Thermal reclamation method for the recovery of metals from air bag inflators
First Claim
1. A method of recovering an aluminum alloy from an air bag inflator having aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing, and having other non-aluminum parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter in the housing, said other non-aluminum parts being made of a material having a higher melting temperature than aluminum, said method comprising the steps of:
- placing the air bag inflator in a furnace;
heating the air bag inflator to the melting temperature of aluminum to melt the aluminum alloy parts;
removing the non-aluminum parts from the furnace before the higher melting temperature non-aluminum parts reach their melting temperature; and
collecting the molten aluminum alloy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of recovering an aluminum alloy and a stainless steel alloy from an air bag inflator 10 that has aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing 12 and non-aluminum alloy parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter 18. The non-aluminum parts have a higher melting temperature than the aluminum alloy parts of the air bag inflator 10. The method comprises heating the air bag inflator 10 in the range of the melting temperature of aluminum and then recovering the aluminum alloy which is not contaminated with the material of the higher melting temperature parts. After the aluminum alloy has melted from the air bag inflator 10, the non-aluminum parts are heated to a higher temperature to melt any stainless steel alloy from the non-aluminum parts. The stainless steel alloy is recovered as a high purity stainless steel alloy end product.
32 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of recovering an aluminum alloy from an air bag inflator having aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing, and having other non-aluminum parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter in the housing, said other non-aluminum parts being made of a material having a higher melting temperature than aluminum, said method comprising the steps of:
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placing the air bag inflator in a furnace; heating the air bag inflator to the melting temperature of aluminum to melt the aluminum alloy parts; removing the non-aluminum parts from the furnace before the higher melting temperature non-aluminum parts reach their melting temperature; and collecting the molten aluminum alloy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of recovering aluminum alloy and stainless steel alloy metals from an air bag inflator having aluminum alloy parts, including an aluminum alloy housing, and having other non-aluminum alloy parts, including a non-aluminum gas filter in the housing, said non-aluminum parts being made of materials, including a stainless steel alloy, having a higher melting temperature than aluminum, said method comprising the steps of:
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heating the air bag inflator to a temperature in the range of about 700°
C. to about 1000°
C. to melt the aluminum alloy parts and collapse the non-aluminum parts of the inflator to form a stainless steel alloy case;separating the molten aluminum alloy from the stainless steel alloy case; collecting the molten aluminum alloy; adding a flux to the separated stainless steel alloy case, said flux being selected from the group consisting of limestone, silica, rock, gravel and combinations thereof; heating the stainless steel alloy case and the added flux to a temperature in the range from about 1,450°
C. to about 1,650°
C. to melt the stainless steel alloy and form a molten slag;separating the molten stainless steel alloy from the molten slag; and recovering the molten stainless steel alloy.
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Specification