Recycling company using WeSort.AI system to prevent battery fires

Korn Recycling, a midsized recycling company based in Albstadt, Germany, recently implemented technology from Würzburg, Germany-based WeSort.AI GmbH to enhance safety and sustainability as it sorts commercial materials. Korn Recycling says its investment in the BatterySort system stems from its deep commitment to safe production processes and an active effort to minimize fire risks caused by improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

According to WeSort.AI, BatterySort uses X-ray transmission technology and specially developed deep-learning algorithms to precisely identify and sort out contaminants hidden up to a depth of 50 centimeters in material layers. The system not only provides enhanced protection against fires, but also enables the recovery of valuable materials such as lithium, precious metals and rare earths from the sorted batteries and electronic devices.

“Our facility has experienced several fires in the past, most often triggered by improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries,” says Alexander Korn, managing director of Korn Recycling. “With BatterySort from WeSort.AI, we can now identify potential hazards early and sort them out before they lead to a fire.”

WeSort.AI CEO Nathanael Laier says the BatterySort system’s deep learning algorithms already have achieved a high level of detection accuracy and continue to improve through ongoing enhancements. “Our AI [artificial intelligence] and datasets are also constantly evolving,” he adds.

In the system, identified batteries and other contaminants are blown out of the waste layer by special air pressure nozzles and conveyed onto a conveyor belt that transports them to fireproof containers, then back into the waste of electrical and electronic equipment, or WEEE, system, WeSort.AI says.

The system provider says that, given the fact that insurance premiums for sorting plants have increased eightfold since 2004, there is a clear need to modernize older sorting facilities, adding that its technology provides a genuine solution for fire prevention and addresses a multitude of other financial and operational challenges.

The company says the introduction of its system in sorting plants reduces minor fire damage, which can lead to costs of approximately 200,000 euros ($210,482) per year and per facility. Moreover, it protects against the potential total loss of entire sorting plants, which could result in damages up to 30 million euros ($31.5 million). WeSort.AI notes that its system can help reduce insurance premiums, as it has partnered with insurers such as Hübner Insurance.

Additionally, WeSort.AI says downtime can be greatly reduced, allowing staff to be more efficiently deployed for resorting and operation. The company claims its system allows for waste and recycling companies to reduce the amount of provisions typically set aside for plant fires, leading to the return on investment (ROI) being achievable within months.

“By implementing the BatterySort system, Korn Recycling secures a leadership position in the field of safe and environmentally friendly recycling,” WeSort.AI says. “Together with WeSort.AI, which was recently awarded the German Founders Award, the company is setting new standards in waste management and demonstrating how the use of cutting-edge technology enables a safe and efficient recycling process.”