Reclamation of components from grinding swarf

Claim 1

IN THE METHOD OF RECOVERING FOR REUSE THE STEEL COMPONENT OF GRINDING SWARF PRODUCED WHERE A COOLANT LUBRICANT IS USED IN THE GRINDING PROCESS, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE INITIALLY EXTRACTING WATER INCLUDING THE WATER PHASE OF ANY CONTAINED COOLANT-LUBRICANT COMPOUND CONTAINED IN THE SWARF WITH A FIRST SOLVENT, AND SEPARATING AT LEAST MOST OF THE SOLUTION OF FIRST SOLVENT WITH THE EXTRACTED WATER SO PRODUCED THEREBY PROVIDING A MIXTURE OF SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE STEEL AND ABRASIVE PARTICLES WITH LUBRICANT, THEN IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER MIXING AND WASHING THE PARTICLES FREED OF THE WATER CONTENT WITH A SECOND SOLVENT FOR LUBRICANT TO REMOVE AT LEAST ALL BUT A TRACE OF LUBRI CANT THEREFROM AND SEPARATING THR BULK OF THE SECOND SOLVENT WITH DISSOLVED LUBRICANT FROM THE PARTICLES, HEATING THE PARTICLES IN A CLOSED ENVIRONMENT TO VAPORIZE ANY RESIDUUM OF THE SECOND SOLVENT AND LUBRICANT ON THE PARTICLES AND REMOVING THE VAPORS SO PRODUCED FROM SAID ENVIRONMENT AND COOLING THE PARTICLES, AND MAGNETICALLY SEPARATING THE STEEL PARTICLES FROM THE ABRASIVE PARTICLES AT SOME STAGE IN THE FOREGOING PROCEDURE FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF WATER, WHEREBY THE PROCEDURE FOLLOWING THE REMOVAL OF WATER APPLIES TO ALL PARTICLES UNTIL MAGNETIC SEPARATION IS EFFECTED AN THEREAFTER TO ONLY THE STEEL PARTICLES.

Claim 7

The method of separating steel and abrasive particles from grinding swarf at least a part of which was produced by an abrasive grinding operation in which a lubricant-coolant has been used comprising in order the steps of breaking agglomerated lumps of the swarf and screening it, mixing and washing the screened swarf with a hydrophilic solvent in which the lubricant is substantially insoluble to thereby dissolve any water in the swarf that may be either free or emulsified with lubricant, separating the bulk of the resulting solution from the swarf, then repeatedly mixing and washing the swarf with a second solvent which is a solvent for the lubricant phase of the lubricant-coolant and after each such mixing and washing separating the bulk of the solvent with any dissolved lubricant from the swarf, heating the swarf after such repeated washings in a closed environment to a temperature in the range of 600* F. until any residue of the second solvent and residue of lubricant has been vaporized while also generating a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the closed environment and which is subsequently removed from said environment and cooling and magnetically separating the steel particles and the abrasive particles.

Claim 8

The method of separating steel and abrasive particles from grinding swarf at least a part of which was produced by an abrasive grinding operation in which a lubricant-coolant has been used comprising in order the steps of breaking agglomerated lumps of the swarf and screening it, mixing and washing the screened swarf with a hydrophilic solvent in which the lubricant is substantially insoluble to thereby dissolve any water in the swarf that may be either free or emulsified with lubricant, separating the bulk of the resulting solution from the swarf, then repeatedly mixing and washing the swarf with a second solvent which is a solvent for the lubricant phase of the lubricant-coolant and after each such mixing and washing separating the bulk of the solvent with any dissolved lubricant from the swarf, heating the swarf after such repeated washings in a closed environment to a temperature in the range of 600* F. until any residue of the second solvent and residue of lubricant has been vaporized while also generating a non-oxidizing atmosphere in the closed environment and which is subsequently removed from said environment and cooling and magnetically separating the steel particles and the abrasive particles.