Method and device for recycling and / or repairing structural batteries made of glued individual cells, in particular for electric vehicles
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MYCON
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-17
Smart Images
Figure DE2024000063_13022025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Method and device for recycling and / or repairing structural batteries made of bonded individual cells, in particular for electric vehicles
[0002] Description
[0003] The invention relates to a method for recycling and / or repairing structural batteries made of bonded individual cells, in particular for electric vehicles, according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a device suitable for carrying out the method according to the preamble of claim 22.
[0004] The production of batteries has become increasingly important due to the mass production of electric vehicles. Furthermore, the ranges required for customer acceptance of electric mobility require charging capacities for the batteries, which necessitates the interconnection of a large number of similarly constructed individual cells that are connected together to form a vehicle battery and operated together. Various designs and cell shapes are currently in use for this purpose.
[0005] Due to the weight of such batteries or accumulators in a vehicle battery, it is necessary to arrange and hold the individual cells in such a way that the arrangement is compact and stable even in dynamic driving situations. After initially inserting individual cells in appropriate, sometimes complex holders, where they were individually fastened and connected, arrangements of individual cells are increasingly being used in vehicle batteries. These arrangements are permanently connected to one another to form a kind of solid block. Blocking individual cells in this way can be achieved, for example, by gluing or potting the individual cells together after the desired arrangement has been created. For example, the companyTesla is known for vehicle battery designs in which the individual cells consist of cylindrical units with a round cross-section, and a multitude of such cylindrical units are inserted into a battery box in a matrix-like manner and spaced apart from one another.
[0006] Confirmation copies therefore form a row- and column-like arrangement of cylindrical units, for example, with the cylindrical edges of the individual cells being spaced apart from each adjacent individual cell. A liquid adhesive is introduced, e.g., pressed into this usually small gap. This adhesive is intended to fill the gap and, after curing, fix the individual cells in their spaced-apart arrangement. Figuratively speaking, the battery box, with the arrangement of the numerous cylindrical individual cells, is filled with the liquid adhesive and, after the adhesive has cured, forms a self-supporting block together with the battery box.The installation of such a self-supporting block as a vehicle battery, typically located in the area of the otherwise standard floor assembly of an electric vehicle, has the advantage that the self-supporting block can assume static properties for the body instead of the floor panels that would otherwise be required. It also enables a weight reduction compared to conventional batteries for electric vehicles by eliminating the need for complex support frames for each individual cell of the vehicle battery. This is of great importance for the range of the electric vehicle, since the high battery weight significantly determines the range of the electric vehicle.
[0007] However, the significant disadvantage of this design is that during later recycling of the vehicle batteries, the individual cells must be separated again in order to access and reclaim the expensive and limited battery raw materials. It can also be advantageous during repairs to vehicle batteries to be able to specifically replace individual cells in such a spaced arrangement of individual cells that are not functioning or no longer sufficiently functional due to defects, for example. To do this, however, it must also be possible to selectively separate individual cells from the described assembly with as little manipulation of the rest of the vehicle battery as possible.
[0008] Separating vehicle batteries made up of bonded individual cells, for example for electric vehicles, is even more complex than it already is due to the mechanical structure due to the additional risk of fire or explosion resulting from the cell chemistry of the commonly used lithium-ion battery technology. The adhesive or foam used to bond the individual battery cells or the entire battery body is quite hard after hardening and difficult to remove. Separating them for the purpose of repairing or replacing battery cells, or sustainable recycling with the most complete possible recovery of the raw materials required for battery technology through the introduction of heat, is not possible here due to the existing fire or explosion risk of the individual cells due to the properties of lithium in the event of a fire.
[0009] The shredding of the entire battery body by a shredder and the separation of the components to be recycled, as known from EP 4 030 513 A1, for example, makes the recovery of expensive raw materials difficult and time-consuming and can lead to losses of the raw materials.
[0010] The separation of bonded components, such as the individual cells of a vehicle battery in this case, is often problematic. For example, WO 2021 / 259424 A1 discloses that body components can be separated using cold and an additional short mechanical impact. The cold so severely reduces the adhesive's functionality that the components can be easily removed, for example, by lightly impacting the bond joint with a chisel. Surrounding components or bonded joints are not damaged, and the bond's full functionality is fully restored after a brief warm-up to the ambient temperature.
[0011] In order to reduce the temperature of objects, a cooling medium is generally used which is first brought to a low temperature and then brought into direct or indirect cold-transporting contact with the object, e.g. liquid carbon dioxide as the cooling medium. For example, it is known from DE 10 2007 052 390 B4 to expand liquid carbon dioxide into carbon dioxide gas in order to cool a surface to be cooled to temperatures of approx. -50°. During the expansion, a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and carbon dioxide snow is created from the liquid carbon dioxide, with the carbon dioxide snow enabling a particularly improved cold transfer to the surface to be cooled. In addition, it is known to add a cold-stable liquid in the area of evaporation of the liquid carbon dioxide, which enables further cooling and a particularly intensive transfer of the cold to the surface to be cooled.
[0012] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device with which a safe and effective separation of individual cells from a vehicle battery assembly is possible in order to enable recycling or repair of the vehicle battery.
[0013] The solution to the problem of the invention arises with regard to the method from the characterizing features of claim 1 and with regard to the device from the characterizing features of claim 22, each in conjunction with the features of the corresponding preamble. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims.
[0014] The method according to the invention is based on a method for recycling and / or repairing individual cells from a bonded composite of individual cells in the form of structural batteries, in particular vehicle batteries for electric vehicles, in which a large number of individual cells are connected to one another at a distance from one another via an adhesive. Such a generic method is further developed in accordance with the invention in that at least one individual cell is separated from neighboring individual cells under an inert atmosphere by at least one mechanical separation process in the region of the adhesive surrounding the individual cell, wherein at least the surrounding region of the individual cell to be processed is cooled down to such an extent that the adhesive between the neighboring individual cells becomes brittle and loses at least part of its adhesive strength, and the region of the adhesive to be processed does not heat up excessively during the separation process.Mechanically separating the bond generates heat, which would change the consistency of the adhesive or foam from a solid to a soft, viscous state. Heat in the area of the individual cells can also pose a fire and / or explosion hazard. The lithium commonly used in individual cells today poses a fire and explosion hazard even when processing is carried out in an inert zone, as lithium itself releases oxygen when burned. Therefore, fires in vehicles with lithium batteries cannot be extinguished with CO2 fire extinguishers. Separating the bonded battery cells for repair or recycling cannot therefore be carried out based on heat input.Therefore, the invention proposes cooling at least the surrounding area of the individual cell to be processed to such an extent that, on the one hand, the adhesive's adhesive effect is reduced or even largely eliminated, and, on the other hand, the adhesive, which would otherwise heat up and thus soften during separation, becomes harder and thus easier to separate from the individual cells. Cooling embrittles the adhesive and makes it harder, making it easier to machine or separate, for example. The cold and the supply of cooling medium directly to the mechanical separation tool also cool the adhesive to such an extent that heat generation during mechanical processing is largely reduced or completely prevented.By cooling at least the area surrounding the individual cell being treated, the risk of fire and explosion due to excessive heating in the surrounding area is largely prevented, while simultaneously facilitating mechanical separation of the adhesive. In the case of repairing only individual cells of a vehicle battery that is no longer fully intact, it is also possible to selectively separate individual, defective cells from the assembly and replace them with intact ones, without having to dispose of the entire assembly as defective.The separation according to the invention is a great advantage for the recycling of an entire composite, as it allows the composite to be largely broken down into its individual components. This is significantly more advantageous for the pure recovery of raw materials from the individual cells than with the previously practiced shredding process, which requires a complete jumble of shredded components of the composite to be laboriously separated again. Thus, the individual cells recovered according to the invention can be removed from the composite largely intact and recycled in a pure manner.
[0015] It is particularly advantageous if the area surrounding the individual cell being processed is cooled to temperatures above the glass breaking temperature of the adhesive to be separated. This makes the adhesive hard and brittle instead of its normal tough state, making it easy to separate, for example by machining. Furthermore, even slight sudden or jerky loads, applied to an individual cell, are sufficient to detach the individual cell from adhesive residue, for example on the underside of the individual cell. This can be used to abruptly detach individual cells that have been largely exposed to the adhesive from the remaining bonded joints and to separate them from the composite.
[0016] In a further embodiment, the adhesive surrounding the individual cell to be treated can be specifically manipulated using mechanical tools in such a way that at least the treated individual cell can be released and separated from the composite. By locally manipulating the adhesive areas located between the individual cells, it is possible to specifically free only one or a few individual cells and separate them from the composite. This allows for targeted repairs of individual cells without having to destroy the entire composite or completely replace it.
[0017] Mechanical separation methods such as milling and / or drilling and / or sawing and / or cutting and / or striking, or in combination, can be used to manipulate the adhesive. For example, the adhesive surrounding the individual cell to be removed can be gradually removed by milling along the circumference of the individual cell. This exposes the individual cell around its circumference and, if necessary after a final impact to loosen any residual adhesive in the area of the base of the individual cell, can be freely removed from the assembly and replaced. The type of separation also depends on the geometry of the outer contour of the individual cell. For example, it may be useful to remove a square individual cell by milling or sawing.
[0018] In another conceivable embodiment, the adhesive surrounding the individual cell to be removed can be separated using a drilling tool, preferably a core bit. The core bit performs a pot-shaped, ring-like machining of the adhesive along the circumference of the individual cell, adapted to the dimensions of the individual cell, and gradually cuts the individual cell free along its circumference. Here, too, if necessary after a final impact load to loosen residual adhesive in the area of the base of the individual cell, the individual cell can be freely removed from the assembly and replaced if necessary. It is also conceivable for the core bit to be constructed in several parts and, in a further embodiment, to perform a rotating back and forth movement around the individual cell during the separation process. The core bit has a plurality of individual segments distributed around the circumference, each of which has cutting edges and is spaced apart from one another around the circumference.If such a multi-part drill bit rotates in the circumferential direction around a central layer, the individual segments gradually cut through the adhesive and, as the drill bit is successively advanced in the longitudinal direction of the individual cells, can break down the adhesive surrounding the individual cell and expose the individual cell.
[0019] Furthermore, it is conceivable for the core bit to have a clamping function, with which the individual cell, which has largely been detached from the composite, can be clamped by the core bit and then abruptly released from the composite. Particularly in multi-part core bits, the individual segments can be tilted inward toward the individual cell, for example by a cone arranged on the clamping side of the core bit, so that the individual segments clamp the exposed individual cell between them and can pull the clamped individual cell out of the composite. The clamping function grips the exposed individual cell like a pair of pliers, allowing it to be easily removed from the composite without the need for additional tools or impact loads.
[0020] Particularly for recycling the entire assembly of individual cells, it is advantageous if the adhesive surrounding several individual cells to be removed is manipulated simultaneously by dedicated separation tools. This allows the separation processes to be performed multiple times or multiple times simultaneously, accelerating the separation process for complete recycling. For this purpose, a corresponding separation tool can be assigned to each individual cell to be removed and operated, with which the respective individual cell is separated in parallel with the other individual cells.
[0021] Of particular importance for the safety and functionality of the process is that the inert atmosphere is created when processing the at least one individual cell in a sealed cabin by introducing an inert gas, preferably carbon dioxide, and displacing the ambient atmosphere from the cabin. The entire assembly of individual cells is brought into a cabin that is sealed off from the environment and can be flooded with an inert gas. This displaces the ambient air and the oxygen it contains from the cabin, thus providing an essential part of the fire and explosion protection. The inert atmosphere in the cabin does not completely rule out ignition of the individual cells, but at least makes it significantly more difficult.
[0022] Especially for the recycling of complete assemblies of individual cells, it is advantageous if the adhesive separation process is carried out by an automated, motion-programmable device, preferably an industrial robot. This allows for very precise separation in the adhesive area with consistently high quality, and such a device can be operated virtually around the clock.
[0023] It is also advantageous if the cutting tool is exposed to an inert cooling medium through a jet nozzle that moves with the motion-programmable device. The jet nozzle can direct the inert cooling medium into the area of individual cells being processed, where the cutting process would otherwise cause the adhesive to heat up, thereby specifically cooling this area and embrittle the adhesive.
[0024] It is conceivable that liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen could be used as the inert cooling medium. The use of carbon dioxide is advantageous because, in addition to the sublimating gaseous carbon dioxide, solid dry ice particles are simultaneously ejected from the jet nozzle. This causes the temperature in the cabin to drop below freezing, for example, to -50°C. The use of liquid nitrogen is also conceivable to achieve lower temperatures, but this could pose additional safety concerns.
[0025] It is also conceivable to add a cold-stable liquid to the liquid carbon dioxide and / or the mixture of gaseous carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide snow, which further reduces the achievable cooling temperature, preferably to as low as -75°C. To improve the cooling effect, but also in a further embodiment for the lubrication of the cutting tool, the cold-stable liquid can also be used if required. It can be added via the jet nozzle or separately from the jet. Ethanol or isopropanol, for example, can be used as a cold-stable liquid, preferably with an admixture of water. The cooling and inerting of the cabin reliably prevents the cold-stable liquid from igniting.
[0026] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the gas from the inert atmosphere can be extracted after processing the individual cell assembly and reused, preferably after treatment. This conserves resources and allows the gas from the inert atmosphere to be reused many times. This also significantly increases the cost-effectiveness of the process.
[0027] Extraction of the gas of the inert atmosphere is advantageously carried out at the bottom inside the cabin, since the proposed inert gases are heavier than air and therefore sink downwards inside the cabin.
[0028] The invention further relates to a device for recycling and / or repairing individual cells from a bonded composite of individual cells in the form of structural batteries, in particular vehicle batteries for electric vehicles, in which a plurality of individual cells are connected to one another at a distance from one another via an adhesive. In an embodiment according to the invention, such a device can have a closed cabin in which, during processing of the adhesive in the region of the at least one individual cell by means of at least one mechanical separation process, an inert atmosphere can be created by introducing an inert gas, preferably carbon dioxide gas, and displacing the ambient atmosphere from the cabin. Some essential properties and advantages of such a device have already been explained in connection with the properties of the process; therefore, express reference is made thereto.
[0029] It is particularly advantageous if the assembly of individual cells can be precisely positioned on a processing table that can be moved into the booth. This allows the assembly of individual cells, which is usually housed in a carrier designed, for example, as a battery box, to be positioned repeatably and easily so that an automatic separating device knows the exact position of each individual cell and can precisely approach it and process the respective adhesive. The assembly of individual cells can also be set up outside the booth, thus concurrently with the ongoing processing of another assembly in the booth.It is also conceivable to move the respective machining table into the cabin via locks, through which the inert atmosphere is largely kept within the cabin when the machining table is changed and the cabin does not have to be flooded with ambient air again to change the combination of individual cells to be machined subsequently.
[0030] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the cabin is pressure-tight to allow the inert atmosphere to be slightly overpressurized. It is also conceivable for the cabin to be thermally insulated to largely maintain the cold inside.
[0031] It is particularly advantageous if the device has an automated, motion-programmable device, preferably an industrial robot, with which the adhesive is processed using cutting tools. In this case, the automated, motion-programmable device, preferably the industrial robot, can be arranged in the region of the ceiling of the booth and protrude into the interior of the booth with tool carriers carrying the cutting tools. By arranging the motion-programmable device or the industrial robot outside or above the booth, it is accessible at all times and is not completely subject to the ambient conditions inside the booth, which is advantageous for operation. If only the tool carriers carrying the cutting tools protrude into the interior of the booth, e.g. from above, good accessibility to the individual cells is guaranteed and only the tool carriers are exposed to the cold inside the booth.
[0032] Furthermore, it is conceivable that at least one nozzle, movable with the tool carriers, is mounted on the tool carriers to inject the coolant into the cutting area. This, combined with the movement of the nozzle with the tool carriers, ensures that the coolant is always injected into the booth precisely where heat could be generated during the cutting process. This ensures optimal cooling of the adhesive to be cut.
[0033] It is also conceivable that at least one nozzle for injecting the cold-stable liquid into the cutting area is arranged on the tool carriers. This nozzle can be arranged separately from the nozzle for injecting the coolant, but it is also conceivable that the cold-stable liquid could be fed directly to the nozzle for injecting the coolant and then injected into the cutting area.
[0034] A particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention and the device suitable therefor is shown in the drawing.
[0035] They show:
[0036] Figure 1 - a schematic representation of the structure of a composite structural battery made up of bonded individual cells, as is increasingly used in particular for electric vehicles,
[0037] Figure 2 - a schematic representation of a possible embodiment of the device according to the invention for recycling and / or repairing structural batteries according to Figure 1.
[0038] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of a structural battery made up of bonded individual cells 1, as is increasingly used in particular for electric vehicles. For this purpose, a number of circular, cylindrical individual cells 1 are arranged next to one another in a matrix-like arrangement in rows and columns in a battery box (not shown in detail) and are fixed with an adhesive 3 or foam to maintain their arrangement and for mechanical stabilization. The adhesive 3 or foam acts like a type of casting compound and fills the spaces between the individual cells 1 almost completely over the entire height of the individual cells 1. The composite 2 of the individual cells 1 thus forms a type of block which needs to be installed as a load-bearing element, for example in the floor area of a body structure, and only needs to be fastened at the edges. The composite 2 is virtually self-supporting.
[0039] While such a design offers advantages for use in dynamically loaded vehicle bodies, particularly in terms of weight reduction, it is disadvantageous for repairing such a vehicle battery or for recycling after its service life. Individual cells 1 can only be removed from the assembly 2 and replaced with great effort if, for example, an individual cell 1 malfunctions or is damaged. When recycling the entire assembly 2, removing the individual cells 1 from the assembly 2 is laborious and requires considerable manual effort due to the impact-resistant consistency of the adhesive 3. This makes recovering the valuable components of the individual cells 1, such as lithium, laborious and costly.
[0040] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a possible embodiment of the device according to the invention for recycling and / or repairing structural batteries according to Figure 1, with which the recovery of the individual cells 1 during recycling or the replacement of certain individual cells 1 for repairs is simplified and automatable.
[0041] The device has an airtight cabin 6 in which a processing table 8 with positioning aids 9 for receiving a group 2 of individual cells 1 is indicated. It is conceivable, but not shown in more detail here, that the processing table 8 can be moved in and out of the interior of the cabin 6 from the surrounding area via a lock (not shown), so that the processing table 8 can be conveniently set up by positioning the group 2 outside the cabin 6 and, if necessary, with an interchangeable processing table 8, also parallel to ongoing processing within the cabin 6.
[0042] The cabin 6 is designed to be airtight so that it can be flooded with an inert gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas in order to create conditions inside the cabin 6 that make the recycling process safe and minimize the risk of fire and explosion. Due to the fact that substances containing lithium are currently mostly processed in the individual cells 1, the risk of fire is high because lithium can burn even in an inert atmosphere. Therefore, not only an inert gas but also gas is supplied as a cooling medium, which inertizes the interior of the cabin 6 and simultaneously cools it to a level where the risk of fire is further reduced. For this purpose, for example, carbon dioxide gas can be introduced into the interior of the cabin 6 through the air supply opening 7; the supply of liquid carbon dioxide is also conceivable, which evaporates inside the cabin 6 and simultaneously forms carbon dioxide snow, further improving the cooling effect.During this supply, the air previously in the booth 6 is forced out from bottom to top via a ball valve 17 that is opened during this filling process, because carbon dioxide is heavier than air and the air rises. If the inert gas sensor 16 detects that only inert gas is flowing to the ball valve 17, the ball valve 17 is closed and the interior of the booth 6 is completely filled with inert gas. To maintain the cold environment, the booth 6 can be thermally insulated (not shown in more detail) and can withstand a slight overpressure. At the end of a machining operation or if necessary, the interior of the booth 6 can be refilled with air, either by releasing the inert gas into the atmosphere through the degassing line 14 with the supply air opening 7 open, or by feeding it through line 18 to a reprocessing system (not shown in more detail).The sensors 15 and 16 monitor the composition of the gas flowing past.
[0043] An industrial robot 10 is indicated on top of the booth 6. The robot is attached to the top of the booth 6 and can reach into the interior of the booth 6 with a robot arm 11 through seals not shown in detail. The robot arm 11 can therefore be moved from above the processing table 8 to the assembly 2 of the individual cells 1 using its movement devices with movement options 12 and, with the aid of a tool only indicated, can separate the adhesive 3 in the area between the individual cells 1 as described, for example by milling. In addition to milling the adhesive 3, drilling is also conceivable, for example using a drill bit, by which the adhesive 3 is separated in a ring around the individual cells 1 and the individual cells 1 are thereby separated from the assembly 2.
[0044] For the repair or recycling of batteries made from a bonded assembly 2 of individual cells 1, cold can also be introduced, preferably to a temperature above the glass breaking point of the adhesive 3. For this purpose, a blasting nozzle (not shown in detail) is attached to the robot arm 11, which expels an inert gas such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen, preferably in the direction of the mechanical tool. Before mechanical processing begins, the cabin 6 is filled with an inert gas which can also be supplied in liquid form via the blasting nozzle and then expands into gaseous form. The use of carbon dioxide is advantageous because solid dry ice particles are then expelled from the blasting nozzle at the same time. The temperature in the cabin 6 thus drops into the minus range, for example to -50 °C.In a manner known per se, a cold-stable liquid can also be supplied to the area where the adhesive 3 is processed, which can further reduce the temperature in the area where the adhesive 3 is processed to approximately -75 °C.
[0045] After the individual cells 1 are exposed laterally, they are further held to the bottom of the battery box by adhesive 3. The adhesive 3 can be cooled to a temperature of down to -75°C by the cooling medium ejected by the jet nozzle and, if necessary, the cold-stable liquid. The adhesive 3 then exhibits only a very weak adhesive effect. The individual cell 1 can then be "broken off" by a brief lateral mechanical impact from the adhesive 3 located at the bottom of the individual cell 1.
[0046] It is also possible to carry out the mechanical separation completely through the battery base and thus to detach the individual cell 1 with the corresponding base part.
[0047] It goes without saying that the application of the method and device according to the invention is not limited to the geometric design of the individual cells 1 described above, but is also possible with appropriate modifications for differently shaped individual cells 1.
[0048] Item number list
[0049] single cell
[0050] Network of individual cells
[0051] Glue
[0052] Cutting tool
[0053] Annular gap
[0054] cabin
[0055] Supply air opening
[0056] machining table
[0057] Positioning aids
[0058] robot
[0059] robot arm
[0060] Movement options of the robot arm
[0061] Air evacuation
[0062] Degassing cabin
[0063] Sensor inert gas
[0064] Sensor inert gas
[0065] Ball valve
[0066] Inert gas reprocessing
Claims
Patent claims 1. A method for recycling and / or repairing individual cells (1) from a bonded composite (2) of individual cells (1) in the form of structural batteries, in particular vehicle batteries for electric vehicles, in which a plurality of individual cells (1) are connected to one another at a distance from one another by means of an adhesive (3), characterized in that at least one individual cell (1) is separated from adjacent individual cells (1) under an inert atmosphere by at least one mechanical separation process in the region of the adhesive (3) surrounding the individual cell (1), wherein at least the surrounding region of the individual cell (3) to be processed in each case is cooled down to such an extent that the adhesive (3) between the adjacent individual cells (1) becomes brittle and loses at least part of its adhesive strength, and the region of the adhesive (3) to be processed in each case does not heat up unduly during the separation process.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the surrounding area of the individual cell (1) to be processed is cooled down to above the glass breaking temperature of the adhesive (3) to be separated.
3. Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the adhesive (3) in the surrounding area of the individual cell (1) to be processed in each case is specifically manipulated by mechanical tools in such a way that at least the processed individual cell (1) can be released from the composite (2) and separated from the composite (2).
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that milling and / or drilling and / or sawing and / or cutting and / or striking are used as mechanical separation methods.
5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the adhesive (3) surrounding the individual cell (1) to be removed is manipulated, preferably by milling.
6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the adhesive (3) surrounding the individual cell (1) to be removed is manipulated by a drilling tool, preferably a drill bit.
7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the drill bit is formed in several parts 8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the drill bit performs a rotating oscillating movement around the individual cell (1) during the cutting operation.
9. Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the drill bit has a clamping function with which the individual cell (1) which has been largely released from the assembly (2) can be clamped by the individual parts of the drill bit and can be released abruptly from the assembly (2).
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on several individual cells (1) to be removed, the adhesive (3) is manipulated simultaneously in the area of the adhesive (3) surrounding them by respectively assigned separating tools.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the individual cell (1) to be detached is released from the composite (2) of the individual cells (1) by means of an abrupt load after the separation of the adhesive (3) surrounding it.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inert atmosphere is produced during processing of the at least one individual cell (1) in a closed cabin (6) by introducing an inert gas, preferably carbon dioxide gas, and displacing the ambient atmosphere from the cabin (6).
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing of the adhesive (3) is carried out by an automated, moving programmable device (10), preferably an industrial robot (10).
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting tool is supplied with inert cooling medium through a jet nozzle which is moved along with the movement-programmable device (10).
15. A process according to claim 14, characterized in that liquid carbon dioxide or nitrogen is used as the inert cooling medium.
16. Process according to claim 15, characterized in that the liquid carbon dioxide as an inert cooling medium results in an achievable cooling temperature of preferably -50 °C.
17. A method according to any one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that a cold-stable liquid is added to the liquid carbon dioxide and / or the mixture of gaseous carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide snow, which liquid causes a further reduction of the achievable cooling temperature, preferably down to -75 °C.
18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that ethanol or isopropanol, preferably with an admixture of water, is used as the cold-stable liquid.
19. Method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the cold-stable liquid is used to lubricate the cutting tool.
20. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas of the inert atmosphere is sucked off after processing the composite (2) of the individual cells (1) and is reused, preferably after processing.
21. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the gas of the inert atmosphere is extracted from the bottom inside the cabin (6).
22. Device for recycling and / or repairing individual cells (1) from a bonded composite (2) of individual cells (1) in the form of structural batteries, in particular vehicle batteries for electric vehicles, in which a large number of individual cells (1) are connected to one another at a distance from one another via an adhesive (3), in particular for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the device has a closed cabin (6) in which, when the adhesive (3) is processed in the region of the at least one individual cell (1), an inert atmosphere can be produced by introducing an inert gas, preferably carbon dioxide gas, and displacing the ambient atmosphere from the cabin (6) by means of at least one mechanical separation process.
23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the assembly (2) of the individual cells (1) can be precisely positioned on a processing table (8) which can be moved into the cabin (6).
24. Device according to one of claims 22 or 23, characterized in that the cabin (6) has at least one lock for introducing and removing the assembly (2) of the individual cells (1) to be processed.
25. Device according to one of claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the cabin (6) is designed to be pressure-tight in order to be able to place the inert atmosphere under slight overpressure.
26. Device according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the cabin (6) is thermally insulated 27. Device according to one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that the device comprises an automated, movement-programmable device (10), preferably an industrial robot (10), with which the processing of the adhesive (3) is carried out.
28. Device according to claim 27, characterized in that the automated, movement-programmable device (10), preferably the industrial robot (10), is arranged in the region of the ceiling of the cabin (6) and projects into the interior of the cabin (6) with tool carriers (11) carrying the cutting tools.
29. Device according to claim 28, characterized in that at least one nozzle movable with the tool carriers (11) is arranged on the tool carriers (11) for injecting the coolant into the cutting area.
30. Device according to one of claims 28 or 29, characterized in that at least one nozzle is arranged on the tool carriers (11) for injecting the cold-stable liquid into the cutting area.