration of the first embodiment was stirred, and the reduction rate of the mercury content was measured when the cleaning treatment time was changed in the range of 5 minutes to 60 minutes. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, it was found that the reduction rate of mercury contained by increasing the cleaning time is smaller than the increase in the hot water temperature. Further, when the cleaning process time is increased to 10 minutes or more, the reduction rate of mercury contained becomes relatively small. Therefore, the cleaning process time may be shortened to 10 minutes or less from the viewpoint of improving the efficiency of the processing process.
[0040]
In the mercury recovery method of the first embodiment, the hot water cleaning treatment is particularly effective for reducing and removing mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 4. The amalgam is formed with an alkali metal such as sodium segregated on the surface or an alkaline earth metal such as barium, and the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal in the amalgam is more easily dissolved in warm water than mere water. This is due to the nature of.
[0041]
The mercury recovery method by hot water washing according to the present invention described above is (a) First, the mercury content in the arc tube glass member 4 can be reduced and removed to a level below the reference value, and (b) In addition, mercury solution such as dilute nitric acid and sulfide treatment agent, which are expensive due to the handling precautions in the prior art, are unnecessary, so that the treatment process and equipment can be designed relatively easily and the treatment cost can be reduced. (B) In addition, mercury solution and sulfide treatment agent, etc., which should be handled with care, are unnecessary, and since the generation of glass dust is suppressed because of the wet method, the working environment in the treatment process is safe, and thus the present invention It is possible to satisfy all of the above three conformance conditions set in the process.
[0042]
On the other hand, the processing steps and equipment of the used fluorescent lamp 1 of FIG. 1 which is the first embodiment are applied with the mercury recovery method by hot water cleaning of the present invention, thereby reducing the basic processing cost and safety of the working environment. In addition, water saving and energy cost reduction are achieved by introducing a circulating hot water circulation device 9. In addition, due to the stirring effect of the rotary stirring blade 12 attached to the hot water cleaning machine 8 as described above, the cleaning processing time can be shortened to about 1/3, and thus the efficiency of the cleaning processing step is improved. .
[0043]
In order to reconfirm the effects of the mercury recovery method by hot water washing according to the first embodiment and the processing steps and equipment to which the present invention is applied, the present inventors actually used the processing steps and equipment in FIG. Mercury recovery processing was performed on a so-called practical scale of the arc tube glass member 4 of the 40 W type used fluorescent lamp 1. In this case, a used fluorescent lamp 1 made of a soda glass arc tube glass member 4 was used, which was coated with either a halogen phosphate phosphor or a three-wavelength rare earth phosphor as the phosphor member 5. In addition, 10 batches were processed with 4000 lamps per batch using a cylindrical hot water cleaning machine 8 having a diameter of 1.5 m / depth of 2.0 m, and the temperature of the hot water 10 was 50 ° C. and the cleaning processing time was 10 as processing conditions. Set to minutes. As a result, the amount of mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 4 collected in the final glass container 20 is distributed in the range of 0.0027 to 0.0033 mg / liter, which is a level below the reference value of 0.005 mg / liter. It was confirmed that it was definitely reduced and eliminated.
[0044]
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 3 shows the entire configuration of the processing steps and equipment for the arc tube glass member of the used fluorescent lamp according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, to which the mercury recovery method according to the present invention is basically applied.
[0045]
Among a specific series of processing steps and equipment for the arc tube glass member 104 according to the second embodiment, the ones other than the mercury recovery by hot water cleaning are the same as those in the first embodiment. The mercury recovery processing steps and equipment of the second embodiment are different from those of the first embodiment in that a so-called continuous processing method that can obtain a high-efficiency processing compared to the batch processing method in the first embodiment. Is adopted. More specifically, first, a hot water washing machine 108 is provided with a storage tank 109, and a predetermined amount of hot water controlled by this is continuously supplied from the upper water supply shower pipe 111 through the hot water circulation pump 121 and the hot water circulation line 110. Injected. In addition, a rotating screw 112 that is rotated by a motor is attached to the hot water washer 108, so that the arc tube glass member 104 that is continuously charged into the hot water washer 108 is used for collecting and removing the mercury contained therein. While being rotated and agitated, it is washed over a predetermined processing time, and finally transferred continuously to the conveyor conveyer 117 via the outlet 114. On the other hand, the predetermined amount of hot water continuously injected from the water supply shower tube 111 is used for cleaning treatment for mercury recovery / removal of the arc tube glass member 104, and the same predetermined amount of hot water passes through the drain outlet 115. After that, it is once collected and processed in the hot water circulation device 109 and supplied again to the water supply shower pipe 111 as hot water whose temperature is controlled again. Here, the mercury contained in the hot water once collected in the storage tank 109 is deposited together with the phosphor and glass powder on the bottom of the storage tank 109 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and the pancake sludge 116 is obtained. As recovered. This is then detoxified as industrial waste or transported and processed to a specially managed landfill.
[0046]
The first feature of the processing steps and equipment according to the second embodiment is that the continuous processing method is adopted as described above, and basically a high-efficiency processing step is obtained. Another feature is that the rotary screw 112 is attached to the hot water washer 108. In other words, due to the rotation / stirring effect, when the temperature of the hot water 100 is defined in the same range as that of the first embodiment as a process treatment condition in spite of the continuous treatment method, one washing treatment time (the arc tube glass member 104 is washed with warm water). The time from when the machine was put into the machine 108 to when it was transferred to the conveyor 117) could be shortened to the same range as in the first embodiment.
[0047]
As in the case of the first embodiment, the present inventors actually used the processing steps and equipment of FIG. 3 to actually use the same 40 W type used fluorescent lamp 101 arc tube glass member 104 on a practical scale. Mercury recovery processing was performed. In this case, using a cylindrical hot water washer 108 having a diameter of 1.0 m and a total length of 5.0 m, the treatment process conditions were set at a hot water temperature of 50 ° C. and a washing treatment time of 10 minutes, and a treatment of 2000 lamps per hour was performed. Continuous 48 hrs. As a result, the amount of mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 104 collected in the final glass container 120 is distributed in the range of 0.0026 to 0.0033 mg / liter, which is a level below the reference value of 0.005 mg / liter. It was confirmed that it was definitely reduced and eliminated.
[0048]
(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 4 shows the entire configuration of the processing steps and equipment of the arc tube glass member of the used fluorescent lamp according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, to which the mercury recovery method by hot water cleaning of the present invention is basically applied.
[0049]
Of the specific series of processing steps and equipment for the arc tube glass member 204 according to the third embodiment, those other than the mercury recovery by hot water cleaning are the same as those in the second embodiment. The third embodiment is different from the second embodiment in the mercury recovery processing steps and equipment, which basically adopts the same continuous processing method, but has a hot water washing machine 208 having a specific configuration. It is adopted. Specifically, the cylindrical hot water washer 208 has a unique configuration in which the motor is rotated by itself, whereby the arc tube glass member 204 continuously put into the hot water washer 208 contains A cleaning process is performed over a specified processing time while rotating and stirring for the recovery and removal of mercury, and finally it is continuously transferred to the transfer conveyor 217 through the outlet 214. The configurations, functions, and operations of the storage tank 209 and the water supply shower tube 211 attached to the hot water washer 208 are the same as those in the second embodiment.
[0050]
A feature of the processing steps and equipment according to the third embodiment is that the hot water washing machine 208 having a unique configuration in which the motor itself is rotated as described above is employed. Due to this rotation / stirring effect, just as in the case of the second embodiment, when the temperature of the hot water is defined in the same range as that of the first embodiment as a process treatment condition in spite of the continuous treatment method, one cleaning treatment time is reduced. It could be shortened and specified to the same range as the first embodiment.
[0051]
As in the case of the second embodiment, the inventor actually uses the processing steps and equipment of FIG. 4 to actually use mercury on the practical scale of the arc tube glass member 204 of the same 40 W type used fluorescent lamp 201 as described above. A recovery process was performed. In this case, a cylindrical hot water washer 208 having a diameter of 1.0 m / a total length of 5.0 m was used, and the treatment process conditions were set at a temperature of hot water of 50 ° C. and a washing treatment time of 10 minutes. Continuous 48 hrs. As a result, the amount of mercury contained in the arc tube glass member 204 collected in the final glass container 220 is distributed in the range of 0.0026 to 0.0030 mg / liter, which is a level below the reference value of 0.005 mg / liter. It was confirmed that it was definitely reduced and eliminated.
[0052]
In addition, the mercury recovery method by hot water washing shown in the above embodiment and the treatment process and equipment to which the mercury recovery method is applied are used in which sodium-free barium-based glass or the like is used as the arc tube glass member instead of soda glass. It can also be applied to mercury recovery processing of fluorescent lamps.
[0053]
As described above, by applying the mercury recovery method characterized by the hot water cleaning shown in the present embodiment in the mercury recovery process of the arc tube glass member of the waste fluorescent lamp, particularly the used fluorescent lamp, the arc tube It is possible to implement a mercury recovery processing method and apparatus that can remove the mercury content of the glass member to a level below the reference value of 0.005 mg / liter and that is safe and has a low working cost.
[0054]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in the mercury recovery processing of arc tube glass members of waste fluorescent lamps, particularly used fluorescent lamps, the amount of mercury contained in the arc tube glass members is recovered to a level below a specified reference value of 0.005 mg / liter. A mercury recovery method that can be removed and that is low in processing cost and safe in the work environment can be obtained, and by applying this method, a processing method and apparatus that promotes recycling of the arc tube glass member can be realized. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a mercury recovery method and apparatus for a used fluorescent lamp according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relationship between the hot water temperature and the reduction rate of the mercury content in the hot water cleaning process according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a processing process and an apparatus for a used fluorescent lamp in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of processing steps and an apparatus for a used fluorescent lamp in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1,101,201 Used fluorescent lamp
2, 3, 102, 103, 202, 203 Stem glass member with cap
4,104,204 Arc tube glass member
5,105,205 Phosphor member
6,106,206 Crusher
7, 17, 107, 117, 207, 217 Conveyor
8,108,208 Hot water washer
9,109,209 storage tank
10, 110, 210 Hot water circulation line
11, 111, 211 Water supply (shower) pipe
12,112 Stirring blade (screw)
16,116,216 Mercury-containing sludge
18, 118, 218 Rotary dryer
19,119,219 Hot air circulation device
20,120,220 Glass container
21, 121, 221 Hot water circulation pump

Claims (6)

A method of recovering mercury from an arc tube glass member separated from a waste fluorescent lamp,
The arc tube glass member is crushed into a crushed material ,
The crushed material is put into a warm water washing machine and stirred with warm water, separated into glass crushed material and mercury,
The separated mercury is put into a storage tank together with hot water, and collected by being precipitated at the bottom of the storage tank,
The glass crushed material is dried and taken out,
A method for recovering mercury from a waste fluorescent lamp, wherein the warm water of the supernatant of the storage tank is recycled and supplied to a hot water washing machine. The method for recovering mercury from a waste fluorescent lamp according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the hot water in the hot water washer is in the range of 35 ° C or higher. The method for recovering mercury from a waste fluorescent lamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temperature of warm water in the warm water washer is in the range of 80 ° C or lower. An apparatus for recovering mercury from an arc tube glass member separated from a waste fluorescent lamp,
Means for crushing the arc tube glass member to obtain a crushed material ;
Means for charging the crushed material into a warm water washer, means for supplying warm water to the warm water washer, and stirring means for separating the crushed glass and mercury,
Means for putting the separated mercury into a storage tank together with hot water, and precipitating and recovering it at the bottom of the storage tank;
Means for drying and taking out the crushed glass;
A mercury recovery apparatus for a waste fluorescent lamp, comprising means for recycling the hot water of the supernatant of the storage tank and supplying it to a hot water washing machine.   The mercury recovery apparatus for a waste fluorescent lamp according to claim 4, wherein the treatment in the warm water washer with a stirrer is a batch type or a continuous type.   6. The mercury recovery apparatus for a waste fluorescent lamp according to claim 4, wherein the stirring means in the warm water washer is stirring by a stirrer or stirring by rotating a tank of the warm water washer.

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