Discarded refrigerators usually get tossed out but now the demand for recycling them is growing worldwide; only problem is environmentally harmful oils and gases from the compressor need to be removed first. ATN Engineering created a drill head that works to drain them from refrigerators. With the drill head, chlorofluorocarbon compounds that depletes the ozone layer and oil no longer come into contact with the environment.
There are different gases and oils used in the walls of refrigerators and in compressor but this technology is focused on the compressor. The machine separates gases and oils from each other and is condensed into a tank. The whole process takes about one minute.
The company is now focusing on investing in a robotic arm to process more refrigerators per hour. Their innovative drill will then be used in a robotic carousel to drain oil and gases faster. ATN’s Founder Gerrie Leemput reports they will soon be able to process up to 300 refrigerators per hour by automating this process.
Draining gas and oil from refrigerators is currently a manual process causing some of the harmful gases disappear into the air and the oil into the soil. Automating the process will minimize the leakage of oil and gas because robots are more accurate.
