Panasonic develops automatic recovery system
30th May 2025
JAPAN: Panasonic has developed an automatic fluorocarbon recovery system for air conditioning units with the aim of improving the efficiency of dismantling used air conditioners.
Under Japan’s home appliance recycling law, household air conditioners, refrigerators/freezers, and washing machines (with heat pump functions) are required to collect and properly dispose of the fluorocarbons used in them.
The goal is to increase the collection rate of air conditioners from 37.6% in 2019 to 53.9% or more in 2030.
Described as an industry first, the automatic recovery system combines Panasonic’s image recognition technology with the development of a special recovery coupler.
Image data is captured by 2D and 3D cameras which detect the valve positions of a wide variety of outdoor air conditioning units, recognising differences in specifications depending on the manufacturer and model. Based on the detection data, the robot moves accurately in accordance with the target outdoor unit.
The recovery coupler is compatible with two-way valves, which have one valve at the inlet and one at the outlet, and three-way valves, which have one valve at the inlet and two valves at the outlet. The recovery coupler connects the valve to the nozzle of the fluorocarbon recovery tank, making it possible for a robot to automatically connect the valve.
Drawing on Panasonic’s knowledge gained from filling fluorocarbons during the manufacturing process, the machine is equipped with a function to detect the presence or absence of gas leaks. After confirming that the recovery path is completely sealed, the fluorocarbons are reliably recovered.
While recovery times depend on the amount of refrigerants that have filled the piping, Panasonic has envisioned a system that can recover refrigerants from three units at the same time.
