METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE BLACK MASS RATE RECOVERED FROM BATTERY CELLS

Abstract

METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE RATE OF BLACK MASS RECOVERED FROM BATTERY CELLS. A method for recovering the black mass (BM1) from a set of battery cells (ENS1) constituting one or more batteries, comprising: Recovery of a set of battery cells (EB1, ENS1); Electrical discharge (DE1) of the battery cells (EB1); Wet grinding (BR1) of the battery cells (EB1) in the presence of a volume of water; Initial drying (SEC1) to induce thermal desorption of the ground battery cells (EB2) at a controlled temperature between 90° and 120°; Sieving (TAM1) of the ground and dried battery cells (EB2) and extraction of a first quantity of black mass (BM1). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 5

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING THE BLACK MASS RATE RECOVERED FROM BATTERY CELLS Scope of the invention

[0001] The field of the invention relates to methods for recovering black mass from battery cells. More particularly, the field of the invention relates to methods for collecting black mass from cells comprising cells that cannot be electrically discharged in a dry environment. State of the art

[0002] Currently, in battery recycling operations, efforts are being made to recover and valorize black mass, also known in Anglo-Saxon terminology as "black mass." Black mass contains components such as lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and other metals present in battery electrodes. These materials are recovered and recycled for reuse in the manufacture of new batteries or in other applications.

[0003] The black mass recovery process generally involves discharging, grinding, sorting, chemical separation, and other processes to isolate the various components. Once recovered, these materials can be purified and used as raw materials for the production of new batteries or for other industrial applications.

[0004] The discharge stage is essential for ensuring the safety of the recycling process. Indeed, residual electricity can cause fires during the shredding operations. This risk can be very high due to the presence of oxygen and the evaporation of organic matter dissolved in the battery cell solvents. The shredding operations of battery cells, and in particular metallic cells, are potentially prone to generating sparks. These sparks in a gaseous environment contain all the ingredients necessary to start a fire.

[0005] In order to limit the risk of fire starting, there are two techniques.

[0006] The first technique consists of performing a dry discharge step by means of an electrical discharge when the positive and negative terminals of a battery are present. This technique can be carried out in a controlled manner to guarantee the effective and complete discharge of the battery cells. However, to minimize the risk of fire, it is necessary to carry out this electrical discharge under vacuum, gradually extracting the organic matter as it forms. One drawback is that maintaining vacuum conditions is difficult. Furthermore, these processes are limited to certain battery cells. Indeed, they cannot be implemented, or are difficult to implement, with small cells due to the difficulty of accessing the electrical terminals of the battery cells.

[0007] The second technique consists of carrying out a discharge step in a humid environment by injecting a volume of water, enabling an electrochemical discharge of the battery cells. This discharge can also be considered an electrolytic discharge in a humid environment. This technique aims to remove all residual electrical charges from the battery cells through the presence of water. Generally, a salt bath is used to perform this electrical discharge step in a humid environment. This wet process can treat all types of batteries, and in particular batteries consisting of individual cells whose terminals are not easily accessible during a dry discharge operation.

[0008] However, the wet electrical discharge process does not guarantee complete discharge of the battery cells before they are shredded. The discharge evaluation method can only be empirical and random. The immersion time must be relatively long and cannot ensure that a complete discharge is achieved. Consequently, it remains an obstacle to fully securing the recycling process.

[0009] In addition, the wet electrical discharge process does not allow sufficient yields to recover the full reuse potential of the black mass because the water dissolves the residual powders and reduces the recovery capacity of all the black mass that one seeks to valorize.

[0010] There is a need to define a battery recycling process that is addressable to all types of batteries and that is optimized from the point of view of the purification yield of the recovered black mass and that is secure. Summary of the invention

[0011] The invention advantageously makes it possible to secure the extraction of black mass from battery cells during recycling operations while optimizing the recovery efficiency of the amount of black mass available within these battery cells.

[0012] According to one aspect, the invention relates to a method for recovering the black mass from a set of battery elements constituting one or a plurality of batteries comprising: • Recovery of a set of battery components; • Electrical discharge of battery cells; • Grinding of battery elements in the presence of a volume of water, known as wet grinding; • First drying of the crushed battery elements at a regulated temperature between 90° and 120°; • Sieving of crushed and dried battery elements and extraction of a first quantity of black mass.

[0013] One advantage of the first drying step is to dehydrate the crushed battery cells. The dehydrated cells are more easily separable, and the removal of water increases the recovery yield of a certain amount of black mass.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the initial drying is carried out using a heating element controlled to maintain the temperature in the range of 90° to 120°. One advantage is that sufficient heat is achieved for drying while avoiding the negative effects of excessive drying, which could, for example, soften the plastic parts and make it more difficult to separate the pieces from each other.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the first drying is carried out in combination with stirring the crushed battery elements to promote the dissociation of the battery elements from each other.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the temperature of the first drying is between 100°C and 110°C. This temperature range maximizes the dissociation effect while eliminating the undesirable softening effects of the plastic elements.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the first drying is carried out using a gas heating device or an electric heating device.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the process comprises: • a thermal desorption step of the black mass at a temperature between 350°C and 600°C, said desorption of the black mass being accompanied by a gasification of the residual plastic elements in order to eliminate the residual organic matter from the collected black mass; • recovery of gases from the gasification of residual plastic elements and thermal oxidation of said gases; • recovery of the purified black mass.

[0019] One advantage of thermal desorption is, in particular, the elimination of pollutants.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the process includes a preliminary step of Separation allows for the dismantling of battery components. One advantage is the ability to easily remove large, separable parts initially. Another advantage is the reduced space required, maximizing the shredding efficiency.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the electrical discharge step is an electrochemical and / or electrolytic discharge step carried out in a salt bath.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a first dry electrical discharge of a first set of battery elements is carried out and a second electrolytic discharge of a second set of battery elements is carried out, the two sets of discharged battery elements being brought together to be ground in the same wet grinding step.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the shredding is carried out above a float that allows the shredded battery cells to be recovered. An advantage is that it allows the shredded cells to be separated according to their density immediately after shredding.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the injection of a volume of water during the grinding step is controlled to obtain a predefined moisture level at the outlet of the grinder.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the injection of a volume of water during the grinding step is controlled to obtain a moisture content between 20% and 40%. An advantage of this moisture content is that it allows for the removal of all or part of the residual electrical charges from the battery cells through the presence of water, while also controlling the grinding operations. According to a preferred embodiment, the controlled moisture content is 30%.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the grinding is carried out using a gear mill and / or a knife mill.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the grinding is carried out so as to grind in a single step battery elements comprising at least one unit cell and at least one cell module and at least one cell module pack.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the sieving comprises: • A first sieving with a particle size between 0 and 15 mm in order to remove plastics and metal plates; • A second sieving with a particle size of less than 2 mm to collect residual metals and in particular to collect elements of Copper and Aluminum; • A third sieving with a particle size between 0.1 mm and 2 mm to collect a quantity of black mass in the form of a powder.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises: • a separation of the different metals from the black mass collected in powder form through the implementation of a hydro-metallurgical process; said separation allowing to obtain individually a first quantity of Aluminium, a second quantity of copper, a third quantity of Manganese, a fourth quantity of Nickel, a fifth quantity of Cobalt and a sixth quantity of Lithium, and a seventh quantity of Graphite.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the process includes a final step of extracting purified lithium. Brief description of the figures

[0031] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying figures, which illustrate: • [Fig-1]: an example of the representation of a cell forming an element battery unit; • [Fig. 2]: an example of a battery module comprising a plurality of cells as represented in [Fig.1]; • [Fig. 3]: an example of a battery pack containing a plurality of modules as represented in [Fig.2]; • [Fig. 4]: an example of the representation of the constituent elements of a battery cell; • [Fig. 5]: a representation of a set of steps of the invention according to a method of implementing the invention; • [Fig. 6]: a representation of a set of sieving steps that can to be implemented in the process of the invention, • [Fig. 7]: a representation of a set of steps that can be put into work in the process of the invention which are subsequent to the drying and sieving of the black mass in order to purify it and further represent a step to extract and purify a quantity of Lithium. Definitions

[0032] The term “battery” in the following description means any electrochemical storage device that allows the storage and supply of electrical energy.

[0033] The invention relates to any type of battery, such as accumulators and more particularly batteries containing metallic elements that one seeks to recover during a recycling operation.

[0034] In this description, "battery element" means any type of battery, accumulator or cell and also any part of such elements.

[0035] In this description, "black mass" means any type of metallic material contained in a battery cell, particularly when used to form the electrodes. This black mass may be in the form of small elements, particles, or powders. Black mass includes, in particular, cobalt, graphite, manganese, nickel, and lithium. Other metallic elements may also be present in what is referred to as black mass.

[0036] Copper and aluminum are generally considered not to be part of the black mass. However, the process of the invention also allows their recovery.

[0037] Figure 1 represents a unit cell 10 forming a simple battery. These elements are often used in small electronic devices such as cameras or other consumer electronic devices. This unit cell forms a battery element.

[0038] Figure 2 shows a module 20 comprising an arrangement of unit cells 10 to provide greater storage capacity. Such a module is used, for example, in electric vehicles, such as an electric bicycle, or more generally in electronic equipment requiring greater electrical capacity or power. A module advantageously includes a frame 21 for holding and insulating the unit cells 10. The frame may include plastic and metal parts that will be recovered during the recycling of the module. Battery modules include a positive terminal 23 and a negative terminal 22 for connecting the terminals of an electrical device.

[0039] Figure 3 shows a pack 30 comprising a plurality of modules 20 such as that shown in Figure 2. A pack 30 includes a frame 31 for holding a plurality of modules 20 and isolating them from other components. A pack is preferably used for heavy electric vehicles such as electric cars. A pack includes at least one positive terminal 32 and one negative terminal 33.

[0040] Cells, modules, and packs are battery elements within the meaning of the invention. The process of the invention notably allows for the recycling of these three battery elements.

[0041] Figure 4 shows, in cross-section and in a non-exhaustive manner, various components of a cell 10. Component 16 represents the termination of the positive terminal, component 17 represents the CID, which in Anglo-Saxon terminology stands for "Current Interrupt Device", component 12 represents the separator, component 13 represents the negative electrode, component 14 represents a sealing gasket, component 18 represents a circumferential insulator, component 5 represents a PTC-type plastic layer and component 19 represents a positive electrode.

[0042] Thus, this example of cell 10 illustrates the wide variety of components that make up a battery. The process of the invention efficiently recovers a large portion of the black mass of each cell, more than 90% of the black mass. According to certain implementations of the invention, more than 95% of the Dark mass is recovered. Depending on the preferred mode, over 99% of the dark mass is recovered.

[0043] Figure 5 illustrates an example of steps in an embodiment of the invention. The process of the invention relates more particularly to the steps of electrical discharge DEi, grinding BRi, and then drying SECp.

[0044] However, the process of the invention can be supplemented or enhanced with preliminary steps such as the first step shown in [Fig. 5] of separating large battery cells (SEPi). This step is more commonly referred to as "dismantling." This step can be carried out before, after, or both before and after the electrical discharge step (DEi).

[0045] Finally, subsequent steps to the SECi drying step allow the collection of a black mass with a more or less optimized purification rate depending on sieving or hydrometallurgical steps, or even high-temperature heating to improve the purification of the treated black mass.

[0046] Fig. 5 represents a first ENSi set of battery elements which may include, for example, a distribution of cells, modules and pack.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the process includes a first SEPi separation step corresponding to the dismantling of certain battery elements. This step aims to remove large cladding elements or fasteners referred to as RESi in [Fig. 1].

[0048] This first SEPi separation step includes, for example, sorting and classifying the batteries. This step can be useful when electrical discharge treatments are carried out based on their type, chemistry, and size. This allows similar batteries to be grouped together to facilitate the subsequent steps of the recycling process.

[0049] This first SEPi separation step includes, for example, removing the outer casings of the battery cells. In this step, the outer casings or envelopes of the batteries are removed to access the internal components. This can be done manually or with the help of specialized tools.

[0050] Furthermore, this first SEPi step may include a cell, module, or pack separation step. Indeed, when batteries are composed of individual cells or modules grouping several cells, it may be advantageous to remove the frames when the electrical discharge step is common, for example, such as an electrochemical discharge in a humid environment. In this step, the cells or modules are separated from each other to facilitate subsequent processing.

[0051] Finally, this first step may include removing the connectors from the battery cells. Electrical connectors, cables, and other connecting elements are removed from the cells or modules. This prepares the internal components for the electrical discharge and subsequent processing steps.

[0052] The first separation step, when carried out, makes it possible to generate a first set of dismantled battery elements EBi.

[0053] The process of the invention includes an electrical discharge step of the battery cells, denoted DEi. This step may include electrical discharge of all battery cells under the same treatment, such as a dry electrical method or a wet electrochemical method. According to another embodiment, the electrical discharge step DEi comprises different electrical discharge steps, for example, implemented in series to increase discharge rates or implemented in parallel to address discharges specific to the battery type.

[0054] According to one example, an electrochemical discharge is carried out to discharge battery cells. This discharge is performed in a humid environment. This step allows, in particular, the dissolution of solvents containing electrolytes, which are absorbed and removed in the volume of water.

[0055] The process includes a BRi grinding step of the battery cells. This step is advantageously carried out in a humid environment, i.e., in the presence of a volume of water. In one embodiment, the grinding is performed in a water bath. In another example, the grinding is carried out in the presence of a volume of steam. In yet another embodiment, the grinding is carried out in the presence of a water spray. The spray can be applied from a directional jet within the grinding zone. Misting or nebulization with water droplets can also be implemented so as to cover a larger area with a smaller volume of water.

[0056] BRi wet grinding advantageously allows for residual electrochemical discharge of battery elements during the grinding operation.

[0057] The term “wet grinding” means grinding in a wet environment, that is to say, grinding in an environment in which the humidity level is controlled.

[0058] One advantage of the BRi grinding step in a humid environment is that it reduces, or even eliminates, all risks of fire. Indeed, in a humid environment, a spark cannot ignite a persistent fire that could spread among the battery cells. In one embodiment, the wet grinding is carried out in such a way as to control the humidity level TH of the surrounding environment, allowing for the recovery of the ground battery cells.

[0059] The grinding can be carried out using a gear mill or a knife mill. After grinding the battery cells, the resulting material is generally a complex mixture of debris, including metallic components, plastics, and other materials.

[0060] According to one embodiment, the process of the invention includes a step for recovering the crushed battery cells in a flotation device. This step is preferably carried out after the BRi crushing step.

[0061] The separation step enabled by the flotation device allows the materials to be separated according to their density. This operation is a first filtering of the plastic parts, which can then be easily processed separately. The elements removed in the black mass recovery process are designated RES2. The separation achieved using the flotation device employs buoyancy principles to separate the different fractions based on their density. To this end, a dense mixture is obtained after grinding. This dense mixture consists of the ground components and materials, water, and possibly chemical reagents to form a dense suspension. The chemical reagents are used to modify the properties of the suspension, thus facilitating the separation of the materials according to their density.

[0062] It is then possible to perform separation by flotation. According to one embodiment (non-exhaustive and non-limiting), the dense suspension is introduced into a tank where a flotation device is used to create a current of air or gas. This air / gas current causes the formation of bubbles that adhere to the less dense materials, causing them to float to the surface of the tank. The denser materials, such as metals, sink to the bottom of the tank.

[0063] The separation is then carried out by collecting the different fractions according to their density. The light, floating fractions, mainly composed of plastics and other light materials, labeled RES2 in [Fig. 5], are collected from the surface of the tank. The heavy fractions, labeled EB2 in [Fig. 5], mainly containing metals, are recovered from the bottom of the tank.

[0064] The process of the invention includes a drying step SECi carried out by controlled heating of the fractions or the entire set of ground battery cells EB2 when the separation FLi is not performed. This heating step allows for an initial dehydration of the battery cells so that a volume of water is removed. This dehydration can lead to desorption.

[0065] In the case of desorption, the molecules or ions adsorbed by the various materials detach from the attachment sites on the surface of the material and are released into the environment in the form of gas, liquid or solute.

[0066] Advantageously, during this operation, the heating is controlled to promote dehydration while limiting the softening effect of the residual plastic material. The objective of this first drying step is to dehydrate the shredded battery cells.

[0067] According to a particular method, during this operation, the heating is controlled to promote the desorption phenomenon while limiting the softening effect of the residual plastic material portions.

[0068] Indeed, excessive heating would have the opposite effect to the desired one, namely, mechanically separating the crushed metal parts from the crushed plastic parts. One advantage of this drying step is the naturally occurring effect of improved separation of the parts from each other, since the dry surfaces no longer adhere to one another. This improved separation of the elements increases the separation capacity of the residual battery cells, thus simplifying the filtering of the BMi black mass that is to be recovered. This step allows for a significant increase in the volume of BMi black mass that can be recovered in the subsequent stages of battery recycling.

[0069] To control the temperature of the first drying stage (SECi), a heating element is configured to control the temperature within the range of 90° to 120°. A temperature sensor can be installed in the compartment used for drying to monitor any temperature overshoot. This compartment can, for example, be the same as the one used for grinding (BRi). Alternatively, the compartment may be different from the one used for grinding. If the ground cells pass through a flotation device, the compartment used for this operation can be used to dry the ground battery cells.

[0070] One advantage of SECi heating is that it improves the separation and dissociation of the components. These components can include electrode pieces, connectors, insulators, metals, plastics, etc. This drying process can be combined with a stirring operation of the battery cells or with a vibration mixing operation. The bonded components can then more easily separate from one another.

[0071] This temperature-controlled drying step is preferably carried out by maintaining the temperature between 90°C and 120°C. Advantageously, an optimal effect is obtained at a temperature between 100°C and 110°C.

[0072] A primary benefit of this heating process is to enhance the natural separation of components from each other in the crushed EBi or EB2 battery cells. Indeed, this drying process allows for the separation of plastic components, connectors, or even larger plates.

[0073] According to one embodiment, a sieving step TAMi is carried out following drying SECi in order to separate battery cells of different sizes. [Fig. 1] shows unretained elements RES3 which are removed from the black mass recovery line BMi by means of the process of the invention.

[0074] According to one embodiment, the sieving step TAMi may comprise different sieving steps as shown in [Fig. 6]. The advantage of implementing several sieving steps is to separate the battery elements with an increasingly finer particle size.

[0075] These operations allow for improved sorting, adaptation of the vibration regimes of the sieves to the parts being processed, and finally, recovery of the purified black mass BM2 at the end of the line. To this end, different vibrating sieves can be configured according to the sieving steps of the invention.

[0076] According to one example, a first TAMn screening is carried out to filter battery cells whose largest dimension is less than 15 mm. One advantage is to remove large pieces for a first reprocessing circuit while refining the black mass content present in the volume of previously shredded battery cells. The removed pieces include, in particular, metal plates and large plastic parts.

[0077] According to one example, a second TAMn screening is performed following the first TAMn screening to filter battery cells whose largest dimension is between 2 mm and 15 mm. One advantage is to remove the filtered material for a second reprocessing circuit while simultaneously reducing the residual black mass in the crushed battery cells that are processed in the screening circuit. The removed material consists mainly of aluminum and copper.

[0078] According to one example, a third TAMn screening is performed following the second TAMn screening to filter battery cells whose largest dimension exceeds 2 mm. One advantage is to recover, at the end of the screening process, a filtered and purified black mass with a purification rate exceeding a given threshold, on the order of 85% to 92%. The recovered elements with dimensions greater than 2 mm are primarily small metals that can be reprocessed in a given reprocessing circuit.

[0079] The invention may include an additional step for heating the black mass obtained BM2 following the sieving steps TAMi in order to eliminate plastic residues, and in particular PTFE, which in technical terminology stands for "Polytetrafluoroethylene". This second heating step is denoted SEC2 in [Fig. 7]. This SEC2 step comprises gradual heating to liquefy The plastics are first liquefied and then gasified. This thermal desorption step therefore involves a temperature between 200°C and 250°C to initially liquefy the residual plastic elements, including PTFE and PTF. Then, the temperature to which the black mass BM2 is raised is between 350°C and 600°C. Preferably, this temperature is within the range of 500°C to 570°C, with a target value of 550°C in one example.

[0080] One advantage of this heating process is the elimination of residual organic matter; the total organic carbon (TOC) value at the process outlet is close to 1 ppm. This SEC2 heating is carried out at a higher temperature than the temperature of the first SECi drying process, which improves the dissociation of the battery cells without altering the state of matter of the treated materials.

[0081] One advantage of this second thermal desorption step is to further purify the black mass to obtain a pure black mass with a purity level exceeding 95%, and approaching 99%. That is to say, the weight of the black mass obtained is substantially equivalent to the weight of the pure metals distributed in the same proportions as the distribution of these metals within the recovered black mass.

[0082] According to one embodiment, the process of the invention includes a hydrometallurgical step HM1 allowing the metals to be separated from each other.

[0083] To this end, the hydrometallurgical step HM1 may include leaching and / or dissolving the black mass. Then, the different metals / constituents are separated from each other according to the properties of each metal contained in the black mass. Electrolysis may be used to recover the metals.

[0084] A step for extracting purified Lithium Lil is implemented. It is labeled EXT-Li in [Fig. 7]. One advantage is the recovery of all the metals from the black mass individually, namely nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, manganese, lithium, etc.

[0085] Lithium can then be processed for reuse in the manufacture of new batteries.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for recovering the black mass (BMi, BM2) from a set (ENSi) of battery elements constituting a battery and / or a plurality of batteries comprising: • Recovery of a set of battery elements (EBb ENSj); • Electrical discharge (DEi) of the battery elements (EBi); • Grinding (BRi) of the battery elements (EBi) in the presence of a volume of water, known as wet grinding; • First drying (SECi) of the ground battery elements (EB2) at a controlled temperature between 90° and 120°; • Sieving (TAMi) of the ground and dried battery elements (EB2) and extraction of a first quantity (Qi) of black mass (BMj).

2. The method according to the preceding claim characterized in that the first drying (SECi) includes the control of a heating element to maintain the temperature in the range of 90° to 120°.

3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the first drying (SECi) is carried out in combination with a stirring of the crushed battery elements (EBi) allowing to promote the dissociation of the battery elements from each other.

4. A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the temperature of the first drying (SECi) is between 100°C and 110°C.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the first drying (SECi) is carried out by means of a gas heating device or an electric heating device.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, following the sieving step (TAMi): • a thermal desorption step (SEC2) of the black mass (BMi, BM2) at a temperature between 350°C and 600°C, said desorption of the black mass being accompanied by gasification of residual plastic elements to eliminate residual organic matter from the collected black mass (BMi, BM2); • recovery of gases from the gasification of residual plastic elements and thermal oxidation of said gases; • recovery of the purified black mass.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it comprises a preliminary separation step (SEPi) enabling the dismantling of battery elements (EBi).

8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the electrical discharge step is an electrochemical and / or electrolytic discharge step carried out in a salt bath.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that a first dry electrical discharge of a first set of battery elements is carried out and a second electrolytic discharge of a second set of battery elements is carried out, the two sets of discharged battery elements being brought together for grinding in the same wet grinding step (BRi).

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the crushing (BRI) is carried out above a floater allowing the crushed battery elements to be recovered.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the grinding step includes a control of an injection of a volume of water during the grinding step (BRi) to obtain a predefined moisture level at the outlet of a mill.

12. The method according to claim 11 characterized in that the injection of a volume of water during the grinding step (BRi) is controlled to obtain a moisture content between 20% and 40%.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the grinding (BRi) is carried out by means of a gear mill and / or a knife mill.

14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the grinding is carried out so as to grind in a single step battery elements (EBi) comprising at a single cell and at least one cell module and at least one cell module pack.

15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the sieving (TAMi) comprises: • A first sieving (TAMn) with a particle size between 0 and 15 mm in order to remove plastics (PLi) and metal plates (MEi); • A second sieving (TAMi2) with a particle size less than 2 mm to collect residual metals and in particular to collect elements of Copper and Aluminum (Cu, Al); • A third sieving (TAM3) with a particle size between 0.1 mm and 2 mm to collect a quantity of black mass (BM2) in the form of a powder.

16. A process according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that it further comprises: • a separation of the different metals of the black mass (BMi) collected in powder form by means of the implementation of a hydro-metallurgical process (HM,); said separation making it possible to obtain individually a first quantity of Aluminium, a second quantity of copper, a third quantity of Manganese, a fourth quantity of Nickel, a fifth quantity of Cobalt and a sixth quantity of Lithium, and a seventh quantity of Graphite.

17. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a final extraction step (EXT-LI) of purified lithium (Lii).

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