Development of a prototype shredder for WEEE equipped with NdFeB magnets

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) that contains neodymium magnets (NdFeB) has the potential to serve as a valuable source of elements, including critical ones. These magnets contain Rare Earth Elements (REEs) like Neodymium, Dysprosium, and Praseodymium. A noteworthy method of recycling REEs involves the magnet-to-magnet process, wherein the NdFeB alloy is separated from WEEE and directly reused in the production of new products, specifically new NdFeB magnets. The initial step in this recycling process involves disintegration, a procedure aimed at reducing and segregating the materials within the WEEE. The conventional process of disintegrating WEEE for recycling faces challenges due to the presence of magnetic materials, making it ineffective with existing equipment. To address this, a specialized device called a disintegrator, using counter-rotating cutting shafts, has been developed for efficient shredding of WEEE containing NdFeB. The goal of the research is to develop a prototype shredder to effectively recover valuable metals, including REEs, from WEEE. Specific sub-objectives include motor and gearbox selection, shaft bearings selection, gear design, and cutting blades design. The work involved calculations and 3D modelling of the disintegrator components using Autodesk Inventor 2020 software.