ELECTRICAL CABLE RECYCLING PROCESS

Abstract

This recycling process for an electrical cable (10) made of at least two different materials comprises the steps of: providing (20) in each material of the cable (10) at least one magnetized or magnetizable element (12), the magnetic field that can be generated by the element (12) having a different value depending on the material considered; identifying (22) each material of the cable (10) according to the value of the magnetic field emitted by each material containing the element (12), so as to separate each of the at least two different materials; recycling (24) separately each material thus identified. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 2

Claims

Demands

1. A method for recycling an electrical cable (10) made of at least two different materials, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting of: providing (20) in each material of said cable (10) at least one magnetized or magnetizable element (12), the magnetic field likely to be generated by said element (12) having a different value depending on the material considered; identifying (22) each material of said cable (10) according to the value of the magnetic field emitted by each material containing said element (12), so as to separate each of said at least two different materials; recycling (24) separately each material thus identified.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that said element (12) is magnetized during the manufacture of said cable (10) so as to generate a permanent or semi-permanent magnetic field and in that the identification step (22) consists of measuring said permanent or semi-permanent magnetic field by means of a magnetometer.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said element (12) is adapted to be magnetized by application of a point magnetic field and in that the identification step (22) consists of applying said point magnetic field to said cable (10) and measuring the response to said point magnetic field emitted back by said cable (10).

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the identification step (22) comprises a homogeneous grinding step of said cable (10) and a separation step of said cable into at least two different materials according to the value of the ratio m / B, where m is the mass of a piece of cable resulting from said grinding and B is the magnetic field of said piece of cable.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element (12) is a charge incorporated in a constituent of said cable (10).

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element (12) comprises a ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic material.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that said element (12) comprises a hard ferrite or neodymium or an AINiCo alloy.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said element (12) is a microsphere.

9. A method according to claim 8, characterized in that said microsphere is made of an inorganic material.

10. Electric cable (10) made of at least two different materials, characterized in that each material of said cable (10) contains at least one magnetized or magnetizable element (12), the magnetic field capable of being generated by said element (12) having a different value depending on the material considered, said cable (10) being adapted for the implementation of a process according to any one of the preceding claims.

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