How to recycle economy LED lamps and lanterns

LED light source, there are a variety of forms, in order to effectively recycle them, must first be broken into components, LED diode in recycling itself, as intact as possible in order to collect them is key.

light emitting diode ( 领导) Has been used in many products such as television, lamps and lanterns, light source, in addition they are also more penetrating the car lighting market, however, today there is no suitable technology of recycling these items. But now researchers have developed a method of mechanical separation of LED.

modern light source using a variety of materials, with glass or plastic shell, including ceramic or aluminum radiator, and resistance and the cable is copper. Is the most valuable materials in the LED inside itself, they are in the semiconductor diode indium and gallium and phosphor of europium and terbium rare earth element, they made diodes are relatively expensive, thin margins. 'Now it's time to start recycling companies are LED products, but because there is no suitable recycling process, they tend to just be saved, the main target is the recovery of valuable materials, recycling firms start dealing with the LED's only a matter of time,' the fraunhofer material recycling and resource strategy project team Jrg Zimmermann said.

separation with the help of the shock wave components, the researchers used 'electric hydraulic crushing process of LED lamps and lanterns is broken into parts and not hurt the LED itself, it's in the water bath using electrical pulses to produce shock waves on components due to the breaking point to separate them, and then the component can separate collection. Researchers put their experiment device is adjusted for recycling LED modified fluorescent tube, the tube shaped like a traditional fluorescent tube, using standard daylight lamp socket. 'This method on the principle of LED applies for the size of the other, such as for television or LED lamp, LED, and other electrical appliances' Zimmermann explained.

the precondition of effective recovery processes are neatly separated components, 'in order to effectively separation and recovery of LED lamps and lanterns of all components, the need for a completely different way to produce a large number of semiconductor and fluorescent material,' Zimmermann said. If the whole tube had been crushed, separation of mixture material would be more difficult. Decomposition level to the component of LED lamps and lanterns, also makes the recycling more material that contains among them easier, it is by collecting a large number of similar components is a rich source of these elements to achieve. Zimmermann clarified that only involves large amount of this process, the recycling industry and manufacturing industry is profitable.

'we are still in the test whether the grinding process can be repeated, until the materials needed to be separated,' says Mr Zimmerman, the researchers could adjust the parameters of the experimental device, like the amount and type of liquid, and the size of the container, or pulse voltage, makes the separation accurately in particular the breaking point. 'Is specific, pulse number determines the components will be separated,' electric hydraulic crushing process is detailed research and further improve, and promote to other LED application field, 'our research has shown the mechanical separation is a feasible way to improve the LED lamps and lanterns of recycling economy,' Zimmermann said.

coordinating editor YingZi

the optical network of China

the author admin