Circularity assessment of power electronic converters: manual disassembly, bill of material, circularity indicators and actionable guidelines

Power electronics are essential for the energy transition, supporting renewable integration, electrified transport, and efficient industrial systems. However, their growing deployment raises environmental concerns linked to the use of scarce materials, difficult-to-disassemble product architectures, and insufficient end-of-life strategies, factors which contribute to the global increase in electronic waste. As the core functional units of power electronic systems, power electronic converters (PECs) play a central role in determining these environmental outcomes. This study evaluates the circularity of two PECs. The methodology combined complete disassembly and desoldering, bill of material development, and the calculation of four indicators: Product Circularity Index (PCI), Reparability Index (RI), Recyclability (Rcyc), and Recoverability (Rcov). The results indicate that disassembly and desoldering of the two PECs, 37 and 78 steps, 71 and 88 min, respectively, require a high degree of manual effort, representing a significant barrier to practical and economically viable end-of-life recovery. Circularity was consistently low for PCI (0.21 and 0.20), Rcyc (0.21 and 0.16), and Rcov (0.21 and 0.17), while RI values were moderate (0.62 and 0.64), suggesting some potential for life extension through repair. Based on these findings, eight design guidelines are proposed to improve disassembly, reparability, and recovery. This study underscores how product design directly affects circularity outcomes in PECs, reinforcing the need to integrate circular economy principles in the development and management of PECs. • Integrated circularity assessment performed on two real power electronic converters. • Manual disassembly and desoldering revealed major circularity barriers. • Circularity performance of power converters remains very limited. • Eight actionable circular design guidelines are proposed to improve sustainability.