Sorting system for battery fragments

Abstract

The invention discloses a battery fragment sorting system which comprises a front sorting unit and a rear sorting unit, the front sorting unit comprises a front end processing structure used for conveying a mixture of positive and negative electrode fragments, metal particles and black powder, and the front end processing structure crushes the positive and negative electrode fragments in the mixture conveying process; the discharging end of the front-end processing structure is connected with a first rotary screen, the discharging end of the first rotary screen is connected into a first screening unit, and a discharging port of the first screening unit is connected to a second screening unit. The rear sorting unit comprises a rear end processing structure connected with the second screening unit, the rear end processing structure is connected with a second drum screen, the lower end of the second drum screen is connected with a third cyclone separator, the lower end of the third cyclone separator is connected with a swinging screen, and different outlets of the swinging screen are connected with different gravity selectors. According to the invention, separation of positive and negative fragments and metal particles can be facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery recycling, and in particular to a battery fragment sorting system. Background Technology

[0002] Battery fragments refer to the mixed fragments of a battery after pretreatment such as crushing and shredding, which consist of the casing, separator, positive and negative electrode material fragments (black powder), copper and aluminum foil, etc. The purpose of battery fragment sorting is to purify this "mixture" into "single materials". The purpose of sorting is not only to reduce the reagent consumption of subsequent hydrometallurgical or direct recycling processes, but also to allow high-purity metals and plastics to be directly recycled as raw materials for downstream use.

[0003] Traditional equipment for sorting battery fragments first uses vibrating screens or drum screens, then separates ferrous materials using magnetic separation, and finally separates the fragments using air separation or sorting. However, the metal fragments obtained using this method are relatively large, and the separation of different products is not high. Therefore, existing technology performs secondary crushing before passing the fragments through the drum screen to make the particles smaller and easier to sort. However, although secondary crushing makes the positive and negative electrode fragments smaller, it can also easily crush the metal materials into very small pieces at the same time. In the subsequent drum screen screening process, metal particles are easily mixed with black powder, which cannot be separated in subsequent screening, directly reducing the purity of various products.

[0004] Therefore, this invention aims to provide a battery fragment sorting system that acts only on the positive and negative electrode fragments of the battery, allowing the positive and negative electrode fragments to be pulverized a second time. This ensures that the particle size of black powder and other metal substances is not affected during the feeding process, does not affect subsequent separation and screening, and facilitates the separation of positive and negative electrode fragments from metal particles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a battery fragment sorting system that can effectively solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] This invention is implemented as follows: A battery debris sorting system includes: a front sorting unit and a rear sorting unit. The pre-sorting unit includes a front-end processing structure for conveying a mixture of positive and negative electrode fragments, metal particles, and black powder. The front-end processing structure breaks down the positive and negative electrode fragments during the conveying process. The discharge end of the front-end processing structure is connected to a first drum screen. The discharge end of the first drum screen is connected to a first screening unit. After air separation by the first screening unit, a first portion of the material is separated by color separation. The discharge port of the first screening unit is connected to a second screening unit. After secondary air separation by the second screening unit, a second portion of the material is separated by color separation. The post-sorting unit includes a back-end processing structure connected to the second screening unit. The back-end processing structure is connected to a second drum screen. The lower end of the second drum screen is connected to a third cyclone separator. The lower end of the third cyclone separator is connected to a gyratory screen. Different gravity separators are connected to different outlets of the gyratory screen.

[0007] As a further improvement, the first screening unit includes a first elevator connected to the discharge position of the first drum screen, the discharge end of the first elevator leading to a first air separator, and the light components of the first air separator being screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed from the second elevator to the first color sorter.

[0008] As a further improvement, the second screening unit includes a second air separator connected to the first air separator. The light components of the second air separator are screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed to the second color sorter by a third elevator. The heavy components of the second air separator are screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed to a buffer tank by a fourth elevator. The buffer tank is connected to the back-end processing structure.

[0009] As a further improvement, the front-end processing structure is identical to the back-end processing structure. The front-end processing structure includes a feeding fan connected to the cooler, and the discharge end of the feeding fan is connected to a feeding duct.

[0010] As a further improvement, the feeding blower includes a central rotating shaft, on which a plurality of feeding fan seats are embedded, and the feeding fan blades are provided with a weight sensing structure.

[0011] As a further improvement, the feeding fan base includes a support plate nested on the central rotating shaft. The support plate has several grooves, and several partition plates are embedded and welded in the grooves. Weight sensing structures are provided on both the support plate and the partition plates.

[0012] As a further improvement, a mounting cage is provided on the inner side of the feeding air duct, and several outward power components are provided on the inner side of the mounting cage. The outward power components are connected to several cutting components, and the radiation range of the cutting components changes when the outward power components are activated.

[0013] As a further improvement, the cage frame includes an upper cage plate and a lower cage plate disposed inside the feeding air duct, and an inner frame is connected between the upper cage plate and the lower cage plate, and a number of outward power components are embedded in the inner frame.

[0014] As a further improvement, the outward power component includes an outward push rod embedded inside the inner frame. A lower tensioning plate is provided on the output end of the outward push rod, and a plurality of tensioning heads are provided on the lower tensioning plate. The tensioning heads slide up and down in the rib grooves on the side of the inner frame.

[0015] As a further improvement, the splitting component includes a tension spring connected to a tensioning head, the lower end of which is connected to a splitting blade, the splitting blade being provided with a plurality of cutting barbs.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are: While existing technologies employ secondary crushing to reduce the size of positive and negative electrode fragments, they also easily result in the simultaneous crushing of metallic materials into very small pieces. This can lead to the mixing of metal particles with black powder during subsequent drum screen screening, making separation impossible and directly reducing the purity of various products. Therefore, this invention addresses this issue by incorporating front-end and back-end processing structures at the front and rear of the pre- and post-sorting units. During feeding, only the positive and negative electrode sheets and separator of the battery are crushed, without affecting metal particles and black powder. This allows for more accurate identification of the positive and negative electrode sheets and separator during subsequent color sorting, improving the screening effect of these materials and ultimately increasing the recovery rate of the positive and negative electrode materials.

[0017] During battery sorting, because the batteries are directly pulverized, all materials in the battery are mixed together, making sorting difficult. Therefore, this invention divides the entire sorting process into a pre-sorting unit and a post-sorting unit. In the pre-sorting unit, the battery is first screened by a first drum screen. The product obtained after drum screening is then air-separated and color-separated by a first screening unit and a second screening unit to separate the diaphragm sheets and positive and negative electrode sheets. The black powder and metals obtained after passing through the first and second screening units then enter the post-sorting unit for a second drum screen. After drum screening, the material is then conveyed to a gyratory screen for further sieving. The sieved material then enters different gravity separators for vibration separation, separating the black powder from various metals due to their different densities, thereby achieving the separation of different solid particles. Through a two-stage sorting method, the sheet-like structure and solid particles are separated and screened separately, maximizing the sorting efficiency of various materials and achieving thorough separation with significant recycling value.

[0018] During the first and second screening units, the battery fragments have already been broken down into smaller pieces by the front-end and back-end processing structures. Since the weight of the black powder and metal particles is significantly different from that of the positive and negative electrode and separator fragments, the material after being broken down by the front-end and back-end processing structures will first undergo color sorting to select the positive and negative electrode and separator fragments. The positive and negative electrode and separator fragments will then undergo color sorting again to separate the fragmented substances in the material. This not only improves the purity of these substances but also improves the purity of the particulate material at the back end.

[0019] Traditionally, crushed battery materials are transported to a drum screen via an upward-sloping conveyor belt. While this achieves normal transport, it only provides a basic conveying effect. In contrast, the front-end and back-end processing structures of this invention utilize a feeding fan, which allows the battery fragments to be rolled and crushed between the fan and the duct. Compared to traditional equipment that only transports materials, this method can better classify battery materials, laying a solid foundation for subsequent separation.

[0020] During the feeding process, the feeding blower not only crushes and transfers battery materials, but also has a limited space to hold materials because the blower is located in a relatively enclosed area. Therefore, this invention sets a weight sensing structure inside the feeding blower to bear the weight of the battery materials entering the blower each time, estimate the specific gravity of the fragments and particles, and thus judge the crushing effect at the back end, avoiding excessive adjustment that affects the flow of materials.

[0021] The weight sensor structure inside the feeding blower is not a separate device; its purpose is to control the output stroke of the outward-extending power component. The output stroke of the outward-extending power component directly affects the unfolding angle of the slitting component, thereby affecting the passing efficiency of battery fragments. When the proportion of fragments is high, the unfolding angle of the slitting component can be larger to fully crush the fragments, while when the proportion of particulate matter is large, the unfolding angle is smaller, allowing the battery fragments to pass through more smoothly. The passing cross section can be dynamically adjusted according to the material entering each time, thereby improving the material distribution effect while ensuring the uniform passage of battery materials. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a front view structural diagram of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 3 This is a rear view structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the front-end processing structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 5 This is the present invention. Figure 4 A top-view structural diagram.

[0028] Figure 6 This is the present invention. Figure 5 Cross-sectional view at point BB.

[0029] Figure 7 This is the present invention. Figure 6 A magnified view of region A in the middle.

[0030] In the picture: Front-end processing structure 81, feeding fan 811, central rotating shaft 8111, feeding fan base 8112, material support plate 81121, separator plate 81122, feeding air duct 812, cage frame 8121, upper cage plate 81211, lower cage plate 81212, inner frame 81213, outward extension power component 8122, outward extension push rod 81221, lower tensioning plate 81222, splitting component 8123, tension spring 81231, splitting blade 81232 81233, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 81, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 81, 81, 82, 83, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 84 ... Detailed Implementation

[0031] All embodiments of the present invention are intended to fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] In the description of this invention, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating that the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of the method are clearer. The technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort indicate or imply the relative importance of the indicated technical features. Therefore, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0033] Reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a battery fragment sorting system includes a front sorting unit and a rear sorting unit. The front sorting unit includes a front-end processing structure 81 for conveying a mixture of positive and negative electrode fragments, metal particles, and black powder. The front-end processing structure 81 breaks down the positive and negative electrode fragments during the conveying process. The discharge end of the front-end processing structure 81 is connected to a first drum screen 82, and the discharge end of the first drum screen 82 is connected to a first screening unit 83. After air separation, the first screening unit 83 separates a first portion of the material through color sorting. The discharge port of the first screening unit 83 is connected to the second screening unit 84. After secondary air separation, the second screening unit 84 separates the second part of the material by color separation. The post-sorting unit includes a back-end processing structure 85 connected to the second screening unit 84. The back-end processing structure 85 is connected to a second drum screen 86. The lower end of the second drum screen 86 is connected to a third cyclone separator 87. The lower end of the third cyclone separator 87 is connected to a gyratory screen 88. Different gravity separators 89 are connected to different outlets of the gyratory screen 88.

[0034] While existing technologies employ secondary crushing to reduce the size of positive and negative electrode fragments, they also easily result in the simultaneous crushing of metal materials into very small pieces. This can lead to the mixing of metal particles with black powder during subsequent drum screen screening, making separation impossible and directly reducing the purity of various products. Therefore, this invention addresses this issue by incorporating a front-end processing structure 81 and a back-end processing structure 85 at the front and rear of the pre- and post-sorting units. During feeding, only the positive and negative electrode sheets and separator of the battery are crushed, without affecting metal particles and black powder. This allows for more accurate identification of the positive and negative electrode sheets and separator during subsequent color sorting, thereby improving the screening effect of these materials and ultimately increasing the recovery rate of the positive and negative electrode materials.

[0035] During battery sorting, because the batteries are directly pulverized, all materials in the battery are mixed together, making sorting difficult. Therefore, this invention divides the entire sorting process into a pre-sorting unit and a post-sorting unit. In the pre-sorting unit, the battery is first screened by a first drum screen 82. The product obtained after drum screening is then air-separated and color-separated by a first screening unit 83 and a second screening unit 84 to separate the diaphragm sheets and positive and negative electrode sheets. The black powder and metals obtained after passing through the first screening unit 83 and the second screening unit 84 are then sent to the post-sorting unit for a second drum screen 86. After drum screening, the material is then conveyed to a gyratory screen 88 for further sieving. The sieving material is then sent to different gravity separators 89 for vibration separation, which separates the black powder and various metals due to their different densities, thereby achieving the separation of different solid particles. Through the two-stage sorting method, the sheet-like structure and solid particles are separated and screened separately, so that the sorting efficiency of various materials is optimized, thus achieving full separation and great recycling value.

[0036] During the processes of the first screening unit 83 and the second screening unit 84, since the battery fragments have been shredded into smaller pieces by the front-end processing structure 81 and the back-end processing structure 85, and the weight of the black powder and metal particles is significantly different from that of the positive and negative electrode and separator fragments, the first screening unit 83 in this embodiment includes a first elevator 831 connected to the discharge position of the first drum screen 82. The discharge end of the first elevator 831 goes to the first air classifier 832. The light components of the first air classifier 832 are screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed from the second elevator 833 to the first color sorter 834. The second screening unit 84 includes components connected to the first air classifier 832. The second air separator 841, after being screened by a vibrating screen, is conveyed from the third elevator 842 to the second color sorter 843. The heavy components of the second air separator 841, after being screened by a vibrating screen, are conveyed from the fourth elevator 844 to the buffer tank 845. The buffer tank 845 is connected to the back-end processing structure 85. The material after being crushed by the front-end processing structure 81 and the back-end processing structure 85 will first undergo color sorting to select the positive and negative electrodes and diaphragm fragments in the material. The positive and negative electrodes and diaphragm fragments will then undergo color sorting again, thereby separating the fragmented substances in the material separately. This not only improves the purity of these substances but also improves the purity of the granular materials at the back end.

[0037] Traditionally, crushed battery materials are transported to a drum screen via an upward-sloping conveyor belt. While this achieves normal conveying, it only provides a basic conveying effect. In contrast, the front-end processing structure 81 of this embodiment includes a feeding fan 811 connected to a cooler. The discharge end of the feeding fan 811 is connected to a feeding duct 812. Both the front-end processing structure 81 and the rear-end processing structure 85 utilize the feeding fan 811, enabling the battery fragments to be crushed and broken down between the feeding fan 811 and the feeding duct 812. Compared to traditional equipment that only conveys materials, this method can better classify battery materials, laying a solid foundation for subsequent separation.

[0038] It should be emphasized that the front-end processing structure 81 and the back-end processing structure 85 have the same structure. However, in reality, when the material moves to the position of the back-end processing structure 85, there are very few flaky objects in the material. At this time, the effect of crushing by the back-end processing structure 85 is generally not great, but it can break up some very small fragments and screen them out at the position of the second drum screen 86.

[0039] During the feeding process of the feeding blower 811, it not only serves to crush and transfer battery materials, but also, since the blower is located in a relatively enclosed area with limited space to accommodate materials, the feeding blower 811 in this embodiment includes a central rotating shaft 8111. Several feeding fan plates 8112 are embedded on the central rotating shaft 8111, and a weight sensing structure is provided on the feeding fan plates 8112. The weight sensing structure is provided on the inner side of the feeding blower 811, which can bear the weight of the battery materials entering the blower in a single batch, estimate the specific gravity of the fragments and particles, and thus judge the crushing effect at the rear end, avoiding excessive adjustment that affects the flow of materials.

[0040] Specifically, the feeding fan base 8112 includes a material support plate 81121 nested on the central rotating shaft 8111. The material support plate 81121 has several grooves, and several partition plates 81122 are embedded and welded in the grooves. Both the material support plate 81121 and the partition plates 81122 are provided with weight sensing structures. In this embodiment, the weight sensing structure is a weight sensor installed on the rear side of the material support plate 81121 and the inner side of the partition plates 81122. The weight of the material entering this time is obtained by combining the pressure on the material support plate 81121 and the load on different partition plates 81122, so as to better distribute the material to the back end.

[0041] The weight sensing structure inside the feeding blower 811 is not a separate setting. Specifically, a mounting cage 8121 is provided inside the feeding duct 812, and several outward-extending power components 8122 are provided inside the mounting cage 8121. The outward-extending power components 8122 are connected to several cutting components 8123. When the outward-extending power components 8122 are activated, the radiation range of the cutting components 8123 changes. The purpose is to control the output stroke of the outward-extending power components 8122. The output stroke of the outward-extending power components 8122 directly affects the unfolding angle of the cutting components 8123, thereby affecting the passing efficiency of battery fragments. When the proportion of fragments is high, the unfolding angle of the cutting components 8123 can be larger to fully crush the fragments, while when the proportion of particulate matter is large, the unfolding angle is smaller, allowing the battery fragments to pass through more smoothly. The passing cross section can be dynamically adjusted according to the material entering at one time, thereby improving the material distribution effect while ensuring the uniform passage of battery materials.

[0042] Furthermore, the placement cage 8121 includes an upper cage plate 81211 and a lower cage plate 81212 disposed inside the feeding air duct 812. An inner frame 81213 is connected between the upper cage plate 81211 and the lower cage plate 81212. Several outward-extending power components 8122 are embedded in the inner frame 81213. The entire feeding air duct 812 is hollow. In order to ensure the normal passage of materials, the upper cage plate 81211, the lower cage plate 81212, and the inner frame 81213 are all hollow.

[0043] In order not to affect the normal operation of materials, the outward power component 8122 in this embodiment includes an outward push rod 81221 embedded inside the inner frame 81213. A lower tensioning plate 81222 is provided on the output end of the outward push rod 81221. A plurality of tensioning heads 81223 are provided on the lower tensioning plate 81222. The tensioning heads 81223 slide up and down in the rib grooves on the side of the inner frame 81213. The outward push rod 81221 is centrally located and has a small overall diameter, making it easy to avoid occupying space. Moreover, it can control the movement of all tensioning heads 81223 when it is pushed out or retracted in a single operation.

[0044] During the process of crushing materials, the splitting component 8123 can adjust its expansion range according to the content of fragments in the materials. Specifically, the splitting component 8123 includes a tension spring 81231 connected to the tensioning head 81223. The lower end of the spring 81231 is connected to a splitting blade 81232. The splitting blade 81232 is provided with a plurality of cutting barbs 81233. The battery fragments are crushed by the splitting blade 81232 and the cutting barbs 81233. The connection between the tension spring 81231 and the tensioning head 81223 allows the splitting blade 81232 to move away from or closer to the outward push rod 81221.

[0045] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the invention should be included within the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

1. A battery debris sorting system, characterized in that, include: Front sorting unit and rear sorting unit, The front sorting unit includes a front-end processing structure (81) for conveying a mixture of positive and negative electrode fragments, metal particles, and black powder. The front-end processing structure (81) breaks up the positive and negative electrode fragments during the conveying process. The discharge end of the front-end processing structure (81) is connected to a first drum screen (82). The discharge end of the first drum screen (82) is connected to a first screening unit (83). The first screening unit (83) separates the first part of the material by color sorting after air separation. The discharge port of the first screening unit (83) is connected to a second screening unit (84). The second screening unit (84) separates the second part of the material by color sorting after secondary air separation. The post-sorting unit includes a back-end processing structure (85) connected to the second screening unit (84). The back-end processing structure (85) is connected to a second drum screen (86). The lower end of the second drum screen (86) is connected to a third cyclone separator (87). The lower end of the third cyclone separator (87) is connected to a gyratory screen (88). Different outlets of the gyratory screen (88) are connected to different gravity separators (89).

2. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first screening unit (83) includes a first elevator (831) connected to the discharge position of the first drum screen (82). The discharge end of the first elevator (831) is connected to the first air separator (832). The light components of the first air separator (832) are screened by a vibrating screen and then transported from the second elevator (833) to the first color sorter (834).

3. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second screening unit (84) includes a second air separator (841) connected to the first air separator (832). The light components of the second air separator (841) are screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed from the third elevator (842) to the second color sorter (843). The heavy components of the second air separator (841) are screened by a vibrating screen and then conveyed from the fourth elevator (844) to the buffer tank (845). The buffer tank (845) is connected to the back-end processing structure (85).

4. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The front-end processing structure (81) has the same structure as the back-end processing structure (85). The front-end processing structure (81) includes a feeding fan (811) connected to the cooler. The discharge end of the feeding fan (811) is connected to a feeding duct (812).

5. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The feeding blower (811) includes a central rotating shaft (8111), on which a plurality of feeding fan holders (8112) are embedded, and on which a weight sensing structure is provided.

6. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The feeding fan base (8112) includes a support plate (81121) nested on the central rotating shaft (8111). The support plate (81121) has several grooves, and several partition plates (81122) are embedded and welded in the grooves. Weight sensing structures are provided on both the support plate (81121) and the partition plates (81122).

7. The battery fragment sorting system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The inner side of the feeding air duct (812) is provided with a mounting cage (8121), and the inner side of the mounting cage (8121) is provided with a number of outward power components (8122). The outward power components (8122) are connected to a number of cutting components (8123). When the outward power components (8122) are activated, the radiation range of the cutting components (8123) changes.

8. A battery fragment sorting system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The placement cage (8121) includes an upper cage plate (81211) and a lower cage plate (81212) disposed inside the feeding air duct (812). An inner frame (81213) is connected between the upper cage plate (81211) and the lower cage plate (81212). Several outward-extending power components (8122) are embedded on the inner frame (81213).

9. A battery fragment sorting system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The outward-extending power component (8122) includes an outward-extending push rod (81221) embedded inside the inner frame (81213). A lower tensioning plate (81222) is provided on the output end of the outward-extending push rod (81221). A plurality of tensioning heads (81223) are provided on the lower tensioning plate (81222). The tensioning heads (81223) slide up and down in the rib grooves on the side of the inner frame (81213).

10. A battery fragment sorting system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The splitting component (8123) includes a tension spring (81231) connected to the tension head (81223), and the lower end of the spring (81231) is connected to a splitting blade (81232), which is provided with a plurality of cutting barbs (81233).

Images