With the continuous growth of global electronic waste (e-waste), end-of-life refrigerators—a typical example of large household appliance waste—feature complex internal structures and a wide variety of materials. Traditional manual dismantling methods can no longer meet the demands for efficient and environmentally friendly processing.
Against this backdrop, the end-of-life waste refrigerator recycling line was developed as an intelligent solution. It is specifically designed for the automated dismantling, crushing, and multi-stage sorting and recycling of end-of-life refrigerators after the compressors have been removed.
The entire waste refrigerator recycling line typically consists of up to 15–20 core units, integrating shredding, crushing, conveying, magnetic separation, eddy current separation, air classification, and dust removal systems. Depending on the configuration, the processing capacity of a single line generally reaches 1–5 tons per hour (or higher custom capacities). Metal recovery rates can be significantly improved to industry-leading levels, effectively achieving resource reuse and waste reduction.
After systematic processing, four main material categories can be reliably separated:
- Copper-aluminum mixed metals (high-value recyclable metals)
- Ferrous materials
- Foam insulation materials (polyurethane, etc.)
- Mixed plastics (containing small amounts of rubber)
This system is widely used in modern eco-friendly recycling plants and serves as key equipment for achieving the “harmless disposal and resource recovery” of waste household appliances.
application of waste refrigerator recycling line
The waste refrigerator recycling line is primarily suitable for the following sectors:
- All types of used household refrigerators, freezers, and refrigeration equipment
- Pre-processed materials from used appliances with removed compressors
- Centralized electronic waste dismantling and resource recovery centers
- Integrated scrap metal and plastic recycling enterprises
- Environmental protection and renewable resource processing industrial parks
Whether in urban recycling systems or industrial-scale dismantling centers, this equipment enables large-scale, continuous processing.
waste refrigerator recycling line Advantages
- Highly automated control system: utilizes centralized PLC control to enable coordinated operation of the entire production line, featuring automatic feeding and sorting. This reduces manual intervention and enhances operational stability.
- High-efficiency shredding and high-capacity processing: the dual-shaft shredder employs a low-speed, high-torque design, making it ideal for shredding large-volume, complex-structured refrigerator shells and liners.
- Multi-stage precision sorting system: integrates multiple separation technologies, including magnetic separation, eddy current separation, and air classification, to achieve efficient separation of metals, plastics, and foam.
- Comprehensive eco-friendly dust collection system: equipped with a negative pressure exhaust + pulse dust collection system to effectively control dust pollution and improve the working environment.
- Compact structure, stable and durable operation: the production line features a scientifically optimized layout, and the equipment is constructed from high-strength, wear-resistant materials, making it suitable for long-term continuous operation.
How the waste refrigerator recycling Line Works?
After the compressors are removed, scrap refrigerators enter the recycling system. First, they are conveyed into a twin-shaft shredder for primary crushing, which breaks down the entire unit into smaller pieces. They then proceed to a water-cooled high-speed impact crusher for secondary fine crushing.
After crushing, the material enters a multi-stage sorting system:
- Magnetic separation equipment is used to separate ferrous metals.
- Air classification removes foam and lightweight plastics.
- Eddy current separation equipment is used to recover non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum.
- Finally, the system sorts and outputs plastics and mixed residual materials.
Process Flow and Key equipment
Scrap refrigerators → Belt conveyor → Dual-shaft shredding → Belt conveyor → Water-cooled impact crushing → Enclosed conveyor → Air classification → Magnetic separation → Eddy current separation → Foam separation → Plastic sorting → Metal recovery → Finished product output
- Dual-Shaft Shredder: used for primary crushing of entire units; features a low-speed, high-torque design capable of processing large refrigerator casings and metal structural components.
- Water-Cooled High-Speed Impact Crusher: used for secondary fine crushing to reduce particle size, improve subsequent sorting efficiency, and effectively control equipment temperature rise.
- Air Classifier: separates lightweight materials (foam, certain plastics) based on differences in air density.
- Suspended Magnetic Separator: automatically adsorbs ferromagnetic metals to achieve efficient iron removal.
- Eddy Current Separator: separates non-ferrous metals such as copper and aluminum to increase the value of metal recovery.
- Dust Collection System (Pulse + Cyclone): a dual-stage dust collection design that effectively reduces dust emissions and meets environmental protection requirements.
Final Output:
- Copper-Aluminum Mixed Metals
- Ferrous Metals
- Foam Materials
- Mixed Plastics (containing a small amount of rubber)
Contact us
In addition to our waste refrigerator recycling lines, we offer a wide range of proven recycling equipment systems. These include circuit board recycling production lines, as well as production lines for recycling copper and aluminum radiators and heat sinks, designed to meet the needs of precise sorting and high-value recovery for various materials.
We have extensive industry experience and can customize engineering. Based on your raw material characteristics, production capacity requirements, and environmental standards, we provide comprehensive services ranging from solution design and equipment configuration to installation and commissioning. If you are seeking a reliable resource recovery solution, please feel free to contact us at any time.