E waste recycling equipment list: A comprehensive guide for all detail…
E-waste recycling is a crucial process that not only reduces harmful waste but also recovers valuable metals. This process involves the use of various specialized equipment and machinery. In this article, we will introduce the primary machines used in e-waste recycling, including shredders, crushers, component separators, density separators, rotary furnaces, casting systems, induction furnaces, electrolysis units, and chemical refining systems. Each of these machines plays a vital role in ensuring the efficient and effective recycling of electronic waste.
Shredders
Shredders are essential in the initial phase of e-waste recycling, specifically for reducing the size of input materials and preparing them for further processing. They come in various types and sizes to match the facility’s processing capacity and the nature of the materials involved. Shredders operate at low speeds but with high torque, making them ideal for handling rough materials. Their adjustable blade openings and high torque ensure optimal cutting and shredding performance. Shredders also increase the amount of copper that can be supplied to the top-blown rotary furnace, crucial for the melting process. The most commonly used shredders are single shaft and double shaft types.
Crushers
Crushers are designed to break down and crumble PCBs and motherboards in e-waste recycling facilities. They use high-speed rotating blades and fixed blade plates to cut and crumble materials, making them indispensable for size reduction. Crushers feature adjustable blade openings and replaceable blades, which help keep maintenance costs low and ensure long-term use. The granulator system within crushers consists of two shafts and two sieves. Primary crushing begins at the top, shredding material between the blades before it moves to a second grinder at the bottom for further size reduction. This multi-stage process ensures materials are properly prepared for the next recycling step.
Component Separators
Component separators play a crucial role in isolating valuable precious metals from e-waste, which also contains non-valuable elements like plastic and iron. These separators remove iron parts from materials due to welding and soldering processes used in electronics production. The machine uses a burner to melt and remove unwanted metal parts, working at an appropriate temperature to ensure only unwanted elements are eliminated. This separation process is vital for enhancing the efficiency of subsequent chemical operations by ensuring only desired materials proceed further in the recycling process.
Shaking Table
Density separators, such as shaking tables, are used in the mineral enrichment phase of e-waste recycling to improve material quality and efficiency. They separate materials based on specific gravity differences, allowing heavier ores to be transferred with water flow while lighter ones are separated out. Shaking tables are particularly useful for enriching materials that will feed into rotary furnaces. By separating copper from dust and plastic parts, these tables ensure only copper is fed into the furnace, thereby enhancing the overall recycling process. Shaking tables are easy to install and use, adaptable to various facility needs, and effective in separating dense materials like gold and platinum.
Rotary Furnaces
Rotary furnaces are integral to the pyrometallurgical operations in e-waste recycling, designed to remove lead, tin, and other unwanted components from input materials. They can reach temperatures over 1700°C, essential for the melting and refining processes. The furnace’s rotation improves heat transfer and accelerates reactions, enhancing the efficiency of refining and smelting. The design includes a conical cap to maintain high temperatures and facilitate easy casting. Emissions are controlled through a specialized chimney hood and jet pulse filter system, reducing harmful gases. The output from the rotary furnace is cast into anode molds for subsequent electrolysis.
Casting Systems
Casting systems in e-waste recycling facilities are specialized conveyor systems that control the volume of ingot casting and poured products. These systems supply materials to electrolysis units, featuring special anode molds and a robot arm for handling. The casting can be done directly from the rotary furnace or a casting furnace. Heating torches along the conveyor line prevent the material from cooling too quickly. Automated processes ensure smooth and crack-free anode surfaces, which are crucial for high-quality electrolysis. The system’s automation allows for continuous, homogeneous thickness and reduces defects on anode edges.
Induction Furnaces
Induction furnaces offer cleaner, energy-efficient, and easily controllable melting processes for e-waste recycling. Unlike other furnaces, induction furnaces use magnetic fields to induce currents in metals, generating heat without combustion. This allows for precise temperature control, preventing the loss of valuable alloying elements. Induction furnaces are versatile, capable of melting various metals, including iron, steel, copper, aluminum, and precious metals. They operate based on Faraday’s law, with a copper wire coil creating a magnetic field and eddy currents that heat the metal. This efficient method is widely used for its ability to produce high-quality melted materials.
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a key chemical treatment process in recycling precious metals from e-waste. It begins with materials taken from anode molds, where a DC current drives the chemical reaction. Copper is electroplated onto cathodes while impurities settle at the tank’s bottom. Anode bags collect these precious metals, resulting in 99.99% pure copper. This process involves specially designed electrolysis cells with cast copper anodes. The thickness of these anodes and the necessary processing time are crucial for achieving the required capacity. Electrolysis effectively separates copper from other valuable metals, readying them for further refining.
Chemical Refining
Chemical refining in e-waste recycling is a hydrometallurgical treatment used for purifying elements, especially precious metals. This method, known for its low operation time and high purification levels, involves the use of acids and vacuum transfer of liquids. It allows for the separate recovery of metals like gold, silver, and palladium from materials obtained from electrolysis. Integrated scrubbers ensure that no toxic gases are released during the process. Chemical refining is essential for achieving high purity levels of recovered precious metals, making it a critical step in the e-waste recycling process.
As Proses Makina, we produce state-of-the-art e-waste recycling equipment. We offer advanced machines such as shredders, crushers, component separators, density separators, rotary furnaces, casting systems, induction furnaces, electrolysis units, and chemical refining systems. Additionally, we specialize in setting up turnkey e-waste recycling facilities, providing comprehensive solutions from equipment manufacturing to complete factory installation. Our expertise ensures efficient and effective recycling processes, helping our clients maximize the recovery of valuable metals while minimizing environmental impact.