AQUATEST a.s.

consulting and engineering services

• The environment

• Water management

• Recycling lines and waste

• Remediation and Remedial supervision

• Accredited environmental laboratory

AQUATEST a.s.

company information

700 clients annually

10 mil EUR average annual turnover

210 average number of employees

20 countries project management experience

14 regional offices in the Czech Republic

3 joint-venture companies

ISO 9001 ISO 14001

OHSAS 18001certified integrated management systems

DEVELOPMENT OF MODULAR

TECHNOLOGY

FOR THE RECYCLING

OF PLASMA AND LCD SCREENS

TESTING MODULAR LINE

Capacity 250 kg/hour

The research project attempts to find: • the optimal way of recycling plasma, LCD and

flat CRT screens,

• utilize the components obtained and minimize

hazardous materials.

This was done using a modular line with capacity

250 kg/hour (400 t/year) and by processing a representative

sample (3 t) of the above-mentioned types of screens.

PLASMA SCREENS

The front of the screen is made up of two glass sheets only 100 m apart.

The area between the glass is filled with a mixture of two inert gasses

which are ionized by a strong electric field.

The screen display

area is divided into

separate chambers

to which are

associated basic

colors – red, green

and blue.

PLASMA SCREENS

THE SCREENS ARE MADE UP OF:

• chipboard mains connectors (containing Au and Ag),

• luminophore (without Cd),

• magnesium oxide and screws

Significant parts of the recycling process

are the retrieval of :

• Al,

• glass

• and the removal of luminophore.

• Al support,

• plastic frame,

• the glass screen,

• plastic glue for sticking the glass

parts to the Al support, COMPOSITION

LCD SCREENS

The principle of LCD screens is based on the change of transmissibility

of liquid crystals caused by an electric field.

The amount of liquid crystals

in the display is approx.

1 g per 1 kg of display i.e.

approx 100 mg per regular

screen.

Problematic parts of LCD

screens are their florescent

tubes which contain Hg.

Removal of these substances

from the screens is done

through an ecological

recycling process.

LCD SCREENS

COMPOSITION

LCD screens have very

different content of

components based on their

type, size and manufacturer

in particular dealing with the

external box. Regular

screens are produced from

Fe but some portable types

are made of Al or plastic.

In contrast, the specific

proportion of light sources

and electrical elements is

similar with only small

differences.

FLAT CRT SCREENS

Flat CRT screens are the latest development in the CRT type of classical

“bulky” screens. They are distinguishable by their flat front. The make up

of the glass is practically the same for both the screen and for the cone.

RESISTANCE DISASSEMBLING SEPARATOR – set up and active part detail

IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROJECT EQUIPMENT

A METHOD OF RESISTIVE SEPARATION BY THERMAL SHOCK

WAS DEVELOPED FOR RECYCLING OF FLAT CRT SCREENS:

DESCRIPTION OF THE TEST MODULE TECHNOLOGY The technology elaborated

at the AQUATEST a.s. workshop in Mníšek pod Brdy, Czech republic

is designed as a modular system of individual technological parts

which can be changed based on the type of WEEE being processed.

GRINDING MODULE and MAGNETIC SEPARATIONDUST EXHAUSTOR and FILTRATION UNIT

DESCRIPTION OF THE TEST MODULE TECHNOLOGY Output 250 kg/hour

GRINDING MODULE MAGNETIC SEPARATION

Grinding is performed in

a special grinder which grinds

the screens with a very selective

effect i.e. easily-ground parts like

glass and ceramics are ground

into fine particles.

TECHNOLOGICAL DIAGRAM

ELECTRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR

ORGANIC PARTS SEPARATORORGANIC PARTS SEPARATOR

ELECTRODYNAMIC SEPARATORELECTRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR

Plastic Non-ferrous metalsPlastic Dust

Clean mixed glass

INPUTINPUT

MODULE CRUSHINGMODULE CRUSHING

DIMENDIONAL SEPARATION – hydraulic scissorsDIMENDIONAL SEPARATION – hydraulic scissors

DISASSEMBLY WORKPLACEDISASSEMBLY WORKPLACE

Electronic parts with precious metals

Tubes: separate processing

Exhaustion C - filter

Mobile feeder

MAGNETIC SEPARATIONMAGNETIC SEPARATION Fe product

VIBRATION SCREENVIBRATION SCREEN

Fraction 0 – 6 mm Fraction + 6 mm

Exhaustion C - filter

Exhaustion C - filter

LINE

MODULES

ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER

VIBRATION

SCREEN

ORGANIC

PARTICLE

SEPARATOR

ALTERNATIVES OF PROCESSING

scrap LCD and plasma screens

2) Processing of the whole screens without manual disassembly using machine separation, grinding and capture of hazardous materials on

activated carbon filters.

1) Manual disassemblyHazardous fluorescent tubes containing Hg can be removed from the scrap

LCD and plasma screens during manual disassembly and other electronic

components containing precious metal can be obtained.

FLUORESCENT TUBES CHIPBOARDS

I

R

O

N

A

L

U

M

I

N

U

M

P

L

A

S

T

I

C

G

L

A

S

S

LINE PRODUCTS

LINE PRODUCTS

Composition of products from 3 t of representative samples processing on the modular line.

CONCLUSION

The modular technology solves recycling of LCD

and plasma screens by mechanical dry process so

that hazardous compounds are captured as small

volume of dust particles and possible volatile

components are captured in activated carbon

filters. They are subsequently disposed of as

category “H” waste.

The performance of the project (ref. no. FI-IM 3/058, 2006-2008)

was supported from the state budget through

the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

AQUATEST a.s.

Geologická 4, 152 00 Praha 5

Czech republic

Ing. Lubomír Štolc, Václav Hrabák

Mníšek pod Brdy AQUATEST plant Tel: +420 318 403 306, Fax: +420 318 403 616,

stolc@aquatest.cz

www.aquatest.cz