Container and method

Abstract

There is provided a container for discharging and transporting end-of-life batteries, the container being configured to electrically connect the end-of-life batteries to a separate battery such that t

Description

Field of the invention The present disclosure relates to a container for discharging and transporting end-of-life batteries as well as a vehicle or trailer comprising such a container. The present disclosure has particular, but not exclusive, application to end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and other high-capacity batteries. The present disclosure also relates to a method of transporting end-of-life batteries as well as a method of extending the range of an electric vehicle. The present disclosure provides for more environmentally-friendly handling and transportation of end-of-life batteries, and also reduces the overall carbon-footprint of recycling of end-of life batteries. The present disclosure also provides for safer discharging, storage, handling, and / or transportation of end-of-life batteries. Background to the invention The need to recycle materials is becoming more important every year with a commitment to develop sustainable green processing technologies for recycling at scale. As the world seeks to defossilize the global energy supply chain in order to meet net-zero goals, the materials that are used to create batteries to power the defossilization of the world’s economy are in ever increasing demand as sourcing of critical minerals and metals become ever more problematic. Although it will continue to be necessary to obtain battery materials from primary sources, it is useful to also obtain battery materials by way of recycling or further processing secondary sources, such as used, defective, out of warranty, or end of life batteries, especially EV batteries. Batteries have a limited lifespan and eventually need to be recycled. Such end-of-life batteries that are to be recycled need to be transported to recycling facilities in order to be recycled. However, end-of-life batteries may be damaged, worn out or otherwise more prone to failure than healthy batteries and so different considerations need to be made when transporting end-of-life batteries as compared to the transportation of healthy batteries. There are a number of existing ways in which batteries may be transported. KR20220008584 describes a vehicle fortransporting a waste lithium battery. The vehicle includes a cargo compartment into which waste lithium batteries are loaded. The cargo compartment comprises a container box fixed to the cargo compartment to form a closed space which has a door and which is divided into a plurality of sections. A lithium battery is stored in each section. A cold air supply is provided to cool the inside of the container box so that the waste lithium batteries can be maintained at 5°C or less during transportation. GB2553537 describes a battery box for a battery pack of an electric vehicle. The battery box comprises a box portion having a base and a plurality of side walls defining an interior space and an upper opening and lid secured over the upper opening to close the box portion. At least one of the base wall, side walls and lid comprises a composite panel comprising a core having a plurality of cavities therein as well as first and second skins bonded to first and second opposite sides of the core. EP4042593 describes an electric vehicle comprising an electric motor, at least one built-in battery module for powering the motor, a control circuit, and at least one horizontally placed compartment configured to receive a single swappable battery module. The control circuit is configured to enable a swappable battery module, when such swappable battery module is provided in the compartment, to charge the built in battery module and optionally additionally assist the built-in battery module to power the motor. EP1514336 describes a device and method for transporting electrical energy. The device comprises a storage unit consisting of a plurality of storage elements with the units being located on and / or in a vehicle as a pay load. As such, the electrical storage elements function as batteries directly powering the vehicle and are specifically intended to use the capacity thereof to transport the storage elements, whereupon they are used in other apparatuses, thereby requiring the storage elements to be new or nearly new. Each of these ways of transporting batteries rely on the use of new batteries to power a vehicle in a conventional way, or do not make any use of the capacity of the batteries being transported. In addition, they do not serve to improve the safety in storing, discharging, handling, and / or transporting such batteries. It is an object of the present disclosure to address or mitigate at least some of these problems as well as other know problems with existing containers. Summary of Invention According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a container for discharging and transporting end-of-life batteries, the container being configured to electrically connect the end-of-life batteries to a separate battery such that the end-of-life batteries at least partially recharge the separate battery. Nowadays, there is much greater emphasis on recycling materials, such as from batteries, than there has been previously. With ever larger batteries, such as EV batteries, needing to be recycled, it is useful to provide a container which is able to safely contain and transport the batteries. The container according to the present disclosure provides for an electrical connection that can be made between the end-of-life batteries and a separate battery such that any residual charge in the end-of-life batteries can be discharged and transferred to the separate battery. The separate battery may then be able to usefully utilise such energy in order to power another device, such as a vehicle moving the container. Being able to utilise any residual charge left in the end-of-life batteries mitigates at least some additional carbon dioxide from being released to the atmosphere as otherwise the electrical power being utilised would need to come from another source of power. In addition, since the batteries are end-of-life batteries, they may be damaged and so discharging them reduces the danger in storing and transporting such batteries. In contrast to existing containers, the end-of-life batteries are not directly used to power another device since their state of charge, voltage, and capacity, amongst others, may be unreliable, unstable, and / or unknown. By having the ability to electrically discharge the end-of-life batteries to a separate battery, the unreliability, instability, and unknown capacity of the end-of-life batteries can be addressed. It will be appreciated that there may be more than one separate battery, and the present disclosure is not particularly limited by the number or chemistry of the separate battery. For example, there may be two separate batteries. Where there is more than one separate batteries, the batteries may be identical or may be different. For example, the separate batteries might have different capacities or chemistries. This may be useful in that one battery may be able to store a large amount of energy and the other may be able to charge or discharge more quickly. The present disclosure allows for batteries of any chemistry to be safely stored and transported. The present disclosure also allows for batteries in different conditions to be safely discharged, stored, and transported. The present disclosure allows for batteries of any chemistry, such as any high performance chemistries (without limitation), for example, any layered oxide, olivine or spinels chemistries such as NMC, LFP, LFP, LMO, or solid state batteries, or storage batteries found in battery energy storage systems or BESS batteries, to be safely stored and transported. The present disclosure also allows for batteries in any different formats accommodating different shaped and sized batteries, and different conditions to be safely discharged, stored, and transported. Different conditions may include batteries that have been pre-exposed to different environmental conditions, such as at least partially exposed, to temperature fluctuations, rain, dirt, dust, debris, and mechanical or vibrational damage. “Batteries” herein could also mean battery packs or cassettes of batteries which are a number of connected batteries which could balance desired charge and / or voltage requirements to produce an optimum outcome to recharge a second battery. Batteries could also include scrap from battery factories, such as defective battery cells or battery packs. The container may be a separate self-standing container which is independent of a vehicle. The separate battery may be integrated with the container. By separate battery, it will be understood that this means a battery other than one of the end-of-life batteries being stored in or transported in the container. By integrating the separate battery with the container, the end-of-life batteries can be loaded into or onto the container and then used to charge the separate battery. The separate battery may be any type of battery. For example, the separate battery may be a vehicle battery, a battery for a building, a domestic storage battery, an industrial storage battery, or a commercial storage battery. The separate battery may be an electric vehicle battery. The separate battery may be configured to drive an electric motor. The separate battery may be configured to charge another battery which drives an electric motor. The separate battery may be configured to power one or more electrical components of an electrical vehicle. For example, the separate battery may be configured to power the electric motor of an electric vehicle, the lights, climate control, a heat pump, or any other system requiring electrical power of an electric vehicle. The container may be divided into sub-containers or bays configured to house end-of-life batteries. The number and size of the sub-containers or bays will depend on the size, shape, and number of the end-of-life batteries being transported. For example, where the end-of-life batteries are EV batteries, the size and shape of the batteries differs between vehicles and it is necessary to accommodate such different shapes and sizes. In addition, it is desirable to include as many batteries as possible within the container to make best use of the space available within the container. For example, the container may be an ISO-container or based on an ISO container, which is able to be loaded onto a trailer and transported readily. By including sub-containers or bays, the end-of-life batteries can be loaded onto shelves within the container. This not only makes optimal usage of the volume within the container, but also provides for safer handling of the end-of-life batteries compared with simply loading the batteries into the container without anything to support and / or retain the end-of-life batteries. The sub-containers or bays may be configurable to accommodate different numbers, sizes, and shapes of batteries and / or configurable with the frame of a vehicle integrated with the container. The sub-containers or bays may include floors, walls, supports, or ceilings which can be moved to change the shape and size of the sub-containers or bays, such as by changing aspect ratios and any of heights, widths, and lengths. Accommodating different numbers, sizes and shapes of batteries enables full optimisation of empty space, especially any use of any irregular shaped empty space, where for example, such irregular empty space could be also be filled with gigafactory or other battery material factory scrap. The sub-containers or bays may include one or more restraints, which may be adjustable, which are configured to restrain the batteries in the sub-containers or bays. Further, batteries may be contained in their own self-contained containers (or separately contained boxes) in the case of high risk end of life batteries. Such self-contained containers or separately contained boxes may be configured to fit within the overall container to thereby provided additional safety when transporting end-of-life batteries which are deemed high risk. The sub-containers or bays may be provided in a weight-bearing frame. The weight-bearing frame may be disposed within the walls of the container. In this way, the walls of the container do not necessarily have to bear the weight of any end-of-life batteries therein as the weightbearing frame is sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the end-of-life batteries. This allows for the walls of the container to be thinner and therefore lighter. The sub-containers or bays may be configured to provide appropriate weight distribution when loaded with end-of-life batteries. Since the container may be transported, proper weight distribution is advantageous, such as pivoting the weight distributions (at a pivot point) at a central location to balance the load and weight distribution of the end-of-life batteries, for example, when loading and unloading the batteries. Appropriate weight distribution may be even weight distribution. Appropriate weight distribution will depend on the vehicle transporting the trailer. It is also necessary to keep within vehicle weight limits. The sub-containers or bays may be sealed. It will be appreciated that the sub-containers or bays may be in the form of shelving. However, since such batteries are end-of-life batteries, there is a risk that the batteries may leak or release gases, such as during a thermal runaway event. As such, the sub-containers or bays may be sealed to prevent leakage of liquids and / or gases from the end-of-life battery contained therein. As such, the sub-containers or bays may be sealed to prevent egress of liquids. Additionally or alternatively, the sub-containers or bays may be sealed to prevent egress of gases. The sub-containers or bays may be fire-resistant and / or explosion-resistant. Since the end-of-life batteries may be damaged, it is useful to have the sub-containers or bays being fire-resistant and / or explosion-resistant. As such, the sub-containers or bays may be composed of fire-resistant and / or explosion-resistant material, such as metal or composite material. The subcontainers or bays may include a pressure relief device, such as a rupture disc, that is configured to provide pressure relief if the pressure within a sub-container or bay exceeds a predetermined value. The container may include restraints to hold end-of-life batteries in place within the container. The restraints may be in the form of straps, tie-downs, connectors, doors, or fixings. By fixings, it will be understood that this may include bolts which engage with the battery to affix it to the container or a component thereof, or arms which retain the battery in place. The container may include one or more solar panels. The solar panels may be configured to at least partially charge the separate battery. The solar panels may be configured to at least partially run any electrical systems of the container. The container may be configured to be electrically connected to an electricity grid to provide power thereto or to receive power therefrom. In this way, the separate battery can be charged in cases where there is insufficient charge from the end-of-life batteries. Similarly, where there is an excess of electrical power and / or wherein there is a need for supplementary power to be provided, the separate battery can discharge its power into an electricity grid. Excess electricity from the end of life batteries could also power internal devices (such as phones, lighters, speakers, sound systems, or other electronics) within the vehicle. The sub-containers or bays may include sliding elements configured to allow end-of-life batteries to be slid into and out of the sub-containers or bays. For example, the sub-containers or bays may include a flooring portion on which the end-of-life batteries may sit which can be extended from the sub-container or bay to allow easier receipt of the battery. Once the battery is placed onto the extended flooring portion, the battery and flooring portion are configured to be moved to an unextended position in the sub-container or bay. It will be appreciated that the sliding element does not necessarily have to be a floor portion and may, for example, be an overhead element onto which the end-of-life battery may be connected, and / or may be one or more side portions to which the end-of-life battery may be connected. By including one or more sliding elements, the task of loading and unloading the end-of-life batteries is made easier, and also allows for easier connection of electrical connections between the end-of-life batteries and the container. The sub-containers or bays may be configured to hold at least one end-of-life battery in a horizontal orientation. The sub-containers or bays may be configured to hold at least one end-of-life battery in a vertical orientation. In order to maximise the amount of end-of-life batteries which can be contained within the container, the container may be configured to hold end-of-life batteries in different orientations. For example, the container may not have a dimension, such as length, width, or height, which is an integer value of a sub-container or bay sized to hold a given end-of-life battery. For example, the length of the container may be sufficient to contain 4.5 subcontainers or bays of a given type of end-of-life battery. Since it is undesirable to cut a battery in half, the container may therefore comprise four sub-containers or bays along its length. In order to avoid the remaining space in the length equivalent to half of the other sub-containers or bays being unused, the remaining space may comprise a sub-container or bay in which an end-of-life battery is stored vertically rather than horizontally. In this way, the sub-containers or bays can be orientated to maximise the volume of the container being used to contain end-of-life batteries. The sub-containers or bays may include one or more shock absorbers. The sub-containers or bays may include one or more vibration absorbers. The shock and vibration absorbers may be the same component. Since the end-of-life batteries may be damaged, the shocks and vibrations caused when the end-of-life batteries are being transported could result in additional damage or danger. The provision of shock and / or vibration absorbers may therefore serve to protect the end-of-life batteries during transportation. Any suitable shock and / or vibration absorbers may be used. For example, the shock and / or vibration absorbers may be in the form of deformable materials, such as rubber or plastic, for example polypropylene, in the form of blocks or pads that sit between the end-of-life batteries and the sub-containers or bays. The sub-containers or bays may be of fixed or of changeable size. Where the sub-containers or bays are of changeable size, this may be achieved by the provision of means for adjusting the height and / or width and / or depth of the sub-containers or bays. This may be provided by mechanically, hydraulically, or electrically moving the top, bottom, and / or sides of the subcontainers or bays. For example, the sub-containers or bays may have a floor which can be removed from supports, such as channels or cutouts in the container. The floor may then be installed using channels or cutouts at different heights in order to change the height of an individual sub-container or bay. In this way, it is possible to accommodate a wider variety of end-of-life batteries. The sub-containers or bays may include electrical connectors configured to electrically connect the end-of-life batteries to the separate battery. Through the electrical connectors, the end-of-life batteries may be discharged into the separate battery. Any suitable electrical connectors may be used. The container includes a humidity control system. The end-of-life batteries may have been left outside before being loaded into the container and may therefore be wet. The end-of-life batteries may be leaking. By including a humidity control system, the container can control the humidity within the container to avoid potential short circuits caused by condensing water and / or can reduce the risk of corrosion caused by excess moisture within the container. The humidity control system may be any system which is able to control humidity within the container. For example, the humidity control system may include a condenser configured to condense water vapour from the air and / or may include a dessicator. One or more sub-containers or bays may have its own dedicated humidity control system. The container may include a temperature control system. The temperature control system may include one or more of: a fan, a compressor-type cooler, a heater, and a thermoelectric cooler. A thermoelectric cooler may be a peltier device. A fan may be associated with a peltier device and configured to pass air across the peltier device in order to condition the air. The thermoelectric cooler may be placed in direct contact with an end-of-life battery in order to control the temperature of the end-of-life battery. The temperature control system may be a liquid temperature control system. The liquid may be cooled by a thermoelectric cooler, which may be powered by the separate battery. Air cooling may be utilised when the charging / discharging rate is low, although more active cooling, such as liquid cooling may be used when the charging / discharging rate is higher. It will be appreciated that the temperature control system and the humidity control system may be the same or different systems. For example, an air conditioning unit may simultaneously control the temperature and humidity within the container, or one or more individual sub-containers or bays. In another example, a dessicator may control the humidity and a fan may control the temperature. The container may include a gas-leak detector. One or more sub-containers or bays may have its own dedicated gas detector. Since the end-of-life batteries may be damaged and release gases, such as through a thermal runaway, a gas detector is able to indicate where there is a release of gas. When a release of gas is indicated, suitable actions may be taken to stop the further release of gas or to mitigate any damage or danger caused by the release of gas. The container may include a control system configured to safely discharge the end-of-life batteries. The control system may include a controller. The control system may include at least one sensor. Since the end-of-life batteries may be of different states of charge, some may be damaged, and some may have a fault, the control system allows for the controlled discharge of the end-of-life batteries to charge the separate battery. The controller may be configured to control the rate of discharge of the end-of-life battery. Discharging the end-of-life battery too quickly may cause the end-of-life battery to overheat, thereby presenting a hazard, particularly if the end-of-life battery is damaged or has a fault. The controller may be configured to prevent over-charging of the separate battery and / or current cut off or interrupter device to immediately shut off electrical circuits when alerted by sensors. The container may include one or more sensors configured to monitor a parameter of end-of-life batteries therein and / or the conditions within the container. The one or more sensors may be connected to the control system which is configured to safely discharge the end-of-life batteries and / or may be connected to another system. The one or more sensors may be configured to measure the temperature and / or voltage of a battery, and / or the humidity, air quality, and / or temperature within the container. The temperature sensor may be an IR sensor. A temperature sensor may be provided to measure the temperature of an end-of-life battery. As such, each battery sub-container or bay may have its own temperature sensor. Since thermal runaway is a risk for end-of-life batteries, monitoring the temperature of individual batteries can provide an alert should the temperature of the battery rise, which would be indicative of a short circuit or other failure of the end-of-life battery. The container may include one or more drip trays configured to collect any liquid from the end-of-life batteries. The end-of-life batteries may leak fluid due to damage or some other fault or failure. In order to avoid such liquid from contaminating the container, the environment or posing a hazard to workers, a drip tray may be provided to catch any liquid leaking from the end-of-life batteries. There may be an individual drip tray associated with each end-of-life battery or one drip tray may be sized to catch drips from more than one end-of-life battery. The one or more drip trays may be connected to a sump. The sump may be a common sump. The sump may be connected to a drain for removing any liquid from the sump. The container may include a fire-suppression system. The fire suppression system may be individual to each end-of-life battery, individual to a sub-section of the container, or for the entire container. A sub-section of the container may be a sub-container or a bay. A sub-section of the container may be any zone within the container. The fire-suppression system may include a nitrogen fire suppression system, a carbon dioxide fire suppression system, a powder fire suppression system, and / or a foam fire suppression system. Any fire-suppression system which is compatible with battery fires may be used. For example, nitrogen gas may be added to a subcontainer or bay to displace oxygen therein and thereby control any fire. As an additional or alternative fire safety measure, each sub-container or bay, which may be referred to as a battery tray, may be isolated from one another using a physical separator, such as a steel shelf. The firesuppression system may include sufficient fire suppressant to suppress a fire for at least 60 seconds. Each sub-container or bay may have its own independent fire-suppression system. There may be a container-wide fire-suppression system that is selectively activateable when fire or a risk of fire is detected in a sub-container or bay. The container may be configured to electrically connect to an electric vehicle or is part of an electric vehicle. The container may therefore be integrated into an electric vehicle, such as a van or may be in the form of a trailer which is connectable to a vehicle capable of towing the trailer or a container which can be loaded onto a trailer. The container may include wheels. Where the container is not integrated into an electric vehicle, this allows for the container to be kept at a location whilst it is loaded with end-of-life batteries, such as at a scrapyard or recycling centre. Whilst the container is being loaded, the end-of-life batteries may be discharged into the separate battery. Once the container has been loaded, a separate EV may be dispatched to collect the container and transport it to a battery recycling facility. By having the container separate to a vehicle, there can be multiple containers into which end-of-life batteries can be loaded and discharged. Since the end-of-life batteries may only become available at different times, it is useful to provide a container separate to a vehicle in order to avoid the vehicle being unused for extended periods of time. Instead, a single vehicle can be used to transport different containers at different times. A vehicle can be dispatched once a container at a location has been sufficiently filled with end-of-life batteries. The separate battery of the container may therefore be used to run the electrical systems of the container, such as the sensors or environmental controls, or at least partially power the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle may have its own battery and so the separate battery may be used to recharge the electric vehicles own battery. By utilising any residual power stored in the end-of-life batteries, it is safer to store such end-of-life batteries, it is safer to recycle them when discharged, and also improves the carbon dioxide savings of using and recycling end-of-life batteries compared with systems which wastefully discharge any power within the end-of-life batteries. The container may be configured to receive end-of-life batteries via a side-opening. Since batteries can be quite heavy and awkward to manoeuvre, loading the batteries through the side of the container provides for easier loading and unloading. The container may include a monitoring system which is configured to monitor the discharging of the end-of-life batteries. Any data obtained by the monitoring system may be transmitted to a central computer system. The central computer system may be configured to receive and store data. Such data may be used to monitor battery health and / or provide an assessment on whether the end-of-life batteries should be classified as high risk or low risk. If the batteries are deemed to be high risk, such as those which are at risk of thermal runaway, they may be removed from the container or may be situated in a specific sub-container or bay for high risk batteries. The container may include a monitoring, tracking, recording, or registering system, or distributed ledger technology which is configured to monitor the conditions of a battery at all stages of the battery lifecycle (such as from cradle to grave throughout the supply chain), monitoring performance such as discharging of the end-of-life batteries, and assessment of usable energy. Any data obtained by the monitoring system may be transmitted to a central computer system or distributed ledger, such as in a real time assessment of the general condition of the battery and / or be configured with each specific cell profile or battery passport applications to comply with regulations and / or any registrations required and / or tracking carbon footprint for lifecycle analysis or for showing ethical sourcing. The central computer system may be configured to receive and store data and be further configured to computer simulation systems to further analyse and categorise the battery into high risk and low risk batteries. Such data may be used (whether raw, processed or outputs) to monitor battery health and / or provide an assessment on whether the end-of-life batteries should be classified as high risk or low risk. Assessment could be based on prior chemistries and processes used to make the batteries, and cell design parameters. If the batteries are deemed to be high risk, such as determined by measurements on precise temperature control, high reliability, compact geometry constraints, low weight and environmental friendly requirements, such as those which are at risk of thermal runaway, they may be removed from the container or may be situated in a specific sub-container or bay for high risk batteries. Assessment here could also be used to monitor performance criteria such as energy density, power density, capacity, cycle / discharge life cycle, and conductivity, for example where vehicle manufacturers must optimise battery performance with the amount of weight they can add to the vehicle. In this case, battery manufacturers would need to know this data in building batteries with high capacity to weight ratios. The container may be configured to connect to one or more processors configured to process data obtained from one or more sensors connected to the container and / or data relating to the end-of-life batteries. The one or more processors may be local to the container or may be remote. Where the one or more processors are remote, the container may include a transmitter and / or receiver configured to allow exchange of data between the container, particularly the sensors therein, and the one or more processors. The one or more processors may be provided in a server, which may be located at a location from where a plurality of containers may be remotely monitored and controlled. The data relating to the end-of-life batteries may be in the form of a battery passport. A battery passport provides information relating to the lifetime of the battery. For example, a battery passport may include information relating to the source of the materials which were used to create the battery, a date of manufacture, a location of manufacture, a batch number, physical parameters of the battery, such as the chemistry or capacity of the battery, the history of usage of the battery, a record of any faults with the battery, a record of where the battery has been handled and by whom. The one or more processors may be configured to process such data and provide an output. The output may allow for individual batteries to be assessed as being high risk or low risk depending on the output. For example, where a battery is from a batch which has had a higher than average failure rate or safety issues, then the battery may be assessed as being high risk and appropriate measures, such as rejecting the battery or storing the battery in a sub-container or bay with increased safety measures. The container may be configured to provide data from onboard sensors to the one or more processors such that the end-of-life batteries can be monitored and / or assessed as being high risk or low risk. It is useful to monitor the end-of-life batteries within a container to determine whether there are signs of safety hazards, to refine any assessment as to the risk status of the end-of-life batteries, to monitor the health of a battery, and / or to manage the logistics of transporting end-of-life batteries for recycling. Being able to track a battery throughout its whole lifecycle aids in regulatory compliance as well as ensuring ethical sourcing, use, and recycling of materials. From a safety perspective, being able to monitor, identify, and isolate high risk batteries serves to mitigate the risk of failure and thermal runaway. Thermal runaway of one end-of-life battery can potentially lead to a chain reaction, which is undesirable. The present disclosure aims to mitigate this risk by assessing whether a battery is high risk or low risk, monitoring the batteries within the container, providing conditioning equipment to control the atmosphere around the batteries, and providing separate sub-containers or bays or individual boxes for the end-of-life batteries. As such according to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of assessing an end-of-life battery, the method including obtaining data on an end-of-life battery from one or both of: i) one or more sensors, and ii) the manufacturing and operational history of an end-of-life battery, processing the data in one or more processors to produce an output, and comparing that output to a predetermined list of outputs, and categorising the end-of-life battery as low risk or high risk. A high-risk battery may be one which is at a greater than average risk of thermal runaway based on data obtained by sensors associated with the battery and / or based on data relating to the history of the battery. By categorising an end-of-life battery as high risk or low risk, the method allows for a decision on how the end-of-life battery is subsequently handled to be made. For example, where a battery is classified as being high-risk, additional measure can be enacted, such as, for example, storing such high risk batteries in specific sub-containers or bays with additional precautions for high-risk batteries. The high risk batteries may also be rejected for transportation and / or isolated from other batteries. The data may be one-way, which is to say that the data is received by the container from an external source as well as any sensors belonging to the container, but the data is not sent to a remote processor. The data may be two-way, which is to say that the container may communicate with one or more remote processors, and the processing of the date may take place at the container or at a remote location. In this way the container may be a smart container. The data may be transmitted by any suitable means, such as via an internet or mobile connection. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an electric vehicle or trailer comprising the container according to the first aspect of the present disclosure. The electric vehicle may be any electric vehicle, such as a van, a truck, a lorry, a train, or a boat. As mentioned, by utilising residual charge in end-of-life batteries being transported, it is safer to transport the batteries and also greener as useful work can be obtained from any such residual charge. This improves the environmental advantage or using and recycling batteries. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of transporting end-of-life batteries including providing an electric vehicle and at least partially charging a battery of the electric vehicle with end-of-life batteries being transported. The battery of the electric vehicle may be the separate battery discussed in respect of the first aspect of the present disclosure, or there may be a separate battery other than the electric vehicles own battery, in which case the battery of the electric vehicle may be at least partially charged from the separate battery, which is itself at least partially charged by any residual charge in the end-of-life batteries being transported. This is distinct from merely using the power of non-end-of-life batteries to power the vehicle transporting such batteries directly since their state of charge and condition are known. In contrast, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the safety and environmental benefit of transporting end-of-life batteries by utilising residual energy within end-of-life batteries. The vehicle may be any vehicle described herein. In an embodiment, the method includes designating end-of-life batteries as high risk or low risk depending on the state of health as well as any physical damage records which may be available. In this way, high and low risk end-of-life batteries can be separated from one another. The container may include specific sub-containers or bays for high and low risk batteries. The subcontainers or bays for the high risk end-of-life batteries may have additional safety measures compared with the sub-containers or bays for low risk end-of-life batteries. For example, the subcontainers or bays for high risk end-of-life batteries may have active cooling, such as thermoelectric cooling, may be sealed to prevent release of any liquids or gases or to contain any fire, or may have additional thermal insulation. According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of reducing the carbon-footprint of the recycling of end-of-life batteries, the method including at least partially charging a battery of an electric vehicle using end-of-life batteries being transported on the vehicle and transporting the end-of-life batteries to a recycling facility. According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of extending the range of an electric vehicle, the method including electrically connecting an electric vehicle to the container of aspect of the present disclosure and at least partially recharging the electric vehicle with energy from the separate battery or powering the electric vehicle with the separate battery. By being able to utilise any residual charge within the end-of-life batteries, it is possible to extend the range of a vehicle transporting the end-of-life batteries. Previously, this was not possible due to the unknown state of health and condition of the end-of-life batteries, and so would have presented a risk and potential danger. The present invention addresses this by providing a separate battery which is at least partially charged using residual power in end-of-life batteries, which can then be used to provide useful electrical power safely and predictably. According to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the use of a container according to the first aspect of the present disclosure or an electric vehicle or trailer according to the second aspect of the present disclosure for transporting end-of-life batteries and / or as a stationary electrical storage solution and / or for charging a stationary electrical storage solution. It will be appreciated that features described in respect of one aspect may be combined with any features described in respect of another aspect and all such combinations are expressly considered and disclosed herein. Brief Description of the Drawings Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which: Figure 1 depicts a perspective view of the interior of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 2 depicts a side view of the interior of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 3 depicts an end view of the interior of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 4 depicts a perspective view of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 5 depicts a side view of the interior of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 6 depicts a top view of the interior of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 7 depicts another side view of a container according to the present disclosure; Figure 8 is a schematic depiction of a system for conditioning and monitoring air within the container; Figure 9 is a schematic depiction of a central bay for storing end-of-life batteries vertically according to the present disclosure; and Figure 10 is a schematic depiction of a central bay for storing end-of-life batteries vertically according to the present disclosure. The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below. Whilst the following figures and description describe a container Detailed Description Figure 1 is a perspective view of an interior of a container 1 according to the present disclosure. The container 1 includes a number of sub-containers or bays 2 therein. In the depicted embodiment, there are five sub-containers or bays 2 at each end of the container 1 with a central section 3 that is configured to hold batteries (not shown) in a vertical orientation. Separate battery 4 is disposed within the central section 3 of the container and is configured to electrically connect to any end-of-life batteries (not shown) that are within the container 1. Whilst the separate battery 4 is depicted as being located in the central section 3 of the container 1, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not particularly limited by the specific location of the separate battery 4 and the separate battery 4 may be located anywhere within or outside of the container so long as it may be electrically connected to any end-of-life batteries contained in container 1. Each subcontainer or bay 2 includes a floor 5 on which end-of-life batteries may rest. The floor 5 may include a channel 6 which is able to collect and direct any drips coming from an end-of-life battery. As such, the floor may be or may double up as a drip tray. It will be appreciated that the end-of-life batteries do not necessarily rest on the floor 5 and may instead be held in place by other means, such as from above or from the sides. The floor 5 may be angled to direct any fluid into a sump (not shown). The sub-containers or bays 2 are depicted as being fixed to a frame, but it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, they may include a slidable component, such as floor 5, which is able to be extended from the sub-container or bay 2 to receive or unload an end- of-life battery in order to make loading or unloading easier. Each sub-container or bay 2 may include one or more sensors (not shown) to measure a parameter of any end-of-life battery therein, such as temperature, voltage, or to detect the release of any gas or pressure sensors. Each subcontainer or bay 2 may include a door, which may be sealed sufficiently to prevent leakage of any fluids from the end-of-life battery from leaving the sub-container or bay 2 or even to prevent leakage of any gas from such a sub-container or bay 2. Figure 2 depicts a side-view of the container 1 and shows the separate battery 4 as well as the individual sub-containers or bays 2 or receiving end-of-life batteries. Within central section 3 is stored the separate battery 4 as well as any control system and / or monitoring system. As depicted there is space 7 for vertically orientated end-of life batteries to be kept within the container 1 in order to maximise the usage of the volume within the container 1. As can be seen, the container is not long enough to accommodate three stacks of sub-containers or bays 2 along its length and so there is provide a space in which end-of-life batteries may be stored vertically. It will be appreciated that some embodiments may include only horizontally stored end-of-life batteries, only vertically stored end-of-life batteries, or a mixture of horizontally and vertically stored end-of-life batteries as depicted in Figure 2. Whilst the space 7 for vertically stored end-of-life batteries is depicted as being in the middle of the container 1, it will be appreciated that the invention is not particularly limited in this way and the vertically stored batteries may be stored anywhere within the container 1. It may be advantageous to have the space 7 in the middle of the container 1 to provide more even weight distribution. The vertically stored end-of-life batteries may be supported by any suitable means. In Figure 2, there is an upper support mechanism 8 in the form of attachment points such as hooks to which end-of-life batteries may be connected. The upper support mechanism 8 may alternatively or additionally be in the form of tracks or rails to which the end-of-life batteries may be connected. Additionally or alternatively, there is a lower support mechanism 9 to which the end-of-life batteries may be connected. The lower support mechanism 9 may be in the form of tracks or rails to which the end-of-life batteries may be connected. Figure 3 depicts an end view of a container 1 in accordance with the present disclosure. As depicted the upper support mechanism 8 and the lower support mechanism 9 in the form of hooks is provided, although it will be appreciated that other support mechanisms, such as rails or tracks may be used. The vertical space 7 may include two rails at the top and two rails at the bottom onto which an end-of-life battery may be anchored. The rails may be configured to slide in and out of the container such that any end-of-life batteries supported by such rails can be readily put into and taken out of container 1. The container 1 may contain adjustable retention means, such as clamps or straps to hold batteries in place. Buffering elements, such as rubber or other shock and vibration absorbing materials, may be provided to reduce movement of the end-of-life batteries. Figure 4 is similar to Figure 1 in that it depicts a perspective view of a container 1 according to the present disclosure. As depicted, the container 1 has two sets of folding doors 10 on the side. It will be appreciated that the invention is not strictly limited by the folding doors and it will be appreciated that other configurations, such as sliding doors, shutters, or curtains, are also contemplated. Figure 5 is a side view of the container 1 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a top view of the container 1 of Figure 4. Figure? is a side view of the container 1 of Figure 4 shows the folding doors 10 in an open position. Figure 8 is a schematic depiction of a system 11 for conditioning and monitoring air within the container 1. As described, it is important to condition the air within the container 1 to control the temperature and / or humidity within the container 1 or any sub-containers or bays therein. Conditioning the air may including heating or cooling the air. Conditioning the air may including dehumidifying or humidifying the air. The system 11 may include an inlet line 13 configured to receive air. The air may be from the atmosphere or may be from a recycle line (not shown) which is configured to recycle air from within the container 1. The air is passed along the inlet line 13 where one or more sensors 12 measures the temperature, humidity, and or flow rate of the air within the inlet line 13. The air is then passed through an optional flow controller 14 on its way to a conditioning unit 15. The conditioning unit 15 may be configured to condition the air, such as to heat or cool the air, and / or to humidity or dehumidify the air. The conditioning unit 15 may condition the air through any suitable means, but in an example, the conditioning is carried out by a thermoelectric conditioning, such as a Peltier device. An optional fan 16 may be provided to move the air through the system 11. It will be appreciated that the fan 16 may be located at any suitable point within the system, such as, for example, before or as part of conditioning unit 15. Once suitably conditioned, assuming that conditioning is required which may not always be the case, the system is configured to pass the optionally conditioned air into the container or sub containers or bays of the container, and into contact with one or more end-of-life batteries therein. The system 11 is configured to accept air from the container or any sub-containers via line 17 whereupon the air may be passed to one or more sensors 18. The one or more sensors 18 may be configured to measure the temperature, humidity, and / or flow rate of the air. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more sensors 18 may be configured to detect a gas leak or a pressure change from any end-of-life batteries. An optional fan 19 may be provided to move the air through the system 11. Again, it will be appreciated that the fan 16 may be located at any suitable point within the system, such as, for example, before the one or more sensors 18. A flow sensor 20 may be provided that is configured to measure the flow rate of air and generate a signal to a control system. The flow sensor 20 may be configured to provide data to a controller that is configured adjust one or more fans 16, 19 and / or one or more flow controllers 14, 22 depending on the flow reading such that the flow rate is within a predetermined range. Following the flow sensor 20, the air may be passed via an optional flow controller 22 to the atmosphere or to a recycle line which feeds back into the system 11. Recycling the air into the system 11 may be energetically favourable since the air may be at a temperature and / or humidity which is closer to the desired temperature and / or humidity as compared to air from the atmosphere. Figures 9 and 10 depict a central bay of a container according to the present disclosure. As can be seen, there are a number of hooks at the top and bottom of the container which are configured to support an end-of-life battery in a harness or similar during containment and transportation. In addition to the hooks, there are additional supports at the bottom of the bay which further constrain any end-of-life batteries therein. In use, an end-of-life battery is received into one of the sub-containers or bays 2 and electrically connected to the separate battery 4. The separate battery 4 is preferably integrated with the container 1 and may therefore be disposed within the container 1 or attached somewhere on the outside of the container 1. The separate battery 4 is charged using any residual charge in the end-of-life batteries to which it is connected. The power within the separate battery 4 may then be used to power the electrical components or the container and / or any electric vehicle to which the container is connected. In summary, the present invention allows for a greener and safer way of storing and transporting end-of-life batteries. Residual charge within the end-of-life batteries is used usefully and also it is safer to transport discharged end-of-life batteries. In addition, since the condition of the end- of-life batteries is unknown, it is impractical and potentially dangerous to use them to directly power any device and so by connecting them to a separate battery and using the end-of-life batteries to charge the separate battery, it is possible to reliably and safely run electrical systems of the container or electric vehicle to which it is connected. Example 1 In a first example, there may be provided a container as depicted in Figures 1 to 7. The container included two banks of stacked sub-containers or bays that are configured to contain end-of-life batteries in a horizontal orientation, with one bank at one end of the container and the second bank at the other end of the container. Disposed between the two stacks, there is a central vertical bay configured to contain end-of-life batteries in a vertical orientation. Also between the two stacks is a sub-container or bay for the separate battery. It will be appreciated that there may be more than just one separate battery. In the example, there are two bays for the separate battery. Such separate batteries may be the same or may be different. As such, the separate batteries may have different capacities, chemistries, and / or charging / discharging rates. The table below shows some exemplary dimensions of the bays within a container, although it will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not limited by such dimensions, but they are merely to demonstrate one potential configuration of bays within a container. For example, there may be more or fewer bays in a given stack depending on the dimensions of battery which are being transported. The height, length, and breadth of the bays may be configured accordingly. Dimensions Length (mm) Breadth (mm) Height (mm) Container 5898 2352 2393 Bay 1 (left and right) 1960 2352 444 Bay 2 (left and right) 1960 2352 400 Bay 3 (left and right) 1960 2352 400 Bay 4 (left and right) 1960 2352 350 Bay 5 (left and right) 1960 2352 250 Bay 6.1 (Bottommost battery module - front) 950 780 350 Bay 6.2(Bottommost battery module - back) 950 780 350 Vertical Bay 1094 2352 1840

Claims

1. A container for discharging and transporting end-of-life batteries, the container being configured to electrically connect the end-of-life batteries to a separate battery such that the end-of-life batteries at least partially recharge the separate battery.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the separate battery is integrated with the container, optionally wherein the separate battery is a vehicle battery, a battery for a building, a domestic storage battery, an industrial storage battery, or a commercial storage battery.

3. The container according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the separate battery is an electric vehicle battery, preferably configured to drive an electric vehicle motor or configured to charge another battery which drives an electric vehicle motor.

4. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is divided into subcontainers or bays configured to house end-of-life batteries, optionally wherein the subcontainers or bays are sealed.

5. The container according to claim 45, wherein the sub-containers or bays are fire-resistant and / or explosion-resistant.

6. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes restraints to hold end-of-life batteries in place within the container.

7. The container according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the sub-containers or bays include sliding elements configured to allow end-of-life batteries to be slid into and out of the subcontainers or bays.

8. The container according to any of claims 4 to 7, wherein the sub-containers or bays are configured to hold at least one end-of-life battery in a horizontal orientation, and / orwherein the sub-containers or bays are configured to hold at least one end-of-life battery in a vertical orientation.

9. The container according to any of claims 4 to 8, wherein the sub-containers or bays include electrical connectors configured to electrically connect the end-of-life batteries to the separate battery.

10. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes a humidity control system and / or wherein the container includes a gas-leak detector.

11. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes a temperature control system, optionally wherein the temperature control system includes one or more of: a fan, a compressor-type cooler, a heater, and a thermoelectric cooler.

12. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes a control system configured to safely discharge the end-of-life batteries.

13. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes one or more sensors configured to monitor a parameter of end-of-life batteries therein and / or the conditions within the container, optionally wherein the one or more sensors are configured to measure thetemperature and / or voltage of a battery, and / or the humidity, air quality, and / or temperature within the container, optionally wherein the temperature sensor is an IR sensor.

14. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container further includes one or more drip trays configured to collect any liquid from the end-of-life batteries.

15. The container according to claim 14, wherein the drip trays are connected to a sump, optionally a common sump, optionally wherein the sump is connected to a drain for removing any liquid from the sump.

16. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is configured to electrically connect to an electric vehicle or is part of an electric vehicle.

17. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container further includes a firesuppression system, optionally wherein the fire suppression system is individual to each end-of-life battery, individual to a sub-section of the container, or for the entire container, optionally wherein the fire-suppression system includes a nitrogen fire suppression system, a carbon dioxide fire suppression system, a powder fire suppression system, and / or a foam fire suppression system.

18. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is configured to receive end-of-life batteries via a side-opening.

19. The container according to any preceding claim, wherein the container includes wheels.

20. An electric vehicle or trailer comprising the container according to any of claims 1 to 19.

21. A method of transporting end-of-life batteries including providing an electric vehicle and at least partially charging a battery of the electric vehicle with end-of-life batteries being transported.

22. A method of extending the range of an electric vehicle, the method including electrically connecting an electric vehicle to the container of any of claims 1 to 19 and at least partially recharging the electric vehicle with energy from the separate battery or powering the electric vehicle with the separate battery.

23. A method of reducing the carbon-footprint of the recycling of end-of-life batteries, the method including at least partially charging a battery of an electric vehicle using end-of-life batteries being transported on the vehicle and transporting the end-of-life batteries to a recycling facility.

24. A method of assessing an end-of-life battery, the method including obtaining data on an end-of-life battery from one or both of: i) one or more sensors, and ii) the manufacturing and operational history of an end-of-life battery, processing the data in one or more processors to produce an output, and comparing that output to a predetermined list of outputs, and categorising the end-of-life battery as low risk or high risk.

25. The use of a container according to any of claims 1 to 19 or an electric vehicle or trailer according to claim 21 for transporting end-of-life batteries and / or as a stationary electrical storage solution and / or for charging a stationary electrical storage solution.

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