A method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries by using pipeline processing

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of pipeline processing's waste and old lithium ion battery recycling method, and the feature is that the metal material particle obtained after crushing and screening to waste and old lithium ion battery or waste and old lithium ion battery electrode is smelted and recycled, the metal material particle obtained by screening is sent into acid liquor and soaked and cleaned, and the attached electrolyte material is removed;Then water washing is carried out to remove the acid liquor on the surface;Then air drying is carried out to obtain clean metal material particles for smelting and recycling.The application is used for the recycling of waste and old lithium ion battery, and the obtained metal particle material can be better used for smelting and recycling, the difficulty requirement of smelting and purification is reduced, and the smelting precision is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of waste lithium-ion battery recycling, specifically to a method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using a streamlined processing line. Background Technology

[0002] Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that primarily function by the movement of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes. During charging and discharging, lithium ions repeatedly insert and extract between the two electrodes: during charging, lithium ions extract from the positive electrode, pass through the electrolyte, and insert into the negative electrode, leaving the negative electrode in a lithium-rich state; the reverse occurs during discharging. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly known as lithium batteries, are commonly used in mobile phones, laptops, and electric vehicles, and are representative of modern high-performance batteries. With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, the large-scale application of lithium-ion batteries is becoming increasingly common. However, lithium ions, especially in lithium-ion electrode materials, require the use of rare metals such as cobalt and nickel. These rare metals are scarce on Earth and difficult to mine and refine, making research into methods for their recycling and reuse crucial.

[0003] The recovery of metal materials from lithium-ion batteries typically involves crushing and screening the broken lithium-ion batteries or electrodes to obtain metal material particles, which are then smelted and recycled.

[0004] The applicant previously filed a patent application, CN202010565128.8, which disclosed a screening device for pulverized waste lithium-ion battery electrode materials. The device includes a housing with an inlet at the top center, a horizontal screen installed inside the housing cavity, a vibration device below the screen, and corresponding outlets on the housing above and below the screen. The housing includes a lower cylindrical sorting cylinder and an upper conical top cover, which is detachably connected to the sorting cylinder. The inlet is located in the center of the top cover. The inner wall of the sorting cylinder has a screen mounting structure for installing the screen. The screen mounting structure includes a horizontally mounted mounting ring inside the housing, with a recessed screen mounting step on the inner side of the upper surface of the mounting ring. The screen is detachably mounted within the screen mounting step. This invention has the advantages of improving the screening effect of the equipment and extending the service life of the screen, thereby better improving the efficiency of battery electrode recycling.

[0005] However, if the metal particles produced by this crushing and screening are used directly in metal smelting, the effect and precision of subsequent smelting will be affected because a large amount of electrolyte material is attached to the surface of the particles; at the same time, the device itself also has the defect of poor screening effect. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: how to provide a streamlined method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries that enables the obtained metal particulate materials to be better used in smelting and recycling and improves the smelting precision.

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0008] A method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using an automated processing line involves crushing and screening waste lithium-ion batteries or waste lithium-ion battery electrodes to obtain metal material particles for smelting and recycling. The method is characterized by immersing the screened metal material particles in an acid solution to remove adhering electrolyte material; then washing with water to remove the surface acid; and finally air-drying to obtain clean metal material particles for smelting and recycling.

[0009] This method involves sequentially acid washing, water washing, and air drying of the metal particles obtained from the crushing and screening of lithium-ion batteries to obtain clean metal particles for smelting and recycling. This avoids the impact of attached electrolyte materials on smelting and recycling, improves smelting precision, and enhances the recycling effect of metal materials.

[0010] Furthermore, the soaking and cleaning process is carried out intermittently by stirring in the pickling tank, while the washing and drying processes are carried out continuously during the conveyor belt process.

[0011] This is because removing electrolytes from the surface of metal particles is difficult, and acid washing takes a long time. Therefore, a batch-type agitation cleaning is carried out in an acid washing tank, which also allows for better integration with the preceding crushing and screening processes, both of which are intermittent processes. Water washing and air drying are relatively easy to implement, so they are carried out simultaneously during the assembly line transport, achieving continuous processing. This optimizes and improves the overall processing efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, this method employs a continuous waste lithium-ion battery recycling system, which includes a battery crushing device, a battery particle material screening device, a battery particle material washing device, and a battery particle material drying device connected in sequence.

[0013] In implementation, the battery crushing device, battery particle screening device, and battery particle washing device can be connected using conveyor belts or conveyor trolleys. The battery particle washing device and battery particle drying device can be directly connected using conveyor belts. Multiple sets of sequentially connected battery crushing, screening, and washing devices can form multiple (2-3) automated processing branches. These branches converge and connect to a main processing line, which then transports the material to a drying device for drying. During the processing intervals between branches, material is supplied to the main processing line from another branch, ensuring continuous output at the final outlet of the production line and improving processing efficiency.

[0014] Furthermore, the battery crushing device includes a crushing device receiving hopper located at the upper end, a crushing box connected to the lower part of the crushing device receiving hopper, a crushing shaft installed inside the crushing box, crushing wheel teeth installed on the crushing shaft, one end of the crushing shaft passing through the crushing box and connected to a crushing motor drive, and a crushing discharge chute connected obliquely downward at the lower outlet of the crushing box.

[0015] This is a relatively common crushing device structure, simple, practical, and easy to implement. Of course, other more complex crushing devices can also be purchased for implementation.

[0016] Furthermore, the battery particle material cleaning device includes a cleaning device frame, with an acid washing device at one end and a water washing device at the other end. The acid washing device includes an acid washing tank with a stirring device inside. The outer end of the acid washing tank forms an acid washing device feed end for feeding materials. The water washing device includes a cleaning conveyor belt, which is rotatably mounted on multiple cleaning conveyor rollers. One of the cleaning conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a cleaning conveyor motor. The outer surface of the cleaning conveyor belt has conveyor partitions arranged along the width direction and spaced apart along the length direction. The inner end of the cleaning conveyor belt has an inclined section, the lower end of which extends into the rear end of the acid washing tank. The outer end of the cleaning conveyor belt has an upper horizontal section, the outer end of which forms a water washing device discharge end for discharging materials. A water washing nozzle mechanism is provided above the cleaning conveyor belt.

[0017] In this way, the crushed and screened metal particles can enter the pickling device from the feed end. Pickling solution is placed in the pickling tank, and the particles are immersed and pickled by a stirring device. After pickling, the cleaning conveyor motor is started, driving the cleaning conveyor belt to rotate. The metal particles are scooped out of the pickling tank by the conveyor baffles and transported outwards. During the transport process, water is sprayed from the water washing nozzles for washing. Therefore, this battery particle cleaning device can simultaneously complete the pickling and washing of metal particles, and has advantages such as simple structure, convenient and controllable cleaning, high cleaning efficiency, and good results.

[0018] Furthermore, the stirring device includes a horizontal stirring mechanism located at the bottom of the pickling tank. The horizontal stirring mechanism includes a vertically arranged stirring shaft and horizontal stirring blades mounted on the stirring shaft. The stirring shaft is connected to a horizontal stirring motor below.

[0019] This design features a simple structure and convenient control.

[0020] Furthermore, the horizontal stirring mechanism is installed in the settling tank at the bottom of the pickling tank.

[0021] This better avoids interference with the horizontal stirring device above, freeing up more space for cleaning and stirring, and improving the cleaning effect.

[0022] Furthermore, three horizontal stirring mechanisms are set up and arranged in a triangular pattern in the middle of the bottom of the pickling tank.

[0023] In this way, the three sets of horizontal stirring mechanisms can avoid the situation where a single horizontal stirring mechanism can only generate swirling flow in one direction. The swirling flow generated by the three sets of horizontal stirring mechanisms can interfere with each other to form complex water flow conditions, which greatly improves the stirring and cleaning effect on irregularly shaped metal particles with many folded structures, V-shaped structures, or even concave polyhedral structures.

[0024] Furthermore, each group of horizontal stirring mechanisms is connected to a horizontal stirring motor, which is a motor with forward and reverse output functions.

[0025] This allows for the intermittent control of different forward and reverse rotations of each group of horizontal stirring mechanisms, creating unpredictable and complex turbulent water conditions, which greatly improves the cleaning effect. During implementation, a motor with forward and reverse output functions can be purchased directly, or a unidirectional output motor can be installed with a gearbox that supports forward and reverse output functions.

[0026] Furthermore, the horizontal stirring blades are inclined fan-shaped blades. This allows the horizontal stirring mechanism to generate an outward and upward swirling flow along the settling tank as a whole, which can better cooperate with the horizontal stirring mechanism above to achieve a three-dimensional stirring effect and improve the cleaning effect on metal particles with many irregular shapes.

[0027] Furthermore, a water-permeable baffle is installed on the upper surface of the settling tank. This prevents metal particles from falling into the settling tank and causing blockages.

[0028] Furthermore, the stirring device also includes a transverse stirring mechanism located in the upper part of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring mechanism includes a transverse stirring shaft horizontally mounted on the upper part of the pickling tank perpendicular to the conveying direction. The transverse stirring shaft is vertically fixed with transverse stirring blades along the axial direction. The transverse stirring shaft and the transverse stirring motor are connected by a drive.

[0029] Thus, because the metal particles obtained from the crushing of lithium-ion batteries contain a large number of particles with folded or angled structures, ordinary stirring devices are unlikely to effectively clean the inner surfaces of irregularly shaped metal particles with folded, V-shaped, or even concave polyhedral structures. Therefore, a combination of transverse and horizontal stirring mechanisms is used to drive the water flow in rotation from two mutually perpendicular directions, greatly increasing the degree of water flow turbulence and achieving a three-dimensional stirring and cleaning effect, thus better cleaning metal particles with irregular structures.

[0030] Furthermore, there are two sets of transverse stirring mechanisms, one set located near the inlet end of the pickling tank and the other set located near the outlet end of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring motor in the transverse stirring mechanism near the outlet end of the pickling tank is a motor with forward and reverse output functions.

[0031] In this way, during the cleaning process of metal particles entering the pickling tank, the two transverse stirring mechanisms can be controlled to rotate inwards relative to each other. When the transverse and horizontal stirring mechanisms work together, the horizontal stirring mechanism drives the material to rotate and diffuse from bottom to top, while the two transverse stirring mechanisms drive the material to flow from both ends upwards towards the center, then fall from the center onto the horizontal stirring mechanism, where it is again driven to diffuse outwards and upwards, in a reciprocating cycle. Therefore, this combination achieves a three-dimensional, reciprocating stirring motion of the material, better cleaning metal particles with numerous folds or angles, and effectively eliminating dead zones, preventing material from scattering around the perimeter of the pickling tank and hindering effective cleaning. After cleaning, the transverse stirring mechanism near the pickling tank outlet can be reversed, causing both transverse stirring mechanisms to rotate forward in the direction of the water flow. This better drives the cleaned material forward with the water flow and onto the cleaning conveyor belt, where it is then carried forward by the conveyor baffles.

[0032] Furthermore, the water washing nozzle mechanism includes a cleaning water pipe horizontally arranged above the cleaning conveyor belt, with multiple downward-facing nozzles installed side by side on the cleaning water pipe, and the cleaning water pipe is connected to a cleaning water source.

[0033] This allows for direct cleaning of metal particles on the conveyor belt by controlling the water flow through cleaning pipes and nozzles, removing surface pickling solution. The nozzles used in this implementation are multi-joint adjustable nozzles, facilitating adjustment of nozzle position and angle to improve cleaning effectiveness.

[0034] Furthermore, the cleaning water pipes are arranged in multiple rows at intervals and installed above the horizontal section of the cleaning conveyor belt; the cleaning conveyor belt is made of a water-permeable material, and a water receiving tray is installed below the cleaning conveyor belt directly opposite the cleaning water pipes, with one end of the water receiving tray connected to an outlet pipe.

[0035] This improves the cleaning effect and facilitates the outflow of cleaning solution.

[0036] Furthermore, the battery particle material drying device includes a drying device frame, on which a drying conveyor belt is horizontally arranged. The drying conveyor belt is rotatably mounted on two horizontally opposite drying conveyor rollers. One of the drying conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a drying motor. The drying conveyor belt passes through an air chamber located above the drying device frame. An air outlet device is provided in the air chamber. The air outlet device is connected to a hot air device located outside the air chamber through an air supply pipe.

[0037] In this way, the washed granular material enters the air-drying conveyor belt, and as it passes through the air chamber, hot air is blown out from the air duct inside the air chamber to dry it. It has the characteristics of simple structure and fast air drying.

[0038] Furthermore, the hot air device includes an electric heating box connected to the air supply duct, and a blower located at the inlet of the air supply duct. Multiple sets of resistance wires are arranged in parallel inside the electric heating box.

[0039] This design features a simple structure, rapid heating, and high heating efficiency.

[0040] Furthermore, the air outlet device includes multiple sets of horizontally arranged main air ducts spaced apart along the flow line direction. The main air ducts are located above the air-drying conveyor belt and one end is connected to the air supply pipe. Several branch air ducts are arranged downwards on the main air ducts. The lower end of the branch air ducts is located near the upper surface of the air-drying conveyor belt and is closed. Air outlet holes are provided on the peripheral wall of the branch air ducts near the lower end.

[0041] The position near the upper surface of the air-drying conveyor belt refers to the position where the air outlet enters the interior of the metal particles during operation. Therefore, this structure can better improve the air-drying effect on the material particles, especially for irregularly shaped metal particles with a large number of folded structures, V-shaped structures, or even concave polyhedral structures, which can effectively achieve air-drying inside the inner corners of the particles.

[0042] Furthermore, the upper end of the branch duct and the main duct are rotatably connected, and the air outlets are multiple evenly arranged on the periphery of the branch duct with the air outlet direction arranged tangentially.

[0043] This is because while inserting material into the lower end of the branch duct facilitates drying, it also introduces two new drawbacks: firstly, the air outlet is easily blocked by material; secondly, the forward impact force of the material causes the upper end of the branch duct to quickly break at the connection with the main duct due to excessive unilateral stress, resulting in a short service life. Therefore, by adding the above structure, the air outlet can drive the branch duct to rotate, allowing the airflow to enter the metal particles more dynamically in a rotating manner, thus better drying irregularly shaped metal particles. Simultaneously, the rotation also helps to create gaps between the material and the branch duct, better preventing blockages.

[0044] Furthermore, the lower end of the branch duct is inclined forward and downward.

[0045] This unique design addresses the new defects caused by material insertion at the lower end of the branch ducts. By tilting the branch ducts, the impact of material conveying forward is partially converted into a force that lifts the lower end of the duct, thus counteracting the weight of the branch duct and balancing it. This significantly reduces the unilateral pressure between the upper end of the branch duct and the main duct, extending their service life. Furthermore, the tilted design allows for a greater deviation between the air outlet direction and the material's forward direction, better preventing blockages. Additionally, the tilted design, combined with the rotating air outlet at the lower end, allows some material to be lifted upwards by the airflow, creating better dynamic contact between the material and the airflow, improving drying efficiency and ensuring optimal drying of irregularly shaped metal particles.

[0046] Furthermore, a discharge chute is connected to the lower front end of the air-drying conveyor belt.

[0047] This makes final material discharge easier.

[0048] In summary, this invention is used for the recycling and processing of waste lithium-ion batteries, enabling the obtained metal particulate materials to be better used for smelting and recycling, reducing the difficulty of smelting and purification, and improving the precision of smelting. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the battery crushing device in a specific embodiment.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the battery particle material cleaning device in a specific embodiment.

[0051] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure from another direction.

[0052] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A top view after removing the horizontal stirring mechanism and the water washing nozzle mechanism.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the battery particle material drying device in a specific embodiment.

[0054] Figure 6 for Figure 5 The diagram shows the internal air outlet device after removing the air chamber and hot air device.

[0055] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure of the separate air outlet device.

[0056] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the battery particle material screening device in a specific embodiment.

[0057] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the internal transmission mechanism in the independent feeding mechanism from a top view.

[0058] Figure 10 for Figure 8 Left view of a partial structure at the individual transmission gear frame.

[0059] Figure 11 for Figure 8 An enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point A alone.

[0060] Figure 12 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a single feed inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0061] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] Optimal Implementation: A streamlined method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries, which involves crushing and screening waste lithium-ion batteries or waste lithium-ion battery electrodes to obtain metal material particles for smelting and recycling. The method is characterized by immersing the screened metal material particles in an acid solution to remove adhering electrolyte material; then washing with water to remove surface acid; and finally air-drying to obtain clean metal material particles for smelting and recycling.

[0063] This method involves sequentially acid washing, water washing, and air drying of the metal particles obtained from the crushing and screening of lithium-ion batteries to obtain clean metal particles for smelting and recycling. This avoids the impact of attached electrolyte materials on smelting and recycling, improves smelting precision, and enhances the recycling effect of metal materials.

[0064] In practice, the soaking and cleaning is carried out intermittently by stirring in the pickling tank, while the washing and drying are carried out continuously during the conveyor belt process.

[0065] This is because removing electrolytes from the surface of metal particles is difficult, and acid washing takes a long time. Therefore, a batch-type agitation cleaning is carried out in an acid washing tank, which also allows for better integration with the preceding crushing and screening processes, both of which are intermittent processes. Water washing and air drying are relatively easy to implement, so they are carried out simultaneously during the assembly line transport, achieving continuous processing. This optimizes and improves the overall processing efficiency.

[0066] Specifically, this embodiment employs a continuous flow-type waste lithium-ion battery recycling system. See [link to relevant documentation] for details on this system. Figures 1-12 It includes a battery crushing device, a battery particle material screening device, a battery particle material cleaning device, and a battery particle material drying device connected in sequence.

[0067] In implementation, the battery crushing device, battery particle screening device, and battery particle washing device can be connected using conveyor belts or conveyor trolleys. The battery particle washing device and battery particle drying device can be directly connected using conveyor belts. Multiple sets of sequentially connected battery crushing, screening, and washing devices can form multiple (2-3) automated processing branches. These branches converge and connect to a main processing line, which then transports the material to a drying device for drying. During the processing intervals between branches, material is supplied to the main processing line from another branch, ensuring continuous output at the final outlet of the production line and improving processing efficiency.

[0068] The battery crushing device is described in detail below. Figure 1 It includes a crushing device receiving hopper 1 located at the top, a crushing box 2 connected to the bottom of the crushing device receiving hopper 1, a crushing shaft 3 installed inside the crushing box 2, crushing wheel teeth 4 installed on the crushing shaft 3, one end of the crushing shaft 3 passing through the crushing box 2 and connected to a crushing motor 5 for transmission, and a crushing discharge chute 6 connected obliquely downward at the bottom outlet of the crushing box 5.

[0069] This is a relatively common crushing device structure, simple, practical, and easy to implement. Of course, other more complex crushing devices can also be purchased for implementation.

[0070] Among them, the battery particulate material cleaning device (see Figure 2-4 The system includes a cleaning device frame 7, with an acid pickling device at one end and a water washing device at the other end. The acid pickling device includes an acid pickling tank 8, which contains a stirring device. The outer end of the acid pickling tank forms the feed end for the acid pickling device. The water washing device includes a cleaning conveyor belt 9, which is rotatably mounted on multiple cleaning conveyor rollers 10. One of the cleaning conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a cleaning conveyor motor 11. The outer surface of the cleaning conveyor belt 9 has conveyor partitions 12 arranged along the width direction and spaced along the length direction. The inner end of the cleaning conveyor belt 9 has an inclined section, the lower end of which extends into the rear end of the acid pickling tank. The outer end of the cleaning conveyor belt has an upper horizontal section, the outer end of which forms the discharge end for the water washing device. A water washing nozzle mechanism is provided above the cleaning conveyor belt.

[0071] In this way, the crushed and screened metal particles can enter the pickling device from the feed end. Pickling solution is placed in the pickling tank, and the particles are immersed and pickled by a stirring device. After pickling, the cleaning conveyor motor is started, driving the cleaning conveyor belt to rotate. The metal particles are scooped out of the pickling tank by the conveyor baffles and transported outwards. During the transport process, water is sprayed from the water washing nozzles for washing. Therefore, this battery particle cleaning device can simultaneously complete the pickling and washing of metal particles, and has advantages such as simple structure, convenient and controllable cleaning, high cleaning efficiency, and good results.

[0072] The stirring device includes a horizontal stirring mechanism located at the bottom of the pickling tank. The horizontal stirring mechanism includes a vertically arranged stirring shaft and horizontal stirring blades 13 mounted on the stirring shaft 14. The stirring shaft 14 is connected to a horizontal stirring motor below.

[0073] This design features a simple structure and convenient control.

[0074] The horizontal stirring mechanism is installed in the settling tank at the bottom of the pickling tank.

[0075] This better avoids interference with the horizontal stirring device above, freeing up more space for cleaning and stirring, and improving the cleaning effect.

[0076] The horizontal stirring mechanism is set in three groups and arranged in a triangle in the middle of the bottom of the pickling tank.

[0077] In this way, the three sets of horizontal stirring mechanisms can avoid the situation where a single horizontal stirring mechanism can only generate swirling flow in one direction. The swirling flow generated by the three sets of horizontal stirring mechanisms can interfere with each other to form complex water flow conditions, which greatly improves the stirring and cleaning effect on irregularly shaped metal particles with many folded structures, V-shaped structures, or even concave polyhedral structures.

[0078] Each group of horizontal stirring mechanisms is connected to a horizontal stirring motor, which is a motor with forward and reverse output functions.

[0079] This allows for the intermittent control of different forward and reverse rotations of each group of horizontal stirring mechanisms, creating unpredictable and complex turbulent water conditions, which greatly improves the cleaning effect. During implementation, a motor with forward and reverse output functions can be purchased directly, or a unidirectional output motor can be installed with a gearbox that supports forward and reverse output functions.

[0080] Among them, the horizontal stirring blades 13 are inclined fan-shaped blades. In this way, the horizontal stirring mechanism generates an outward and upward swirling flow along the settling tank as a whole, which can better cooperate with the horizontal stirring mechanism above to achieve a three-dimensional stirring effect and improve the cleaning effect on metal particles with many irregular shapes.

[0081] The settling tank has a water-permeable baffle 15 on its upper surface. This prevents metal particles from falling into the settling tank and causing blockages.

[0082] The stirring device further includes a transverse stirring mechanism located in the upper part of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring mechanism includes a transverse stirring shaft 16 horizontally mounted on the upper part of the pickling tank perpendicular to the conveying direction. The transverse stirring shaft 16 is vertically fixed with transverse stirring blades 17 along the axial direction. The transverse stirring shaft and the transverse stirring motor 18 are connected in a driving connection.

[0083] Thus, because the metal particles obtained from the crushing of lithium-ion batteries contain a large number of particles with folded or angled structures, ordinary stirring devices are unlikely to effectively clean the inner surfaces of irregularly shaped metal particles with folded, V-shaped, or even concave polyhedral structures. Therefore, a combination of transverse and horizontal stirring mechanisms is used to drive the water flow in rotation from two mutually perpendicular directions, greatly increasing the degree of water flow turbulence and achieving a three-dimensional stirring and cleaning effect, thus better cleaning metal particles with irregular structures.

[0084] The transverse stirring mechanism is provided in two sets, one set is located near the inlet end of the pickling tank and the other set is located near the outlet end of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring motor in the transverse stirring mechanism near the outlet end of the pickling tank is a motor with forward and reverse output function.

[0085] In this way, during the cleaning process of metal particles entering the pickling tank, the two transverse stirring mechanisms can be controlled to rotate inwards relative to each other. When the transverse and horizontal stirring mechanisms work together, the horizontal stirring mechanism drives the material to rotate and diffuse from bottom to top, while the two transverse stirring mechanisms drive the material to flow from both ends upwards towards the center, then fall from the center onto the horizontal stirring mechanism, where it is again driven to diffuse outwards and upwards, in a reciprocating cycle. Therefore, this combination achieves a three-dimensional, reciprocating stirring motion of the material, better cleaning metal particles with numerous folds or angles, and effectively eliminating dead zones, preventing material from scattering around the perimeter of the pickling tank and hindering effective cleaning. After cleaning, the transverse stirring mechanism near the pickling tank outlet can be reversed, causing both transverse stirring mechanisms to rotate forward in the direction of the water flow. This better drives the cleaned material forward with the water flow and onto the cleaning conveyor belt, where it is then carried forward by the conveyor baffles.

[0086] The water washing nozzle mechanism includes a cleaning water pipe 19 horizontally arranged above the cleaning conveyor belt, and multiple downward-facing nozzles 20 are installed side by side on the cleaning water pipe. The cleaning water pipe is connected to a cleaning water source.

[0087] This allows for direct cleaning of metal particles on the conveyor belt by controlling the water flow through cleaning pipes and nozzles, removing surface pickling solution. The nozzles used in this implementation are multi-joint adjustable nozzles, facilitating adjustment of nozzle position and angle to improve cleaning effectiveness.

[0088] The cleaning water pipes are arranged in multiple rows at intervals (only one row is shown in the figure) and installed above the horizontal section of the cleaning conveyor belt. The cleaning conveyor belt is made of a water-permeable material. A water receiving tray is also installed below the cleaning conveyor belt directly opposite the cleaning water pipes, and one end of the water receiving tray is connected to a water outlet pipe.

[0089] This improves the cleaning effect and facilitates the outflow of cleaning solution.

[0090] Among them, the battery particulate material drying device (see Figure 5-7 The device includes a drying device frame 21, on which a drying conveyor belt 22 is horizontally mounted. The drying conveyor belt is rotatably mounted on two horizontally opposite drying conveyor rollers 23. One of the drying conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a drying motor 24. The drying conveyor belt 22 passes through an air chamber 25 located above the drying device frame. An air outlet device is provided in the air chamber. The air outlet device is connected to a hot air device located outside the air chamber through an air supply pipe 26.

[0091] In this way, the washed granular material enters the air-drying conveyor belt, and as it passes through the air chamber, hot air is blown out from the air duct inside the air chamber to dry it. It has the characteristics of simple structure and fast air drying.

[0092] The hot air device includes an electric heating box 27 connected to the air supply duct 26, and a blower 28 located at the inlet of the air supply duct. Multiple sets of resistance wires 29 are arranged in parallel inside the electric heating box.

[0093] This design features a simple structure, rapid heating, and high heating efficiency.

[0094] The air outlet device includes multiple sets of horizontally arranged main air ducts 30 arranged at intervals along the flow line. The main air ducts 30 are located above the air-drying conveyor belt and one end is connected to the air supply pipe 26. Several branch air ducts 31 are arranged downwards on the main air ducts. The lower end of the branch air ducts 31 is located near the upper surface of the air-drying conveyor belt and is closed. Air outlet holes 32 are provided on the peripheral wall of the branch air ducts near the lower end.

[0095] The position near the upper surface of the air-drying conveyor belt refers to the position where the air outlet enters the interior of the metal particles during operation. Therefore, this structure can better improve the air-drying effect on the material particles, especially for irregularly shaped metal particles with a large number of folded structures, V-shaped structures, or even concave polyhedral structures, which can effectively achieve air-drying inside the inner corners of the particles.

[0096] The branch duct 31 and the main duct 30 are rotatably connected, and the air outlets 32 are multiple evenly arranged on the periphery of the branch duct with the air outlet direction arranged tangentially.

[0097] This is because while inserting material into the lower end of the branch duct facilitates drying, it also introduces two new drawbacks: firstly, the air outlet is easily blocked by material; secondly, the forward impact force of the material causes the upper end of the branch duct to quickly break at the connection with the main duct due to excessive unilateral stress, resulting in a short service life. Therefore, by adding the above structure, the air outlet can drive the branch duct to rotate, allowing the airflow to enter the metal particles more dynamically in a rotating manner, thus better drying irregularly shaped metal particles. Simultaneously, the rotation also helps to create gaps between the material and the branch duct, better preventing blockages.

[0098] The lower end of the branch duct 31 is inclined forward and downward.

[0099] This unique design addresses the new defects caused by material insertion at the lower end of the branch ducts. By tilting the branch ducts, the impact of material conveying forward is partially converted into a force that lifts the lower end of the duct, thus counteracting the weight of the branch duct and balancing it. This significantly reduces the unilateral pressure between the upper end of the branch duct and the main duct, extending their service life. Furthermore, the tilted design allows for a greater deviation between the air outlet direction and the material's forward direction, better preventing blockages. Additionally, the tilted design, combined with the rotating air outlet at the lower end, allows some material to be lifted upwards by the airflow, creating better dynamic contact between the material and the airflow, improving drying efficiency and ensuring optimal drying of irregularly shaped metal particles.

[0100] Among them, a discharge chute 33 is connected to the lower front end of the air-drying conveyor belt 22.

[0101] This makes final material discharge easier.

[0102] Furthermore, while existing conventional screening devices can be used in the implementation of the battery particulate material screening device, a better choice is to use a screening device such as... Figure 8-12 The battery particle material screening device shown includes a screening box 41 with a feed inlet 75 at the top. Multiple horizontally arranged screens 70 are arranged at intervals inside the screening box 41. A screen vibration device is also installed inside the screening box and connected to each screen layer. A discharge cylinder is installed on one side of the screening box of each screen layer. An air inlet pipe 74 is also connected to the side wall of the screening box located below any screen.

[0103] In this way, the crushed material particles enter the screening chamber through the feed inlet and are screened by the vibration of the screen. During screening, air is introduced through the air inlet pipe, resulting in a higher air pressure below the screen. This guides the air pressure upward through the filter screen, allowing heavier particles to pass through and exit, thus achieving material separation. Simultaneously, due to the inherent characteristics of waste lithium-ion batteries—the battery casing and electrodes are plate-like structures—a large number of irregularly shaped metal particles with folded, V-shaped, or even concave polyhedral structures are generated during the crushing process. These structures easily become stuck on the screen during screening, causing blockages. However, the air pressure introduced below the screen pushes the stuck V-shaped particles upward, better preventing blockages and ensuring smooth screening.

[0104] As a better implementation option, the screen 70 includes a first screen, a second screen, and a third screen arranged from top to bottom. A removable collection box 55 is horizontally inserted below the third screen. A first air outlet pipe 72 is connected to the side wall of the screening box between the first screen and the second screen. A second air outlet pipe 73 is connected to the side wall of the screening box between the second screen and the third screen. An air inlet pipe 74 is connected to the side wall of the screening box between the third screen and the collection box.

[0105] In this way, the air inlet pipe enters the chamber from below the third screen, forming an upward airflow pressure under the guidance of the outlet pipe. Part of the airflow then flows out through the second outlet pipe between the second and third screens to release pressure, while the remaining airflow pressure continues upward through the second screen and flows out through the first outlet pipe between the second and first screens to release pressure. This results in no upward airflow pressure on the first screen, while the upward airflow pressure gradually increases from the second to the third screen. Therefore, after the material enters the first screen, it can undergo normal screening once, allowing materials that meet the particle size requirements to fall through the first screen, while larger particles exit from the discharge cylinder on the right side of the first screen. Then, materials that meet the particle size requirements fall onto the second screen, where they are vibrated and screened while experiencing a certain upward airflow pressure. This causes the lighter materials (mainly the diaphragm material) to remain above the second screen and eventually exit from the corresponding discharge cylinder. The remaining material falls downwards into the third screen, where it is vibrated and sieved while experiencing a stronger upward air pressure. This causes the lighter materials (mainly graphite) to remain above the third screen and eventually exit from the corresponding discharge cylinder. Finally, the heaviest remaining material (mainly metal) falls downwards through the third screen into the collection box. This method effectively separates materials based on their specific gravity. The device also performs preliminary screening of particle size. While the mesh size of the three screens is typically the same, adjustments can be made to ensure they are identical within a certain range while still meeting the requirements of the air pressure screening process, thus guaranteeing better final screening results.

[0106] As a better implementation option, both the first and second air outlet pipes are equipped with flow regulating valves. A first air pressure sensor (not shown in the figure) is also installed on the side wall of the screening box corresponding to the first air outlet pipe. The first air pressure sensor and the flow regulating valve (not shown in the figure) on the first air outlet pipe are associated. A second air pressure sensor (not shown in the figure) is also installed on the side wall of the screening box corresponding to the second air outlet pipe. The second air pressure sensor and the flow regulating valve (not shown in the figure) on the second air outlet pipe are associated.

[0107] In this way, the air pressure in the corresponding chamber can be detected by the first and second air pressure sensors. If the air pressure is too high, the associated flow control valve will be adjusted to increase the exhaust flow and reduce the air pressure. This allows for better air pressure control and more reliably ensures the air pressure-assisted filtration and screening effect.

[0108] As a better implementation option, the intake pipe 74 is provided with multiple evenly distributed pipes, and the outer end of each intake pipe is connected to the intake manifold (not shown in the figure); the first exhaust pipe is provided with multiple evenly distributed pipes, and the outer end of each first exhaust pipe is connected to the first exhaust manifold (not shown in the figure); the second exhaust pipe is provided with multiple evenly distributed pipes, and the outer end of each second exhaust pipe is connected to the second exhaust manifold (not shown in the figure).

[0109] This allows for more dispersed and even air intake and exhaust. In practice, the flow regulating valves can be installed on the first and second exhaust manifolds respectively to reduce the number of valves required and facilitate control.

[0110] As a better implementation option, filters are also installed at the inlets of both the first exhaust pipe 72 and the second exhaust pipe 73. This prevents material from being carried out by the exhaust airflow.

[0111] As a better implementation option, the outer ends of the first and second exhaust pipes are connected to a bag filter (not shown in the diagram). This allows for more effective dust removal.

[0112] As a better implementation option, the discharge cylinder includes an outwardly downward inclined section 60, the outer end of which collects and converges towards the center and connects to a downwardly downward vertical cylinder section 64, on which a discharge switch valve 25 is installed.

[0113] In this way, when using the device, the discharge switch valve can be closed first to prevent air leakage. After some material enters the discharge cylinder and forms an airflow seal, the discharge switch valve (with adjustable closure degree) can be opened to discharge the material. The material is collected and converged along the discharge cylinder to the outer end, forming an airflow blockage before being discharged downward from the vertical cylinder section. Therefore, it can better ensure the normal discharge of material during the screening process and maintain the stability of the air pressure in the cavity during the process, so as to ensure the auxiliary screening effect of air pressure.

[0114] As a better implementation option, a receiving device is also provided, which includes a receiving frame 62 with three receiving boxes 63 distributed along the height direction on the receiving frame 62. The height of the receiving boxes 63 corresponds to the height of the corresponding discharge cylinder outlet and is used for receiving materials. The lower end of the chassis 61 at the bottom of the receiving frame is further equipped with self-locking rollers 68 for easy pushing and receiving of materials.

[0115] As a better implementation option, a feeding mechanism is provided at the inlet. The feeding mechanism includes a feeding box 56, which has a horizontally arranged cylindrical feeding cavity. A feeding funnel 59 is connected to the upper part of one end of the cylindrical feeding cavity, and the other end is connected to the inlet downward. A feeding screw shaft 57 (referring to a rotating shaft with screw blades that match the inner cavity of the cylindrical feeding cavity) is fitted inside the cylindrical feeding cavity. One end of the feeding screw shaft is connected to the feeding power equipment.

[0116] This feeding method, relying on the feed screw shaft, not only allows for better feed control but, more importantly, ensures a sealed feed, preventing air pressure leakage from the inlet and thus avoiding impact on filtration and screening. Simultaneously, the compression during conveying breaks up agglomerates of electrode material, facilitating screening.

[0117] As a better implementation option, the horizontal cross-section of the screening box 41 and the screen 70 are correspondingly rectangular. One end of the screen in the length direction is the discharge end, which rests on the screen mounting platform on the inner wall of the screening box and is connected to the discharge cylinder. The other end of the screen in the length direction is the feed end. The feed end of the screen 70 is connected to the screen vibration device and can be driven to vibrate vertically. The feed port is provided on the top surface of the screening box above the feed end of the screen.

[0118] In this way, when material is fed, it falls onto the screen from the feed end. The feed end of the screen vibrates, gradually shaking the material from that end to the other end, where it converges and exits through the discharge port. This process achieves a continuous, flowing screening and discharge, combining the screening and movement processes to improve screening efficiency. Furthermore, in this screening method, the initial material flow from the feed end is relatively large, resulting in a larger vibration (amplitude) at that end. As the material moves from the feed end to the discharge end, the quantity of material gradually decreases, and the screen vibration amplitude correspondingly decreases. Therefore, this not only better achieves continuous, flowing screening but also perfectly matches the material's movement during its journey with the vibration magnitude, thus significantly improving screening effect and efficiency. In addition, this single-end vibration screening method also takes into account the characteristics of lithium-ion battery particulate materials. Because lithium-ion batteries are prone to forming a large number of concave polyhedral or even V-shaped structure particles when crushed, they can easily get stuck on the screen and cause blockage. The single-end vibration screen makes it easier for these stuck V-shaped particles to shake and fall off due to the unbalanced force on both sides, thus better avoiding blockage.

[0119] As a better implementation option, a long strip-shaped material leveling chamber is also provided perpendicularly to the cylindrical feeding chamber at the position between the end of the cylindrical feeding chamber and the inlet. The lower surface of the end of the cylindrical feeding chamber above the inlet is provided with an outlet that connects to the middle of the material leveling chamber. The length of the material leveling chamber is arranged along the width of the screening box. A material leveling shaft is provided in the material leveling chamber along its own length. Two sets of opposing material leveling spiral blades 66 are symmetrically arranged on the material leveling shaft. The inlets are distributed below the material leveling chamber along the length of the material leveling chamber. The end of the feeding spiral shaft passes through the cylindrical feeding chamber and is fixedly installed with a driving bevel gear 58. The driving bevel gear is located in the transmission cavity inside the feeding chamber and meshes with a vertically arranged driven bevel gear 53. A driving gear 54 is fixedly installed coaxially with the driven bevel gear 53. A driven gear 69 is meshed downward with the driving gear 54. The mounting shaft of the driven gear 69 is connected to the end of the material leveling shaft through a synchronous belt 71.

[0120] When the feed box is working, the feed screw shaft rotates, causing the material falling from the feed funnel to move in an orderly manner to the center of the equalization chamber. Simultaneously, the end of the feed screw shaft, driven by a pair of meshing bevel gears and a pair of spur gears and a synchronous belt, drives the equalization shaft to rotate. The equalization screw blades symmetrically arranged on the equalization shaft evenly transport the material from the center to both ends, allowing it to fall into the feed end of the screen from the lower feed inlet. This allows the material to fall more effectively into the screen along its width, improving the uniformity of the feed. This further enhances the reliability and efficiency of the screen separation process.

[0121] As a better implementation option, the feed inlet is narrower in the middle and gradually widens towards both sides.

[0122] This is because the material in the feeding chamber falls into the uniform feeding chamber from the middle, making it easier for more material to fall downwards from the middle of the feed inlet. Narrowing the width of the feed inlet in the middle and gradually widening it at both ends allows for a more even distribution of the material falling from the feed inlet. This significantly improves the reliability and efficiency of the screen screening. In this way, the material initially falls evenly along the width of the screen to the feed end, and after vibration, it moves as a whole from the feed end to the discharge end, achieving screening and thus greatly improving screening efficiency and reliability.

[0123] As a better implementation option, the screen vibration device includes a motor 49 located outside the screening box. A toothed gear 50 is mounted vertically on the output shaft of the motor. The toothed gear has only a section of teeth on its outer periphery. The outer frame of the toothed gear 50 is provided with a transmission gear frame 52 that can move up and down. A rack is provided on each side of the inner wall of the transmission gear frame 52. After the toothed gear rotates to the corresponding direction, the teeth on it can mesh with the corresponding rack and drive the transmission gear frame to move up and down. The lower end of the transmission gear frame is fixedly connected to a drive connecting plate 48. The drive connecting plate 48 is connected to a horizontally arranged horizontal connecting plate 43. The horizontal connecting plate 43 passes horizontally through a perforation 42 located on the side wall of the screening box and is fixedly connected to a vertically arranged baffle 44. A screen fixing platform 46 is installed in the middle of the side of the baffle 44 facing the screen and connected to the feed end of the screen 70. The side of the baffle facing away from the screen is attached to the inner side wall of the screening box and can block and shield the perforation.

[0124] In this way, the motor output rotation drives the toothed gear to rotate. Through the alternating meshing of the toothed gear and the two racks on the inner side of the transmission gear frame, the transmission gear frame is driven to reciprocate up and down (that is, the toothed gear disengages from and engages with the rack on one side at the same time as the rack on the other side begins to mesh). This, in turn, drives the horizontal connecting plate to reciprocate up and down through the drive connecting plate, achieving single-end vibration at the feed end of the screen. Therefore, it can transmit large vibrational power and is reliable and efficient.

[0125] As a better implementation option, a horizontal connecting plate mounting hole 51 is provided at one end of the drive connecting plate and the horizontal connecting plate. The end of the horizontal connecting plate 43 can be mounted in the horizontal connecting plate mounting hole 51, which can move up and down. When the horizontal connecting plate 43 is in the initial state of movement, the end of the horizontal connecting plate is in contact with the lower surface of the horizontal connecting plate mounting hole and there is a gap between it and the upper surface of the horizontal connecting plate mounting hole 51. When the horizontal connecting plate 43 moves to the screen horizontal state, the middle position of the tooth of the toothed gear meshes with the middle position of the rack on the corresponding side.

[0126] In this way, when the drive connecting plate moves upward and drives the horizontal connecting plate to its apex, there is still a gap between the end of the horizontal connecting plate and the upper surface of the mounting hole. Therefore, the horizontal connecting plate has space to continue moving upward under inertia. It will break free from the constraint of the drive connecting plate and continue moving upward a short distance before contacting the upper surface of the mounting hole and being driven downward. This results in the upward amplitude of the horizontal connecting plate being greater than its downward amplitude during vibration. This allows for better material movement on the screen from the feed end to the discharge end during screening, achieving a continuous screening process.

[0127] As a better implementation option, a vertically arranged amplitude spring 45 is also fixedly connected between the perforation and the horizontal connecting plate.

[0128] This is because the lithium battery casing and electrodes are flat. After being crushed into granules by the crushing mechanism, unlike conventional granular materials which are convex polyhedrons, a large number of concave polyhedrons and even a large number of particles with direct V-shaped structures are generated. During the screening process, these concave polyhedrons and even V-shaped particles easily get caught on the screen, easily causing screen blockage. The variable amplitude spring, in conjunction with the gap between the upper surface of the horizontal connecting plate and the mounting hole of the horizontal connecting plate, allows the horizontal connecting plate to generate a small elastic motion of at least one reciprocating cycle during the short period after it moves upward and is freed from constraint, under the action of its own inertia and the variable amplitude spring. This causes the horizontal connecting plate to generate a small amplitude variable vibration when it vibrates upward to its highest point, and then be driven to vibrate downward. This repetitive downward vibration of the screen, driven by the double amplitude variable vibration, can better shake off the V-shaped particles caught on the screen compared to single-amplitude vibration, greatly improving the screening effect. Meanwhile, the small-amplitude rotation is generated after the large-amplitude vibration reaches its highest point, so it can also improve the effect of driving the material on the screen to flow towards the discharge end.

[0129] As a better implementation option, a shim is detachably fixed to the upper surface of the mounting hole of the horizontal connecting plate by screws. This allows for easy adjustment of the shim thickness to adjust the gap between the end of the horizontal connecting plate and the upper surface of the mounting hole, ensuring smooth adjustment of the above process and facilitating replacement and repair if wear causes a deterioration in performance.

[0130] As a better implementation option, a transmission box 47 is provided on the outside of the screening box, and the toothed gear, transmission gear frame and drive connecting plate are located inside the transmission box. This can better improve the protection of the transmission mechanism.

[0131] As a better implementation option, one end of the feed screw shaft is connected to the output shaft of the motor, and the motor constitutes the feeding power device. In this way, the entire device only needs one motor to drive the three power sources, which greatly simplifies the equipment.

[0132] As a better implementation option, a support leg 67 is provided at the lower outer end of the screening box. It is also worth noting that the structure and principle of the aforementioned battery particle material screening device have been separately patented by the applicant; therefore, implementing this part of the solution separately would still infringe upon the applicant's patent rights.

Claims

1. A method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using an automated processing line, comprising crushing and screening waste lithium-ion batteries or waste lithium-ion battery electrodes to obtain metal material particles for smelting and recycling, characterized in that... The metal particles obtained by screening are immersed in acid to remove the attached electrolyte material; then washed with water to remove the acid from the surface; and then air-dried to obtain clean metal particles for smelting and recycling. This method is implemented using a continuous waste lithium-ion battery recycling system, which includes a battery crushing device, a battery particle material screening device, a battery particle material washing device, and a battery particle material drying device connected in sequence. The battery particle material drying device includes a drying device frame, on which a drying conveyor belt is horizontally arranged. The drying conveyor belt is rotatably mounted on two horizontally opposite drying conveyor rollers. One of the drying conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a drying motor. The drying conveyor belt passes through an air chamber located above the drying device frame. An air outlet device is provided in the air chamber. The air outlet device is connected to a hot air device located outside the air chamber through an air supply pipe. The air outlet device includes multiple sets of horizontally arranged main air ducts spaced apart along the flow line. The main air ducts are located above the air-drying conveyor belt and one end is connected to the air supply pipe. Several branch air ducts are connected downwards on the main air ducts. The lower end of the branch air ducts is located near the upper surface of the air-drying conveyor belt and is closed. Air outlet holes are provided on the peripheral wall of the branch air ducts near the lower end, so that the air outlet holes will enter the interior of the metal granular material during operation. The upper end of the branch duct and the main duct are rotatably connected, and the air outlets are multiple evenly arranged on the periphery of the branch duct with the air outlet direction arranged tangentially. The lower end of the branch duct is inclined forward and downward, so that the impact force of the material conveying forward on the branch duct can be partially converted into a force that lifts the lower end of the duct upward. The battery particle material cleaning device includes a cleaning device frame, with an acid washing device at one end and a water washing device at the other end. The acid washing device includes an acid washing tank with a stirring device inside. The outer end of the acid washing tank forms an acid washing device feed end for feeding materials. The water washing device includes a cleaning conveyor belt, which is rotatably mounted on multiple cleaning conveyor rollers. One of the cleaning conveyor rollers is a drive roller connected to a cleaning conveyor motor. The outer surface of the cleaning conveyor belt has conveyor partitions arranged along the width direction and spaced apart along the length direction. The inner end of the cleaning conveyor belt has an inclined section, the lower end of which extends into the rear end of the acid washing tank. The outer end of the cleaning conveyor belt has an upper horizontal section, the outer end of which forms a water washing device discharge end for discharging materials. A water washing nozzle mechanism is provided above the cleaning conveyor belt. The stirring device includes a horizontal stirring mechanism located at the bottom of the pickling tank. The horizontal stirring mechanism includes a vertically arranged stirring shaft and horizontal stirring blades mounted on the stirring shaft. The stirring shaft is connected to a horizontal stirring motor below. The stirring device also includes a transverse stirring mechanism located in the upper part of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring mechanism includes a transverse stirring shaft horizontally mounted on the upper part of the pickling tank perpendicular to the conveying direction. The transverse stirring shaft is vertically fixed with transverse stirring blades along the axial direction. The transverse stirring shaft and the transverse stirring motor are connected by a drive. There are two sets of transverse stirring mechanisms. One set is located near the inlet of the pickling tank, and the other set is located near the outlet of the pickling tank. The transverse stirring motor in the transverse stirring mechanism near the outlet of the pickling tank is a motor with forward and reverse output functions. During the cleaning process of metal particles entering the pickling tank, the two transverse stirring mechanisms are controlled to rotate inward relative to each other. When the transverse stirring mechanism and the horizontal stirring mechanism work together, the horizontal stirring mechanism drives the material to rotate and diffuse from bottom to top. The two sets of transverse stirring mechanisms drive the material to flow from the front and rear ends upward to the middle and then fall from the middle onto the horizontal stirring mechanism, where it is again driven by the horizontal stirring mechanism to diffuse outward and upward, repeating the cycle.

2. The method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using an automated processing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The soaking and cleaning process is carried out intermittently by stirring in the pickling tank, while the washing and drying processes are carried out continuously during the conveyor belt process.

3. The method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using an automated processing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The battery crushing device includes a crushing device receiving hopper located at the top, a crushing box connected to the bottom of the crushing device receiving hopper, a crushing shaft installed inside the crushing box, crushing wheel teeth installed on the crushing shaft, one end of the crushing shaft passing through the crushing box and connected to a crushing motor, and a crushing discharge chute connected obliquely downward at the bottom outlet of the crushing box.

4. The method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using a streamlined processing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal stirring mechanism is installed in the settling tank at the bottom of the pickling tank; Three sets of horizontal stirring mechanisms are arranged in a triangular pattern at the bottom center of the pickling tank. Each group of horizontal stirring mechanisms is connected to a horizontal stirring motor, which is a motor with forward and reverse output functions; The horizontal stirring blades are inclined fan-shaped blades.

5. The method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using a streamlined processing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water washing nozzle mechanism includes a cleaning water pipe that is horizontally arranged above the cleaning conveyor belt, and multiple downward-facing nozzles are installed side by side on the cleaning water pipe. The cleaning water pipe is connected to a cleaning water source. The cleaning water pipes are arranged in multiple rows at intervals and installed above the horizontal section of the cleaning conveyor belt; the cleaning conveyor belt is made of a water-permeable material, and a water receiving tray is installed below the cleaning conveyor belt directly opposite the cleaning water pipes, with one end of the water receiving tray connected to a water outlet pipe.

6. The method for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries using an automated processing line as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hot air device includes an electric heating box connected to the air supply duct, and a blower located at the inlet of the air supply duct. Multiple sets of resistance wires are arranged in parallel inside the electric heating box.

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