Metal recovery and battery recycling the focus for BHS-Sonthofen at IFAT 2024
BHS-Sonthofen will be focusing on metal recovery from metal-containing waste materials such as electric and electronic scrap (WEEE), incinerator bottom ash (IBA), and automotive shredder residue (ASR) at IFAT 2024. A second focus topic is the efficient and safe recycling of lithium-ion batteries.
BHS-Sonthofen says that "transforming materials into value" is the company's mission. The company will be splitting its booth into different topic worlds and showcasing how it is fulfilling this mission in both the recycling of metal-containing residual and waste materials on the one hand and in battery recycling using its in-depth process expertise on the other hand.
"We see the pure recovery of valuable metals as one of the key issues in the industry," says Daniel Zeiler, head of the recycling technology division at BHS-Sonthofen. "In recent years, BHS-Sonthofen has continuously invested in development to further improve metal recovery from a wide variety of input materials."
French company Envie, located in the southern city of Toulouse, is the most recent to benefit from the implementation of a BHS-Sonthofen metal recovery solution. Envie specializes in the recycling of waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In 2023, the company expanded its capacities and enhanced the quality and quantity of its output with the introduction of a new plant, featuring a BHS pre-shredder and Rotorshredder.
Battery recycling plays a key role in the development of sustainable energy storage solutions. A few years ago, BHS-Sonthofen developed a process for the efficient recycling of lithium-ion batteries. The mechanical drying process occurs within a protective atmosphere and comprises three main stages: shredding, vacuum drying, and sorting. The drying process is supplemented by condensation for electrolyte recovery and gas purification. These three stages have now reached a high level of maturity that they are offered as pre-configured standard modules. The process allows valuable raw materials concentrated in black mass such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese to be returned to the material cycle at a rate of more than 97 percent. In addition, a high proportion of recyclable materials such as aluminum, copper, and iron can also be recovered.
BHS-Sonthofen offers a range of machine technology and full-scale plants, including separation and screening technology, for the processing and pre-/post shredding of waste materials. The latest development for pre-shredding is the RAPAX pre-shredder. The RAPAX pre-shredder is suitable for processing various metal fractions and e-scrap, as well as commercial and industrial waste. When it comes to pre-shredding batteries, the rotary shear type VR is often used as a powerful twin-shaft shredder. The universal shredder (NGU) single-shaft shredder is used for pre- and post-shredding a wide variety of materials that can be cut, such as non-ferrous light metals, batteries, data carriers, cables, and refuse-derived fuels.
BHS also offers a low-maintenance Rotorshredder (RS) which selectively shreds, isolates, and cleans the input material using impact, shock, and shearing forces. Metal components are dissolved and particle sizes are reduced in a targeted manner. The rotor impact mill (RPMX) crusher also isolates different materials from pre-crushed, metal-containing material composites and removes cable sheathing and other adhesive substances from metals. Shaping the metals into balls facilitates their separation by type.
BHS rounds off its trade fair exhibit with separation, sorting, and classification technology. Investment in Swiss company RW Recycling World has made it possible to integrate technologies and machines from this sector into BHS processes.
