PCB Recycling Machines
PCB recycling machines have emerged as a vital solution to address this issue by efficiently separating the metal from non-metal components in waste circuit boards. In today’s world, electronic waste has become a pressing concern due to its harmful impact on the environment. One of the major components of electronic waste is Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), which contain valuable metals like copper, gold, silver, and palladium.
What are PCBs?
Printed Circuit Boards, commonly known as PCBs, are an integral part of electronic devices. It contains non-metal fiberglass and plastic parts and conductive materials such as copper and gold to ensure the flow of electricity. Metals such as aluminum and iron are other metals in the structure of the board. PCBs serve as a platform for connecting various electronic components, ensuring the smooth operation of devices such as computers, mobile phones, TVs, and more.
The Need for PCB Recycling
The need for PCB recycling has become a necessity as technology advances and electronic devices become obsolete. PCBs, in particular, contain valuable metals and hazardous substances, making their improper disposal a threat to the environment and human health. Recycling PCBs not only helps recover precious metals but also minimizes the harmful impact on the ecosystem by preventing the release of toxic materials into the environment.
PCB Recycling Machines
PCB recycling machines utilize a variety of specialized equipment to facilitate the efficient separation of metals and non-metals. The PCB recycling process can be analyzed in three stages:
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- Physical Operations
- Pyrometallurgical operations and
- Chemical Treatments.
Let’s examine the machines used in these steps.
Physical Operations
- Shredders:
Shredder plays a vital role in PCB recycling by shredding waste PCB boards into smaller pieces. This process prepares the boards for subsequent grinding and separation.
- Crushers:
Crusher further reduces the size of the shredded PCB boards into particles, typically around 3 mm. This size reduction facilitates the subsequent separation process.
- Component Separator:
Electronic scraps contain many invaluable elements such as plastic and iron. The component separator is used to remove iron particles on the PCB due to welding and soldering processes during the production of electronic parts. If the iron and plastic parts are not removed from the input material, they may have the effect of reducing the efficiency of the chemical operations.
Pyrometallurgical Operations
- Rotary Furnaces:
Rotary furnaces are used after the separation of PCBs from their components. The materials entering the furnace are melted at temperatures above 1700℃. Unwanted metals such as lead and other impurities are removed at this stage. The rotation of the furnace improves heat transfer and accelerates the reactions involved in the refining and smelting processes.
- Anode Casting System
The anode casting system plays a role in creating these anodes to be used in the electrolysis step of the PCB recycling process. The casting unit is a special conveyor system designed to control the volume of the poured product. After the melting step, the liquid metal composition with a high precious metal concentration is systematically poured into the anode molds. The poured material then passes to the electrolysis step for copper and precious metal refining.
Chemical Operations
Electrolysis Cell:
Electrolysis refers to the process of triggering a non-spontaneous chemical reaction using an electric current. By passing an electric current through an electrolyte, the electrolyte is chemically decomposed. The target metal is deposited at the cathode. For the PCB process, this is copper. The precious metal concentrate precipitates in the cell as anode sludge. The resulting copper with 99.9% purity is deposited on the cathodes as thin films. Depending on the manufacturer’s requirements, the high-purity copper can be converted into ingots or wires and stored. The precious metal concentrate precipitated as anode sludge passed to the refining step.
2. Chemical Refining Unit:
Chemical refining unit is generally used to refine gold, silver, platinum, rhodium, and palladium in a closed and specialized process. It is intended to separate and treat the anode sludge containing the precious metals obtained from electrolysis as part of the chemical process. This system is widely applied in chemical processes, offering the advantages of low operating times and a high degree of purification. The system represents a purely hydrometallurgical process and operates using acid. All precious metals can be recovered separately with high purity.
Apart from the main machinery systems mentioned above, there are also subsystems of equipment in the system to increase precious metal recovery. These pieces of equipment generally increase the efficiency of the recycling process. If we list them,
- Gas Treatment,
- Water Treatment,
- Ash Treatment,
- Filter Press,
- Jet pulse and induction furnaces can be counted as subsystem equipment according to the process flow.
As Proses Makina;
As Proses Makina, we continue to offer state-of-the-art and highly efficient processes for the recycling of PCBs, which are growing like an avalanche. PCB recycling has become an important issue today due to its harmful effects on the environment. PCB recycling machines offered by Proses Makina provide an important solution to address this issue. These machines, which operate in a wide range from physical processes to chemical processes, contribute to the separation of precious metals from PCBs and contribute to the circular economy. With the use of these machines, the effective management and recovery of electronic waste allows for the reduction of environmental damage and more efficient use of valuable resources. If you want to benefit from the solutions we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.
