Automatic brick cleaner

Challenge:

The project was a pre-project for the development of a mechanical machine concept that would enable automated and optimal recycling of bricks and mortar from buildings constructed with bricks. The environmental impact of the production and handling of building materials and construction waste was a challenge that was increasingly being focused on, both in terms of energy consumption, resource optimisation, and waste management.

Solution:

The project brought knowledge of basic mechanical and automated methods that made it possible to efficiently separate bricks and mortar, regardless of the type of mortar used – including modern cement-lime mortars. The solution optimised the proportion of whole cleaned bricks and developed a concept for fractionation and recycling of leftover materials.

Impact: