Waste battery recycler G&P Batteries has installed what is thought to be Europes first automated battery sorting machine at its facility in Darlaston, West Midlands.
Batteries are currently sorted by hand at the plant, but it is hoped that the new kit, which has been developed by Swedish technology firm Optisort, could more than double the sorting capacity of the Darlaston facility.
The machine will enable the firm to sort around five batteries per second, and if running at full capacity, up to a tonne of batteries per hour.
It is programmed to recognise and separate the most common battery brands which make up around 80% of waste portable batteries collected, while less common battery brands and chemistries are then removed by hand.
A sensor captures images of each individual battery that passes along the machines main conveyer, comparing them to batteries that have been previously sorted, using compressed air to propel the batteries into different containers.
The machine also compiles data about the brand, model, size and chemistry of all the batteries that are sorted, which can be used for analysis.
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Michael Green, managing director of G & P Batteries, said: The vast majority of the volumes handled come from the most common brands and weve been searching for some time for the technology that can streamline the waste battery sorting process.
We were very impressed by the speed and accuracy of the Optisort battery sorter, which enables us to maximise our sorting efficiencies whilst maintaining current staffing levels. We will always require the expertise of manual sorters, for larger batteries and packs, and for their experience in accurately identifying the lesser known battery brands and chemistries.
Optisort chief executive Hans Eric Melin, said: This installation is as significant for Optisort as it is for G&P. The system we are commissioning in Darlaston is the first in the world using this kind of technology.
The access to G&Ps deep knowledge in waste battery sorting and collection, as well as their high requirements, has been instrumental in transposing our prototype machine into a full scale commercial system.
In 2012 the UK is subject to the first mandatory battery collection target set under the EUs Batteries Directive. The target sees the UK subject to a required collection rate of 25% of the average number of portable batteries placed onto the market over the three preceding years.
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Figures published by the Environment Agency last month showed that the UK was making good progress toward meeting the target collection rate of around 32% during the first two quarters of the year, but efforts are being made to prepare the sector for 2015, when the target is set to rise to 45% (see letsrecycle.com story).
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