Systems and methods for crushing lithium-ion batteries

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a single integrated system designed to crush lithium ion batteries and address all associated complex processes and effects. The present invention also provides a system for sorting the crushed material. The system comprises an hourglass shaped device, where a crusher is placed in the neck of the device. The upper spherical part of the hourglass shaped device is electrically heated / cooled using a submerged water heater / chiller and has a chamber at the top to collect the exhaust gas. The lower spherical part of the hourglass shaped device includes a screen that is tilted and placed in the middle of the chamber, and a vibration mechanism. This is a sieving device, which is used for sorting of large or small sized materials. The gases exhausted during the crushing operation are collected at the top and sent to a scrubber to neutralize any acid gases.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to lithium ion batteries, and more particularly to a system and method for safely crushing lithium ion batteries. [Background technology]

[0002]

[0002] Crushing used lithium-ion batteries is a process that requires special conditions for the safe disposal of crushed batteries due to the risk of explosion, fire, and other hazards during the crushing process. Current methods for crushing are multi-stage, multi-equipment processes that include the use of multi-shaft crushers in a neutral atmosphere of nitrogen or argon, or at cryogenic conditions.

[0003]

[0003] In some current implementations, the recycling equipment is equipped with a sprayer that sprays water with additives into the crushing environment. However, this method alleviates part of the problem but does not completely solve it. Additionally, this method also requires discharging the batteries, removing the protective layer, casing, and supporting infrastructure to place the batteries into the crusher. Although the process is carried out in a conventional manner, it is complicated to execute, incurs high capital, operating, and maintenance costs, and also does not produce favorable results.

[0004]

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a single integrated system designed to safely shred lithium ion batteries and address all the associated complex processes and effects. There is also a need for a system for sorting shredded materials during the shredding of lithium ion batteries.

[0005]

[0005] The above-mentioned shortcomings, drawbacks, and problems are addressed herein, which will be understood by reading and studying the following detailed description. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for safely crushing lithium ion batteries.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for crushing lithium ion batteries in a fluid environment.

[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for sorting the crushed material after crushing of lithium ion batteries and for re-crushing of larger particles.

[0009]

[0009] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system for the safe and non-hazardous handling of organic and inorganic exhausts during the crushing of lithium ion batteries.

[0010] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011]

[0011] Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for safely fracturing lithium ion batteries. Embodiments also provide a system for fracturing lithium ion batteries in a fluid environment that allows for material sorting during fracturing of the lithium ion batteries.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for crushing lithium-ion batteries is provided. The system comprises an hourglass-shaped device, with a crusher placed in the neck of the device. The upper spherical part of the hourglass is electrically heated or cooled using a submerged water heater or chiller. The upper spherical part is also connected to the material inlet and comprises a chamber at the top to collect the exhaust gas. According to one embodiment, the lower spherical part of the hourglass-shaped device comprises a screen that is tilted and placed in the middle of the chamber, and a vibration mechanism. This is a sieving device, which is used for classification of oversized or undersized materials. The undersized materials are discharged out of the system, while the oversized materials are returned to the cycle together with the feed material for re-crushing. The movement of both undersized and oversized materials is achieved using multiple screw conveyors, which are operated at a constant speed that is pre-calibrated. The conveyors in the facility are operated at a higher speed than the outlet conveyors to create a flow of fluid, such as water, inside the facility for equal distribution of heat.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, the gases exhausted during the crushing operation are collected at the top and sent to a scrubber to neutralize any acid gases, this function is accomplished using a control valve and a pressure sensor. The arrangement of the chamber and pumps above it also creates a negative pressure. The gases remaining after scrubbing are compressed and stored. Both the upper and lower bulbous parts, along with the non-sliding parts of the crusher assembly, are coated with a protective coating such as Teflon or nickel to protect the equipment from leaching products produced from the crushing operation. The crusher is connected to the motor using a belt drive that is connected through the motor using a large pulley.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, the motor is connected through a set of gears. Pulleys are provided to create some inertia in the system to accommodate slight changes in torque requirements. There is also a mechanism to detect crusher blockage, which reverses the direction of motion for a certain amount of time when a blockage is detected. The electric heating / cooling system is controlled using a PID controller, and multiple thermocouples are placed to monitor temperature uniformity.

[0015]

[0015] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

[0016] Other objects, features and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1a] FIG. 1 is a front view of a system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1b] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2a]

[0018] FIG. 1 is a front view of yet another system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries, according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2b] FIG. 1 is a side view of yet another system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2c] FIG. 1 is a side view of yet another system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries, according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018]

[0019] Specific features of the invention may be shown in some drawings and not in others. This is done for convenience only, since each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention.

[0019]

[0020] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments which may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments, it being understood that other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments. Thus, the following detailed description should not be taken in a limiting sense.

[0020]

[0021] Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for safely fracturing lithium ion batteries. Embodiments also provide a system for fracturing lithium ion batteries in a fluid environment that allows for material sorting during fracturing of the lithium ion batteries.

[0021]

[0022] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for crushing lithium ion batteries is provided. The system includes a dual chamber device, a crusher, a sieve, a plurality of conveyors, a motor, and a plurality of sensors and actuators. The dual chamber device includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber such that the two chambers are mechanically coupled through a narrow neck region, and both chambers become wider as they move away from the neck region, thus giving the dual chamber device an hourglass shape. The dual chamber device enables safe crushing of lithium ion batteries by providing a temperature controlled fluid environment inside the chamber. The crusher is placed in the neck of the dual chamber device. The width of the crusher is adjusted for size characterization of the crushed material. The sieve is housed in the lower chamber of the dual chamber device. A conveyor is provided for transporting materials in the system for safe crushing from the system for safe crushing to any external equipment attached to the system for safe crushing. A motor is connected to the crusher, and a plurality of sensors and actuators are provided for sensing a plurality of parameters and actuating a plurality of operations in the system, respectively.

[0022]

[0023] According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper chamber of the dual chamber device is maintained at a constant temperature by electrical heating with a submerged water heater and cooling using a heat exchanger or chiller. The upper chamber is connected to an inlet arrangement through which the material to be crushed is introduced into the dual chamber device. The upper chamber comprises a narrow chamber at the top for collecting exhaust gases produced during the crushing operation. The upper chamber further comprises a fluid inlet arrangement and a number of pressure and temperature sensors.

[0023]

[0024] According to one embodiment of the invention, the lower chamber of the dual chamber device houses a sieve that is tilted and placed in the middle of the lower chamber and includes a vibration mechanism. The sieve is configured to classify solid and liquid materials. The sieve is also configured to classify the crushed materials based on their size. Classification of the crushed materials is also possible outside the system using external equipment.

[0024]

[0025] According to one embodiment of the invention, multiple conveyors allow for the transport of multiple types of materials within and outside the system. Crushed materials classified as undersized using pre-set parameters are transported out of the system through the exit conveyor. Crushed materials classified as oversized using pre-set parameters are transported for re-crushing and mixed with the feed material introduced into the system for crushing through the in-system conveyor. The in-system conveyor is operated at a higher speed than the exit conveyor to create a water flow inside the equipment for equal distribution of heat. All conveyors are designed to operate at a pre-calibrated constant speed.

[0025]

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, the crusher is mechanically coupled to the motor, the mechanical coupling being at least one of a belt drive, a pulley, multiple gear boxes, or multiple couplings, and the system includes a pulley or flywheel arrangement for creating inertia and compensation for torque changes. The system further includes a mechanism for measuring slippage of the system to thereby identify any blockages in the crusher and preferably reverse the direction of motion to overcome the blockage.

[0026]

[0027] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic temperature maintenance system for maintaining the temperature of a dual chamber apparatus is controlled using PID control and further includes a number of temperature sensors for monitoring temperature uniformity within the chambers.

[0027]

[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention, gases exhausted during the fracturing operation are collected at the top of the dual chamber device and then sent to a scrubber to neutralize any gases. This function is accomplished using an arrangement of control valves, pressure sensors, chambers and pumps thereon to create negative pressure, and any organic gases remaining after scrubbing are compressed and stored.

[0028]

[0029] According to one embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower chambers, along with the non-sliding parts of the crusher assembly, are coated with a protective coating such as Teflon or nickel to protect the equipment from the leaching products of the crushing operation.

[0029]

[0030] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for crushing lithium-ion batteries is provided. The system comprises an hourglass-shaped device, with a crusher placed in the neck of the device. The upper spherical part of the hourglass-shaped device is electrically heated / cooled using a submerged water heater / chiller. The upper spherical part is also connected to the material inlet and comprises a chamber at the top to collect the exhaust gas. According to one embodiment, the lower spherical part of the hourglass-shaped device comprises a screen that is tilted and placed in the middle of the chamber, and a vibration mechanism. This is a sieving device, which is used for classification of large or small size materials. The small size materials are discharged out of the system, while the large size materials are returned to the cycle together with the feed material. The movement of both small and large size materials is achieved using multiple screw conveyors, which are operated at a constant speed that is pre-calibrated. The conveyors inside the facility are operated at a higher speed than the outlet conveyor to create a flow of fluid, such as water, inside the facility for equal distribution of heat. When the screw conveyor in the equipment is not used, the movement of water is achieved using pumps. The gases exhausted during the crushing operation are collected at the top and sent to a scrubber to neutralize any acid gases, this function is achieved using control valves and pressure sensors. The arrangement of the chamber and pumps thereon also creates a negative pressure. According to one embodiment, the gases remaining after scrubbing are compressed and stored. Both the upper and lower spherical parts, along with the non-sliding parts of the crusher assembly, are coated with a protective coating such as Teflon or nickel to protect the equipment from leaching products produced from the crushing operation. The crusher is connected to the motor using a belt drive that is connected through the motor using a large pulley. According to one embodiment, the motor is connected through a gear. The pulley is provided to create some inertia in the system to accommodate slight changes in torque requirements. There is also a mechanism to measure the slippage of the belt in the system to detect crusher blockage, which reverses the direction of movement for a certain amount of time when a blockage is detected.The electrical heating system is controlled using a PID controller and multiple thermocouples are placed to monitor temperature uniformity.

[0030]

[0031] 1a and 1b illustrate front and isometric views of a system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries. The system includes a material hopper 101, an upper tub 102, a crusher unit 103, a lower tub 104, a screen 105 for separating oversized material, crushed material 106, a support structure 107, an outer plate 108, a screw conveyor-1 109, a screw conveyor-2 110, and a pulley 111.

[0031]

[0032] 2a, 2b and 2c illustrate front and side views of yet another system for providing integrated and safe crushing of lithium ion batteries. The system includes a material hopper 201, an upper tub 202, a crusher unit 203, a lower tub 204, a screen 205, crushed material 206, a support structure 207, an outer shell 208, a first screw conveyor 209, a second screw conveyor 210, a crusher drive unit 211, an exhaust gas outlet 212, a water inlet 213, a number of pressure and temperature sensors 214, a viewing port 215, and a number of gears 216.

[0032]

[0033] Although the embodiments herein are described with reference to various specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that they may practice the embodiments herein with modifications.

[0033] Effect of the Invention

[0034] Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system for crushing lithium ion batteries. The present invention provides a single integrated system designed to crush lithium ion batteries and address all associated complex processes and effects. The present invention also provides a system for sorting of crushed material during crushing of lithium ion batteries. The present invention is designed to eliminate pre-treatment of the batteries and allow extraction of organics. The present invention also optimizes the use of resources for the operation of the crusher.

[0034]

[0035] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments has so fully revealed the general nature of the embodiments herein, which can be easily modified and / or adapted for various applications, such as specific embodiments, by applying current knowledge, without departing from the generic concept, and such adaptations and modifications are therefore intended to be understood within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the expressions or terms used herein are for the purpose of description, not limitation. Thus, the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, and those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. 1. A system for the safe crushing of lithium-ion batteries, comprising: a dual chamber device comprising an upper chamber and a lower chamber such that the two chambers are mechanically coupled through a narrow neck region, both chambers becoming wider as they move away from the neck region, thus giving the dual chamber device an hourglass shape, the dual chamber device enabling safe crushing of lithium ion batteries by providing a temperature controlled fluid environment inside the chambers; a crusher placed in the neck of the dual chamber device, the width of the crusher being adjusted for size characterization of the crushed material; a sieve housed within the lower chamber of the dual chamber apparatus; a plurality of conveyors provided for transporting material within the system for safe crushing from the system for safe crushing to any external equipment attached to the system for safe crushing; A motor connected to the crusher; a plurality of sensors and actuators for sensing a plurality of parameters and actuating a plurality of operations within the system, respectively; A system comprising:

2. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper chamber of the dual chamber apparatus is maintained at a constant temperature by electrically heating using a submerged water heater and cooling using a heat exchanger or a chiller, the upper chamber is connected to an inlet arrangement through which material to be crushed is introduced into the dual chamber apparatus, the upper chamber comprises a narrow chamber in an upper portion for collecting exhaust gases produced during the crushing operation, and the upper chamber further comprises a fluid inlet arrangement and a plurality of pressure and temperature sensors.

3. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lower chamber of the dual chamber apparatus houses a sieve that is tilted and placed in the middle of the lower chamber and includes a vibrating mechanism, the sieve configured to classify solid and liquid materials, the sieve also configured to classify the crushed materials based on their size, and classification of the crushed materials is also possible outside the system using external equipment.

4. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple conveyors allow for the transport of multiple types of material within and outside the system, the crushed material classified as small size using preset parameters is transported out of the system through an exit conveyor, and the crushed material classified as large size using preset parameters is transported for re-crushing and mixed with feed material introduced into the system for crushing through an in-system conveyor, the in-system conveyor is operated at a higher speed than the exit conveyor to create a water flow inside the facility for equal distribution of heat, and all the conveyors are designed to operate at a pre-calibrated constant speed.

5. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the crusher is mechanically coupled to a motor, the mechanical coupling being at least one of a belt drive, a pulley, multiple gear boxes, or multiple couplings, the system comprising a pulley or flywheel arrangement for creating inertia and compensation for torque changes, the system further comprising a mechanism for measuring slippage of the system to thereby identify any blockages in the crusher and preferably reverse direction of motion to overcome the blockage.

6. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein an electrical temperature maintenance system for maintaining the temperature of the dual chamber apparatus is controlled using PID control and further comprises a plurality of temperature sensors for monitoring temperature uniformity within the chambers.

7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein gases exhausted during the fracturing operation are collected at the top of the dual chamber apparatus and then sent to a scrubber to neutralize any gases, this function being accomplished using an arrangement of control valves, pressure sensors, chambers and pumps thereon to create negative pressure, and organic gases remaining after scrubbing are compressed and stored.

8. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower chambers, together with non-sliding portions of the crusher assembly, are coated with a protective coating such as Teflon or nickel to protect the equipment from leaching products of the crushing operation.

Images