# Plasma furnace



## LeftyTheBandit (Sep 13, 2008)

I have no idea what a plasma furnace costs.

I think a Plasma furnace can reduce everything into base metals. (I think)

Could you just grind computers into dust and feed them into a plasma furnace and drain off the molten deposits and be left with gold,silver,lead,copper,nickel..... in metallic state?

Harold keeps saying incinerate, incinerate, this would be the mother of all incinerates.

Would the left over from this process be easier to handle or would PM's be distroyed?

Even if a plasma furnace cost 10 million dollars, would it be able to reduce all the harm fulls and leave usable metal to scrap?


----------



## Harold_V (Sep 14, 2008)

I know nothing about plasma furnaces, but one consideration is that when melting, there are discharges that are harmful, with feed from ground e scrap likely being amongst the worst of all possibilities. Some metals distill off (think mercury and zinc, as examples), to say nothing of gasses that may or may not be totally destroyed by heating. I'm inclined to suggest it wouldn't be a good idea---but I'm open to the wisdom of those that have experience with such heating devices. 

PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyls) are destroyed by incineration, but the exhaust temperature is critical, otherwise they can re-combine. I'd be seriously concerned that everything in such a furnace was destroyed. Likely would not be------so a bag house would be required. 

There's many a reason why e scrap is not easily handled by the small scale refiner.

Harold


----------



## LeftyTheBandit (Sep 14, 2008)

*Plasma arc gasification*
_Is a waste treatment technology that uses high electrical energy and high temperature created by an electrical arc gasifier. This arc breaks down waste primarily into elemental gas and solid waste (slag), in a device called a plasma converter. The process has been intended to be a net generator of electricity, depending upon the composition of input wastes, and to reduce the volumes of waste being sent to landfill sites._

*Principle of Operation*
_Relatively high voltage, high current electricity is passed between two electrodes, spaced apart, creating an electrical arc. Inert gas under pressure is passed through the arc into a sealed container of waste material, reaching temperatures as high as 13,871°C (25,000°F)[1] in the arc column. The temperature one meter from the arc can reach ~4000°C (~7,200°F)[2]. At these temperatures most types of waste are broken into basic elemental components in a gaseous form, and complex molecules are atomized - separated into individual atoms._

_The reactor operates at a slightly negative pressure, meaning that the feed system is complemented by a gaseous removal system, and later a solid removal system. Depending on the input waste (plastics tend to be high in hydrogen and carbon), gas from the plasma containment can be removed as Syngas, and may be refined into various fuels at a later stage._

A bit of background on Plasma Arc Furnace from wikapedia.


----------



## LeftyTheBandit (Sep 14, 2008)

Ewaste is a huge problem. The more I read the more I see a big monster.

I keep asking myself if I backyard/basement chemist my way into gold, how can i get rid of my waste generated.

I keep imagining a pile of eDust. Breaking that dust down step by step removing the base elements. Removing the precious metals. When your left with toxic non metallic waste you nuke it (Plasma Arc).

I guess my question is. If money was not a consideration for set up, could that eDust be broken down to where you have captured all the metals or do you get to a chemistry point were you are left with something that can no longer be broken down and is truly waste?


----------

