Delphi Automotive Systems Heads Recycling Effort in Europe
Delphi Automotive Systems (Troy, MI) a major supplier of automotive parts to most of the major automotive manufacturing companies, has developed several automotive wiring recycling processes at its Technical Center in Wuppertal, Germany. These processes were developed to meet European concerns about the disposal of components found in end-of-life vehicles. According to Delphi, about nine million vehicles are scrapped in the EU each year, however, new EU legislation mandates a 95 % reuse/recycling/recovery for end-of-life vehicles will be in effect in the near future.
Delphi estimates that the harnesses alone of these vehicles contain approximately 90,000 metric tons of copper, 35,000 metric tons of PVC and 20,000 metric tons of polymers, all adding up to a potential value of over $200 million/ year.
The company's recycling processes primarily involve the recovery and reuse of plastics, more specifically, PVC. But, the recovery of copper and other plastic materials is also possible. Working with the University of Wuppertal, Delphi engineers were able to develop three recycling approaches.
The PVC recycling process does not involve wire harness shredding, which contaminates the plastic parts. It is a combination physical/chemical procedure that softens the PVC insulation of cable so that the PVC simply falls off the wires. The PVC is then regranulated – after solvents are removed – and then used for new cable. Delphi estimates that the end result will generate about 400 metric tons of recycled PVC. An added benefit of using this process is the recycling of copper, which is also used in the wiring harness.
A glycolysis process recycles flexible printed circuits by separating copper and converting polyester to polyol. The resulting polyol can be used to produce polyurethane foams among other things.
Finally, Delphi's recycling of connector housings, which are made of thermoplastics, elastomers and metals, is a centrifugal-based melting process that also avoids cutting and shredding. It recycles the plastic connectors that help comprise wiring harnesses by heating the centrifuge to the appropriate controlled temperatures to separate the different plastic materials from metals and elastomers, as well as from each other. The temperatures used depend on the melting points of the plastics involved.
Delphi is currently exploring possible ways of recycling the cockpits of European vehicles.