EP0223605A2 - Méthode de traitement par évaporation d'une solution de traitement photographique usée et dispositif à cet effet - Google Patents

Méthode de traitement par évaporation d'une solution de traitement photographique usée et dispositif à cet effet Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0223605A2
EP0223605A2 EP86309047A EP86309047A EP0223605A2 EP 0223605 A2 EP0223605 A2 EP 0223605A2 EP 86309047 A EP86309047 A EP 86309047A EP 86309047 A EP86309047 A EP 86309047A EP 0223605 A2 EP0223605 A2 EP 0223605A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
treatment
solution
photographic processing
waste solution
processing waste
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Ceased
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EP86309047A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0223605A3 (fr
Inventor
Satoru Kuse
Yoko Matsushima
Syozo Aoki
Shigeharu Koboshi
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Konica Minolta Inc
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Konica Minolta Inc
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Publication of EP0223605A2 publication Critical patent/EP0223605A2/fr
Publication of EP0223605A3 publication Critical patent/EP0223605A3/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03D—APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
    • G03D3/00—Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03C—PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIALS FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSES; PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES, e.g. CINE, X-RAY, COLOUR, STEREO-PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSES; AUXILIARY PROCESSES IN PHOTOGRAPHY
    • G03C5/00—Photographic processes or agents therefor; Regeneration of such processing agents
    • G03C5/26—Processes using silver-salt-containing photosensitive materials or agents therefor
    • G03C5/395—Regeneration of photographic processing agents other than developers; Replenishers therefor
    • G03C5/3952—Chemical, mechanical or thermal methods, e.g. oxidation, precipitation, centrifugation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method for evaporation treatment which comprises carrying out evaporation treatment of a waste solution generated with developing processing of a light-sensitive photographic material by means of an automatic processing machine for photography (herein abbreviated as photographic processing waste solution or waste solution) and a device therefor, particularly, to a method for evaporation treatment of a photographic processing waste solution and a device therefor which is suitable for treatment by arrangement within an automatic processing machine or in the vicinity of an automatic processing machine.
  • photographic processing waste solution or waste solution an automatic processing machine for photography
  • photographic processing of a light-sensitive silver halide photographic material has been performed by a combination of the steps each employing a processing solution having one or two or more functions of developing, fixing, water washing, etc., in the case of a monochromatic light-sensitive material or color developing, bleach-fixing (or bleaching and fixing), water washing, a stabilizing, etc., in the case of a color light sensitive material.
  • the replenisher including washing water which is the replenisher for water washing
  • the replenisher is changing to a system in which the supplemented amount is reduced to a great extent for the reason in pollution or in economy, but the photographic processing waste solution is led from the processing tank of an automatic processing machine through a waste solution pipe and diluted with waste solution of washing water or cooling water of the automatic processing machine, etc., before discarded into sewage, etc.
  • the pollution treatment method which can reduce the pollution load of a photographic processing waste solution there have been known the active sludge method (e.g. Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 12943/1976 and 7952/1976, etc.), the evaporation method (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 89437/1974 and 33996/1981, etc.), the electrolytic oxidation method (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 84462/1973, 119458/1974, Japanese Patent Publications No. 43478/1978, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 119457/1974, etc.), the ion exchange method (Japanese Patent Publication No.
  • Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 383/1978 Japanese Patent Publication No. 43271/1978, etc.
  • the reverse osmosis method Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 22463/1975, etc.
  • the chemical treatment method Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 64257/1974, Japanese Patent Publication No. 37396/1982, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 12152/1978, 58833/1974, 63763/1978, Japanese Patent Publication No. 37395/1982, etc.
  • the piping outside of the machine for feeding the waste solution can be omitted, whereby an extremely great advantage can be exhibited that compaction and simplification of the machine to the extent available as an office machine can be accomplished, with cancellation of all the drawbacks which have been considered the drawbacks of the automatic processing machine of the prior art, such that the machine can be moved with difficulty after provision of the piping, that the space around foot is narrow, that enormous cost is required for pipeline work during installation, that energy cost is required for feeding hot water, etc.
  • waste solution has an extremely high pollution load, and therefore it cannot be discarded at all not only into rivers but also into sewage in view of the pollutative regulation.
  • the amount of waste solution from such a photographic processing may be small, even by a relatively small scale processing, its amount can be about 10 liters per day in processing of, for example, X-ray light-sensitive materials, about 30 liters per day in processing of light-sensitive materials for printing plates, and about 50 liters per day in processing of color light-sensitive materials.
  • processing of the waste solution is becoming an increasingly great problem in recent years.
  • a device for evaporating water to dryness by heating a photographic processing waste solution is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 70841/1985. Even in such a device, since a vapor generated by subjecting the photographic processing waste solution to evaporation concentration or drying is discharged into atmosphere, is poses a problem in view of prevention of environmental pollution and a problem of worsened working environment due to generation of objectionable odor. Also, as an embodiment, the device is provided with a means having an activated charcoal for adsorbing and removing injurious substances in vapor.
  • this device treats the photographic processing waste solution to dryness, and therefore had the drawbacks such that a part of the photographic processing waste solution components was converted to a tar which was attached on a heating source or an evaporation kettle wall to cause lowering in heat efficiency, that due to the presence of a surfactant added into the photographic processing solution or dissolved out and accumulated from the light-sensitive material, foaming may sometimes occur to cause bumping, that objectionable odor is conspicuous and excessive decomposition may sometimes occur, and that breaking of the evaporation kettle may sometimes occur, etc.
  • the pricipal object of the present invention is to further develop the thought of the evaporation treatment device for photographic processing waste solution as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 70841/1985 and at the same time clarify various improvements for practical application of the device, particularly to clarify a treatment method and an evaporation and cooling treatment device of a photographic processing waste solution which is optimum for treatment of a photographic processing waste solution in a photographic processing installation where a single or a small number of automatic processing machines are arranged. Further, another object is to provide a treatment method and an evaporation and cooling treatment device of a photographic processing waste solution which is free from the drawbacks or inconveniences, etc., as mentioned above and can process easily the vapor generated by treatment of a photographic processing waste solution to obtain distilled solution.
  • the method for treatment of a photographic processing waste solution accomplishing the above objects is a method which comprises evaporating a photographic processing waste solution by heating and cooling a vapor generated by the heating by use of a cooling means to obtain a distilled solution.
  • the method of the present invention further comprises absorbing a conentrate of the photographic processing waste solution concentrated by heating onto a carrier to perform solidification treatment.
  • the evaporation and cooling treatment device of the photographic processing waste solution accomplishing the above objects comprises a heating means for heating photographic processing waste solution and a cooling treatment means for cooling vapor generated by said heating means, the device has a constitution in which said cooling treatment means receives the vapor directly or indirectly from said heating means.
  • distilled solution means a distilled liquid, including the case containing components other than water.
  • a preferable embodiment of the method of the present invention comprises (1) performing at least one cooling treatment selected from (A) to (G) shown below, that is (A) the treatment by means of a baffle or a radiating plate, (B) the treatment in which the waste water before evaporation concentration or drying treatment is used as the cooling heat medium, (C) the treatment which is carried out in a tank which stocks the waste solution, (D) the above treatment (C) in which there are a plural number of stock tanks, (E) the treatment in which the waste solution before evaporation concentration or drying treatment is introduced into the cooling treatment section to be utilized for cooling, (F) the treatment in which a fan for air cooling is utilized, (G) the treatment which is carried out through heat exchange with the processing tank, the replenisher tank or the dissolving water tank of the automatic processing machine; (2) the photographic processing waste solution containing a waste solution of the stabilizing solution substituting for water washing; or (3) gas adsorption treatment being performed before cooling treatment.
  • A the treatment by means of a baffle or a radiat
  • Preferable embodiments of the solidification treatment of the concentrate according to the present invention is (A) wherein the solidification treatment is a liquid absorbing treatment onto a liquid absorbable resin, (B) wherein the solidification treatment is the treatment with addition of a solidifying agent or a drying agent, (C) wherein the solidification treatment is carried out by use of a pack for waste solution housing at least one of the absorbable resin, the solidifying agent and the drying agent, the concentrated soluiton of the photographic processing waste solution being solidified by absorption into said pack and the solid being housed into said pack, or (D) wherein the solidification treatment is carried out by throwing at least one of the liquid absorbable resin, the solidifying agent and the drying agent into an evaporation concentration kettle.
  • a photographic processing waste solution overflowed from the photographic processing tank of an automatic processing machine is stored in a stock tank, and following the photographic processing waste solution information obtained by detecting its amount and/or the photographic processing waste solution amount in the treatment means, the photographic processing waste solution is fed from the stock tank to the treatment means, wherein it is evaporated by a heating means to evaporate the photographic processing waste solution, and its vapor is cooled to distilled solution according to the energy-saving and efficient heat exchange method.
  • Still another preferable embodiment of the evaporation treatment device is one wherein the solidification treatment means is a waste solution pack housing at least one of a liquid absorbable resin, a solidifying agent and a drying agent for one treatment, having a constitution such that said waste solution pack is thrown into the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution or that the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution is introduced into said waste solution pack.
  • the solidification treatment means is a waste solution pack housing at least one of a liquid absorbable resin, a solidifying agent and a drying agent for one treatment, having a constitution such that said waste solution pack is thrown into the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution or that the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution is introduced into said waste solution pack.
  • the photographic processing waste solution is stored in a stock tank, and following the photographic processing waste solution information obtained by detecting its amount and/or the photographic processing waste solution amount in the treatment means, the photographic processing waste solution is fed from the stock tank into (evaporating concentration) treating means, wherein the photographic processing waste solution is concentrated by evaporation with a heating means, and the concentrate is solidified within said treatment means or by flowing out of said means, simultaneously with cooling of the vapor to distilled solution to be reutilized in the photographic processing steps.
  • the present invention it is preferred to recover silver according to a means such as the electrolytic method, the precipitation method, the metal substitution method, the reduction method, etc., before heating treatment.
  • heat exchange means For cooling of the vapor generated by evaporation of a photographic processing waste solution, all kinds of heat exchange means can be employed, including any of the constitutions shown below:
  • the heat exchange type reboiler technique can be also used, for example:
  • the condenser type heat exchange technique may be employed, and any of the following systems may be employed:
  • cooler any desired type of cooler may be used.
  • said desulfurization treatment may be either dry system desulfurization or wet system desulfurization.
  • dry system desulfurization there can be used various desulfurization methods such as the iron oxide method or the soda-iron method and contact adsorption by use of activated charcoal, silica gel, molecular sieve, etc., or the oxidation desulfurization method, etc.
  • wet system desulfurization method of the latter case either non-regeneration method or regeneration method may be employed.
  • any of the method in which sulfur is absorbed into an alkaline solution the method in which reducing property of hydrogen sulfide is utilized or the mehtod in which a compound of hydrogen sulfide is formed, etc.
  • the operational method either one of the methods such as the seaboard method, the cyclox method, the vacuum carbonate method and the garbottle method, etc.
  • the gas adsorption treatment to be used in the present invention is not limited to the above desulfurization treatment, but the zeolite adsorption treatment, the activated charcoal treatment, etc., may be also practiced for the purpose of removing ammonia gas or sulfur gas.
  • the preferable embodiment of the gas adsorption treatment further comprises a means for reutilizing distilled solution R including a gas adsorption means 50 such as a filer, an adsorbent and a cooling means for vapor 60.
  • a gas adsorption means 50 such as a filer, an adsorbent and a cooling means for vapor 60.
  • the gas adsorption means 50 separates and recovers injurious gas such as hydrogen sulfide, oxygen sulfide or ammonia gas (H 2 0, S0 2 , NH 3' etc.) contained in the vapor of the photographic processing waste solution by use of various desulfurization and adsorption techniques utilizing, for example, zeolite adsobent, activated charcoal as mentioned above.
  • injurious gas such as hydrogen sulfide, oxygen sulfide or ammonia gas (H 2 0, S0 2 , NH 3' etc.
  • (1) at least one secondary treatment selected from the following (A) to (I) is carried out to the distilled solution, namely (A) activated charcoal treatment, (B) UV-ray irradition treatment, (C) reverse osmosis treatment, (D) oxidation agent treatment, (E) electrolytic oxidation treatment, (F) aeration treatment, (G) electrodialysis treatment, (H) redistillation treatment, (I) ion exchange resin treatment is carried out; (2) the distilled solution is used as the dissolving water for photographic processing solution; (3) gas adsorption treatment is conducted together with distillation, preferably one or two or more of desulfurization treatment, zeolite adsorption treatment, activated charcoal treatment is conducted in combination.
  • the photographic processing waste solution overflowed from the photographic processing tank of an automatic processing machine is stored in a stock tank, and following the photographic processing waste solution information obtained by detecting its amount and/or the amount of the photographic processing waste solution in the treatment means, the photographic processing waste solution is fed from the stock tank to the treatment means, where the photographic processing waste solution is evaporated by a heating means to be concentrated or dried, and the resulting vapor is cooled and reutilized as distilled solution in the photographic processing steps.
  • the activated charcoal to be used in the present invention may be any activated charcoal having adsorbing capacity for at least one materials of benzyl alcohol, ammonium compounds and sulfur compounds.
  • either powdery or granular activated charcoal can be used, preferably granular activated charcoal, particularly preferably coconut shell activated charcoal and activated charcoal having molecular sieve ability.
  • the activated charcoal having molecular sieve ability as herein mentioned has slit-like fine pores, and the size of the fine pores should desirably be 6 A or more, with the width being 15 A or less.
  • the activated charcoal having such molecular sieving ability reference can be made to the description in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 14831/1983.
  • the following substances other than activated charcoal can be also used.
  • the UV-ray to be used in the present invention can be generally obtained by a commercially available UV-ray lamp or UV-ray irradiation device or a halogen lamp, etc., and is not particularly limited.
  • the output of the UV-ray lamp, etc. has been known to be 5 W to 1 KW, but it is not limited thereto.
  • electromagnetic wave and light with wavelength outside the range of 190 nm to 400 nm is generated from the UV-ray lamp, and it may be irradiated on the distilled solution obtained from the photographic processing waste solution.
  • Infrared-ray, etc. may be used in combination.
  • the UV-ray lamp, etc., to be used in the present invention can be also made a double tube.
  • UV-ray irradiation by UV-ray irradiation is meant UV-ray irradiation of the distilled solution obtained from a photographic processing waste solution by use of a UV-ray lamp, etc., and these UV-ray irradiations may be effected on said distilled solution continuously or, if desired, intermittently.
  • reverse osmosis membranes In the reverse osmosis treatment to be used in the present invention, various kinds of reverse osmosis membranes, desalting concentration methods and devices by use of reverse osmosis membranes can be utilzed without any limitation.
  • the reverse osmosis device should preferably be run under a pressure of 40 kg/cm 2 to 55 kg/c m 2 with respect to separation performance and treatment capacity.
  • the oxidizing agent to be used in the oxidizing agent treatment of the present invention is inclusive of metal, non-metal oxides, oxyacids and salts thereof, peroxides, organic oxygen containing compounds, etc.
  • oxides may include nitrogen peroxide NOx, anhydrous chromic acid CrO 3 , selenium dioxide Se0 2 , manganese dioxide Mn0 2 , lead dioxide P b0 2' osmium tetraoxide OsO 4 , silver oxide A 92 0, copper oxide CuO, mercury oxide HgO, etc.
  • Oxyacids may be exemplified by hot sulfuric acid H 2 SO 4 , nitrous acid HN0 2 , nitric acid HN03, etc.
  • sodium hypochlorite NaOCl bleaching powder CaOC12' potassium bichromate K 2 Cr 2 O 7 , potassium chromate R 2 Cr 2 O 4 , potassium permanganate KMn0 4 , potassium chlorate KClO 3 , potassium perchlorate KC104, etc.
  • peroxides are hydrogen peroxide H 2 0 2 , sodium peroxide Na 2 O 2 , benzoyl peroxide (C 6 H 5 COO) 2 , etc.
  • valences such as trivalent iron ion Fe 3+ , divalent copper ion Cu 2+ , lead tetraacetate Pb(CH 3 Co 2 ) 4 , etc.
  • Fentone reagent Fe ++ + H 202
  • dehydrogenation catalysts Pt, Se, Zn
  • the electrolytic oxidation treatment to be used in the present invention is a method for oxidizing a substance on the anode by electrolysis, and it may be any system by way of increase of positive charges of cations, decrease of negative charges of anions, polymerization of anions, increase of oxygen atoms and decrease of hydrogen atoms in atomic groups.
  • the excellent point of such electrolytic oxidation as compared with oxidation with an oxidizing agent is that very strong oxidation can be effected and also that there is little by-product.
  • the aeration treatment in the present invention is to promote oxidation by air delivery into the distilled solution of the photographic processing waste solution, and it is preferable to make finer the air bubbles by use of a distributor, etc., whereby the bubbling effect can be improved to enhance removal efficiency of organic solvents, etc.
  • the electrodialysis treatment of the present invention is to charge the distilled solution of the photographic processing waste solution into the chambers each partitioned by a diaphragm between the cathode and the anode of an electrodialytic cell and pass direct current therethrough.
  • the diaphragms are ion exchange membranes. More preferably, the space between the cathode and the anode should be partitioned with anion exchange membranes and cation exchange membranes to provide a cathode chamber, a plural number of concentration chambers (the chamber partitioned with an anion exchange membrane on the cathode side and a cation exchange membrane on the anode side), a plural number desalting chambers (the chamber partitioned with a cation exchange membrane on the cathode side and with an anion exchange membrane on the anode side) and an anode chamber.
  • the distilled solution of the photographic processing waste solution is preferably charged into the desalting chambers, but it is also preferable to charge it into the concentration chamber.
  • the electrolyte solution to be charged into the concentration chambers and the anode chamber is not particularly limited, but 0.1 to 2 N solutions of, for example, sodium sulfite, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium sulfate, sodium thiosulfate, etc., can be preferably used.
  • a processing solution having fixing ability (bleach-fixing solution or fixing solution) or its waste solution can be very preferably used as the electrolyte solution to be charged into the concentration chambers and the anode chamber, because no electrolyte solution is particularly required.
  • the redistillation treatment to be used in the present invention is to carry out distillation treatment of the concentrate obtained from the photographic processing waste solution, which is one of the so-called rectifying operation. It may be either batchwise distillation (including simple distillation, batchwise rectification) or continuous distillation, and it is also possible to employ the continuous equilibration distillation method for continuous rectification. To obtain pure water (containing remarkably little distillate other than water) by the redistillation treatment will make it possible to feed effectively water to the photographic processing solutions. Also, an appropriate separating agent may be advantageously used in azeotropic distillation and extraction distillation. In the present invention, the secondary treatment effect can be obtained also by the so-called steam distillation. Also, as for the operational pressure, it may be either of high pressure distillation, normal pressure distillation, vacuum distillation and molecular distillation.
  • the ion exchange resin treatment in the present invention can be carried out by the contact betweent various kinds of ion exchange resins and the photographic processing waste solution, and the ion exchange resins may comprise three-dimensionally polycondensed polymer substrates having functional groups bonded thereto, including cation exchange resin, anion exchange resin, chelating resin, absorptive resin, etc.
  • the carrier to be used in the present invention is capable of absorbing the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution, preferably one which is free from liquid dripping even when the liquid absorbable carrier having absorbed a liquid is held by hands, and the so-called high liquid absorbable resin is preferably used.
  • the high liquid absorbable resin there may be used, for example, seed polysaccharides, algae polysaccharides, resin polysaccharides, fruits saccharides and route stock polysaccharides.
  • seed polysaccharides for example, seed polysaccharides, algae polysaccharides, resin polysaccharides, fruits saccharides and route stock polysaccharides.
  • zansane gum for example, seed polysaccharides, algae polysaccharides, resin polysaccharides, fruits saccharides and route stock polysaccharides.
  • zansane gum zanflow, guardrane, succinoglucane, sizophirane, pullulan, gelatine, casein, albumin, shellac, starch derivatives, derivatives of guar gum, locust bean gum, and cellulose derivatives, alginic acid derivatives, vinyl type compound, acrylic compound, polyethylene oxide, etc.
  • the above (B-2) can be also used repeatedly by natural drying and/or forced drying.
  • R is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or a halogen atom
  • Z is an oxy group or an imino group
  • n is 0 or 1
  • the halogen substituent on R can be bromine or chlorine, the alkylene group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms of R 1 may be also substituted with hydroxyl group, the arylenealkylene group of R l includes phenylenemethylene group, phenyleneethylene group, phenylenepropylene group and phenylenebutylene group, and the arylenebisalkyl group of R 1 includes phenylenedimethylene group.
  • Examples of the soluble cation of M are sodium and potassium.
  • heterocyclic group formed by R 2 , R 3 and R 4 , and the N atom to which these are bonded may include pyridinium, imidazolium, oxazolium, thiazolium and morpholium.
  • the acid anion of X may include chloride, bromide, acetate, p-toluene sulfonate, methane sulfonate, ethane sulfonate, methylsulfate, ethylsulfate and perchlorate.
  • the ethylenic unsaturated monomer to be copolymerized with the monomer of the above formula (I) and/or the monomer of the above formula (II) comprises preferably one or more monomer having a crosslinkable group such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, and a monomer containing active methylene group.
  • the copolymerizable ethylenic unsaturated monomer polymerized of this type is disclosed in, for example, U.S. Patents Nos. 3,459,790, 3,488,708, 3,554,987, 3,658,878, 3,929,482 and 3,939,130.
  • the preferable polymer to be used in the above description has 10 to 70 % by weight of recurring units derived from at least one monomer enumerated below:
  • the acid addition salt coinciding with the above structural formula (I) can be converted to a free amine when neutralized with a base.
  • the above polymer can be prepared according to a conventional method by carrying out polymerization reaction of a suitable monomer in an aqueous solution.
  • the monomer of the above structural formula (I) can be prepared according to the methods described in "functional monomers” edited by R.H. Yocum and E.B. Nyquist, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York (1974) and U.S. Patent No. 2,780,604.
  • the monomer of the above structural formula (II) can be prepared according to the methods described in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,024,221 and 3,506,707.
  • the polymer can be prepared by (a) quaternarizing a polymer having amine groups with an alkylating agent, or alternatively (b) by reacting an amine with a polymer having a group reactive with the amine, for example, an active halogenic group.
  • the resins as mentioned above are also available as commercial products.
  • Examples of such commercial products may include Sumikagel N-100, Sumikagel SP-520, Sumikagel S-50, Sumikagel NP-1020, Sumikagel F-03, Sumikagel F-51, Sumikagel F-75, Sumikagel R-30 (all are trade names, produced by Sumitomo Kagaku Kogyo Co.), Sunwet IM-300, Sunwet IM-1000 (all are trade names, produced by Sanyo Kasei Co.), Aquakeep IOSH-P (trade name, produced by Seitetsu Kagaku Co.), Ranjiel F (trade name, produced by Nippon Exran Co.), etc.
  • the high liquid absorbable resin preferably used in the present invention should preferably have a shape which can easily absorb liquid, and those shaped in powder or granules with diameters of about 0.01 to 3 mm can be advantageously used in handling.
  • the solidifying agent to be used in the present invention may be any one capable of solidifying the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution, and the chemical reaction may be either accompanied or not during solidification.
  • the solidifying agent of the present invention for example, CaO, Ca(OH) 2 , CaC0 3' silica gel, calcium chloride, aluminum oxide, calcium sulfate, magnesium oxide, barium oxide, granulate soda lime, diphosphorous pentaoxide, etc.
  • the processing chamber 42 in Fig. 1 should be constituted so as to store the photographic processing waste solution to be treated or the concentrate which has been already treated, an inner kettle or inner liner 44 formed of a metal or a porcelain or a synthetic resin, etc., and the treated concentrate solidified according to the present invention as shown below in Examples, by use of a separating means such as bag filter or pack, etc., and taken out together with the inner kettle or inner liner 44 or together with the bag filter or the pack to be discarded or disposed.
  • the discharging means 43 can be designed variously.
  • the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution is permitted to fall naturally into a vessel containing one or two or more liquid absorbable resin, solidifying agent and drying agent of the present invention through the valve from the bottom of a known discharging device utilizing rotary screw pump or the treatment chamber 42 to effect solidification according to the present invention therein.
  • the inner liner 44 for pack may be preferably made of a heat-resistant and chemical resistant material, such as carbon fiber, aramide fiber, Teflon resin fiber, hemp, glass fiber, polyethylene foam, polypropylene foam, etc.
  • photographic processing waste solutions which can be treated according to the present invention are described in detail.
  • photographic processing solutions in the case of photographic materials for color to be processed are primarily described, but the photographic processing waste solutions are mostly overflowed solutions discharged during processing of silver halide color photographic materials by use of these photographic processing solutions.
  • the color developing solution is a processing solution to be used in the color developing processing step (which is the step for formation of a color image, the step for forming a color image through the coupling reaction of the oxidized product of a color developing agent with a color coupler), and therefore a color developing agent is required to be contained generally in the color developing solution in the color developing processing step, but the case of having a color developing agent built in the color photographic material and processing it with a color developing solution or alkali solution (activator solution) containing a color developing agent is also included.
  • the color developing agent contained in the color developing solution is an aromatic primary amine color developing agent, including amino phenol type and p-phenylenediamine type derivatives.
  • Examples of the above aminophenol type developing agent may include o-aminophenol, p-aminophenol, 5-amino-2-oxy-toluene, 2-amino-3-oxy-toluene, 2-oxy-3-amino-l,4-dimethyl-benzene.
  • the color developing solution may sometimes contain an alkali agent conventionally used in a developing solution, and further sometimes contain various additives such as benzyl alcohol, alkali metal halides or development controllers, preservatives. Further, various kinds of defoaming agents or surfactants, or organic solvents such as methanol, dimethylformamide or dimethyl sulfoxide may be sometimes conveniently contained.
  • antioxidants may be contained in the color developing solution, if desired.
  • various chelating agents may be used as the sequestering agent in combination.
  • the bleach-fixing solution is a processing solution to be used in the bleach-fixing step (which is the step in which the metal silver formed by development is oxidized to be converted to silver halide, and then water-soluble complex is formed simultaneously with color formation of the uncolored portion of the color forming agent), and the kind of the bleaching agent used in the bleach-fixing solution is not particularly limited.
  • the bleach-fixing solution may sometimes contain various pH buffering agents either singly or as a combination of two or more kinds. Further, various kinds of fluorescent brighteners, defoaming agents or surfactants may be contained. Also, preservatives such as bisulfite adducts, etc., organic chelating agents such as aminopolycarboxylic acids, etc., stabilizers such as nitro alcohol, nitrates, etc., or organic solvents, etc., may be sometimes conveniently contained. Further, the bleach-fixing solution may sometimes contain various bleaching promotors as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 280/1971, Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 8506/1970 and 556/1971, Belgian Patent No. 770,910, Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 8836/1970 and 9854/1978, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 71634/1979 and, 42349/1974 added therein.
  • the stabilizing processing by use of a stabilizing solution substituting for water washing according to the present invention is not the conventional processing in which a large amount of water is employed for washing and removing a processing solution of the pre-step adhered to or permeated in the light-sensitive photographic material.
  • This is a processing carried out by replenishing the stabilizing solution in an amount of as small as 30 ml/m 2 to 9,000 ml/m 2 , preferably 60 ml/m 2 to 3,000 ml/m 2 to the light-sentsitive photographic material into the stabilizing tank to secure the effects similar as or more than the above conventional processing, and is specifically disclosed as an image stabilizing processing in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 134636/1983, etc.
  • the evaporation treatment of the present invention is preferably employed in conmbination with the processing by use of the stabilizing solution substituting for water washing, because an amount of processed waste solution is small and hence a large effect of heat exchange is obtained.
  • the stabilizing solution may further contain coloring controlling solution and antistatic solution containing antistatic agent.
  • coloring controlling solution and antistatic solution containing antistatic agent.
  • chelating agents having a chelate stability constant with iron ions of 6 or higher (particularly preferably 8 or higher).
  • Such chelating agents may include organic carbonic acid chelating agents, organic phosphoric acid chelating agents, polyhydroxy compounds, inorganic phosphoric acid chelating agents, etc.
  • diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid or salts thereof may be employed. These compounds may be used generally at concentrations of about 0.1 g to 10 g per liter of the stabilizing solution, more preferably at concentrations of about 0.5 g to 5 g per liter of the stabilizing solution.
  • ammonium compound may be employed, these are supplied from ammonium salts of various inorganic compounds.
  • ammonium compounds there may be specifically included ammonium hydroxide, ammonium bromide, ammonium carbonate, ammonium chloride, ammonium hypophosphite, ammonium phosphate, ammonium phosphite, ammonium fluoride, ammonium acidic fluoride, ammonium fluoroborate, ammonium arsenate, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, ammonium hydrogen fluoride, ammonium hydrogen sulfate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium iodide, ammonium nitrate, ammonium pentaborate, ammonium acetate, ammonium azide, ammonium lauryltricarbonate, ammonium benzoate, ammonium carbamate, ammonium citrate, ammonium diethyldithiocarbamate, ammonium formate
  • pH controllers As the compound to be added in the stabilizing solution, there may be included pH controllers, antifungal agents as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 43741/1986 pages 26 to 30, such as 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one, 2-octyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one, 1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one and others, preservatives such as water-soluble metal salts, etc., dispersing agents such as ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP K-15, Luviscol K-17, etc.), etc., film hardening agents such as formalin, etc., fluorescent brighteners and so on.
  • PVP K-15 polyvinyl pyrrolidone
  • Luviscol K-17 Luviscol K-17
  • a stabilizing solution substituting for water washing containing an antifungal agent as mentioned above may be particularly preferably used, because generation of tar in the evaporation treatment device is little.
  • an aldehyde derivative may be sometimes added in said stabilizing solution for negative for improvement of storability of the photographic image.
  • additives for example, water droplet irregularity preventives, pH controllers, film hardeners, orgnaic solvents, humectants, otherwise additives for improving and expanding the processing effects such as tone modifiers, etc.
  • a stilbene type fluorescent brightener may be sometimes used in a color developing solution or stabilizng solution for color paper.
  • the components contained in the waste solution of the above color developing solution are various components or additives as described above and the components dissolved out and accumulated from the photographic material to be processed.
  • the components contained in the waste solutions of the above bleach-fixing solution and the stabilizing solution are various components or additives as described above and the components dissolved out and accumulated from the photographic material, etc.
  • the automatic processing machine for which the present invention is applied is indicated by the symbol 10 in Fig. 1, and the machine shown in the Figure is of a system in which a roll-shaped light-sensitive photographic material F is guided continuously into a color developing tank CD, a bleach-fixing tank BF and a stabilizing tank substituting for water washing Sb to be photographically processed therein, and after drying D, wound up (although not shown in the drawing, the automatic processing machine is inclusive of various kinds such as the embodiment having a color developing tank CD for permitting a short leader to guide the light-sensitive photographic material, a bleaching tank BL, a fixing tank FIX, a stabilizing tank substituting for water washing Sb and a second stabilizing tank, but a typical example is shown in the Figure).
  • the replenisher 11 is a replenisher tank, and the replenisher is replenished to the respective processing tanks according to the control device 20 by detecting the photographic processing amount of the light-sensitive photographic material F with a sensor 21 as described in detail below and following the detected information.
  • the system of photographic processing, the constitution of the photographic processing tanks, the replenishing method of the replenisher are not limited to those as described above, but the present invention is applicable for other systems and constitutions, including the so-called no water washing system as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 14834/1983, 34448/1983, 132146/1982, 18631/1983, 263941/1985 and 2153/1986.
  • the processing is preferably carried out by use of the treatment device of the photographic processing waste solution as shown in Figure 10.
  • the device of Figure 10 is essentially the same as the automatic processing machine in the present specification and hence described simulataneously hereinunder.
  • a simple method is to permit it to fall naturally through a guide pipe.
  • a means for collecting the heat energy possessed by the photographic processing waste solution by arrangement of heat exchange means in the course of transfer or alternatively a means for preheating or evaporating the solution of the photographic processing waste solution before collected into the silver recovery means 80 or the stock tank 30 by utilizing the heat energy of the automatic processing machine or the evaporation treatment device as described below. Also, it can be sometimes transferred forcibly by means of a pump 23, etc.
  • the components in the photographic processing waste solutions in the respective photographic processing tanks CD, BF and Sb differ from one another, the case of treating separately by preparation of stock tank 30 for each photographic processing tank or for the waste solutions of the processing tanks divided into 2 or 3 or more groups without treating all the photographic processing waste solutions at a time is also included. Particularly, with respect to recovery of silver, it is advantageous to treat the waste solution of the color developing tank CD separately from the waste solutions of the bleach-fixing tank BF and the stabilizing tank substituting for water washing Sb.
  • the waste solution may be transferred forcibly into the stock tank by means of a pump.
  • the waste solution tank of the automatic processing machine itself can be also utilized as the stock tank. In this case, it is preferable to transfer forcibly the waste solution through the pipeline by actuating the pump with detection of the weight of said stock tank. It is also preferable to have a float floated in the waste solution tank and actuate the pump by detection of the liquid surface at a certain level or higher, because it can be easily set in an existing automatic processing machine.
  • the treating means 40 includes a heating means 41, a treating chamber 42 containing a means for storing the photographic processing waste solution (concentrate) during treatment or after treatment, a means for discharging the photographic processing waste solution which has been treated (concentrate) from the treating chamber 42.
  • a gas absorbing means 50 and 51 such as a filter, adsorbent, etc.
  • a means for reutilization of distilled solution 60 including a cooling means of vapor including a cooling means of vapor.
  • the heating means 41, the heat source and the heating (evaporation) means are important, but there exists no reason to limit these to specific ones in application of the present invention, but there may be included the embodiments in which the photographic processing waste solution is heated by utilizing one or two or more combination of effective heat sources, such as electricity, gas, solar heat, etc., to vaporize and concentrate said photographic processing waste solution.
  • the photographic processing waste solution is stored in the treating chamber 42 and heated as a whole to, for example, one in which the photographic processing waste solution is fallen or thrown (including spraying) onto a heated body such as overheated metal plate, etc., to effect evaporation and one in which it is fed quantitatively to the heat source to be processed continuously.
  • the photographic processing waste solution may be evaporated by atomizing photographic processing waste solution in mist within the treating chamber 42 and applying heated air thereto. Also, the heated air may be thrown into the photographic processing waste solution.
  • the means for atomization should preferably be one which carries the photographic processing waste solution on a heated whirling gas stream, preferably a spray drying device.
  • the heating means 41 may be positioned above or internally of the stored photographic processing waste solution or outside of the treating chamber 42, etc., as desired.
  • Preheating of the waste solution may be performed on the way from the stock tank 30 to the treating chamber 40 by utilizing heat exchange between the waste solution and the vapor generated.
  • the discharging means 43 various designs are possible such that the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution is permitted to be discharged by use of the cischarging means utilizing rotary screw pump or to fall naturally from the bottom of the treating chamber 42 through the valve and recovered by recovering container 45, followed by addition of the carrier to effect solidification treatment.
  • the concentrate may be added with the absorvable resin or solidifying agent to conduct solidification and the solidified product is discharged. Further, discharging may be carried out through the separating means such as bag filter.
  • the photographic processing waste solution of the present invention particularly when the heating means 41 contacts directly the photographic processing waste solution such as the heat source built-in quartz tube or electrical heating plate of nichrome wire, etc., it has been found that the photographic processing waste solution is secured onto the surface of the heating means under the scorched state to lower remarkably heat efficiency in the process of concentrating or drying the photographic processing waste solution. Also, the photographic processing waste solution is liable to be secured on the thermally conductive member which conducts heat from the heat source to the photographic processing waste solution, and further it has been found that corrosion is liable to occur when the waste solution or its vapor contacts directly the portion not related to heating.
  • Teflon working means other than coating of a fluorine resin such as binder type, plating type, oil mixing type, heating treatment type, normal temperature wet cloth type, respectively.
  • a means for preventing securing or the photographic processing waste solution as described above is applied on the inner side thereof, particularly at the portion where heat of the heating means 41 is transmitted, but it is preferable to apply the means for preventing securing of the photographic processing waste solution on the whole instrument within the treating chamber for prevention of damages of the instruments by corrosion, etc.
  • the constitution of the treating chamber 42 may be determined corresponding to the heating means 41 as described above, but it is preferably brought to an atmosphere under reduced pressure to lower the boiling point for promoting evaporation of water.
  • the treating chamber 42 should be constituted so as to store the photographic processing waste solution or the concentrate which has been treated, an inner kettle or inner liner 44 formed of a metal, porcelain or synthetic resin and, by use of a separating means such as bag filter or pack, the treated concentrate should be solidified and taken out together with the inner liner 47 or the bag filter or pack to be discarded or disposed.
  • the discharging means 43 various designs are possible such that the concentrate of the photographic processing waste solution is permitted to fall naturally through a valve from the known discharging device utilizing a rotary screw pump or the bottom of the treating chamber 42 into a vessel containing 1 or 2 or more of the liquid absorbable resin, solidifying agent and drying agent.
  • the inner liner 44 or pack should preferably be made of a heat resistant and chemical resistant material such as carbon fiber, aramide fiber, Teflon resin fiber, hemp, glass fiber, polyethylene form, polypropylene form, etc.
  • the concentrate may be added with a liquid absorbable resin, a solidifying agent or a drying agent such as lime, etc., before discharging. Further, it is also preferable to effect discharging through a separating means such as bag filter, etc.
  • the gas adsorbing means 50 separates and recovers harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxide, or ammonia gas (H 2 S, S0 2 , NH 3 , etc.) contained in the evaporated photographic processing waste solution by utilizing various desulfurization and adsorption technique such as zeolite adsorbent, activated charcoal, etc.
  • harmful gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur oxide, or ammonia gas (H 2 S, S0 2 , NH 3 , etc.) contained in the evaporated photographic processing waste solution by utilizing various desulfurization and adsorption technique such as zeolite adsorbent, activated charcoal, etc.
  • the cooling means 60 performs secondary treatment of the distilled solution subjected to evaporation treatment by the waste solution treating means 40 with activated charcoal, reverse osmosis membrane, UV-ray irradiation, oxidizing agent, etc., to obtain distilled solution, which is utilized in photographic processing solution in the automatic processing machine 10. That is, for example, it is used when utilized as the dissolving solution for the replenisher or the stabilizing solution.
  • control in the evaporation treatment device of the photographic processing waste solution of the present invention is important primarily for the respective items of:
  • the temperature detection of the photographic processing waste solution in the stock tank 30 is important as the information of the photographic processing waste solution in the actuation control of the treating means 40 described later, particularly for control of the heating temperature.
  • waste solution treating means 40 When the waste solution treating means 40 is single, so that the photographic processing waste solutions stocked separately in the stock tank 30 and 31 may not be mixed with each other, another photographic processing waste solution is fed after completion of the treatment of the preceeding solution.
  • Feeding of the photographic processing waste solution from the stock tank 30 to the treating means 40 may be performed according to a system in which a constant amount (the amount which can be stored at a time within the waste solution treating means 40) is fed at a time and a system in which it is fed continuously in equal amounts or variable amounts.
  • feeding of the photographic processing waste solution from the stock tank 30 to the treating means 40 is controlled following the detection informations of the reduced quantity of the photographic processing waste solution in the stock tank 30 by the sensor 22 and/or the photographic processing waste solution quantity in the treating means 40 by the sensor 24.
  • feeding may be also controlled following the detected information by a flow meter provided in the photographic processing waste solution feeding pipe from the stock tank 30 to the treating means 40.
  • the amount of the photographic processing waste solution is controlled according to the temperature of the photographic processing waste solution fed, the temperature of the heating means 41 of the treating means 40 or the treating chamber 42.
  • the amount of the photographic processing waste solution within the treating means 40 may be detected by the sensor 24 and the heating temperature of the heating means 41 such as heater may be controlled to be elevated or lowered depending on its amount, or the heating time may be controlled to be increased or decreased.
  • actuation of the treating means 40 can be controlled by controlling the heating time if the temperature of the photographic processing waste solution fed and the temperature of the heating means 41 or the treating chamber 42 are detected.
  • Feeding of the photographic processing waste solution to be treated and actuation of the treating means can be designed variously such as actuation stopping during discharging, low energy actuation of the heating means during discharging, treatment simultaneous with discharging on feeding, etc.
  • the degree of treatment progress of the photographic processing waste solution by the treating means is controlled by the treating time, or otherwise by detection of the viscosity of the photographic processing waste solution, the lower limit level of the photographic processing waste solution within the processing chamber 42, the vapor temperature, pressure, weight, electroconductivity, turbidity, transmission or temperature outside the device, etc., and it is preferable to change the actuation of the photographic processing waste solution treating means 40 to stopping or low energy running at the stage when the photographic processing waste solution has been concentrated to a certain level.
  • feeding, treatment (evaporation, concentration), discharging of the photographic processing waste solution are controlled by a variety of items, and various sensors 24, etc., are used for detection of time, viscosity, temperature, pressure, liquid surface level, concentration, electric resistance, weight, etc., corresponding thereto, and the sensors 24, etc., can be mounted at various positions.
  • time control it differs depending on the batch treatment and the continuous throwing treatment, and the time is also different depending on the temperature of the photographic processing waste solution fed.
  • various viscometers such as capillary viscometer, etc.
  • a load imposed on a propeller or rod for stirring is detected, or the viscosity is detected by the load imposed on the driving motor when using a bar screw as the discharging means.
  • the treatment completion signal is generated by a certain elevation in rotational loading or reduction in rotational number according to the elevation in viscosity.
  • a light emitter, a reflective plate, a light receiver, etc. is arranged at a predetermined height in the treating chamber and a measuring instrument for measuring transmittance (attenuation degree) of light or refractive index is used. It can be also detected by the change in electrical resistance accompanied with the change in concentration.
  • the device may be constituted such that the liquid surface of the waste solution will be lowered with the evaporation treatment until the heated portion is exposed on the liquid surface at a predetermined level or lower.
  • the vapor temperature within the treating chamber will be abruptly elevated by the overheating phenomenon from the stage when the heating portion has been exposed, whereby the progress of the waste solution processing can be detected.
  • the liquid surface level can be also detected.
  • the liquid surface level can be also detected by a mechanical mean by use a float, etc.
  • weight for example, it can be detected by arranging an electrical or mechanical gravimeter below the inner kettle arranged in the treating chamber 42.
  • the amount of the vapor generated can be detected by arranging a flow meter in the stage preceding to the gas adsorbing means, and it can also be detected by measuring the amount of the stored distilled solution (weight, liquid surface height) when the cooling means 60 is provided.
  • actuation of the waste solution treating means 40 may be changed to stopping or low energy running by detection of the vapor temperature, weight or the temperature outside the device.
  • concentration means reduction of the waste solution volume to one half or less of the volume when exiting from the photographic processing tank, preferably one fourth or less with respect to discarding, more preferably one fifth or less, optimully one tenth or less.
  • concentration means reduction of the waste solution volume to one half or less of the volume when exiting from the photographic processing tank, preferably one fourth or less with respect to discarding, more preferably one fifth or less, optimully one tenth or less.
  • concentration generation of precipitates or tar, etc., may occur.
  • the liquid as a whole is required to be fluid, and presence of precipitates or sludge may be permissible.
  • the Sakura Color SR paper (produced by Konishiroku Photo industry Co.) was picture printed and then subjected to continuous processing by use of the following processing steps and processing solutions.
  • Ammonium thiosulfate (made up to the total quantity of one liter with addition of water, the pH of this solution is 5.3+0.1).
  • An automatic processing machine was filled with the above color developing tank solution, the bleach-fixing tank solution and the stabilizing tank solution, and running test was performed while processing the above Sakura Color SR paper sample and replenishing the above color developing replenisher, the bleach-fixing replenishers A, B and the stabilizing replenisher through the constant volume cups every 3 minutes.
  • the replenished amounts were 190 ml as the replenished amount into the color developing tank, each 50 ml of the bleach-fixing replenishers A, B as the supplemented amounts into the bleach-fixing tank and 250 ml of the stabilizing replenisher substituting for water washing as the supplemented amount into the stabilizing bath, respectively per 1 m 2 of the color paper.
  • the stabilizing tank of the automatic processing machine was made a multi-tank countercurrent system, in which the first to the third stabilizing tanks were provided in the direction of the flow of the sample, and replenishment was effected from the final tank, the overflowed solution from the final tank was permitted to flow into the tank in the preceding stage, and further the overflowed solution from this tank was permitted to flow into the tank preceding thereto.
  • Evaporation treatment of the photographic processing waste solution (A) was carried out by use of an evaporation kettle having two nichrome wire built-in quartz tubes of 750 W placed therein, and the vapor Q generated was cooled by means of a radiation plate device 62 shown in Fig. 3-to obtain distilled liquid R. Also, the odor was found to be extremely little as compared with the case when using no radiation plate device.
  • the lid 45 was taken off and the dried product was taken out from the evaporation kettle. As the result, it had a strong odor of hydrogen sulfide, with the dried product being sticked to the bottom of the evaporation kettle and also scattered on the wall, whereby all of them could be removed with difficulty.
  • An inner liner 44 comprising a carbon fiber fabric was covered previously on the bottom of the evaporation kettle, and after evaporation concentration similarly as in Example 1, 20 g of a high liquid absorbable resin (Sumikagel N-100: trade name, produced by Sumitomo Kagaku Co.) was added, and the solidified product was removed together with the inner liner 44 comprising the above fabric to be wholly removed with ease.
  • a high liquid absorbable resin Sudikagel N-100: trade name, produced by Sumitomo Kagaku Co.
  • Evaporation treatment was carried out with the photographic processing waste solution (A) to be treated fed first into the treating chamber 42 being 2 liter and the heat capacity of the heater 1.5 KW, and the photographic processing waste solution within the treating means 40 was examined when the viscosity at the evaporation temperature by a rotary viscometer was increased by 10%. As the result, it was found to be concentrated to about 3-fold.
  • Evaporation treatment was carried out with the photographic processing waste solution (A) to be treated fed first into the treating chamber 42 being 2 liter and the heat capacity of the heater 1.5 KW, and new feeding of the photographic processing waste solution (A) to be treated was repeated several times when the viscosity by a rotary viscometer was increased by 10%, and then the photographic processing waste solution in the treating means 40 was examined to find that it was concentrated to about 3-fold similarly as in Example 10.
  • the thickened waste solution was taken out. Also, when the liquid surface level within the treating chamber 42 was detected to be leveled down to one fifth, the photographic processing waste solution (A) to be treated was newly fed. Again, when the liquid level was leveled down to one fifth, the thickened waste solution was taken out.
  • the waste water was permitted to flow into the stock tank 30.
  • a mixture of such desilverized photographic processing waste solution and overflowed solution of the color developing solution (volume ratio 3:8) was transferred from the stock tank 30 to the treating means 40.
  • the waste solution was subjected to evaporation treatment by use of an evaporation kettle having two nichrome wire built-in quartz tubes of 750 W placed therein.
  • Example 13 was repeated in the same manner except for adding sodium sulfide into the photographic processing waste water in place of employing the electrolytic silver recovering device BN-10 in Example 13 to precipitate silver as silver sulfide. After separation by decantation, the filtrate was permitted to flow into the stock tank 30. Similar good result as in Example 13 was obtained.
  • Example 13 was repeated in the same manner except for carrying out the silver recovering operation for the concentrate which have been subjected to the evaporation treatment. It was found that silver sulfide was sticked to the bottom of the evaporation kettle and, after one month, corrosion of the evaporation kettle was caused. It was also found that, though the same amount of the waste solution having the same silver concentration as in Example 13 was employed, the obtained electrolytic deposited silver was as low as about 20 % of that obtained in Example 13 in which the silver recovery was carried out bofore the evaporation treatment, and further that the electrolytic deposited condition of the electrolytic deposited silver was remarkably poor to cause peel off.
  • the photographic processing waste solution (A) After evaporation treatment of the photographic processing waste solution (A) by use of an evaporation kettle having two nichrome wire built-in quartz tubes of 750 W placed therein until the liquid surface level become one tenth, the vapor generated was cooled and the obtained distilled solution was used for preparation of a bleach-fixing solution as a dissolving water.
  • the bleach-fixing solution was employed for processing a ligh-sensitive photographic material. As a result, no problem was caused on the photographic properties and no bumping was seen.
  • the distilled solution obtained by the evaporation treatment in Example 16 was treated through a column being filled up with Cargon granule-like activated charcoal TYPE SGL (produced by Toyo Cargon Co.) and the obtained secondary treated solution was used for preparation of a color developing solution.
  • the color developing solution was employed for processing a ligh-sensitive photographic material. As a result, no problem was caused on the photographic properties.
  • the secondary treated solution obtained was used for preparation of a bleach-fixing solution and subsecuently the bleach-fixing solution was used for processing a light-sensitive photographic material. As a result, no problem was caused on the photographic properties.
  • the distilled solution obtained by the evaporation treatment in Example 16 was treated by use of an electrolytic device and the obtained secondary treated solution was used for preparation of a stabilizing solution.
  • the stabilizing solution was employed for processing a light-sensitive photographic material. As a result, no problem was caused on the photographic properties.
  • the obtained secondary treated solution was used for preparation of a stabilizing solution substituting for water washing and the stabilizing solution substituting for water washing was employed for processing of the light-sensitive photographic material. As a result, no problem was caused on the photographic properties.
  • Example 1 was repeated in the same manner except for employing a photographic processing waste solution which was prepared by removing the overflowed solution of the stabilizing solution substituting for water washing from the photographic processing waste solution (A). On the other hand, Example 1 was repeated in the same manner for employing a photographic processing waste solution which was prepared by containing the same quantity of water in place of the overflowed solution of the stabilizing solution substituting for water washing of the photographic processing waste water (A). As the resuls, a little sticking and scattering were found in both of them.
  • Example 1 was repeated in the same manner except for removing the gas adsorption means 50 in Figure 1 and employing gas adsorbable means 51 being filled up with granule-like activated charcoal (a mixture of activated charcoals type AX and type BX, both are produced by TSURUMICOAL Co. Ltd.). After continuous treatment for 10 hours, amounts of ammonia gas and hydrogen sulfide gas in the discharging section 52 were measured by use of gas detector tube (produced by GASTEC Co.). Subsequently, the same experiment for comparison was carried out for 10 hours and the same measurements of gases were conducted except for removing the cooling means 60.
  • gas detector tube produced by GASTEC Co.
  • the concentration of ammonia gas was 5 ppm and hydrogen sulfide was 0 ppm. Both of these values are under the value of allowable concentration advised by ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) (ammonia: 25 ppm, hydrogen sulfide: 10 ppm). Odor was scarecely felt.
  • both of the concentrations of ammonia gas and hydrogen sulfide were 0 ppm immediately after the beggining of the eveporation treatment.
  • the concentration of ammonia gas was 160 ppm and hydrogen sulfide was 240 ppm. The air around the evaporation treatment device was heavy with bad oder.
EP86309047A 1985-11-19 1986-11-19 Méthode de traitement par évaporation d'une solution de traitement photographique usée et dispositif à cet effet Ceased EP0223605A3 (fr)

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JP25900485 1985-11-19
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EP0270358A2 (fr) * 1986-12-03 1988-06-08 Konica Corporation Procédé pour la concentration par évaporation des liqueurs résiduaires des processus photographiques
EP0284341A2 (fr) * 1987-03-24 1988-09-28 Konica Corporation Procédé pour le traitement d'eau usée de procédés photographiques par la concentration au moyen de l'évaporation
EP0292282A1 (fr) * 1987-05-19 1988-11-23 Konica Corporation Méthode de traitement d'eau usée de procédés photographiques par la concentration au moyen de l'évaporation
DE9417474U1 (de) * 1994-10-17 1994-12-15 Schmidt Heinz Dietmar Dipl Bio Vorrichtung zur Aufbereitung von anorganisch belasteten industriellen Abwässern
US5439560A (en) * 1990-02-22 1995-08-08 Konica Corporation Low pressure evaporation concentrating apparatus for a photographic process waste disposl
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GB2313923A (en) * 1996-06-07 1997-12-10 Kodak Ltd Photographic processing apparatus
US5770019A (en) * 1991-01-31 1998-06-23 Konica Corporation Apparatus for concentrating waste liquid

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EP0270358A2 (fr) * 1986-12-03 1988-06-08 Konica Corporation Procédé pour la concentration par évaporation des liqueurs résiduaires des processus photographiques
EP0270358A3 (en) * 1986-12-03 1989-05-24 Konica Corporation Method of and apparatus for treating photographic process waste liquor through concentration by evaporation
US5004522A (en) * 1986-12-03 1991-04-02 Konica Corporation Method of treating photographic process waste liquor through concentration by evaporation
EP0270382A2 (fr) * 1986-12-05 1988-06-08 Konica Corporation Procédé pour le traitement des liqueurs résiduaires des processus photographiques
EP0270382A3 (en) * 1986-12-05 1989-09-27 Konica Corporation Method for treating photographic processing waste solution and device therefor
AU608579B2 (en) * 1987-03-24 1991-04-11 Konica Corporation Apparatus and method for treating photographic process waste liquor through concentration by evaporation
EP0284341A2 (fr) * 1987-03-24 1988-09-28 Konica Corporation Procédé pour le traitement d'eau usée de procédés photographiques par la concentration au moyen de l'évaporation
EP0284341A3 (en) * 1987-03-24 1988-11-09 Konica Corporation Apparatus for treating photographic process waste liquor through concentration by evaporation
US4985118A (en) * 1987-03-24 1991-01-15 Konica Corporation Method for treating photographic process waste liquor through concentration by evaporation
EP0292282A1 (fr) * 1987-05-19 1988-11-23 Konica Corporation Méthode de traitement d'eau usée de procédés photographiques par la concentration au moyen de l'évaporation
US5439560A (en) * 1990-02-22 1995-08-08 Konica Corporation Low pressure evaporation concentrating apparatus for a photographic process waste disposl
US5770019A (en) * 1991-01-31 1998-06-23 Konica Corporation Apparatus for concentrating waste liquid
DE9417474U1 (de) * 1994-10-17 1994-12-15 Schmidt Heinz Dietmar Dipl Bio Vorrichtung zur Aufbereitung von anorganisch belasteten industriellen Abwässern
EP0729064A2 (fr) * 1995-02-23 1996-08-28 Kodak Limited Procédé et dispositif de développement de produits photographiques
EP0729064A3 (fr) * 1995-02-23 1997-04-02 Kodak Ltd Procédé et dispositif de développement de produits photographiques
US5765069A (en) * 1995-02-23 1998-06-09 Eastman Kodak Company Process and apparatus for the development of photographic materials
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GB2313923B (en) * 1996-06-07 2000-03-29 Kodak Ltd Improvements in or relating to photographic processing apparatus

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AU593303B2 (en) 1990-02-08
CA1307762C (fr) 1992-09-22
EP0223605A3 (fr) 1989-04-26
AU6535386A (en) 1987-05-21

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