In the world of recycling of cables, photovoltaic panels, and electronic and electrical waste (WEEE), the process of separating materials after mechanical shredding is present as a preliminary or exclusive step in the process of recovering critically valuable raw materials.
The steady growth of electronics on the one hand and renewable energies on the other have put a huge amount of materials into the world market that over the past decades often has not found adequate end-of-life treatment, which has led to wastage of reusable or reprocessable materials, as well as the abandonment of often toxic and polluting substances.
Being able to recycle such materials means ushering in the circular economy with substantial benefits in markets in Europe and around the world that are growing.
Estimates for the market for cable recycling in America indicate an economic turnaround in the range of $278 trillion by 2031. Copper and aluminum are the products that, when recycled, provide the greatest added value. and consist of 50 to 70 percent of the total cable weight.
Materials from WEEE recycling can also be partially recovered, subject to preparation of the product to be processed (in which electronic components with toxic and polluting elements are usually separated from the rest). From the recycling of cartridges and LCD screens to the recycling of household appliances, the key process here is the separation of the polymer component from the metal component.
Similarly, in the case of recycling spent photovoltaic panels, the most economically important materials are aluminum and glass, with weight percentages of 10-15% and 70-75%, respectively. Establishing an effective and cost-effective method of recycling solar panels will be imperative in the coming decades.
Stokkermill unveiled its new delaminator mill, an innovative technology capable of mechanically separating previously shredded materials in a shredder, at the Frankfurt E-Waste World exhibition in late June.
The need to implement a versatile piece of machinery seems clear when considering the importance of obtaining reduced material in grains of variable size that can be adjusted according to the speed and characteristics of the incoming crushed material.
Applications of the Stokkermill delaminator mill can be as follows:
- In the context of copper or aluminum cable processing, depending on size and type, up to 99.9% pure copper can be obtained after pretreatment in a granulator and subsequent copper separation steps in a zig-zag separator and densimetric table. The classes of cables that can be processed in such plants are many, and include Ethernet and telephone cables, without requiring complicated pretreatment operations;
- As for the recycling of photovoltaic panels, it allows fine granules of high-purity glass to be obtained and the encapsulating polymer (EVA) to be separated. The initial step of removing the aluminum frame is not necessary, as it can be separated independently depending on the productivity needs of the plant, as well as depending on the condition of the panel;
- In the context of electronic/WEEE components, it facilitates obtaining fine-grained fractions and separating polymer layers from metal and semiconductor layers;
- In aluminium scrap recycling, especially in the automotive context, it enables complete separation of aluminum from ferrous magnetic metals with the possibility of incorporating a magnetic separator and additional filter systems upstream of the delaminator mill.
Stokkermill delaminator mills allow the establishment of a circular economy by ensuring the good use of energy resources and the optimization of pre- and post-treatment processes of materials, and can be adapted in ad hoc plants according to the needs of the individual customer, with regard to any subsequent refining processes.
Another important feature in the area of maintainability and operability is the flexible integration with automated control systems (PLC) and rotor speed regulation via inverters.
Stokkermill recycling plants are a benchmark for recycling, exporting Italian quality to the world; since the beginning we have brought expertise and innovation to serve the customer, and now more than ever we feel that our mission is involving important realities at national and international level.
In conclusion, Stokkermill delaminator mills will be able to process a wide range of materials, in the electrical and electronic field but not only, being able to guarantee high productivity and a high degree of quality of the output material, minimizing waste and environmental footprint.
For more information:
https://www.stokkermill.com/en/contacts
