Battery Rescue completed an auto-unloading trial of batteries from its Battery Transport & Storage (BTS) Container at the Nexus Recycling facility in Bibra Lake, Western Australia.
The trial successfully tested that the used lead acid batteries could be safely tipped from the BTS Container into the recycling plant’s hopper for recycling, without damaging the BTS Container.
Using a forklift with rotating tines, one of the requirements of to the test was ensure that the front panel of the BTS Container could be safely opened and secured without batteries tumbling free from the container. This was achieved by tilting the BTS Container in reverse 45 degrees and jiggling the container a couple of times to move the batteries to the rear of the container and allowing for the front panel to be readily opened. The front panel is then flipped back and secured to the top panel using a Snap-Flat over centre latch, to prevent the panels flapping around during the unloading process
The BTS was then lifted 3m in the air and positioned over the hopper before being tilted forward approximately 90 degrees to ensure all the batteries were emptied from the container.
To enable the BTS Container to be auto-unloaded, the container was fitted with 2 stainless steel rods to act as tine bars. These are not provided as a standard feature for the BTS Container.
The benefits of this approach compared to using wood pallets (the main method currently used), include.
- When auto-unloading the batteries from wood pallets the strapping and plastic wrapping is initially cut free before the wood pallet is lifted into the hopper. Lifting the wood pallet 3m while trying to ensure the batteries don’t fall is a delicate and difficult operation. The BTS Container ensures the batteries cannot fall provided the container is held at the reverse 45-degree angle during lifting.
- Acid leaks from the batteries are captured in the BTS Container’s base and emptied into the hopper for recycling along with the batteries.
The BTS Containers, once emptied are washed and then redeployed with customers.
Battery Rescue is the sister company of Uniseg Products and was established to demonstrate the use of Uniseg’s BTS Container as a safer, more convenient and environmentally friendly method for storing and transporting used lead acid batteries destined for recycling. The Battery Rescue system is designed to eliminate any manually handling of batteries from the customer’s site to the Battery Recycling Facility.
Established in 2015 and serving the Western Australian market, Battery Rescue has continue to expand its customer every year. Recent Container sales to a Queensland Scrap Metal Company suggest that the “penny has dropped‘ and others are realising that a successful battery collection business can be built on the principals of safety, regulation compliance while reducing companies environmental footprint as opposed to paying top dollar and cash for the batteries.
