초록 ▼

A mobile vehicle containing fluorescent lamp separation apparatus is transported to the site of a facility which uses fluorescent lamps and collects used lamps for processing. The lamps are loaded into a bin in the vehicle, the bin is closed to enclose the apparatus from the atmosphere, and the appa

A mobile vehicle containing fluorescent lamp separation apparatus is transported to the site of a facility which uses fluorescent lamps and collects used lamps for processing. The lamps are loaded into a bin in the vehicle, the bin is closed to enclose the apparatus from the atmosphere, and the apparatus is then operated to crush the lamps and separate the crushed lamp debris into solid particular matter and dust which can be carried by airflow. The particulate matter which is substantially cleansed of mercury and phosphor powder is discharged into a first receptacle outside the vehicle, and the dust entrained in the air is trapped in a dust filter and discharged into a second receptacle which primarily contains the more hazardous dust materials. The air drawn through the dust filter is further passed through a charcoal filter to filter out mercury and other potentially hazardous vapors from the air before it is discharged to the atmosphere. The particulate matter in the first receptacle is substantially cleansed of mercury, phosphors and other potentially hazardous materials, and may be disposed of in the same manner as conventional waste. The second receptacle contains the much smaller volume of potentially hazardous phosphor powders, and can be retained at the site of the facility or disposed in an appropriate manner as hazardous waste. After completing processing at the facility site, the vehicle is transported to the site of another facility where the process is repeated, thereby avoiding the need to transport the bulky and fragile fluorescent lamps from the facility at which they are used to a landfill or to a central lamp processing site.

대표청구항 ▼

Mobile lamp collection and separation apparatus comprising: a wheeled mobile vehicle transportable to a facility site where lamps to be processed are located; separation apparatus mounted to the mobile vehicle, the separation apparatus comprising: (a) a collection bin having an interior and a door m

Mobile lamp collection and separation apparatus comprising: a wheeled mobile vehicle transportable to a facility site where lamps to be processed are located; separation apparatus mounted to the mobile vehicle, the separation apparatus comprising: (a) a collection bin having an interior and a door mounted to open to allow lamps to be placed in the interior of the collection bin and to be closed to seal the interior of the collection bin, the bin having a discharge end; (b) crusher means, mounted to receive tubes discharged from the discharge end of the collection bin, for crushing the tubes to particulates of glass and metal and dust mixed therewith; (c) separator means receiving mixtures of crushed glass, metal particulates and powder and separating the particulates and discharging them to a particulates discharge port and discharging the dust carried by air to a dust exhaust discharge port; (d) conveyor means for conveying the mixtures of crushed glass, metal and dust from the crusher means to the separator means; (e) a dust filter for filtering dust from air; and (f) a conduit for conducting the dust carried by air from the dust exhaust port of the separator means to the dust filter, the dust filter collecting the solid dust and having a discharge port from which the collected dust may be discharged.