Method and apparatus for processing and recovering batteries

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing and evaluating lithium-ion batteries, comprising at least one step in which the batteries (2, 10) are comminuted in the presence of an aqueous medium (12), the batteries (2, 10) having a residual charge of at most 30% being comminuted in a comminution device (73) when water (12) is added, and the water (12) being such that the mixture is not heated over 40 DEG C during comminution, preferably no more than 30 DEG C and a temperature supply. The invention also relates to a corresponding device (71).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for processing and recycling lithium-ion batteries, which method comprises at least one step in which the batteries are comminuted in the presence of an aqueous medium, and to an apparatus for processing and recycling lithium-ion batteries, which is preferably designed for carrying out the method according to the invention. Background Art

[0002] As electric vehicles increasingly use lithium-ion batteries as energy sources, in the near future lithium-ion batteries will accumulate in large quantities during production, and at the end of their service life they will accumulate as waste. These batteries are made of a variety of valuable materials that can be used as composite materials. Basically, these valuable materials include:

[0003] Plastics, ferrous metals, copper, aluminum, graphite as negative electrode materials, metal oxides as positive electrode materials, lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and other rare and valuable materials, and electrolytes.

[0004] About 50% of the battery module consists of so-called "black matter", in which particularly valuable raw materials are combined and mainly consists of fine graphite with a size range of 0.5 μm to 10 μm and lithium metal oxides. In addition, nickel, manganese, copper and cobalt are also considered to be particularly valuable components.

[0005] The battery pack is connected in such a way that a controlled disassembly (e.g. by loosening a screw connection) is practically impossible. Furthermore, there are various different versions available on the market. Therefore, the manufacturer's instructions must always be followed before and during the unloading and separation process. Depending on the type of battery, it may even be necessary to activate a special device inside the battery to activate the battery connection in order to enable discharge. After the battery has been opened and discharged, the components must be separated. The metal and plastic of the housing can be sorted separately and offered to a recycling management, where suitable recycling methods are already used.

[0006] The remaining battery blocks consist of individual battery cells and / or modules. Depending on the design of the battery, the battery cells can be simply separated, but there are also batteries in which the separation of the battery blocks is very complicated, so that in the prior art there is no satisfactory way to recycle the battery blocks or batteries. An unpleasant feature of these batteries is that a complete discharge is very time-consuming and that for a short time after a discharge cycle the battery assumes a voltage, i.e. a state of charge. Incompletely discharged batteries often short-circuit when opened, which can ignite the electrolyte due to thermal effects. The result is an unforeseen deflagration and, in turn, a fire.

[0007] In some solutions known from the prior art, attempts are made to thermally recycle batteries by recovering metals, however, plastics, electrolytes and lithium are completely or significantly lost. In some methods, the battery cells are shredded and transferred directly to a wet chemical process. The battery cells are not adequately separated before the subsequent wet chemical precipitation process. This doubles the amount of processing in the wet chemical treatment process. Such a wet chemical method is described, for example, in EP3670686A1.

[0008] In addition, valuable raw materials in the ferrous material, such as lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt and other metals, are lost during the thermal recovery process. In addition, metal and other residual materials from battery casings and conductors lead to high loads for precipitation chemistry or wet chemical methods.

[0009] A method for comminuting batteries containing LiPF6 is known from DE102011082187A1, wherein the batteries are subjected to a comminuting process, which is carried out by at least one tool that mechanically acts on the batteries, wherein the comminuting process is carried out in an ambient fluid surrounding the batteries, the ambient fluid containing at least one alkaline earth metal. The ambient fluid is an aqueous solution containing calcium or magnesium, which is present as alkaline hydroxides Ca(OH)2 or Mg(OH)2 and reacts in the aqueous solution with hydrogen fluoride (HF for short) produced during the decomposition of LiPF6 to form sparingly soluble CaF2 or MgF2 and is bound in this way.

[0010] Based on the above-mentioned problems of the methods known from the prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide an efficient method in which valuable raw materials for recycling management can be obtained from batteries which come from production waste or have reached the end of their service life. Summary of the invention

[0011] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method having the features of patent claim 1 .

[0012] The method according to the invention for treating and recycling lithium-ion batteries comprises at least one step in which the batteries are comminuted in the presence of an aqueous medium, wherein it is provided according to the invention that with the addition of water in the comminution device the batteries are still comminuted with a residual charge of a maximum of 30%, wherein the water is supplied in such an amount and at such a temperature that the mixture is not heated to more than 40° C., preferably not more than 30° C., during the comminution process.

[0013] Surprisingly, it has been shown that a complete discharge of the battery is not necessary for the subsequent separation process, which can reduce the work involved in the preliminary process of the method. The energy obtained during the partial discharge can also be reused advantageously.

[0014] Adding sufficient water during the pulverization of the battery not only prevented greater heat, but surprisingly, no harmful hydrogen fluoride was released, or at least not in measurable concentrations. Currently, it is assumed that the hydrolysis reaction of LiPF6 in pure water is very slow, in contrast to the hydrolysis reaction in contaminated aqueous electrolyte solutions, as shown below:

[0015] First, LiPF6 decomposes in water according to the following formula:

[0016] LiPF6→LiF+PF5

[0017] Only in subsequent reactions will hydrogen fluoride be produced.

[0018] PF5+H2O→POF3+2HF

[0019] Further advantageous embodiments according to the invention are specified in the dependent claims. The features listed individually in the dependent claims can be combined with one another in a technically meaningful manner and can define further embodiments according to the invention. Furthermore, the features specified in the claims are further specified and explained in the description, in which further preferred embodiments according to the invention are presented.

[0020] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, preferably at 20m 3 / h to 200m 3 / h of water is supplied to 1000 kg of batteries per hour. Due to the large and continuous volume flow, the heat generated during the mechanical comminution of the batteries and in the hydrolysis process is immediately dissipated. According to the invention, therefore, the comminution is preferably not carried out in a stationary reservoir, but the water is continuously supplied and discharged from the comminution device in which the comminution is carried out, so that the heat generated in the process is also permanently dissipated.

[0021] According to the present invention, for example, during battery pulverization, ordinary tap water having a temperature lower than room temperature may be supplied. However, it is preferred to supply water in the range of 5°C to 20°C.

[0022] For example, the water management can be designed as a circulation system. For example, water can be supplied from a storage container to the comminution and / or separation process and collected again downstream (for example, the particles separated downstream are dried (for example in a screen press)) and then returned to the comminution and / or separation process. In particular, a filter system can also be used to treat the circulating water so that, for example, exhaust gases from a vacuum pump used in the system are condensed and the condensate can be supplied back to the storage container. If more water is required, this can be supplied from the pipeline network (so-called make-up water). Various parameters of the circulating water can be monitored, such as pH value, conductivity, biodensity, color, etc. Where applicable, part of the amount of circulating water can be exchanged in each case. The amount of circulating water required for the separation process according to the invention is approximately 20m 3 / h / t battery up to 200m 3 / h / t battery. In the case of two-step crushing, it is recommended to use at least 20m 3 / h / t, preferably at least 50m 3 / h / t. In the case of three-step pulverization, it is preferred to use at least 50m 3 / h / t of circulating water, particularly preferably about 100m 3 / h / ton battery.

[0023] Preferably, the comminution of the batteries, in particular the battery cells and / or battery modules, is carried out in at least two steps, so that they are initially coarsely comminuted in a first step and then more finely comminuted in a subsequent second step. Depending on the size of the introduced material, the number of comminution steps is selected, for example, two, three or more such steps. For example, for complete battery modules with a size greater than 0.5 m, a three-step comminution system is advantageous. For single batteries or smaller units with a size less than, for example, 0.5 m, a two-step system is usually sufficient.

[0024] The net blade width in the comminution device used in the last comminution step is preferably less than about 12 mm, preferably less than about 9 mm. The net blade width in the penultimate step can be less than 25 mm, preferably about 19 mm, for example. For example, in the case of more than two comminution steps, the net blade width of the penultimate step is less than about 60 mm, preferably less than about 45 mm. The specific drive power (i.e., the drive power per unit production capacity of the battery cells and / or modules for the blade shaft, in kg / h) is about 50 W / kg battery cells and / or modules / hour, preferably about 80 W / kg / h to 120 W / kg / h.

[0025] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a mixture comprising pulverized batteries and water is separated into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction, which preferably also contains metal oxides, and a second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction, which may still have residual moisture.

[0026] Particularly preferably, the separation into the first fraction and the second fraction is carried out in two separate process steps, so that the mixture is first separated in a first process step, for example in a friction scrubber.

[0027] i) into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction and a second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction, the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction comprising a particle component having a size <5000 μm, preferably a size <4000 μm, more preferably a size <3000 μm, even more preferably a size <2000 μm, and the second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction comprising a particle component having a size >5000 μm, preferably a size >4000 μm, more preferably a size >3000 μm, even more preferably a size >2000 μm. For example, a pulverizer can be used for pulverization, wherein the first fraction can then be collected in a buffer tank below the pulverizer and then preferably further separated. Therefore, it is preferred to provide that ii) the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction comprising particle components with a size <5000 μm, preferably with a size <4000 μm, more preferably with a size <3000 μm, even more preferably with a size <2000 μm is separated into a second process step (in particular by a sieving step) into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction free of particle components (in particular a fraction with a particle size of less than 500 μm) and a non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction loaded with particle components (in particular a fraction with particles larger than 500 μm).

[0028] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction and, where applicable, the fraction free of particulate components are then preferably removed from the water, thereby obtaining a dried graphite-containing fraction. For the purposes of the present invention, "dried" is understood to mean that the fraction has been subjected to at least one drying method, but still contains residual moisture. In practice, it has been shown that the fraction can still contain an average of about 25% residual moisture after drying. The drying method can be carried out, for example, in a filter press. In the method according to the invention, the fraction contains most of the valuable black matter, which can be squeezed through a filter by applying pressure and is thus essentially free of water. The pre-dried black matter can then be temporarily stored in a container.

[0029] According to another preferred embodiment of the above-described method variant, the water obtained in the drying process can be collected, then cooled by means of a heat exchanger and then returned to the comminution device and / or to the mixture comprising comminuted batteries and water. For example, the water can have a particle component with a size of up to 500 μm. Alternatively and / or additionally, the water can also be added to the process via a friction scrubber located downstream of the comminution device.

[0030] Preferably, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the second non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction comprising a particle component with a size of >5000 μm, preferably with a size of >4000 μm, more preferably with a size of >3000 μm, even more preferably with a size of >2000 μm, where applicable, is conducted through a separation device, in particular a zigzag classifier or a zigzag separator, and a bulk density of at least 0.02 kg / m 3 The particle components are separated into heavy fractions, and the maximum bulk density is 0.4 kg / m 3 The target bulk density can be adjusted as required.

[0031] Preferably, the heavy fraction containing the first graphite-containing second fraction is fed to a further comminution device, in particular an impact mill, and comminuted therein.

[0032] Preferably, the comminuted heavy fraction containing the first graphite-containing second fraction is also separated into pure metal fractions. In the process, possible entrained plastics can be collected (where applicable) and entrained black matter can be supplied to a wet-chemical process.

[0033] Preferably, an aerosol produced during the separation process and / or the comminution process and containing a part of the first graphite-containing second fraction is also sucked off and a part of the first graphite-containing second fraction contained therein is separated, in particular filtered.

[0034] In summary, the preferred further separation process described above can be described as follows. Metals and plastics are preferably separated in a separation method utilizing density differences, wherein a transverse air flow separates the free-falling heavier metal from the lighter plastic residue material and film residue material. Another comminution device (in particular an impact mill) knocks off the black matter on the metal. A suction system collects the dust, which mainly consists of black matter. A sieve cascade preferably separates the components classified according to size. For example, a magnetic separator can be used to separate ferromagnetic components. For example, other metals can be separated from each other by utilizing density differences of air separation tables, etc. The metals are preferably collected separately and can be supplied to recycling management.

[0035] The lighter plastics are also preferably collected and can be supplied to a recycling management. The black matter is also preferably collected in order to be supplied to further processing.

[0036] According to another preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, the non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction loaded with the particle component is dried by means of a drying device (where applicable), in particular a vacuum dryer. The moist fraction with adhering black matter is passed in particular through a vacuum dryer, wherein the same process steps for further separation can preferably be accomplished as described in the above separation process.

[0037] For example, the steam condensate produced in the drying process can first be condensed into hot water and, where applicable, then cooled by a heat exchanger. The received water can then also be returned to the comminution device and / or to the mixture containing comminuted cells and water.

[0038] According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the dry non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction loaded with the particle component (which may comprise a second graphite-containing second fraction) may preferably be fed to another comminution device, in particular an impact mill, and comminuted therein.

[0039] In this method variant, the comminuted fraction containing the second graphite-containing second fraction can be separated, for example, into further pure metal fractions. In this method, any entrained plastics can be collected (if applicable), while the entrained black matter can be supplied to the wet chemical method for processing together with the remaining black matter.

[0040] Furthermore, a further aerosol produced during the comminution process and comprising a part of the second graphite-containing second fraction is preferably sucked off, wherein a part of the second graphite-containing second fraction contained therein is separated off, in particular filtered.

[0041] According to a further preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, for the further processing of those fractions which contain a major portion of black matter, the dried graphite-containing fraction and / or the first and / or second graphite-containing second fraction is preferably mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid, thereby obtaining a graphite-containing slurry, wherein the graphite-containing slurry obtained is then, for example, directly filtered, so that graphite and sulfuric acid solution can be obtained.

[0042] The filtered graphite can then preferably be cleaned, in particular rinsed with water. In addition, in this preferred variant of the method according to the invention, the sulfuric acid solution containing at least one metal of the first and / or third main group and / or at least one metal of the seventh to eleventh subgroup can then be subjected to a hydrochemical separation and / or a hydrochemical extraction.

[0043] According to the invention, the black material obtained in the various separation processes described above is then preferably further processed in a wet chemical process, in particular by dissolution with sulfuric acid, until the metal is dissolved in the acid. For example, graphite can be separated, collected and recovered by a screen press.

[0044] Individual metals, in particular metals selected from the group comprising lithium, aluminum, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, can be precipitated, collected and supplied to recycling management by specifically adjusting, for example, the acid concentration and / or the temperature of the acid solution.

[0045] It is also possible to extract acids or special intermediates which are of particular interest to the basic industry directly from the process.

[0046] The acid is preferably circulated in a circulation system.

[0047] In summary, some preferred measures are listed below for the wet chemical treatment of black material previously obtained by separation processes:

[0048] - black substances and intermediate products can be dissolved with sulfuric acid and / or ammonia and / or hydrogen peroxide and / or water and / or organic solvents, where these can be used alone or as a solvent mixture;

[0049] -Graphite can be separated from liquid by filter press;

[0050] - The liquid can be further processed in a stepwise manner;

[0051] -Liquids can flow from one process step to the next;

[0052] - the liquid is preferably circulated;

[0053] - Sulfuric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and / or organic solvents may be added as needed to ensure chemical reaction and pH adjustment;

[0054] - The final products are ammonium sulfate and metal sulfates, which can be removed from the system for further recovery;

[0055] - the gases produced in the individual process steps can be supplied by suction to a filtration system consisting, for example, of a wet scrubber and / or a cyclone separator and / or a filter;

[0056] - the metal in the liquid can be separated from the liquid in the form of sulfates by adjusting the pH value and / or phase separation and / or crystallization, in particular gradually;

[0057] - For example, aluminum and iron can be separated together;

[0058] - For example, copper can be separated alone;

[0059] - For example, manganese and cobalt can first be separated together and then in a subsequent step;

[0060] - For example, nickel can be separated and / or

[0061] -Lithium can be separated individually.

[0062] When delivering complete automotive batteries, which are usually designed as relatively large components, the design and electrical connections are fundamentally different, as each vehicle manufacturer has its own specific construction. In these cases, additional measures or modifications to the processing methods may be useful. For example, automotive batteries can be inspected, discharged and disassembled according to the manufacturer until the individual cells and / or modules are separated. For this purpose, it is recommended to consult the manufacturer's documentation and, where applicable, deactivate auxiliary devices such as safety devices within the battery to allow for discharge. Depending on the materials used, the battery housing is also disassembled and supplied to the recycling industry by type, as are existing conductors, insulators and other components.

[0063] For example, the discharge can take place on a complete vehicle battery or on assembled individual battery cells and / or modules. The discharge energy of the battery is preferably recovered, for example by direct grid feed-in, buffer storage or the like.

[0064] In particular, the mixer shaft of the separator or comminutor used in the first separation process may be operated at a speed of at least 500 rpm, preferably greater than 1000 rpm, preferably greater than 1500 rpm, in order to achieve efficient flow conditions and particle movement in the comminuting device.

[0065] For example, a vacuum dryer may be operated at a pressure below 900 mbar. The temperature inside the dryer should preferably be above 100°C.

[0066] It is advantageous to use a control system with process monitoring, which is adapted to record and / or monitor the water inlet and / or the number of batteries (particularly battery cells and / or battery modules), and / or the concentration of black matter.

[0067] The connected suction system preferably used in the method according to the invention can collect the dust and conduct it through a filter system comprising, for example, a wet scrubber and / or an ultrafine filter with activated carbon and / or a cyclone separator in order to reduce the environmental burden to a minimum.

[0068] In contrast to the prior art, the method according to the invention preferably does not use any curing agent for curing LiPF 6 , as described, for example, in DE 10 2011 082 187 A1.

[0069] The process according to the invention can be carried out continuously or discontinuously, whereas the processes previously known from the prior art were always only batch processes. The comminution device according to the invention is preferably operated continuously.

[0070] According to another preferred embodiment of the method, important acids for the raw materials industry can be discharged from the wet chemical process. In the wet chemical part of the method, sulfuric acid and / or ammonia are used in particular for the dissolution process. The setting of the temperature and the acid concentration preferably follows the rules for the sequential cascade precipitation of the various metals, wherein separate containers can be used depending on the setting.

[0071] A particular advantage of the process according to the invention is that, where applicable, more than about 95% of the black matter fraction can be returned to the recycling industry. Metal sulfates can be obtained in high purity (more than 99%), so that they can be directly reused in the raw material industry.

[0072] By shredding the wet battery, the risk of deflagration or even fire is minimized. The water immediately lowers the temperature and prevents a chemical chain reaction.

[0073] Due to the mechanical / fluid separation of the black matter from the metals and plastics, the downstream process steps are loaded with significantly less material and can therefore be operated more efficiently and cost-effectively. For example, a large part of the black matter can be supplied directly to the wet chemical part of the process via the filter cake of the filter press, wherein vacuum drying is not necessary and the process can therefore be carried out in a very energy-efficient manner. There is virtually no loss of valuable raw materials in the process.

[0074] Due to the high van der Waals forces, the black matter adhering to the plastic cannot be removed economically and therefore significantly determines the proportion of material that cannot be recovered for processing.

[0075] All media used can be recycled, thus reducing the use of resources to a minimum. Due to the use of purely mechanical / fluid engineering methods, energy consumption is significantly lower than with thermal separation methods.

[0076] In addition to the above-described method, the present invention also relates to an apparatus for processing and recycling lithium-ion batteries, which is preferably designed to implement the method according to the invention and comprises at least one comminution device comprising a comminution unit that can be rinsed with an aqueous medium, wherein, according to the invention, the apparatus also comprises at least one (first) separation device, which is located downstream of the comminution device in the conveying line, and which comprises at least one screen that is suitable for separating the material obtained in the comminution device into at least two fractions with different particle sizes.

[0077] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the comminution unit comprises at least two comminution steps arranged one below the other according to gravity.

[0078] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises at least one additional separation device located downstream of the first separation device in the conveying route, the separation device comprising at least one screen suitable for separating at least one fraction previously separated in the first separation device into at least two additional fractions having different particle sizes.

[0079] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one first separation device comprises a drying device (preferably a filter press or a vacuum dryer) downstream of the conveying line for drying at least one fraction previously separated by the separation device.

[0080] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one comminution device is designed as an impact mill, wherein the impact mill is located at least downstream of the separation device in the conveying line and serves to further reduce the particle size of the previously separated fraction.

[0081] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus comprises at least one further separating device, by means of which the freely falling lighter and heavier particles are separated from one another by means of a transverse air flow, wherein the further separating device is located in the conveying line downstream of the at least one separating device comprising a screen.

[0082] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises at least one device area in the conveying line downstream of at least one comminution device and downstream of at least one separation device, in which area the particles of at least one previously separated fraction are dissolved in a liquid medium and then subjected to a further separation process, wherein the device area in particular comprises devices for screening and / or pressing and / or pH adjustment and / or extraction and / or crystallization. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below using the drawings. It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown. In particular, unless explicitly stated, some aspects of the facts explained in the drawings can also be extracted and combined with other parts and insights in this specification and / or the drawings. In particular, it should be noted that the drawings depicted, especially the proportions, are merely schematic. The same reference numerals represent the same items, so the explanations from other drawings can be used as supplements. These drawings show:

[0084] Figure 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a preparatory process in a method according to the present invention;

[0085] Figure 2 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a separation process as part of a method according to the present invention;

[0086] Figure 3is an exemplary schematic diagram of another sub-process of the method according to the present invention;

[0087] Figure 4 is an exemplary schematic diagram of another sub-process of the method according to the present invention;

[0088] Figure 5 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a chemical subprocess according to the method of the present invention;

[0089] Figure 6 is a schematic simplified flow chart of a first stage of an exemplary process according to the present invention;

[0090] Figure 7 is a schematically simplified flow diagram of a subsequent separation process, which is part of the method according to the invention;

[0091] Figure 8 is a schematically simplified flow diagram of a further subsequent separation process which is also part of the method according to the invention;

[0092] Fig. 9 is a schematically simplified flow diagram of a further subsequent separation process which is also part of the method according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0093] In the following, the sequence of an embodiment variant of the method according to the invention and the structure of an embodiment variant of the device according to the invention for treating batteries for recovering the materials contained therein will be explained in more detail.

[0094] The actual method of comminuting batteries and separating components first involves a preliminary process 1, which is carried out according to Figure 1. In this preliminary process 1 , batteries 2 , for example from vehicles that have reached the end of their service life, and (where applicable) battery cells and / or battery modules that have been sorted during production and need to be disassembled, are disassembled. These batteries, battery cells and / or battery modules 2 (to be understood hereinafter as the general term batteries 2 ), where applicable, are discharged (step 4 ) once after identification of the type (step 3 ), wherein, however, according to the invention, a complete discharge is not intentionally provided, since this is very expensive (as already explained). In addition, it was surprisingly found that a complete discharge is not necessary for the subsequent processing method. As a result, a larger number of batteries 2 can be processed and recycled per unit time, in addition to the methods known in the prior art, which can significantly increase the productivity of the corresponding equipment. The electrical energy 5 obtained during the partial discharge of the battery 2 can be used for other purposes. Other parts 7 of the battery 2 that have accumulated during the disassembly 6 , such as in particular housings, cables, accessories, etc., are sorted and supplied to the recycling management. For this purpose, the different materials are separated from each other and sorted (step 8 ), wherein the remaining materials 9 are then separated by type and can then be recycled. The batteries, battery cells and / or battery modules 10 separated from the battery 2 in this preliminary process are then supplied to a first sub-process 11, which Figure 2 , and explained below based on this diagram.

[0095] The isolated batteries, battery cells and / or battery modules (hereinafter understood as the general term "isolated batteries 10") are first mixed with water 12 and preferably pulverized in a multi-step pulverization process 13 (for example by a pulverizer). The water 12 is continuously supplied and, among other things, serves to dissipate the heat generated in the process so that hydrogen fluoride (HF) is not released. After the pulverization process or step 13, the mixture containing the pulverized batteries and water can be separated (for example by centrifuging the mixture) into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 15 and a second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction 16 (separation step 14).

[0096] The first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 15 (the main fraction containing black matter) obtained according to the separation step 14 preferably contains particle components with a size <3 mm, while the second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction 16 preferably contains particle components with a size >3 mm. The first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 15 can be directly removed from water according to the drying step 17 to obtain a dry graphite-containing fraction 18, which contains the main part of the black matter.

[0097] In the sense of the present invention, "black matter" is understood to mean the most valuable raw materials, which can subsequently be separated by wet-chemical methods, e.g. Figure 5 shown.

[0098] However, the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 15 can also be separated into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 19 free of particle components and a non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction 20 loaded with particle components. For example, this can be sieved in multiple steps, first coarse sieving (step 21) and then fine sieving (step 22) to obtain a non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction 20 loaded with particle components. The first aqueous graphite-rich fraction 19 free of particle components can then be removed from the water, for example by pressing (step 23). After the contaminated water 24 has been purified and treated, the contaminated water 24 can be returned to the water cycle, where applicable, by suitable measures (step 25), and reused in the process.

[0099] The second non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction 16, which may include, for example, small, still-wet particles with a particle size in the range of about 3 mm to about 10 mm, as well as foils and metals, is supplied to a second sub-process 26 for processing. Figure 3 FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 1 and is explained in more detail below based on the diagram.

[0100] according to Figure 3 By means of a further separation step 27, the second non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction 16 is separated into a lighter fraction 28 and a heavier fraction 29, for which purpose, for example, a transverse gas flow can be used when the particles fall freely. The aerosol 31 generated during the separation step or method 27 and comprising part of the first graphite-containing second fraction 33 can be removed from the separation step 27 by means of a suction step 30 and filtered via a separation step 32, so that part of the first graphite-containing second fraction 33 contained therein is separated, or in particular filtered.

[0101] After the above-described separation according to the separation step 27, the heavier metal particles (heavy fraction 29) comprising the main part of the first graphite-containing second fraction 33 can be supplied to a comminution device (in particular an impact mill 34) in which further comminution is carried out. The different fractions obtained in this way can then be separated from each other by a screening process 35, i.e. into a first intermediate fraction with particles in the range of about 250 μm to about 100 μm, a coarser fraction with particles of the order of magnitude of more than 250 μm and a third finer fraction with particles of the order of magnitude of less than 100 μm. The third finer fraction then comprises the main part of the first graphite-containing second fraction 33, is combined with the black matter fraction produced after the separation step or the filtration system 32, and can also be supplied to a wet chemical process (see Figure 5 ).

[0102] Figure 3 The coarser fraction (>250 μm) shown usually contains mainly plastics37. This can be collected38 and returned to the circular economy39, also as Figure 3 On the other hand, the intermediate fraction can be further separated, for example, by means of an air separation stage and / or a magnetic separator 40, so as to collect the metals copper, aluminum and iron according to type 41.

[0103] Figure 4 A third subprocess 42 is shown which describes further processing of the non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction 20 loaded with the particle component (see Figure 2 ). See below.

[0104] The fraction 20 can first be dried in a drying device, in particular a vacuum dryer 43, wherein the condensed water 44 produced in the process can be supplied to the water circuit 25. After the drying device 43, the material can be supplied to a comminution device, in particular an impact mill 45, in which further comminution is carried out. The comminution step is followed by a screening process 46 for separating the fractions obtained in the process. Multiple fractions (for example three) can be combined with the previous Figure 3 The sieving process 35 described in is of the same order of magnitude. With the aid of the sieving process 46, for example, a first intermediate fraction comprising particles of the order of magnitude of about 250 μm to about 100 μm, a coarser fraction comprising particles of the order of magnitude greater than 250 μm, and a third finer fraction comprising particles of the order of magnitude less than 100 μm can be obtained. This third finer fraction comprises a further portion containing black matter 47, which in the present case can contain water. The water can be removed by a separation step, for example by sieving and pressing 48. The dried black matter fraction 49 (=second graphite-containing second fraction) can then initially be mixed directly or, where applicable, mixed with other fractions 18, 33 and then supplied to a wet chemical process (see Figure 5 ).

[0105] The coarser fraction (>250 μm) usually contains mainly plastics 50. This can be collected by type (step 51) and also supplied to recycling management 39. On the other hand, the intermediate fraction can be further separated by, for example, an air separation table and / or a magnetic separator 52 in order to collect the metallic copper, aluminum and iron by type and also send them to recycling management 39.

[0106] The aerosol 55 produced during the comminution step 45 and containing part of the second graphite-containing second fraction 49 can be sucked out of it by the suction step 53 and filtered by the separation step 56, so that part of the second graphite-containing second fraction 49 contained therein is separated, in particular filtered. The black matter fraction 54 produced after passing through the separation step or the filtering system 56 can also be directly or, if applicable, combined with other fractions 18, 33, 49 and then supplied to the wet chemical treatment (see Figure 5 ).

[0107] The following is based on Figure 5 The wet-chemical treatment of the various black matter-containing fractions 18, 33, 49, 54 is explained in more detail (fourth subprocess 57).

[0108] Individual or possibly combined fractions containing black matter 18 , 33 , 49 , 54 can be brought into solution (step 59 ) by means of, for example, aqueous sulphuric acid, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and / or an organic solvent 58 and then subjected to a sieving and / or filtering process 60 .

[0109] The graphite 61 can be separated, collected 62 and returned to the circular economy 39. The metals 63 obtained after the separation are in solution, where applicable, the pH of the solution can be adjusted accordingly depending on the metal (step 64). An extraction 65 can then be carried out, wherein the metal can be extracted and crystallized or re-extracted, for example as metal sulfates. The pH is adjusted depending on the metal (step 64), and the extraction can be done in multiple steps. The metal sulfates 66 of the individual metals of each step can then be separated and collected according to type (step 67) and thus obtained as raw materials 68 for basic industries. As Figure 5 As shown, excess ammonium sulfate 69 may be discharged and recovered 70 .

[0110] Next, first refer to Figure 6, an exemplary structure of an apparatus 71 for the above-mentioned separation process is described in detail based on a plurality of schematic flow charts. As already explained, the batteries 2 are first sorted, disassembled and discharged in the preliminary process 1. The received single batteries, battery cells and / or battery modules 10 are then supplied to a pulverizing device 73 (e.g., a pulverizer) by a conveying device (in particular, a conveyor belt 72 rising in the conveying direction) and are pulverized as a whole in two steps of adding water 12. For this pulverizing process, water 12 is continuously supplied to the pulverizing device 73 via a pipeline 74, which enters the interior of the pulverizing device 73 through an inlet. Below the lower end of the pulverizing device 73 is an input end 75 of a friction washer 76, which includes a screw conveyor equipped with paddles. The friction washer 76 includes a screen located below the inclined screw conveyor. When the pulverized material (particularly a mixture containing pulverized batteries and water) is conveyed from the input end 75 of the screw conveyor to the axially opposite output end 77 (from left to right in the figure) by the screw conveyor, for example, finer material having a particle size of less than 1 mm to less than 3 mm (for example, the first hydrous graphite-rich fraction 15) falls through the screen and enters the buffer tank 79 through the pipeline 78 below the input end 75. On the other hand, for example, coarser material having a particle size of more than 1 mm to more than 3 mm (for example, the second non-hydrous graphite-poor fraction 16) is conveyed to the output end 77 thereof by the screw conveyor arranged in the friction scrubber 76, falls through the opening of the output end 77, and first reaches the silo 81 through the pipeline 80, and is supplied to the second sub-process 26 from the silo 81. Reference will be made later Figure 8 A more detailed explanation of this is given.

[0111] The finer particle fraction (e.g., less than 1 mm to less than 3 mm) is conveyed to a screen 83 by a pump 82, and is further separated into two fractions 19 and 20 by the screen 83, namely, a fraction 19 with a particle size less than, for example, 500 μm (which contains the largest part, for example, about 95% of black matter and about 5% of metal), and a fraction 20 with a particle size greater than, for example, 500 μm (which contains metals (e.g., copper and aluminum) and plastic with adhered black matter). The fraction 20 is supplied to the third subprocess 42 via a pipeline 84 and a screw conveyor 85, which will be referred to later. Fig. 9 For a more detailed explanation.

[0112] Therefore, the separation process 11 shown as an example in the device 71 can be summarized as follows. Water 12 and individual batteries, battery cells and / or modules 10 are supplied to a pulverizer 73, which also serves as a separator in which the materials are first separated. Water is supplied to the pulverizer 73 so as to substantially remove the black matter from other components of the individual batteries 10 and then transport the black matter away. The pulverizer 73 is a completely closed container, which is combined with the housing of a friction scrubber 76, which is located below the container and in which a screw conveyor is located. The combined device has two offset outlets. The first outlet located in the input area 75 of the friction scrubber 76 is connected to a pipeline 78. The second outlet located in the output area 77 of the friction scrubber 76 is connected to a pipeline 80. The mesh size of the screen of the friction scrubber 76 located around the screw conveyor can be used to determine the size of smaller particles that allow the screen to pass through the first outlet.

[0113] In the pulverizer 73, the small parts are swirled in the water, thereby washing away the black matter. Due to the collision of the small parts with the housing and flow guides of the pulverizer 73 during the transport of the particles in the device, the black matter is additionally removed from the battery parts. The screw conveyor in the friction washer 76 below the pulverizer 73 includes at least one mixer shaft with radially arranged levers, which, due to their shape, in addition to turbulence, force the direction of movement from the input end 75 towards the output end 77 with the second outlet. Due to the separation process in the pulverizer / separator 73, metal and plastic parts leave the device via the second outlet in the output area 77 of the screw conveyor, while the black matter falls through the screen with the water and leaves the device via the first outlet in the input area 75 of the screw conveyor. Further separation of the material is then carried out by means of a further screen 83, through which larger particles, in particular plastic particles with a size of more than 500 μm, for example, are separated from the black matter transported in the water. The mesh size of the additional screen 83 can be varied so that smaller particles, for example in the range of about 100 μm to about 1 mm, preferably in the range of about 100 μm to about 500 μm, are separated.

[0114] The finer fraction of particles with a size less than 500 μm enters tank 86 and is then supplied by another pump 87 via line 88 to a further separation process of the first subprocess 11, which will be referred to below. Figure 7 Explain in more detail.

[0115] according to Figure 7Flow chart of the invention, the finer fraction 19 is conveyed via line 88 to a circulation tank 89 equipped with a stirrer, wherein a partial flow leaves the circulation tank 89 via line 90 and is conveyed to a filter press 91, where it is dried by separating water. The organic waste gas can be used for heating, which is supplied to the filter press 91 via line 92. In addition, compressed air is supplied to the filter press 91 via line 93. A partial flow of this particle fraction diluted with water can be conveyed by a pump 95 via line 94 through a heat exchanger 96 and returned from the exchanger 96 via a return line 97 according to Figure 6 Hot tap water flows in countercurrent through the heat exchanger 96 , which hot tap water reaches the heat exchanger 96 via the line 98 , so that the recirculating material flow can be preheated in this way. Figure 7 The product of the process shown is a dry black matter-containing fraction 18, which leaves the filter press 91 via line 99 and can be temporarily stored in a barrel 100. Here, the black matter is already present in a relatively high purity of, for example, about 95%, wherein it comprises residual moisture in the range of about 20% to 30%. This black matter-containing fraction 18 can be used as input material for further wet-chemical processing methods, which are Figure 5 and has been described above.

[0116] In the following, reference Figure 8 Explaining the further separation process 26 in more detail, the further separation process 26 involves Figure 6 The first comminution process produces a fraction of coarse material 16. The separation process 26 is mainly used to separate the diaphragm foil of the separated battery 10 from the plastic and metal particles. The coarse fraction from the silo 81 first reaches the cyclone separator 102 via the pipeline 101, in which centrifugal separation occurs. This fraction is then supplied to the zigzag separator 103, in which a method using density differences is used to separate metals and plastics. The transverse air flow separates the free-falling heavier metals from the lighter plastic residual materials and film residual materials. As already described in Figure 3 As explained in , the black matter on the metal can then be pulverized in an impact mill. This can then be transferred to a transport container 105 via a pipeline 104 and then supplied to a wet chemical process. The lighter plastic particles can be supplied to another cyclone separator 107 via a blower 106, and the particles separated in the cyclone separator 107 can be collected in a container 108. The exhaust gas from the two cyclone separators 102, 107 can be discharged via a pipeline 109 and supplied to a cleaning method (such as a scrubber, etc.).

[0117] In accordance with Figure 6The coarse-grained fraction 20 separated in the separation process has particles larger than 500 μm, a maximum size of about 2-3 mm, and mainly contains copper, aluminum, iron, plastic and adherent black matter. The coarse-grained fraction 20 is separated according to Fig. 9 The black matter fraction 49 obtained can be supplied from the vacuum dryer 111 via the line 112 to the barrel 113, where it is collected. From the barrel 113, the black matter fraction 49 can be supplied via the output line 114 to the black matter fraction obtained in other separation processes and treated by wet chemistry, as already mentioned with reference to Figure 5 The water vapor separated in the vacuum dryer 111 can be supplied to the condenser 116 via the pipeline 115, and condensed in the condenser 116, and then collected in the condensation tank 117. Industrial cooling water can be used to cool the steam, and the industrial cooling water is supplied to the condenser 116 via the pipeline 118.

[0118] Reference Table

[0119] 1. Preparation

[0120] 2 Batteries / Battery Cells / Battery Modules

[0121] 3 Identification steps

[0122] 4 Discharge steps

[0123] 5 Energy

[0124] 6 Disassembly

[0125] 7 Battery components

[0126] 8 Separation and / or sorting steps

[0127] 9 Classified residual materials

[0128] 10 Separated batteries / battery cells / battery modules

[0129] 11 First sub-process / separation process

[0130] 12 Water

[0131] 13 Crushing process

[0132] 14 Separation steps

[0133] 15. First aqueous graphite-rich fraction

[0134] 16. Second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction

[0135] 17 Drying Steps

[0136] 18 Dried graphite-containing fraction / black matter-containing fraction

[0137] 19 The first aqueous graphite-rich fraction free of particulate components

[0138] 20 Non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction loaded with particle components

[0139] 21 Screening steps

[0140] 22 Screening steps

[0141] 23 Extrusion Steps

[0142] 24 Polluted Water

[0143] 25 Water treatment steps / water cycle

[0144] 26 Second sub-process / separation process

[0145] 27 Separation step / separation device

[0146] 28 Light fraction

[0147] 29 heavy points

[0148] 30 suction steps

[0149] 31 Aerosol comprising a first graphite-containing second fraction

[0150] 32 Separation steps / filtration systems

[0151] 33 The first graphite-containing second fraction (containing black matter fraction)

[0152] 34. Crushing device / impact mill

[0153] 35 Screening process

[0154] 37 Plastic

[0155] 38 Collection

[0156] 39 Recycling Management

[0157] 40 Air separation table / magnetic separator

[0158] 41 Collection

[0159] 42 The third subprocess

[0160] 43 Drying device / vacuum dryer

[0161] 44 Condensation

[0162] 45. Crushing device / impact mill

[0163] 46 Screening process

[0164] 47 Additional black matter fraction

[0165] 48 Separation steps / screening and pressing

[0166] 49 Dried black matter fraction / second graphite-containing second fraction (black matter-containing fraction)

[0167] 50 Plastic

[0168] 51 Collection

[0169] 52 Air separation table / magnetic separator

[0170] 53 Suction Steps

[0171] 54 Black matter fraction

[0172] 55 Second aerosol containing the second fraction of graphite

[0173] 56 Separation steps / filtration system

[0174] 57 The fourth sub-process

[0175] 58 Solvent

[0176] 59 Dissolve

[0177] 60 Screening and / or filtration processes

[0178] 61 Graphite

[0179] 62 Collection

[0180] 63 metal solution

[0181] 64 pH adjustment

[0182] 65 Extraction

[0183] 66 Metal Sulfate

[0184] 67 Collection

[0185] 68 raw materials

[0186] 69 Ammonium sulfate

[0187] 70 Recycling

[0188] 71 Equipment

[0189] 72 Conveyor device / conveyor belt

[0190] 73 Crushing device / crusher

[0191] 74 pipeline

[0192] 75 Input

[0193] 76 Separation device / friction scrubber

[0194] 77 Output

[0195] 78 Line for the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction

[0196] 79 Buffer tank

[0197] 80 Line for the second non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction

[0198] 81 Silo

[0199] 82 Pumps

[0200] 83 Separation device / screen

[0201] 84 Line for non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction loaded with particulate components

[0202] 85 Screw Conveyor

[0203] 86 cans

[0204] 87 Pump

[0205] 88 Line for a first non-aqueous graphite-rich fraction free of particulate components

[0206] 89 Circulation tank

[0207] 90 pipeline

[0208] 91 Filter Press

[0209] 92 pipeline

[0210] 93 pipeline

[0211] 94 pipeline

[0212] 95 Pumps

[0213] 96 Heat Exchanger

[0214] 97 Return line

[0215] 98 pipeline

[0216] 99 Line for drying the graphite-containing fraction

[0217] 100 barrels

[0218] 101 pipeline

[0219] 102 Cyclone separator

[0220] 103 Separator / Zigzag Separator

[0221] 104 Pipeline, heavy fraction

[0222] 105 Transport Container

[0223] 106 Blower

[0224] 107 Cyclone separator

[0225] 108 Container

[0226] 109 Pipeline for exhaust gas

[0227] 110 Supply line for non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction loaded with particulate components

[0228] 111 Vacuum Dryer

[0229] 112 pipeline

[0230] 113 barrels

[0231] 114 Output line for black matter

[0232] 115 Line to condenser

[0233] 116 Condenser

[0234] 117 Condensate tank

[0235] 118 Pipeline for cooling water

Claims

1. A method for treating and recycling lithium-ion batteries, comprising at least one step in which the batteries (2, 10) are comminuted in the presence of an aqueous medium (12), characterized in that Water (12) is added to the pulverizing device (73) to pulverize the battery (2, 10) with a residual charge of not more than 30%, wherein the water (12) is supplied in an amount and at a temperature such that the mixture is not heated to more than 40°C, preferably not more than 30°C during the pulverizing process.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that Based on 1000 kg of battery (2, 10), water (12) is added at 20 m 3 / h to 200m 3 / h supply.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The water (12) is supplied at a temperature below room temperature, preferably at a temperature in the range of 5°C to 20°C.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The comminution is carried out in at least two steps, so that the battery (2, 10) is initially coarsely comminuted in a first step and then finely comminuted in a second step.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A mixture comprising pulverized batteries and water is separated into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction (15), which may optionally also contain metal oxides, and a second non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction (16).

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The separation into the first fraction and the second fraction (15, 16) is carried out in two separate process steps, so that the mixture is first separated in the first process step: i) into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction and a second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction, wherein the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction comprises a particle component having a size <5000 μm, preferably a size <4000 μm, more preferably a size <3000 μm, even more preferably a size <2000 μm, and the second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction comprises a particle component having a size >5000 μm, preferably a size >4000 μm, more preferably a size >3000 μm, even more preferably a size >2000 μm, and optionally, ii) Then, in a second process step, the first aqueous graphite-rich fraction comprising a particle component having a size of <5000 μm, preferably a size of <4000 μm, more preferably a size of <3000 μm, and even more preferably a size of <2000 μm is separated into a first aqueous graphite-rich fraction (19) free of particle components and a non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction (20) loaded with the particle component fraction.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The first aqueous graphite-rich fraction (15) and optionally the fraction free of particulate components (19) are removed from water to obtain a dry graphite-containing fraction (18).

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The water obtained is collected and then cooled by passing through a heat exchanger (96) before being returned to the comminution device (73) and / or the mixture containing comminuted batteries and water.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 5 to 8, characterized in that The second non-aqueous graphite-poor fraction (16), optionally comprising a particle component with a size of >5000 μm, preferably with a size of >4000 μm, more preferably with a size of >3000 μm, and even more preferably with a size of >2000 μm, is separated into a bulk density of at least 0.02 kg / m by a separation device, in particular a zigzag separator (103). 3 The heavy fraction (29) comprises a particle component having a maximum bulk density of 0.40 kg / m 3 The particle component of the light fraction (28).

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The heavy fraction (29) comprising the first graphite-containing second fraction (33) is fed to a further comminution device (34), in particular an impact mill, and comminuted therein.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that The comminuted heavy fraction (29) comprising the first graphite-containing second fraction (33) is separated into pure metal fractions.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, characterized in that The aerosol (31) produced during the separation process and / or comminution process and containing part of the first graphite-containing second fraction is sucked off, and part of the first graphite-containing second fraction (33) contained therein is separated, in particular filtered.

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 6 to 12, characterized in that The non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction loaded with the particle component (20) is optionally dried by a drying device (43), in particular a vacuum dryer (43, 111).

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that The steam condensate produced during the drying process is first condensed into hot water and, optionally, then cooled by a heat exchanger.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that The dry non-aqueous graphite-depleted fraction (20) loaded with the particle component, which comprises the second graphite-containing second fraction (49), is supplied to a further comminution device (45), in particular an impact mill, and comminuted.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The comminuted fraction comprising the second graphite-containing second fraction (49) is separated into further pure metal fractions.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that The aerosol (55) produced during the comminution process and containing part of the second graphite-containing second fraction (49) is sucked off, and part of the second graphite-containing second fraction (49) contained therein is separated, in particular filtered.

18. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 7 to 17, characterized in that The dried graphite-containing fraction (18) and / or the first and / or second graphite-containing second fraction (33, 49) are mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid to obtain a graphite-containing slurry, and the obtained graphite-containing slurry is directly filtered to obtain graphite (61) and a sulfuric acid solution.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that The filtered graphite (61) is cleaned, in particular rinsed with water.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that The sulphuric acid solution comprising at least one metal of the first main group and / or a metal of the third main group and / or at least one metal of sub-groups 7 to 11 is subjected to hydrochemical separation and / or hydrochemical extraction.

21. A device (71) for processing and recycling lithium-containing batteries, wherein the device (71) is preferably designed to implement the method according to any of the preceding claims, the device (71) comprising at least one comminution device (73) having a comminution unit that can circulate an aqueous medium, characterized in that The apparatus (71) further comprises at least one first separating device (76), which is located downstream of the comminuting device (73) in the conveying line, and which comprises at least one screen suitable for separating the material obtained in the comminuting device (73) into at least two fractions (15, 16) having different particle sizes.

22. The device (71) according to claim 21, characterized in that The comminution unit comprises at least two comminution steps which are arranged one below the other with respect to gravity.

23. The device (71) according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that At least one of the first separation devices (76) has a further separation device (83) downstream of the conveying line, the further separation device comprising at least one screen (83) suitable for separating at least one fraction (15) previously separated in the first separation device (76) into at least two further fractions (19, 20) having different particle sizes.

24. The device (71) according to any one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that At least one of the first separation devices (76) comprises a downstream drying device, preferably a filter press (91) or a vacuum dryer (43, 111), for drying the fractions previously separated by the separation device (19, 20).

25. The device (71) according to any one of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that At least one of the comminution devices is designed as an impact mill (34, 45), wherein the impact mill (34, 45) is located downstream of at least one separation device (76) in the conveying line and serves to further reduce the particle size of the previously separated fractions (20, 29).

26. The device (71) according to any one of claims 21 to 25, characterized in that The device (71) comprises at least one further separating device (27, 103), by means of which the freely falling lighter and heavier particles are separated from one another by means of a transverse air flow, wherein the further separating device (27, 103) is located downstream of the conveying path of at least one separating device (76) comprising a screen.

27. The device (71) according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that The device (71) comprises at least one device area in the conveying line downstream of at least one comminution device (73) and downstream of at least one separation device (27, 83, 103), in which area particles of at least one previously separated fraction (18, 33, 49, 54) are dissolved in a liquid medium and then undergo a further separation process, wherein the device area particularly comprises devices for screening and / or pressing and / or pH adjustment and / or extraction and / or crystallization.

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