DE4131974A1 - Fluorescent tube disposal - forms block of stacked tubes for end cap cutting and tube rinsing for recovery of fluorescent and mercury@ and glass - Google Patents

Abstract

The fluorescent tubes are assembled into a stacked block, and their metal end caps are removed mechanically with pressure. The material mixt. within the fluorescent tubes is rinsed out. Pref. the block of stacked tubes is fixed in place, and the ambient pressure of the tube block is reduced. The metal caps are removed by cutting blades with a drive which advances them at an adjustable speed of 6-12 cm/min. The rinsing fluid is passed through the tubes at their opened ends, using air pref. heated to 40-60 deg.C, and the rinsed-out material is cooled to 15-20 deg.C to give Hg vapour for condensation to be sepd. in water as a fluid Hg with fluorescent. Further fluid mercury from the rinsed-out material is sepd. by agitation together with fluorescent and inserted into water together with any dust. The mercury is sepd. from the water, and the fluorescent sediment is extd. by suction for the fluorescent material to be dried. The mercurcy concn. is reduced in the rinsed-out matter to a max. 0.01mg Hg/m3 through adsorption and pref. by active carbon. The tubes are further rinsed together with a mercurcy absorber, pref. calcium polysulphide. The sepd. tube end caps are washed in an acid salt soln. ADVANTAGE - The disposal operation can be automated, in a simple process which can handle 10000-80000 tubes/day without problems. The concn. of mercurcy in the exhaust air is reduced to less than one-tenth of the max. workplace concn. The components are broken down for the reuse of the fluorescent, mercucy and glass.

Description

The invention relates to a method for disposing of fluorescent tubes, the Reuse or disposal of the essential constituents of phosphor tubes, which are mercury, phosphor, noble gas and glass, allows, as well as a Device developed for carrying out this method.

Due to the worldwide shortage of raw material reserves, the ever increasing Prices for raw materials and other raw materials as well as the tightened Environmental protection requirements have made it necessary in ever larger To process quantities of waste arising to a greater extent and individual To feed raw materials for reuse. This applies u. a. for fluorescent tubes, the highly toxic mercury used to generate spectral lines in the UV range, expensive phosphors for converting UV radiation into visible light and glass and noble gases as constituents. For a 2 m long Fluorescent tube are used about 6 mg of mercury and 4 g of phosphor.

From DE-OS-34 10 989, for example, a method for the workup of burned-out fluorescent lamps, in which the ends of the discharge vessel be separated after previously for the ventilation of the fluorescent tube in this one Opening has been generated by means of a flame. Subsequently, the Phosphor and the mercury removed with compressed air from the discharge vessel.

Also EP-A-4 29 690 describes a method in which first the phosphor vented tubes and subsequently the end caps are removed.

Since these methods are essentially based on the fluorescent tubes individually to aerate and then remove the tube ends is the automation of this  Procedure only very limited possible. As a result, it's for use on a larger scale is not economical. Accordingly, the number of so far remained discarded fluorescent tubes on daily max. 4,000 pieces limited, a number that measured by the number of used aluminum tubes, much too low.

Furthermore, EP-A-2 98 035 and DE-OS-39 09 380 describe methods for Recycle / dispose of fluorescent tubes with the tubes under Liquid (water) smashed, the rising gases are sucked off and the resulting dust is bound by the liquid (water), so that the glass the tubes are used only as a cullet, but not as an intact tube can.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide an improved method for disposal and to provide reuse of fluorescent tubes that the solves the above-described technical problems, d. h., the disposal of the phosphor To provide tubes under provision of phosphors, mercury and the Glass tubes for reuse for fluorescent tube production simplified and be made feasible with larger numbers. The task is through solved the present invention.

The invention relates to the method described in claim 1. It stops easy-to-use, automated process that helps daily 10,000 to 80,000 fluorescent tubes can easily be disposed of. It will the mercury concentration in the exhaust air is below 1/10 of the MAK value lowered, and the tube components phosphor, mercury and glass become one Reuse supplied.

The invention further relates to a device for carrying out the aforementioned Method, characterized by an enclosure for flush receiving a Stacked blocks fluorescent tubes, one or both sides and perpendicular to Longitudinal axis of the fluorescent tubes movably mounted cutting devices and supply and discharge means for a flushing fluid.  

Be prepared for the process according to the invention fluorescent tubes flushed to a block stacked in an enclosure to avoid the To prevent tube blocks in the width under the influence of mechanical pressure. Preferably, the tube block is fixed in its position.

The metal caps of the fluorescent tubes can under any external Pressure ratios are separated. However, it is preferred that the fluorescent tubes in a closed system to stack a tube block and the Reduce ambient pressure of the tube block, in particular to values that the Internal pressure of the fluorescent tubes (2.5-5 mbar) correspond.

The separation of the metal caps from the fluorescent tubes takes place under Influence of movably mounted cutting devices, the z. B. knife-like are formed. Your means of a drive device controllable feed amounts preferably 6-12 cm / min and especially 9-10 cm / min. To deal with the fiction In accordance with the device fluorescent tubes not only a certain length, but all commercial lengths, in a simple manner according to the invention Dispose of procedures is one on the length of the fluorescent tubes adjustable enclosure preferred.

The substance mixture contained in the fluorescent tubes (Hg, phosphor and inert gas) is washed out. For this purpose, a flushing fluid, preferably air, and passed in particular warmed to 40-60 ° C air through which of the metal caps liberated fluorescent tubes.

The passage of the flushing fluid through the fluorescent tubes is preferably via a configured with electric heating wires nozzle bar, which at one of the Cutting devices is attached and connected to a compressor.

The purged mixture of substances is preferably subjected to cooling in order to a portion of the flushed out of the fluorescent tubes mercury condense and deposit together with phosphor in water. The cooling  is preferably effected by a water-cooled fin cooler, so that the From the fluorescent tubes flushed out substance mixture cooled to 15-20 ° C. becomes.

In a particular embodiment of the method, a separation of Mercury and phosphor in a Hg stirring separator. The severed Mercury and the phosphor are introduced into water. The Hg-stirring Separator is preferably with an electric stirrer with serrated sides poor, a sloping floor with drain and a collecting container fitted.

The mixture of substances is preferably dedusted in a dust separator, the separated phosphor and mercury deposited in water. To how it is the recovery of the water-deposited mercury and phosphor preferred to separate the mercury as high-purity liquid mercury, the Aspirate water over the sedimented phosphor and add the phosphor dry.

In a further preferred embodiment, the mixture of substances for lowering the Hg concentration to max. 0.01 mg Hg / m ³ with a Hg adsorbent, in particular activated carbon, brought into contact.

If desired, the fluorescent tubes can be used a second time with a Fluid with the addition of a Hg-absorbent, in particular a polysulfide such. B. Calcium polysulfide, to be rinsed.

Around the fluorescent tubes - with slightly shortened lengths - for reuse To be able to provide the open fluorescent tubes after the Rinsing the mixture preferably subjected to a liquid wash. Also resulting cullet is cleaned by liquid washing.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment in conjunction with the Drawings. Show it

Fig. 1 shows schematically a enclosure with a fluorescent tubes block;

Figure 2 shows the plan of a schematic fluorescent tube disposal with the device used in the invention.

FIG. 3a shows a tubular basket for disposal round tube;

Fig. 3b, the arrangement of four tube baskets in a gas-tight lockable chamber.

The course of the inventive method for disposal and Wiederver use of fluorescent tubes and the device used for this purpose are illustrated by the figures. Resulting tubes 3 are sorted by length, tubes 3 of equal length are stacked in a enclosure 6 flush with a tube block. The enclosure 6 contains iron on length adjustable square iron 7 applied vertical struts 7 a and a bottom part 7 b. The pages are either open or can be clad with side walls. By means of the longitudinally adjustable quadrilateral iron 7 , the length of the enclosure 6 can be adapted to the length of the fluorescent tubes 3 pending for disposal. For the disposal method, the enclosure 6 is set to a length which is about 10 cm below that of the fluorescent tubes 3 , so that the tubes 3 project at each end about 5 cm. To fix the fluorescent tubes 3 , a flat weight is locked on the surface of the tube block. The enclosure 6 with the stacked fluorescent tubes 3 is placed in a gas-tight lockable chamber 1 .

On the inner walls of the chamber 1 are slide rails 4 for attachment of the knife-like cutting devices 2 , 2 '. These span the entire width of the stacked in the enclosure 6 tube block. The coated with the tubes enclosure 6 is positioned in the chamber 1 , that the cutting knife 2, the tubes at a distance of 3-4 cm from the one tube end cuts. It can be moved up and down in a vertical slide rail. The second cutting blade 2 'is not only vertically movable, but also in the longitudinal direction, which can be locked so that the metal caps 3 a at the other end of the uniformly long fluorescent tube 3 are cut at a distance of 3-4 cm from the tube end can. As a blade 2 , 2 'narrow square iron used, which are tapered downwards and sharpened. The thickness of the four-cornered iron is for a clean separation of the metal caps 3 a of the fluorescent tubes 3 only of subordinate importance. In practice, however, the best results have been achieved when the thickness (attachment surface) of the cutting blades 2 , 2 'is 1-10 mm, in particular 1-4 mm. As material for the cutting blade 2 , 2 'steel is used. In principle, any type of steel is suitable, however, preferred use is found for knives and other cutting devices commercially available steels.

The fluorescent tubes 3 and cutting blades 2 , 2 'are thus arranged such that the distance between the cutting knives 2 , 2 ' by about 2 cm larger than the length of the enclosure 6 , but about 8 cm shorter than the length of the respective charged tubes. 3 is. This ensures that the cut ends of the tubular metal caps 3 a can fall down into a funnel-shaped chute, to which a worm gear connects. 6 The metal caps 3 a are squeezed to reduce their bulky volume by the worm gear 6 and discharged by means of a rotating brush on the worm gear 6 in a metal chamber 8 at the bottom of the chamber 1 . The metal caps are compressed so that each two metal caps 3 a of a fluorescent tube 3 claim a volume of 16 cm ³ , so that the volume of the metal chamber 8 should be at least 160 liters for a loaded with 10,000 tubes tube block. The worm gear 6 also causes residual glass fragments are separated from the metal caps 3 a and crushed, so that can be easily separated metal and glass. The resulting cullet can be collected after washing and provided for reuse.

On the longitudinally movable cutting blade 2 'is a running over the entire width of the chamber 1 running, about 10 cm high, tightly perforated nozzle bar attached, which is connected via a hose to the compressor 5 . In the nozzle bar are electrical heating wires to heat the guided by the compressor 5 through the hose and the nozzle bar in the open fluorescent tubes 3 air. Conveniently, the air that is to introduce the compressor 5 in the cut tubes 3 , previously by means of waste heat (heat coupling) to a temperature of 40-60 ° C, preferably 45-55 ° C, brought so that the heating wires substantially only still temperature losses that the air used for tube flushing in the course of transport until it enters the fluorescent tubes 3 , are required.

Via a funnel-shaped outlet opening, the chamber 1 communicates with a cooler 9 , a mercury scrubber 10 , a dust collector 13 , an adsorber 15 and a vacuum pump 16 in connection.

The gas-tight sealable chamber 1 is, as soon as the tube block has been introduced, evacuated to a pressure of 0.5-10 mbar and in particular 1-5 mbar, ie printing, which is about the pressure inside the tubes (2.5-5 mbar ) corresponds. Now, the metal caps 3 a at both ends of the tubes 3 with the cutting knives 2 , 2 'separated. For this purpose, the two cutting knives 2 , 2 'drive downwards simultaneously and at the same and constant speed, which can be set controllably with the aid of a drive device. In principle, it has been shown that the advance of the cutting blades 2 , 2 'can be set to any desired value, without substantially increasing or decreasing the proportion of the fluorescent tubes 3 which break during this process. For practical reasons, a feed of 6-12 cm / min is preferred. Particularly preferred is a feed of 9-10 cm / min in order not to unnecessarily prolong the process of separating the metal caps 3 a of the fluorescent tubes 3 and thus to reduce the daily output of disposed fluorescent tubes. On the other hand, the speed of the cutting blades 2 , 2 'should not be too high in order to achieve a satisfactory rinsing effect, as can be seen in the following explanations.

After the metal caps 3 a are separated from the top three rows of tubes, during the downward running of the cutting blade 2 , 2 'by means of the compressor 5 via the hose and the nozzle bar on the cutting blade 2 ' fresh or exhaust air into the chamber 1 and in the already on both sides open fluorescent tubes 3 passed . The nozzles on the blade 2 'are mounted corresponding to the packing of the tubes 3 (closest packing, bottle packing), so that the air which the compressor 5 presses through the nozzles at a pressure of 2-10 bar is introduced directly into the tubes 3 , On the electric heating wires with which the cutting blade 2 'attached nozzle bar is provided, the preheated by means of heat coupling fresh air or exhaust air to temperatures of 40-60 ° C, preferably 45-55 ° C, brought. At the same time, the vacuum pump 16 is running at full force, so that the chamber pressure does not rise to values substantially above the tube internal pressure during the cutting process. By this simultaneous pressing and suction of warmed air excellent rinsing of the tubes 3 is achieved to flush out the mercury vapor contained in the tubes 3 , phosphor and the inert gas. Another advantage of this Ausblas- / suction is that no liquid Hg auskon from the air mixture ausden out and "trickle" can. The process of air purge is continued until the blades 2 , 2 'have reached the bottom row of tubes and have been moved upwards again to the starting position at a higher speed (60-90 cm / min). The volume of air to be purged through the tubes 3 is preferably selected so that each tube 3 is purged with a total of 5-10 l of warm air.

Through the funnel-shaped outlet opening loaded with mercury, noble gases and phosphor warm air from the chamber 1 enters the cooler 9 , a working with water as a coolant finned cooler. The charged with the fluorescent tube components hot air mixture is cooled in the cooler 9 to about 15-20 ° C. Due to the highly dependent on the temperature saturation content of mercury vapors is at a cooling of the air of z. B. 50 to 20 ° C, the Hg content in 1 m ^{3 of} air from about 130 mg lowered to only 14 mg. This means that the 116 mg difference in mercury (plus a certain amount of mercury due to the temperature-related volume reduction of the air) from the gas mixture as a liquid Hg "fail". The condensed by the cooling liquid Hg is coated with minimal amounts of phosphor dust from the tubes 3 . To separate the mercury and the phosphor, the condensate is passed into a collecting container filled with water. In water, because of its high density of about 13.5 g / cm ³ , mercury immediately sinks to the bottom, while the phosphor sediments only very slowly. The sunken mercury is discharged as a high purity Hg immediately via a drain cock from the collection container and can be made available for reuse. If the phosphor is also sedimented over a period of several hours (10-24 hours), the water can be sucked off and the wet phosphor dried by means of a hot air blower. This is then available as the highest purity product for reuse in fluorescent tubes.

The laden with mercury, phosphor and inert gas air mixture is passed from the cooler 9 further to the Hg-Rührabscheider 10 with sloping bottom, outflow device, collection container 11 and an electric stirrer 12 with toothed side arms. There you can deposit more mercury and phosphor. This is due to the stirring motion of the electric stirrer 12 , through which the smaller Hg droplets are deposited on the inner wall. Since the mercury is coated with phosphor, the high surface tension of mercury (about 0.5 Nm ^-1 ) is significantly reduced. As a result, the mercury is present in smaller droplets with increased specific surface area compared to the purest mercury and can be precipitated by the turbulence of the stirrer 12 , which is stirred at a speed of 30-100 rpm. Condensed, coated with phosphor dust mercury runs on the inner wall of the Hg-Rührabscheiders 10 down and passes from the sloping bottom of the separator 10 into the collecting container 11th This is analogous to the Auffangbehäl ter under the radiator 9 filled with water, so that mercury and phosphor are in turn easily separated from each other.

From the Hg stirring separator 10 , the air mixture is drawn to a cyclone 13 , which has been integrated into the device because of the separation of most of the phosphor. After the known mode of action of cyclones phosphor and residual mercury still present in the air mixture are discharged through a suitable Staubaustragorgan in a luminescent on catch container 14 which is filled with water, so that mercury and phosphor in turn as in the collection containers of the radiator. 9 and the stirring separator 10 can be easily separated. In addition to mercury and phosphor in the cyclone 13 may also be excreted smaller pieces of glass, which occur when cutting the tubes and are discharged with the stream of hot air. These splinters have a sedimentation velocity in water which is between that of the liquid mercury and that of the phosphor, so that it is no problem to recover mercury and phosphor free from glass splinters.

The now largely purified of phosphor and mercury air-noble gas mixture leaves through a central gas outlet tube the cyclone 13 and is passed into a commercially available Hg adsorber 15 (adsorbent: activated carbon). The adsorbent absorbs last remains of mercury and thus lowers the Hg concentration to below 0.01 mg / m ³ air mixture. In the event that adsorbed mercury condenses out liquid, is to collect this liquid mercury, a collecting container 15 a ready.

The air mixture leaving the adsorber 15 is measured analytically (eg by means of an AAS device 17 ) for its residual mercury content. In proper process sequence, the Hg concentration is a maximum of 0.01 mg / m ³ air mixture and thus not more than 1/10 of the MAK value, so that the air can be discharged through an outlet valve 18 into the atmosphere. However, if the Hg concentration is undesirably high for some reason, the exhaust air is again introduced to the chamber 1 for another cleaning cycle. A second use of the noble gas-containing exhaust air for purging of further to be disposed fluorescent tubes leads to a concentration of the noble gas and is advantageously carried out when the noble gas can be sold for its reuse. At present, this usually applies only to xenon, but not to the other commonly used noble gases.

When the operation to flush the both sides cut fluorescent tubes with the pushed hot air is completed, calcium polysulfide can (CaS _x) is supplied through a spray device in the chamber 1, so that not yet been exaggerated mercury can be bound and suction filtered. Inside the chamber 1 , a fan is mounted, which ensures the uniform distribution of the polysulfide.

To compensate for any pressure fluctuations occurring, the device for disposing of the fluorescent tubes is equipped with a gas buffer space 19 , the safety valve can be opened or closed as needed.

After the above-described operations are completed, the chamber 1 is vented and then opened, the enclosure 6 removed with the tube block and rinsed in a hydrochloric acid water bath (pH 3-5) with gentle stirring for a few minutes. Any paste that still sticks to the tube wall will be washed out and dissolved. The cleaned tubes 3 can be reused for the production of new fluorescent tubes with slightly shortened lengths.

Disposal of the adsorbent saturated with mercury takes place as mercury Sulfide, by removing the adsorbent from the adsorption, placed in a barrel filled and covered with sulfur bloom. The barrels are stored sealed and, if necessary, disposed of to hazardous waste landfills.

According to the invention, round tubes can also be disposed of. For this purpose, located on the bottom part of the enclosure 6 is a movable and lockable cross rail 24 , are mounted on the four tubular baskets 22 ( Fig. 3b). These have a height of 1.80 m and an inner diameter of 42 cm, so that they can each accommodate 60 round tubes. The tubes are placed in the baskets 22 ( Figure 3a) so that the plastic power port 25 of the tubes can be separated from the blade 2 '. Just like the rod-shaped fluorescent tubes 3 , the round tubes are fixed with a weight, z. B. in the middle with a foam-padded upper cross rail 23rd This cross rail 23 is attached to the left and right of the enclosure 6 .

The enclosure 6 is inserted into the chamber 1 so that the cutting blade 2 with the tube section 21 a maximum of 5 cm of the round tube glass separates ( Fig. 3a). The other cutting blade 2 ', however, is then locked so ben over the Röhrenkör 22 that the tube section 20 with the cutting blade 2 , at a distance of 10 cm from the plastic power connector 25 . This rear section 20 is further set at the center to increase the opening width of the cut round tubes and thereby increase the amount of warm air flushing the tubes.

The cutting of the tubes takes place again with a feed of the Schneidemes ser 2 , 2 'of 6-12 cm / min and in particular of 9-10 cm / min, which is followed by the rinsing process described above. The cut glass with the plastic power connector 25 falls into a chamber, the middle parts of the round tubes and cut off with the knife 2 glass enters a second chamber and can be recycled as a broken glass after washing for new fluorescent tubes. The remaining steps for rinsing the tubes and separating mercury and phosphor are done exactly as described above for the normal longitudinal tubes 3 .

example

Disposal of 3 600 fluorescent tubes 2 m in length. The enclosure was at a width and height of 1.80 m each on a Length of 1.90 m, so that 2 m long fluorescent tubes at both ends  each protruded 5 cm above the bottom part of the enclosure. A 1.80 x 1.90 m large Weight, padded with foam, was used to weight the 60 x 60 tubes placed on the tube block and locked.

The casing fed with the tube block was inserted into the chamber and positioned there so that the only vertically movable cutting blade 4 cm from one end of the fluorescent tubes could cut off the metal caps, and the separated metal caps on the bottom part of the enclosure over in the fall funnel-shaped shaft of the worm gear, there pinched and in the Metal chamber could be discharged. The variable also in the longitudinal direction Cutting knife had to be locked accordingly, so that the other End of the tubes 4 cm could be cut off.

The chamber was closed and evacuated with the vacuum pump to a pressure of 0.5 mbar. Once this pressure was reached, the cutting process was started. For this purpose, both cutting knives were moved synchronously and at a constant speed of 3 tube layers (about 9-10 cm) per minute down. One minute after the beginning of the cutting process, the supply of fresh air (1.5 m ³ / min) was started, which was pressed into the tubes via the nozzle bar on the cutting blade with a pressure of 3 bar. On the heating wires, the fresh air, thermostatically controlled, was heated to 55 ° C. In order to keep the chamber internal pressure at low values of a maximum of 5 mbar, the vacuum pump was set to full power, and the safety valve of the gas buffer space was closed. After 20 minutes, all tubes had been cut on both sides and flushed with the hot air. The upward movement of the blades took only 3 minutes, during which the flushing with the warmed fresh air was continued.

When the two knives back at the top of the vertical slide rail 1 l calcium polysulfide was sprayed into the chamber, by means of evenly distributed in the chamber mounted fan and with the Vacuum pump sucked off. After the extraction, the disposal was completed. The  Chamber could be vented and opened, and the enclosure with the tube block after checking the chamber air for mercury vapors.

The enclosure was together with tubes in a correspondingly large, with aqueous HCl, pH 3.5, filled plastic tub heaved to the cleaning of the tube glass make. Less than 300 of the 3 600 discarded fluorescent tubes were fractured during the cutting of the tube ends. That with Phosphor, rare gas and mercury laden warm air mixture was in one Lump cooler cooled with tap water to about 15 ° C, so that already a considerable part of the mercury could be separated.

The electric stirrer of the Hg stirring separator was rotated at 80 rpm. When Cyclone and adsorption were used commercially available products. With Activated carbon was the absorption capacity of Hg at least 16% of the adsorbent Dimensions.

The schedule for the disposal of the 3 600 fluorescent tubes was as follows:

Inserting the tube block into the chamber, attaching the blades, closing the chamber 10 mins Evacuate the chamber to 0.5 mbar 3 minutes Tube cut and air flush down 20 minutes Tube flush up 3 minutes CaS _x purge 3 minutes Evacuate, vent and open the chamber, taking out the tube block 10 mins   total 49 minutes

With an operating time of 9 hours daily 10 runs are easily possible, which is a Disposal of at least 36 000 fluorescent tubes per day means. at Use of larger enclosures for more than 3 600 tubes can be the increase daily throughput even further.

Claims (26)

1. A method for disposal and reuse of fluorescent tubes, characterized in that one stacks fluorescent tubes flush with a tube block, the metal caps of the fluorescent tubes separated under mechanical pressure and flushes out the substance mixture contained in the fluorescent tubes. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the Tube block fixed in position. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the Ambient pressure of the tube block reduced. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized records that the separation of the metal caps by action knife-like cutting causes. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized records that you can advance the knife-like cutting devices by means of a drive device to a value in the range of 6-12 cm / min. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized records that one flushes out the contained in the tubes Mixture by passing a flushing fluid through the by the Metal caps exempt tubes causes.   7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that as Flushing fluid used air, preferably warmed air of 40-60 ° C. 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized draws that one flushed out of the fluorescent tubes fabric subjected to cooling, thereby condensing Hg vapors and as Liquid Hg together with phosphor separates into water. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that one from the Fluorescent tubes flushed out substance mixture to 15-20 ° C cools. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized draws that one flushed out of the fluorescent tubes Mixture further liquid mercury together with phosphor through Separates stirring separation and brings in water. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized draws that one flushed out of the fluorescent tubes fabric de-dusted and the mercury-contaminated phosphor in Brings in water. 12. The method according to any one of claims 8, 10, or 11, characterized gekenn records that the mercury separated in water from likewise separated phosphor as high-purity liquid mercury, the Water above the sedimented phosphor sucks and the phosphor dries. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one brings out of the fluorescent tubes flushed out substance mixture for lowering the mercury concentration to a maximum of 0.01 mg Hg / m ³ with a Hg adsorbent, preferably activated carbon in contact , 14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized records that the fluorescent tubes of a further flush with a Flushing fluid with the addition of a mercury absorbent, preferably Calcium polysulfide, subject. 15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized records that you get the liberated from the metal caps fluorescent tubes after flushing the mixture of a liquid laundry subjects. 16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the Liquid wash with a hydrochloric acid solution. 17. An apparatus for performing the method according to any one of claims 1-16, characterized by an enclosure ( 6 ) for flush receiving a stacked block fluorescent tubes ( 3 ), one or both sides and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fluorescent tubes ( 3 ) movably mounted cutting devices ( 2 , 2 ') and supply and Abführsein directions for a flushing fluid. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the Vor direction is designed as a closed system. 19. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the cutting devices ( 2 , 2 ') are formed like a knife. 20. Device according to one of claims 17-19, characterized in that the movably mounted cutting devices ( 2 , 2 ') are movable by means of a drive device with selectable feed. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the feed in a range of 6-12 cm / min is adjustable.   22. Device according to one of claims 17-21, characterized in that the enclosure ( 6 ) for adjustment to the length of the fluorescent tubes ( 3 ) is adjustable. 23. Device according to one of claims 17-22, characterized in that at one of the cutting means ( 2 , 2 ') a wires with electric heating equipped nozzle bar is fixed, and this nozzle bar for passing the flushing fluid through the fluorescent tubes with a compressor ( 5 ) connected is. 24. Device according to one of claims 17-23, characterized in that in addition one or more of the following devices are present; a cooler (9), a Hg-Rührabscheider (10), a dust separator (13) with a collecting container (14), an adsorber (15) with a collecting container (15 a), a vacuum pump (16), a measuring device (17) for determining the Hg concentration, an exhaust valve ( 18 ) and a gas buffer chamber ( 19 ) with safety valve to compensate for pressure fluctuations. 25. The apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that the cooler ( 9 ) has a lamella shape and is water-cooled. 26. The apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that the Hg- Rührabscheider ( 10 ) is equipped with an electric stirrer ( 12 ) with toothed side arms, a sloping bottom with drain device and a collecting container ( 11 ).