What You Need to Know about Recycling Exhaust Gas Purifiers
When someone mentions devices that clean exhaust gas, chances are you think, “I know what they are . . . they’re catalytic converters that are installed on cars.”
If that’s your first thought, you are correct. Catalytic converters are the most common devices used to remove pollutants and harmful gases from the exhaust. They have been used on cars and trucks in the U.S. and Canada since the mid-1970s. They are relatively simple devices that contain platinum and other screens and pellets; when exhaust gases pass through them, they effectively “clean” the exhaust and remove certain noxious gases and chemicals before it is allowed to exit from the car. If you have been reading this blog in the past, you already know that it is possible to make money by recycling catalytic converters. But you also know that the “golden age” of making money by recycling catalytic converters has come and gone. One reason is that automotive junkyards, as well as muffler shops, now have programs in place to reclaim and recycle the units before they ever fall into the hands of individual precious metal recyclers.
But there are other kinds of exhaust gas purifiers that can be recycled profitably – varieties that you might not know about. They too can contain platinum, rhodium, and even palladium. We’ll give you a quick course on what these other kinds of exhaust gas purifiers are and how you can make money reclaiming them by having us recycle them for you.
You can find these other kinds of purifiers in certain kinds of factories where gasoline and diesel fuel are burned to power internal combustion engines. You can also find them in places you might not expect, such as installed on engines that power boats and ships.
Varieties of Exhaust Gas Purifiers and Scrubbers You Should Know
Wet Scrubbers
These are tanks filled with chemicals. Exhaust from gasoline and diesel engines enters them via a pipe at one end and exits via another pipe at the other end. In between, the exhaust gas passes through a liquid.
That’s how they work. But there are very different varieties of wet scrubbers. Depending on the kind of exhaust that is being cleaned, the liquid they contain can be acid, oil, or a variety of other chemicals. In some cases, metallic flakes and powders are there too.
And there is another difference. Depending on the purpose of the wet scrubber, it could be small (the size of an automobile muffler or a small briefcase) or considerably larger, possibly even the size of a small car.
Depending on the size and the purpose of a wet scrubber, it could contain silver or other precious metals. If you have a wet scrubber, you can learn more about what it contains by reviewing its brand name and specifications, which could be posted on it. Or you could call Specialty Metals Smelters and Refiners to learn whether it contains precious metals that can be reclaimed.
Dry Scrubbers
These too come in several varieties. They are basically dry filters through which exhaust gases or waste liquids pass. (Think of pouring dirty liquid through a folded paper towel, which will catch some of the impurities as the liquid passes through.)
Some models are even more complicated because they have small pipes through which chemicals can be injected during the clearing process.
As is the case with wet scrubbers, dry scrubbers can contain a variety of chemicals and metals, depending on their purpose. Again, examine the outside of the scrubber, looking for a brand name or identifying numbers. You can then look it up online to determine what it contains or call Specialty Metals to learn more about its value.
Afterburners
Have you ever seen a pipe atop an oil refinery smokestack that has a flame popping out of it? Although it looks like an explosion waiting to happen, it is a process through which impurities are removed from exhaust gases. (Unburned combustible chemicals are allowed to burn off.)
This is not a process that involves the use of precious or other metals.
Absorbent Chemicals and Catalysts
Sometimes dirty exhaust gases (as well as liquid chemicals) can be made cleaner by exposing them to other chemicals or catalysts.
Do You Have Exhaust Gas Purifiers to Recycle?
You could have gotten one as part of a batch of industrial scrap. In some cases, you might not even be certain about what kind of device it is or how it was used.
Take pictures and call our precious metal recycling consultants at 800-426-2344. We are here to help you identify and profit from these commonly used devices.