16/07/2025
What is Wire Granulator Chopping System?
A Wire Granulator Chopping System is an industrial machine used to recycle and separate copper or aluminum from insulated wires and cables. It is a core component in wire and cable recycling lines, commonly found in electronic waste (e-waste), automotive, and construction recycling sectors.
🔧 Technical Explanation
The Wire Granulator Chopping System typically consists of four main stages:
1. Pre-Shredding / Primary Cutting
- Function: Prepares and reduces bulky wires/cables into shorter segments.
- Technology: Uses heavy-duty rotating blades or knives.
- Purpose: Ensures consistent input size for the granulator and protects it from overload or entanglement.
2. Granulation / Chopping
- Function: Further chops the wire into small granules (typically 2–5 mm).
- Construction:
- Rotating rotor blades inside a cutting chamber.
- Stationary counter-knives positioned to shear material.
- Result: Mixture of copper (or aluminum) granules and plastic insulation particles.
3. Separation (Air Table / Cyclone / Zig-Zag Separator)
- Function: Separates metal from plastic using differences in density and particle size.
- Techniques:
- Air Separation Table: Blows lighter plastic away while heavier copper drops down.
- Cyclone Separation: Uses centrifugal force to refine separation.
- Efficiency: High-end systems can achieve 99.9% copper purity.
4. Dust and Fine Particle Collection
- Function: Collects ultra-fine plastic dust and residual metal for safety and recycling.
- Equipment: Bag filters, dust cyclones, or air filters.
- Compliance: Often includes HEPA filters to meet environmental standards.
⚙️ Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Throughput Capacity | Ranges from 100 kg/hr to several tons/hr depending on model. |
| Input Size | Typically handles cables from 1 mm to 60 mm diameter. |
| Motor Power | 10 kW to 100+ kW depending on industrial scale. |
| Automation | Some systems include PLC + sensor-based automatic feed/load controls. |
✅ Advantages
- Eco-Friendly: Eliminates need for incineration or chemical separation.
- High Purity Output: Produces clean copper or aluminum suitable for resale or remelting.
- Compact and Modular: Can be integrated into automated recycling lines.
🔍 Applications
- Electrical cable recycling centers
- Automotive harness wire recovery
- Construction and demolition waste recovery
- E-waste recycling facilities
