Drinkard Metalox, Inc.

Other

Robert E Goozner

William F Drinkard

Mark O Long

A method for extracting and reclaiming metals from scrap CdTe photovoltaic cells and manufacturing waste by leaching the waste with a leaching solution comprising nitric acid and water, skimming any plastic material from the top of the leaching solution, separating the glass substrate from the liquid leachate and electrolyzing the leachate to separate Cd from Te, wherein the Te is deposits onto a cathode while the Cd remains in solution.

Recycling of CdTe photovoltaic waste

A method for extracting and reclaiming metals from scrap CdTe photovoltaic cells and manufacturing waste by leaching the metals in dilute nitric acid, leaching the waste with a leaching solution comprising nitric acid and water, skimming any plastic material from the top of the leaching solution, separating the glass substrate from the liquid leachate, adding a calcium containing base to the leachate to precipitate Cd and Te, separating the precipitated Cd and Te from the leachate, and recovering the calcium-containing base.

A method for removing VOCs from a gas stream comprising irradiating the gas stream in intimate contact with a semiconductor catalyst under laminar flow conditions. The catalyst can be chosen from a wide range of semiconductor materials, including naturally occurring chalcopyrites, synthetic chalcopyrites, CdTe, CdS, CuInSe.sub.2, CuS, FeS.sub.2, CuFeS.sub.2, Si, GaAs, GaSb, GaPS, ZnS, GaInP, and As.sub.2 S.sub.3. This process can be performed in a fluidized bed, in a tube reactor or in an irradiated reactor packed with catalyst adhering to a light conducting fibrous substrate. The method is capable of being practiced in a passive manner in a module have no moving parts and no requirement for routine maintenance or replenishment of reagents.

Destruction of volatile organic carbons

A method for extracting and reclaiming metals from scrap CIS photovoltaic cells and associated photovoltaic manufacturing waste by leaching the waste with dilute nitric acid, skimming any plastic material from the top of the leaching solution, separating glass substrate from the leachate, electrolyzing the leachate to plate a copper and selenium metal mixture onto a first cathode, replacing the cathode with a second cathode, re-electrolyzing the leachate to plate cadmium onto the second cathode, separating the copper from selenium, and evaporating the depleted leachate to yield a zinc and indium containing solid.

Growing community of inventors

Charlotte, NC, United States of America

Robert E Goozner