In today’s rapidly growing printed circuit board (PCB) industry, the etching process, as the core production stages, generates large volumes of waste etching solution rich in copper ions. If discharged directly, these waste liquids not only lead to a significant loss of valuable metal resources but also cause severe environmental pollution. How to efficiently and environmentally recover the valuable components within them has become a key issue for PCB manufacturers striving for sustainable development and improved economic performance.
Traditional recovery methods such as neutralization–precipitation and electrolysis often suffer from long process flows, low recovery rates, and secondary pollution. In contrast, solvent extraction, with its advantages of high efficiency, precision, and environmental friendliness, is becoming the mainstream technology for etching solution recovery. At the heart of this extraction process lies the extraction equipment itself. The centrifugal extractor produced by Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction stands out in this field, providing PCB enterprises with an optimal solution for etching solution recovery.
Why Choose Solvent Extraction?
The principle of solvent extraction is to use specific organic extractants that selectively bind with copper ions in the waste etching solution, “transporting” them from the aqueous phase into the organic phase. This enables efficient separation of copper from impurities. Through a subsequent stripping process, the copper enriched in the organic phase is transferred into a new acid solution, producing a high-purity copper sulfate solution that can be directly reused in production or made into saleable products. Meanwhile, the extractant is regenerated and recycled for continuous use.
Core Technology: Centrifugal Extraction Process Flow
Tiei Extraction’s centrifugal extractor maximizes the effectiveness of this principle. Its process flow is clear, efficient, and continuous:
- Feeding and Mixing
The copper-containing acidic or alkaline etching waste solution and the specially formulated extractant are fed into the centrifugal extractor at precisely controlled ratios. Under an intense centrifugal field, the two liquid phases undergo high-speed shearing, forming extremely fine dispersed droplets. This greatly expands the mass-transfer surface area, ensuring rapid and thorough contact and reaction between copper ions and the extractant. - Centrifugal Separation and Mass Transfer
Inside the high-speed rotating drum, the mixed liquid is rapidly separated into light and heavy phases through density differences and strong centrifugal forces. This process delivers a separation efficiency far superior to traditional gravity settling, along with exceptionally high mass-transfer efficiency. A single extraction stage can achieve an extraction rate of over 90%. - Stripping and Enrichment
The organic phase loaded with copper ions (the raffinate) is discharged and fed into the next-stage stripping extractor. There, it comes into contact with a dilute sulfuric acid solution and undergoes another round of mixing and separation under centrifugal force. The copper ions are “stripped” into the sulfuric acid solution, forming a clean, high-concentration copper sulfate solution. This solution is highly valuable and can be sold directly as a product or reused in production. - Extractant Regeneration
After copper removal, the organic phase (the extractant) regains its activity and is returned to the extraction stage for recycling. This greatly reduces operating costs and prevents material waste.
Core Advantages of Tiei Centrifugal Extractor
- Exceptional Extraction Efficiency and Recovery Rate
With the aid of powerful centrifugal forces, the equipment achieves highly dispersed mixing and rapid phase separation, delivering mass-transfer efficiency far superior to traditional mixer settlers. Copper recovery can stably exceed 95% and even reach as high as 99%, maximizing the conversion of “waste” into “product.” - Small Footprint and High Automation
The centrifugal extractor features a compact structure and a high throughput per unit volume, significantly reducing plant space requirements. The entire system supports fully automated PLC control, greatly reducing manual intervention, labor costs, and management complexity. - Strong Adaptability and Large Processing Capacity
Whether handling acidic cupric chloride etching solution or alkaline ammonia-based etching solution, Tiei centrifugal extractor performs with excellent adaptability. A full range of models is available—from small pilot-scale units to large industrial systems—providing tailored solutions for enterprises of different sizes. - Environmentally Friendly and Low Operating Costs
The fully enclosed system prevents VOC emissions, improving the working environment and enabling clean production. The recycling of extractant and high recovery efficiency minimize reagent consumption while reducing the volume and disposal cost of hazardous waste, offering significant overall economic benefits. - Fast Return on Investment and Strong Economic Performance
By recovering high-value copper sulfate, companies can not only offset waste-liquid treatment costs but also generate direct economic profit. Typically, the investment in this system can be recovered within 1–2 years, after which it becomes a stable profit driver for the enterprise.
In an era of increasingly stringent environmental regulations and rising resource value, the resource recovery of etching solution is no longer an option—it is a necessity. The centrifugal extractor and complete process solutions provided by Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction serve as powerful tools that help PCB manufacturers transform environmental pressure into competitive advantage.
Email: sales@tieiextraction.com
Whatsapp: +86 19069612820
