Efficient and environment-friendly fine disassembly and recovery method for single battery
By combining laser cutting and low-temperature evaporation drying with airflow sorting, the problems of resource waste and high environmental risks in the dismantling of single cells have been solved, achieving efficient and environmentally friendly material separation and improved economic benefits.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing methods for dismantling and recycling single-cell batteries suffer from problems such as resource waste, high environmental risks, and poor economic benefits. In particular, the difficulty of material mixing during crushing, the high-temperature decomposition of the separator increases the load and cost of exhaust gas treatment, and the chlorine source may produce dioxins during pyrolysis.
Laser cutting is used to separate the casing of individual cells, which are then finely divided into the casing, electrode surfaces, and core. The materials are separated by low-temperature evaporation drying and airflow sorting, avoiding the pyrolysis process and using a purely physical method for material separation.
It achieves efficient and environmentally friendly material separation, improves recycling purity and economic benefits, reduces chemical reagent consumption and environmental response costs, and generates revenue through recycled plastics.
Smart Images
Figure CN121839968A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery recycling technology, and in particular to a highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of individual batteries. Background Technology
[0002] After a certain period of use, the energy storage efficiency of new energy batteries will decline to the point where they cannot meet the usage standards. However, the metal materials inside new energy batteries and the coatings on the electrodes (such as lithium cobalt oxide, ternary materials, lithium iron phosphate, etc., collectively referred to as black powder, as well as graphite) have high recycling value. Therefore, the new energy battery dismantling and recycling industry is booming.
[0003] In the entire process of dismantling and recycling new energy batteries, the battery pack is generally first dismantled into individual cells, and then the individual cells are processed to obtain copper, aluminum, electrolyte, black powder, graphite, etc. Currently, the processing method for individual cells is generally the crushing and pyrolysis sorting method. The individual cells are placed in a safe crushing system for crushing, and then the crushed products are fed into a pyrolysis furnace for pyrolysis. Finally, the obtained materials are sorted in stages to separate copper particles, aluminum particles, and black powder of different purity levels. However, existing methods for processing individual battery cells have the following problems: 1. During crushing, the entire battery cell is crushed, and all materials are mixed into the fragments, increasing the difficulty of subsequent sorting. Some materials are also discarded due to the difficulty of sorting, resulting in resource waste. 2. During pyrolysis, the separator is decomposed at high temperatures, rendering it worthless for recycling. Furthermore, the decomposition of the separator into oil, gas, and carbon residue increases the load and cost of exhaust gas treatment. 3. The temperature inside the pyrolysis furnace is high during pyrolysis. If the temperature is not properly controlled, the chlorine source in the battery cell materials can lead to the generation of dioxins. Therefore, an expensive exhaust gas treatment system is necessary; otherwise, there are significant safety and environmental pollution risks. These factors make the current crushing-pyrolysis sorting method neither economically efficient nor environmentally friendly. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of individual batteries, aiming to solve the problems of low economic efficiency and environmental unfriendliness in the dismantling and recycling of individual batteries in the prior art.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this invention provides a highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries, comprising the following steps: S1, discharging the single-cell battery; S2, draining the electrolyte from the single-cell battery; S3, laser-cutting the casing of the single-cell battery, and then disassembling the single-cell battery to obtain the casing, electrode terminals, and core; S4, determining the type of single-cell battery: for single-cell batteries where the voltage is detected as 0V in step S1 and no electrolyte is drained in step S2, they are determined to be unfilled single-cell batteries, and step S5 is executed; otherwise, they are determined to be filled single-cell batteries, and steps S6 to S8 are executed; S5, unwinding the core to obtain the positive electrode sheet, negative electrode sheet, and separator; de-powdering the positive electrode sheet to obtain black powder and aluminum foil; de-powdering the negative electrode sheet to obtain graphite and copper foil; S6, performing low-temperature evaporation and drying treatment on the core; unwinding the core. S7. The positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator are obtained; S8. The positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator are subjected to low-temperature evaporation and drying treatment; S9. The dried positive electrode is crushed, screened to remove black powder, stripped of lumps, and separated by air separation and gravity separation to remove black powder and aluminum; The dried negative electrode is crushed, screened to remove graphite, stripped of lumps, and separated by air separation and gravity separation to remove graphite and copper; The dried separator is crushed, separated by air separation to remove separator fragments, dry-ground separator fragments, and screened to remove recycled plastic.
[0006] Furthermore, in step S8, while processing the diaphragm, recycled plastic is sieved out to obtain powder, and the powder is air-separated to obtain black powder.
[0007] Further, in step S2, the method for draining the electrolyte from the single cell is to drill holes on both sides of the single cell, with the hole on one side being higher and the hole on the other side being at the lowest point on that side. The higher hole is connected to the air blowing pipe, and the lower hole is connected to the drain pipe. Air is blown into the single cell through the air blowing pipe to make the electrolyte flow out from the drain pipe.
[0008] Further, in step S3, the method for laser cutting the casing of a single battery cell is as follows: clamping the two sides of the single battery cell, and using a laser head to perform circumferential and transverse cuts on the single battery cell; wherein, circumferential cutting involves cutting circumferential cutting tracks at the edges of the top surface, bottom surface, and the two sides of the single battery cell near the electrode surfaces, and transverse cutting involves cutting transverse cutting tracks at the two sides and rear end surfaces of the single battery cell, and the transverse cutting tracks are connected to the circumferential cutting tracks. During circumferential cutting, the single battery cell is driven to rotate around a first rotation axis perpendicular to the electrode surfaces of the single battery cell, and during transverse cutting, the laser head is driven to rotate around a second rotation axis perpendicular to the top surface of the single battery cell.
[0009] Further, in step S3, a laser cutting device is used to laser cut the casing of the individual battery. The laser cutting device includes a laser cutting unit and a clamping unit. The laser cutting unit includes a laser head, a three-way module for driving the laser head to slide in three directions, and a first rotary drive mechanism for driving the laser head to rotate around a second rotary axis. The clamping unit includes a chuck and a second rotary drive mechanism for driving the chuck to rotate around a first rotary axis. When clamping the individual battery, the electrode end face of the individual battery extends out of the chuck in the direction extending along the first rotary axis. When performing circumferential cutting, the chuck rotates around the first rotary axis so that the top surface, bottom surface, and the edges of the two sides of the individual battery near the electrode end face are opposite to the laser head. When performing transverse cutting, the laser head rotates around the second rotary axis so that the two sides and the rear end face of the individual battery are opposite to the laser head.
[0010] Furthermore, the first rotating shaft extends horizontally, and the second rotating shaft extends vertically. The clamping device is also equipped with a tray, a lifting mechanism, and a rotary lifting cylinder. When the chuck rotates so that the single cell faces downward, the tray supports the single cell from bottom to top. The lifting mechanism is used to drive the rotary lifting cylinder to rise and fall relative to the chuck. The tray is installed at the movable end of the rotary lifting cylinder. Before cross-cutting, the rotary lifting cylinder extends and puts the tray in a clearance state. The lifting mechanism drives the rotary lifting cylinder and the tray to fall, and the tray is lower than the laser cutting trajectory. Before circumferential cutting, the lifting mechanism drives the rotary lifting cylinder and the tray to rise. The rotary lifting cylinder retracts and puts the tray in a clamping state, and the tray presses down on the single cell.
[0011] Furthermore, in step S3, the method for splitting the single cell is as follows: a switch is inserted into the single cell through the circumferential cutting track to cut off the connection between the electrode end face and the core, the electrode end face is removed and collected, the upper half of the casing is removed and collected, the core is sent to the subsequent process equipment, and the lower half of the casing is removed and collected.
[0012] Furthermore, in step S3, a multi-functional splitting device is used when splitting the individual battery. The multi-functional splitting device includes a sliding module and a switch, a suction cup mechanism, and a clamping mechanism installed on the sliding module. The switch is used to cut out the electrode end face and remove it from the individual battery. The suction cup mechanism is used to pick up the housing and transfer it. The clamping mechanism is used to clamp the core and transfer it.
[0013] Furthermore, in step S3, when laser cutting the individual battery, the hydrogen concentration in the cutting space and the surface temperature of the non-cutting position of the individual battery are detected. When the hydrogen concentration rises and the surface temperature of the non-cutting position of the individual battery rises abnormally, the thermal runaway prevention program is activated. Under the thermal runaway prevention program, the clamping device releases the individual battery into a fire extinguishing water tank.
[0014] Furthermore, the clamping device includes a receiving surface for receiving individual cells, and a temperature sensor is installed on the receiving surface to detect the surface temperature of the individual cells; a hydrogen sensor is installed on the laser head; a receiving device is provided below the clamping device, which includes an electrolyte collection tank and a fire extinguishing water tank, with the fire extinguishing water tank located below the electrolyte collection tank. The electrolyte collection tank can slide to a position below the clamping device to receive electrolyte flowing out of the individual cells, and the electrolyte collection tank can also slide away from below the clamping device so that the fire extinguishing water tank can receive individual cells falling from the clamping device; when the thermal runaway prevention procedure is activated, the clamping device rotates the individual cells so that the individual cells face downwards, and then the clamping device releases the individual cells, which fall downwards.
[0015] This invention provides a highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries. Steps S1 to S3 involve the refined dismantling of the single-cell battery, separating the electrolyte, casing, electrode surfaces, and core components to effectively prevent cross-contamination between different materials during subsequent processing. Steps S4 to S8 then precisely separate the high-value materials within the core, resulting in high-purity materials and achieving significant economic benefits from the dismantling and recycling process. Throughout this recycling method, no pyrolysis furnace is required, avoiding the generation of dioxins and thus greatly reducing environmental risks and costs. The separation of materials within the core is performed entirely using purely physical methods without the addition of any reagents. This dry separation method significantly reduces the consumption of chemical reagents and avoids the costs associated with chemical reagent treatment, further lowering costs. Furthermore, the separator within the core is also separated to obtain recycled plastic, turning waste into treasure and generating revenue through the sale of recycled plastic, thereby improving economic efficiency. In summary, this recycling method offers higher economic benefits, and significantly improves environmental friendliness and safety compared to existing technologies. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the efficient and environmentally friendly single-cell battery refining dismantling and recycling method of the present invention;
[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a single battery cell;
[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of draining the electrolyte from a single battery cell;
[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the trajectory during laser cutting of the casing of a single battery cell;
[0020] Figure 5 This is a 3D structural diagram of the laser cutting equipment and the receiving device;
[0021] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the clamping device;
[0022] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the clamping device holding the battery.
[0023] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the process of disassembling a single battery cell;
[0024] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the multi-functional splitting device.
[0025] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0026] 01. Single cell; 011. Side; 012. Top; 013. Terminal face; 014. Core; 015. Hole; 016. Circumferential cutting track; 017. Transverse cutting track; 018. First rotation axis; 019. Second rotation axis; 020. Housing;
[0027] 1. Laser cutting device; 11. Laser head; 12. Three-dimensional module; 13. First rotary drive mechanism; 14. Hydrogen sensor;
[0028] 2. Clamping device; 21. Chuck; 22. Second rotary drive mechanism; 23. Pallet; 24. Lifting mechanism; 25. Rotary lifting cylinder; 26. Temperature sensor;
[0029] 3. Multifunctional splitting device; 31. Sliding module; 32. Knife gate; 33. Suction cup mechanism; 34. Clamping mechanism;
[0030] 4. Receiving device; 41. Electrolyte collection tank; 42. Fire extinguishing water tank. Detailed Implementation
[0031] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.
[0032] In this embodiment, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "set in," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or a connection through one or more intermediate media. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this embodiment based on the specific circumstances. The directional terms appearing in this embodiment are for the purpose of better describing the characteristics of the features and the relationships between them. It should be understood that when the placement direction of this embodiment changes, the direction of the characteristics of the features and the relationships between them also changes accordingly. Therefore, directional terms do not constitute an absolute limitation on the characteristics of the features and the relationships between them in space, but only a relative limitation.
[0033] The existing single cell structure is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, it includes a square outer shell, one end face of which is an electrode end face 013 with positive and negative electrodes, and the inside of the outer shell contains a core 014 and is filled with electrolyte.
[0034] This invention provides a highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:
[0035] S1. Discharge the individual battery cells. By releasing the charge of the individual battery cells to a safe voltage, the stored electrical energy inside the cells is eliminated, effectively reducing the risk of combustion or explosion during subsequent cutting. The discharge process utilizes a discharge cabinet found in existing technology.
[0036] S2. Drain the electrolyte from the individual battery cells. The electrolyte contains organic solvents and lithium salts, and is volatile, flammable, and toxic. Draining it in advance can reduce subsequent processing costs and improve the purity of the recovered products.
[0037] S3. The casing of the individual battery is laser-cut. After cutting, the individual battery is disassembled to obtain the casing 020, the electrode end face 013, and the core 014. Laser cutting of the individual battery allows for easy control of the cutting trajectory and depth, quickly adapting to different battery models and specifications. Furthermore, laser cutting avoids the problems associated with sawing, such as difficulty in controlling the cutting depth, which could damage the core 014 or introduce impurities from the casing into it. The casing 020 and electrode end face 013 obtained after disassembly can be directly recycled as materials, preventing them from entering subsequent separation processes, reducing subsequent separation costs, and achieving precision.
[0038] S4. Determine the type of individual battery. For individual batteries that are detected to have a voltage of 0V in step S1 and have no electrolyte discharged in step S2, they are determined to be individual batteries that have not been injected with electrolyte, and step S5 is executed. The others are determined to be individual batteries that have been injected with electrolyte, and steps S6 to S8 are executed. In the field of single-cell battery recycling, there is a situation where a single-cell battery has been assembled, but a problem occurred during assembly and was detected in advance, so it was scrapped before electrolyte was injected. Such single-cell batteries also need to be disassembled and recycled. However, since they have not been injected with electrolyte, the positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator are not attached to electrolyte and have not reacted with electrolyte. Therefore, the black powder attached to the positive electrode and the graphite attached to the negative electrode are very easy to remove. At the same time, the separator can also be directly recycled. Therefore, single-cell batteries that have not been injected with electrolyte can be recycled through a simpler process, and step S5 is executed. In contrast, in single-cell batteries that have been injected with electrolyte, the black powder and graphite are firmly attached to the electrode, making it difficult to remove the powder and resulting in more impurities. Therefore, steps S6 to S8 are executed.
[0039] S5. The core is unwound to obtain the positive electrode sheet, negative electrode sheet, and separator, achieving physical separation of the core materials within the single battery cell. Subsequent separate processing of these three materials is a crucial step in refined recycling. Unwinding can be done manually or using existing unwinding equipment. The positive electrode sheet is de-powdered to obtain black powder and aluminum foil; the negative electrode sheet is de-powdered to obtain graphite and copper foil. In this step, simple physical de-powdering methods such as vibration or grinding can efficiently separate the powder from the electrode sheets.
[0040] S6. The core is subjected to low-temperature evaporation and drying. First, the core is evaporated and dried at a low temperature to evaporate the electrolyte on the surface, which makes it easier to unwind later and also prevents the negative electrode from spontaneously combusting after unwinding. Then, the core is unwound to obtain the positive electrode, negative electrode and separator, realizing the physical separation of the core materials in the single cell. The subsequent separate processing of these three materials is a key step in the fine recycling.
[0041] S7. The positive electrode, negative electrode, and separator are subjected to low-temperature evaporation and drying. Low-temperature evaporation removes residual electrolyte from the electrodes and separator, fundamentally eliminating the risk of generating harmful gases or causing fires during subsequent crushing. The dried material is more brittle, making subsequent crushing, peeling, and sorting easier. The low-temperature evaporation and drying process utilizes a low-temperature tunnel drying oven, a technology already in use.
[0042] S8. The dried positive electrode sheet is crushed into smaller pieces. The crushed material is initially screened. During crushing, some black powder will fall off, so this part of the black powder is screened out and collected first to reduce the processing pressure of subsequent processing equipment. The screened pieces are peeled off to remove the remaining adhering substances. The black powder is separated by air separation. The remaining material is then subjected to gravity separation to obtain aluminum. Thus, the most valuable black powder and aluminum on the positive electrode sheet have been separated. The dried negative electrode sheet is crushed into smaller pieces. The crushed material is initially screened. During crushing, some graphite will fall off, so this part of the graphite is screened out and collected first to reduce the processing pressure of subsequent processing equipment. The screened pieces are peeled off to remove the remaining adhering substances. The graphite is then separated by air separation. The remaining material is then subjected to gravity separation to obtain copper. Thus, the most valuable graphite and copper on the negative electrode sheet have been separated. The dried diaphragm is broken into fragments, which are then separated using airflow separation. Adhesive residues on the fragments are removed by dry grinding, and finally, recycled plastic is sieved out. Further, powder is obtained during the sieving of the recycled plastic. This powder, in addition to the diaphragm coating material, also contains black powder that has detached from the positive electrode and adhered to the diaphragm. This black powder is also worth recycling; therefore, it is airflow separated to obtain the black powder. The above method processes the three materials separately, further demonstrating the refined dismantling of this embodiment and resulting in higher purity of the recycled materials.
[0043] Through the above-described steps, this efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of individual batteries first performs refined dismantling of the individual batteries in steps S1 to S3, meticulously separating the electrolyte, casing, electrode surfaces, and core components. This effectively avoids cross-contamination between different materials during subsequent processing. Then, steps S4 to S8 precisely separate the high-value materials within the core, resulting in high-purity materials and achieving significant economic benefits from dismantling and recycling. Throughout this recycling process, no pyrolysis furnace is required, avoiding the generation of dioxins and thus greatly reducing environmental risks and costs. The separation of materials within the core is performed entirely using purely physical methods without the addition of any reagents. This dry separation method significantly reduces the consumption of chemical reagents and avoids the costs associated with chemical reagent treatment, further lowering costs. Furthermore, the separator within the core is also separated to obtain recycled plastic, turning waste into treasure and generating revenue through the sale of recycled plastic, thereby improving economic efficiency.
[0044] In this embodiment, as Figure 3As shown, in step S2, the method for draining the electrolyte from the single cell is to drill holes 015 on two sides 011 of the single cell 01, with the hole on one side 011 being higher and the hole on the other side 011 being at the lowest position of that side 011. The higher hole 015 is connected to the air blowing pipe, and the lower hole 015 is connected to the drain pipe. Air is blown into the single cell 01 through the air blowing pipe to make the electrolyte flow out from the drain pipe.
[0045] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 As shown, in step S3, the method for laser cutting the casing of a single battery cell is as follows: the two sides 011 of the single battery cell 01 are clamped, and the laser head 11 is used to perform circumferential and transverse cuts on the single battery cell 01. The circumferential cut involves cutting circumferential tracks 016 at the edges of the top surface 012, bottom surface, and the two sides 011 near the electrode end faces 013 of the single battery cell 01. The transverse cut involves cutting transverse tracks 017 at the two sides 011 and rear end face of the single battery cell 01. The transverse tracks 017 are connected to the circumferential tracks 016. During the circumferential cut, the single battery cell 01 is driven to rotate around a first rotation axis 018 perpendicular to the electrode end faces 013 of the single battery cell 01. During the transverse cut, the laser head 11 is driven to rotate around a second rotation axis 019 perpendicular to the top surface 012 of the single battery cell 01. Through the above cutting, a shape such as... can be cut out of the single battery cell 01. Figure 4 The annular tangent trajectory 016 and the transverse tangent trajectory 017, under the combined action of the annular tangent trajectory 016 and the transverse tangent trajectory 017, allow the outer casing of the single cell 01 to decompose into the following: Figure 8 The three parts shown are the upper half of the housing 020, the upper half of the housing 020 and the electrode end face 013. The winding core 014 inside the housing is then separated from the housing.
[0046] In this embodiment, in step S3, a laser cutting device is used to laser cut the casing of the individual battery cell, such as... Figures 5 to 7As shown, the laser cutting equipment includes a laser cutting device 1 and a clamping device 2. The laser cutting device 1 includes a laser head 11, a three-way module 12 for driving the laser head 11 to slide in three directions, and a first rotary drive mechanism 13 for driving the laser head 11 to rotate around a second rotary axis 019. The clamping device 2 includes a chuck 21 and a second rotary drive mechanism 22 for driving the chuck 21 to rotate around a first rotary axis 018. When clamping a single battery 01, the electrode end face 013 of the single battery 01 extends out of the chuck 21 in the direction extending along the first rotary axis 018. When performing circumferential cutting, the chuck 21 rotates around the first rotary axis 018 so that the edges of the top surface 012, bottom surface, and two side surfaces 011 of the single battery 01, respectively, near the electrode end face 013, are opposite to the laser head 11. For example, the chuck 21 first aligns one edge of the electrode end face 013 horizontally and upwards (e.g., top face 012 upwards). During the circumferential cutting, the laser head 11 does not need to rotate but needs to be raised and lowered to a suitable height. Then, the laser head 11 translates along the edge direction to cut, leaving a cutting trajectory at the edge of the top face 012 near the electrode end face 013. Afterwards, the chuck 21 rotates 90 degrees, the laser head 11 is raised and lowered to a suitable height, and then the laser head 11 translates along the edge direction to cut, leaving a cutting trajectory at the edge of the side face 011 near the electrode end face 013. After the above four cuts, the four cutting trajectories form the circumferential cutting trajectory 016. When performing transverse cutting, the laser head 11 rotates around the second rotation axis 019 so that the two sides 011 and the rear end face of the single cell 01 are opposite to the laser head 11. For example, the chuck 21 is first rotated so that the single cell 01 is above the chuck 21. Then, the laser head 11 is translated to align with one of the sides 011. The laser head 11 translates and cuts along the direction of side 011, leaving a cutting trajectory on one side 011. Then, the laser head 11 rotates 90 degrees around the second rotation axis 019 and is translated to align with the back side. The laser head 11 translates and cuts along the direction of the back side, leaving a cutting trajectory on the back side. Then, the laser head 11 rotates another 90 degrees around the second rotation axis 019 and is translated to align with the other side 011. The laser head 11 translates and cuts along the direction of the other side 011, leaving a cutting trajectory on the other side 011. The cutting trajectories of the two sides 011 and the back side are connected to form the transverse cutting trajectory 017. It can be seen that the rotation required for cutting the circumferential cutting trajectory 016 is provided by the second rotation drive mechanism 22 on the clamping device 2, while the rotation required for cutting the transverse cutting trajectory 017 is provided by the first rotation drive mechanism 13 on the laser cutting assembly. This simplifies the structure of the clamping device 2.
[0047] In this embodiment, the first rotating shaft 018 extends horizontally, and the second rotating shaft 019 extends vertically. The clamping device 2 is also provided with a support plate 23, a lifting mechanism 24, and a rotary lifting cylinder 25. When the clamp 21 rotates so that the single cell 01 faces downward, the support plate 23 supports the single cell 01 from bottom to top. The lifting mechanism 24 is used to drive the rotary lifting cylinder 25 to rise and fall relative to the clamp 21. The support plate 23 is installed at the movable end of the rotary lifting cylinder 25. Before the transverse cut, the rotary lifting cylinder 25 extends and the support plate 23 is in a clearance state. The lifting mechanism 24 drives the rotary lifting cylinder 25 and the support plate 23 to fall, and the support plate 23 is lower than the laser cutting trajectory. Before the circumferential cut, the lifting mechanism 24 drives the rotary lifting cylinder 25 and the support plate 23 to rise. The rotary lifting cylinder 25 retracts and the support plate 23 is in a clamping state, and the support plate 23 presses down on the single cell 01. Although the clamp 21 can provide a certain clamping effect, if the clamping force is insufficient when the single battery 01 is facing down, the single battery 01 will fall. Therefore, this embodiment provides a tray 23 to support the single battery 01 and prevent it from falling. To prevent the added support plate 23 from obstructing the laser cutting process, a lifting mechanism 24 and a rotary lifting cylinder 25 are provided. Before the transverse cut, the rotary lifting cylinder 25 extends and puts the support plate 23 in a clearance state (i.e., a state that is offset from the single cell 01). In the clearance state, the support plate 23 will not contact the single cell 01 when it descends. The lifting mechanism 24 drives the rotary lifting cylinder 25 and the support plate 23 to descend. The support plate 23 is lower than the laser cutting trajectory, so the laser head 11 will not be obstructed by the support plate 23, the lifting mechanism 24, and the rotary lifting cylinder 25 when cutting the transverse cutting trajectory 017. Before the circumferential cut, the lifting mechanism 24 drives the rotary lifting cylinder 25 and the support plate 23 to rise. The rotary lifting cylinder 25 retracts and puts the support plate 23 in a clamping state. The support plate 23 presses down on the square cell. In this way, even if the clamping device 2 rotates to make the single cell 01 face down, the single cell 01 will not fall off.
[0048] In this embodiment, in step S3, as follows Figure 8 As shown, the method for disassembling a single battery cell is as follows: a switch 32 is inserted into the single battery cell 01 through the circumferential cutting track 016 to sever the connection between the electrode end face 013 and the core 014. The electrode end face 013 is removed and collected, the upper half of the casing 020 is removed and collected, the core 014 is sent to the subsequent processing equipment, and the lower half of the casing 020 is removed and collected. Through this disassembly method, the single battery cell 01 is separated into the casing 020 (including upper and lower parts), the electrode end face 013 (including a plate and two tabs), and the core 014, facilitating subsequent processing.
[0049] In this embodiment, a multi-functional splitting device 3 is used when splitting the individual battery cells in step S3, such as... Figure 9As shown, the multi-functional disassembly device 3 includes a sliding module 31 and a switch 32, a suction cup mechanism 33, and a clamping mechanism 34 mounted on the sliding module 31. The switch 32 is used to cut out the electrode end face 013 and remove it from the single battery cell 01. The suction cup mechanism 33 is used to pick up the housing 020 and transfer it. The clamping mechanism 34 is used to clamp the core 014 and transfer it. It is easy to understand that the switch 32, the suction cup mechanism 33, and the clamping mechanism 34 are all connected to a lifting mechanism to complete the up and down movement required during operation. When disassembling the cut single battery cell 01, since the cut electrode end face 013 is in sheet shape, it is difficult to pick up later. Therefore, this embodiment uses a downward pushing method to remove the electrode end face 013. Specifically, after the switch 32 completes the cutting, the sliding module 31 drives the switch 32 to move horizontally, and the electrode end face 013 is pushed to the collection device by the horizontal movement. As for the disassembled housing 020, its surface is relatively smooth, so the suction cup mechanism 33 is used for picking up and placing it. The disassembled core 014 has a certain degree of surface flexibility, making it impossible to pick it up with a suction cup. However, it has a certain structural strength in the side, so a clamping mechanism 34 is used for picking it up and putting it in. Preferably, a horizontal rotation mechanism is provided at the bottom of the clamping device 2. After the single cell 01 is cut, the clamping device 2 rotates horizontally to the position of the multi-functional splitting device 3, and the multi-functional splitting device 3 splits the single cell 01.
[0050] In this embodiment, during laser cutting of the single battery cell in step S3, the hydrogen concentration in the cutting space and the surface temperature of the non-cutting location of the single battery cell 01 are detected. When the hydrogen concentration rises and the surface temperature of the non-cutting location of the single battery cell 01 rises abnormally, a thermal runaway prevention procedure is initiated. Under the thermal runaway prevention procedure, the clamping device 2 releases the single battery cell 01 into a fire extinguishing water tank 42. During laser cutting, localized high temperatures are generated. Although the single battery cell 01 has undergone electrolyte draining, it cannot be completely emptied, and some electrolyte will remain. Localized high temperatures can also char the separator and electrode plates, potentially causing thermal runaway. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the risk of thermal runaway. When thermal runaway occurs, hydrogen gas is generated and the temperature rises rapidly. Therefore, this embodiment uses the method of detecting hydrogen concentration and surface temperature at the non-cutting location to determine whether thermal runaway has occurred, and promptly handles it when thermal runaway occurs.
[0051] In this embodiment, the clamping device 2 includes a receiving surface for receiving the individual battery 01, and a temperature sensor 26 is installed on the receiving surface to detect the surface temperature of the individual battery 01; a hydrogen sensor 14 is installed on the laser head 11; a receiving device 4 is provided below the clamping device 2, and the receiving device 4 includes an electrolyte collection tank 41 and a fire extinguishing water tank 42. The fire extinguishing water tank 42 is located below the electrolyte collection tank 41. The electrolyte collection tank 41 can slide to be located below the clamping device 2 to receive the electrolyte flowing out of the individual battery 01. The electrolyte collection tank 41 can also slide away from below the clamping device 2 so that the fire extinguishing water tank 42 can receive the individual battery 01 falling from the clamping device 2; when the thermal runaway prevention program is activated, the clamping device 2 rotates the individual battery 01 so that the individual battery 01 faces downward, and then the clamping device 2 releases the individual battery 01, and the individual battery 01 falls downward. In the above structure, the receiving surface is used to support the bottom surface of the single cell 01. During laser cutting, the contact point between the single cell 01 and the receiving surface is far from the cutting trajectory. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the temperature rise at this point is significant, and even if a temperature rise occurs, the rate is not fast. The residual electrolyte will automatically accumulate at the bottom of the single cell 01. When thermal runaway occurs, the bottom will heat up significantly and rapidly. Therefore, in this embodiment, installing the temperature sensor 26 on the receiving surface can more accurately determine whether the single cell 01 has experienced thermal runaway. After hydrogen gas is generated, it rises. The laser head 11 is located above the single cell 01 and moves along the cutting trajectory. When hydrogen gas is generated, the hydrogen sensor 14 located on the laser head 11 can quickly detect it. The above structure achieves accurate judgment of thermal runaway. Since the electrolyte cannot be completely drained, it will flow out after the outer shell is cut. Therefore, in this embodiment, an electrolyte collection tank 41 is provided below the clamping device 2 to collect the electrolyte. When the thermal runaway prevention procedure is activated, the electrolyte collection tank 41 is opened, the clamp 21 is flipped so that the individual cell 01 faces downward, and then the clamp 21 is released, and the individual cell 01 falls into the fire extinguishing water tank 42 below. The above structure improves safety.
[0052] In summary, this recycling method offers higher economic benefits, and significantly improves environmental friendliness and safety compared to existing technologies.
[0053] Where there is no conflict, the above embodiments and features can be combined with each other.
[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the preferred technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the essence and scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A highly efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Discharge the individual battery cells; S2. Drain the electrolyte from the individual battery cells; S3. The casing of the single cell is laser-cut, and the single cell is then disassembled to obtain the casing (020), the electrode end face (013), and the core (014). S4. Determine the type of individual battery. For individual batteries that are detected to have a voltage of 0V in step S1 and have no electrolyte discharged in step S2, they are determined to be individual batteries that have not been injected with electrolyte, and step S5 is executed. The others are determined to be individual batteries that have been injected with electrolyte, and steps S6 to S8 are executed. S5. Unwind the core to obtain a positive electrode sheet, a negative electrode sheet, and a separator; remove powder from the positive electrode sheet to obtain black powder and aluminum foil; remove powder from the negative electrode sheet to obtain graphite and copper foil. S6. Perform low-temperature evaporation and drying treatment on the core; unwind the core to obtain the positive electrode sheet, negative electrode sheet and diaphragm. S7. Perform low-temperature evaporation and drying treatment on the positive electrode, negative electrode and diaphragm; S8. The dried positive electrode sheet is crushed, screened to remove black powder, the lumps are peeled off, and black powder and aluminum are separated by air separation and gravity separation. The dried negative electrode sheet is crushed, screened to remove graphite, the lumps are peeled off, and graphite and copper are separated by air separation and gravity separation. The dried diaphragm is crushed, diaphragm fragments are separated by air separation, dry-grinding diaphragm fragments and screened to remove recycled plastic.
2. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S8, while processing the diaphragm, recycled plastic is screened out and powder is obtained. The powder is then air-separated to obtain black powder.
3. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S2, the method for draining the electrolyte from the single cell is to drill holes (015) on two sides (011) of the single cell (01), with the hole on one side (011) being higher and the hole on the other side (011) being at the lowest position of that side (011). The higher hole (015) is connected to the air blowing pipe, and the lower hole (015) is connected to the drain pipe. Air is blown into the single cell through the air blowing pipe to make the electrolyte flow out from the drain pipe.
4. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the method for laser cutting the casing of a single battery cell is to clamp the two sides (011) of the single battery cell (01) and use a laser head (11) to perform circumferential and transverse cuts on the single battery cell (01); wherein, circumferential cutting is performed on the single battery cell (01). The top surface (012), bottom surface and two side surfaces (011) are cut with circumferential cutting trajectories (016) at the edges near the electrode end face (013) of the cell. The transverse cutting is cut with transverse cutting trajectories (017) on the two side surfaces (011) and rear end face of the cell. The transverse cutting trajectories (017) are connected to the circumferential cutting trajectories (016). When the circumferential cutting is performed, the cell (01) is driven to rotate around a first rotation axis (018) perpendicular to the electrode end face (013) of the cell (01). When the transverse cutting is performed, the laser head (11) is driven to rotate around a second rotation axis (019) perpendicular to the top surface (012) of the cell (01).
5. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step S3, a laser cutting device is used to laser cut the casing of the single battery cell. The laser cutting device includes a laser cutting unit (1) and a clamping device (2). The laser cutting unit (1) includes a laser head (11), a three-way module (12) for driving the laser head (11) to slide in three directions, and a first rotation drive mechanism (13) for driving the laser head (11) to rotate around a second rotation axis (019). The clamping device (2) includes a chuck (21) and a second rotation drive mechanism (22) for driving the chuck (21) to rotate around a first rotation axis (018) to clamp the single battery cell. When the battery (01) is cut, the electrode end face (013) of the single cell (01) extends out of the chuck (21) along the direction of the first rotation axis (018); when circumferential cutting is performed, the chuck (21) rotates around the first rotation axis (018) so that the top surface (012), bottom surface and two side surfaces (011) of the single cell (01) are respectively opposite to the edge of the electrode end face (013) and the laser head (11); when transverse cutting is performed, the laser head (11) rotates around the second rotation axis (019) so that the two side surfaces (011) and the rear end face of the single cell (01) are opposite to the laser head (11).
6. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 5, characterized in that: The first rotating shaft (018) extends horizontally, and the second rotating shaft (019) extends vertically. The clamping device (2) is also equipped with a support plate (23), a lifting mechanism (24), and a rotary lifting cylinder (25). When the clamp (21) rotates to make the single cell (01) face downward, the support plate (23) supports the single cell (01) from bottom to top. The lifting mechanism (24) is used to drive the rotary lifting cylinder (25) to lift relative to the clamp (21). The support plate (23) is mounted on the rotary lifting cylinder (25). 5) The active end; Before the transverse cut, the rotary lifting cylinder (25) extends and the pallet (23) is in a clearance state. The lifting mechanism (24) drives the rotary lifting cylinder (25) and the pallet (23) to descend, and the pallet (23) is lower than the laser cutting trajectory; Before the circumferential cut, the lifting mechanism (24) drives the rotary lifting cylinder (25) and the pallet (23) to rise. The rotary lifting cylinder (25) retracts and the pallet (23) is in a clamping state, and the pallet (23) presses down on the single cell (01).
7. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that: In step S3, the method for splitting the single cell is as follows: a switch (32) is inserted into the single cell (01) through the circumferential cutting track (016) to cut off the connection between the electrode end face (013) and the core (014), the electrode end face (013) is removed and collected, the upper half of the casing (020) is removed and collected, the core is sent to the subsequent process equipment, and the lower half of the casing (020) is removed and collected.
8. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 7, characterized in that: In step S3, a multi-functional splitting device (3) is used to split the single battery cell. The multi-functional splitting device (3) includes a sliding module (31) and a switch (32), a suction cup mechanism (33) and a clamping mechanism (34) installed on the sliding module (31). The switch (32) is used to cut out the electrode end face (013) and remove it from the single battery cell (01). The suction cup mechanism (33) is used to pick up the housing (020) and transfer it. The clamping mechanism (34) is used to clamp the core (014) and transfer it.
9. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: In step S3, when laser cutting the single cell, the hydrogen concentration in the cutting space and the surface temperature of the non-cutting position of the single cell are detected. When the hydrogen concentration rises and the surface temperature of the non-cutting position of the single cell rises abnormally, the thermal runaway prevention program is activated. Under the thermal runaway prevention program, the clamping device (2) releases the single cell (01) into a fire extinguishing water tank (42).
10. The efficient and environmentally friendly method for the refined dismantling and recycling of single-cell batteries according to claim 9, characterized in that: The clamping device (2) includes a receiving surface for receiving a single cell (01), and a temperature sensor (26) is installed on the receiving surface to detect the surface temperature of the single cell (01); the laser head (11) is equipped with a hydrogen sensor (14); A receiving device (4) is provided below the clamping device (2). The receiving device (4) includes an electrolyte collection tank (41) and a fire extinguishing water tank (42). The fire extinguishing water tank (42) is located below the electrolyte collection tank (41). The electrolyte collection tank (41) can slide to be located below the clamping device (2) to receive the electrolyte flowing out from the single cell (01). The electrolyte collection tank (41) can also slide away from the clamping device (2) so that the fire extinguishing water tank (42) can receive the single cell (01) falling from the clamping device (2). When the thermal runaway prevention procedure is activated, the clamping device (2) rotates the individual battery (01) so that the individual battery (01) faces downwards, and then the clamping device (2) releases the individual battery (01), and the individual battery (01) falls downwards.