Battery recycling

Abstract

There is provided a comminution circuit for shredding batteries. The comminution circuit includes a feeder for receiving batteries, and a comminution vessel connected to the feeder so as to receive a feed of the batteries. The comminution vessel in turn includes a battery inlet for receiving the feed of the batteries, an entry port for supplying a liquid in the comminution vessel, a gas entry port for providing a gas in the comminution vessel, a gas exit port connected to a suction device to create a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the comminution vessel, a shredder for shredding the batteries to provide shredded batteries, a collection zone positioned below the shredder for receiving the shredded batteries, and an exit port connected to the collection zone to recover the shredded batteries and a portion of the liquid present in the shredding chamber.

Description

BATTERY RECYCLINGCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application is claiming priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 604,306 filed November 30, 2023, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of battery recycling, including the recovery and revalorization of valuable components in batteries such as lithium-ion batteries.BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0003] In order to recover specific materials or elements from batteries, the first step is generally to physically separate these materials or elements to gain access to them. This is typically done via comminution, shredding or cutting steps. However, performing these steps on a battery can cause a short circuit between the cathode and anode which results in a discharge of any remaining energy stored. This represents a significant combustion risk because heat is generated during shredding which can combust any one of the traditional components found in batteries including lithium, polymers, carbon black and graphite. Accordingly, improvements in the battery recycling process are desired and, in particular, with respect to the safety of the comminution step.SUMMARY

[0004] In one aspect, there is provided a comminution circuit for shredding batteries, the comminution circuit comprising: a feeder for receiving batteries; and a comminution vessel connected to the feeder so as to receive a feed of the batteries. The comminution vessel comprises: a battery inlet for receiving the feed of the batteries, an entry port for supplying a liquid in the comminution vessel, a gas entry port for providing a gas in the comminution vessel, a gas exit port connected to a suction device to create a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the comminution vessel, a shredder for shredding the batteries to provide shredded batteries, a collection zone positioned below the shredder for receiving the shredded batteries, and an exit port connected to the collection zone to recover the shredded batteries and a portion of the liquid present in the shredding chamber.

[0005] In some embodiments, the pressure below atmospheric pressure leads to the volatilization of volatile organic compounds, and preferably the volatile organic compounds remain contained in the comminution vessel and are extracted by the suction device.

[0006] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the gas provided by the gas entry port is obtained by recirculating the gas from the gas exit port. In some cases, the gas recirculated is anaerobic and maintains the comminution vessel in an anaerobic state and optionally has less than 1 wt. % of volatile organic compounds.

[0007] In some embodiments, the liquid is water, alcohol, NMP, or an organic solvent.

[0008] In some embodiments, the entry port is at least one spray nozzle to spray the liquid onto the shredder.

[0009] In some embodiments, the liquid provided by the entry port submerges the shredder.

[0010] In some embodiments, the liquid is maintained at a pH and Eh to pacify metals including Fe, Co, and / or Cu.

[0011] In some embodiments, the temperature is maintained at less than 40 °C.

[0012] In some embodiments, the comminution circuit further comprising a cooler.

[0013] In some embodiments, the shredder is an in-line shredder.

[0014] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the liquid recovered at the exit port is recycled to the entry port.

[0015] In some embodiments, the comminution circuit further comprises an air lock feeder connecting the feeder to the battery inlet.

[0016] In some embodiments, the collection zone comprises a screw conveyor and screens to collect and classify the shredded batteries.

[0017] In some embodiments, the comminution circuit further comprises means to agitate the comminution vessel of a given size to give sufficient residence time to allow for the volatilization of low vapor pressure organic solvents. Optionally, the means to agitate is selected from a mixer, a tumbler, a stirrer, or a sonicator.

[0018] In a further aspect, there is provided a circuit comprising some or all of the following: a comminution sub-circuit as defined herein, to physically free each component of the electrodes either to complete liberation or to expose a surface, then to separate those components based on their size and magnetic properties; a hydrometallurgy sub-circuit to dissolve Cu, Co, Fe, Li, Mn, and Ni, then to use solvent liquid extraction adsorption or cementation to separate each, followed by precipitation;a physical separation sub-circuit to separate graphite from the hydrometallurgical residuals, process other recyclers waste products, or process other graphite containing mixtures.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a block flow diagram of a recycle process circuit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a block flow diagram of the comminution subcircuit of the process of Fig. 1.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic of a comminution circuit according to one embodiment of the present disclosure (embodiment “A”).

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic of a comminution circuit according to another embodiment of the present disclosure (embodiment “B”).

[0023] FIG. 5 is an Eh - Ph diagram for LiCoCh where the solid line shows the pacification points and the dotted line shows the mobilization points (the lines that go across the graph).

[0024] FIG. 6 is an Eh - Ph diagram for iron where the solid line shows the pacification points and the dotted line shows the mobilization points (the lines that go across the graph).

[0025] FIG. 7 is an Eh - Ph diagram for copper where the solid line shows the pacification points and the dotted line shows the mobilization points (the lines that go across the graph).DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] There is provided a herein a process, system and equipment for recycling batteries such as lithium-ion batteries. While the process can be operated agnostic to currently used lithium-ion battery chemistries it operates more effectively when tuned to a particular chemistry (e.g. NMC, LCO or other such cathodes, binders and organics). The feed for the recycling plant can be end of use lithium-ion batteries, as well as other types of batteries, or black masses or carbon residuals, which can be obtained from third party sources. Independent process lines can be run for each battery chemistry (including for example different lines for different chemistries of lithium-ion batteries) if the volume is sufficient. In one embodiment, the battery chemistries include aluminum as a foil, but not in the cathode, cobalt, copper, iron in body of the battery but not in the cathode, lithium, manganese, nickel, a polymer hydrophobic cathode binder, a water soluble binder in on the anode, carbon black, organic solvents, lithium based salts in the electrolytes, and a wide range of polymers used as separators, caps and other functions. Separate, but similar circuits are used for aluminium containing cathodes (NCA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries, or batteries that use hydrophilic binders on both the anode and cathode, or the usehydrophobic binders on both the anode and cathode. Laboratory-scale tests on this process indicate a recovery of metals and graphite greater than 97% at a grade sufficient for a battery circular supply chain (Table 1).Table 1 : Summary of grades and recoveries achieved by 24 Oct 2024.

[0027] Fig. 1 shows the overall recycle process circuit 100 that is composed of three major sub-circuits: comminution 101 , hydrometallurgy 102, and graphite 103. The comminution subcircuit 101 performs a reduction on the feed batteries and produces pieces that are suitable for separations and various solid / liquid / gas separations. Hydrometallurgy 102 takes the product of the comminution circuit, or other sources of black mass, isolates each metal to make saleable metal compound products. The graphite sub-circuit 103 takes the residuals of the hydrometallurgy circuit, third-party carbon residuals or other graphite rich product streams and produces a saleable graphite product.

[0028] The overarching purpose of the comminution circuit is two-fold. The first is to reduce the batteries to pieces on the order of 0.1 to 5.0 cm, 0.1 to 2 cm, or 0.5 to 2 cm foil sheets, suspended solids, dissolved materials, immiscible organics, and suspended solids, through submerged, negative pressure anaerobic atmosphere conditions, by cutting and shredding. The second is to preform simple physical separations; this is a combination of particle size selection and magnetics, that allows the separation of the steel and polymers as scrap products. The collected liquid and gases are purified and recirculated. In some embodiments, the organics may be destroyed as heat is applied.

[0029] The term “anaerobic” when referring to a gas or a gaseous environment means having a concentration of less than 1 vol. % O2, less than 0.5 vol. % O2, less than 0.1 vol. % O2, less than 0.05 vol. % O2, or less than 0.01 vol. % O2.

[0030] The term “negative pressure” as used herein refers to a pressure that is less than atmospheric pressure by at least 0.1 kPa, at least 0.5 kPa, at least 1 kPa, at least 2 kPa, at least 3 kPa, at least 4 kPa, at least 5 kPa, from 0.1 kPa to 20 kPa, from 0.5 kPa to 20 kPa, from 20 kPa to 20 kPa, from 2 kPa to 20 kPa, from 3 kPa to 20 kPa, from 4 kPa to 20 kPa, from 5 kPa to 20kPa, from 0.1 kPa to 15 kPa, from 0.5 kPa to 15 kPa, from 1 kPa to 15 kPa, from 2 kPa to 15 kPa, from 3 kPa to 15 kPa, from 4 kPa to 15 kPa, from 5 kPa to 15 kPa, from 0.1 kPa to 10 kPa, from 0.5 kPa to 10 kPa, from 1 kPa to 10 kPa, from 2 kPa to 10 kPa, from 3 kPa to 10 kPa, from 4 kPa to 10 kPa, or from 5 kPa to 10 kPa. In some embodiments, the negative pressure is defined as being from 80 kPa to 100 kPa, from 80 kPa to 99 kPa, from 80 kPa to 97 kPa, from 80 kPa to 96 kPa, from 80 kPa to 95 kPa, from 85 kPa to 100 kPa, from 85 kPa to 99 kPa, from 85 kPa to 97 kPa, from 85 kPa to 96 kPa, from 85 kPa to 95 kPa, from 90 kPa to 100 kPa, from 90 kPa to 99 kPa, from 90 kPa to 97 kPa, from 90 kPa to 96 kPa, or from 90 kPa to 95 kPa.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows the comminution sub-circuit 101 . Source batteries forthis sub-circuit must be discharged prior to this circuit. In this circuit the source batteries are shredded 201 and in some embodiments, and / or cut, then sorted by size 202 to remove the steel and polymers. The remainder are dissolved or suspended materials that are subjected to solid / liquid separations. Fig. 2 shows one embodiment using a decanter or settling device 203 wherein the solids produced are filtered 204 resulting in a black mass that undergoes further processing. The separated water from both the decanter 204 and filter 205 undergo a second stage of filtering to remove very fine particles. These fine particles join the black mass while the water flows to an organic recovery sub-circuit 209 and dissolved materials recovery sub-circuit 210. The solids from the filter 204 in one embodiment are heated to remove the water and organics 206.

[0032] Fig. 3 shows one embodiment, “A”, of the comminution vessel that comprises the comminution sub-circuit 101. The first step in the comminution sub-circuit is the comminution vessel. This vessel is constructed in order to hold a slight vacuum. The source batteries are either stored for comminution in a feed bin 10 or delivered by a transport system. These batteries pass through an air lock 11 and into the comminution vessel 20 which encloses a closed gaseous environment 21. In one embodiment a cutter (not shown) is used prior to shredding to allow the use of smaller shredders. A liquid is either sprayed into the batteries or they are submersed in that liquid. The liquid level or spray comes from liquid recirculated within the comminution subcircuit through the entry port 22. A vessel negative pressure is maintained. Recirculated gases are supplied through the gas entry port 23 and exit through port 24. This gas can be from a new supply 23a or from oxygen depleted or anaerobic gases returning from the organics sub-circuit 23b. Both the batteries and liquid flow through an in-line shredder 25 into a collection zone 26 and finally out the exit port 27 to additional processes.

[0033] Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment, “B”, of the comminution vessel 20 that comprises the comminution sub-circuit 101. In this embodiment, the liquid inlets 22 are spray nozzles. A double roll, or similar, shredder 25 is used. The collection zone 26 has a screw conveyor 29leading to the exit port 27. Moreover, a level of the liquid 28 is shown indicating that the shredding can occur under submersion. In the case of the spray, the nozzles 22 are adjusted to ensure an even distribution of spray over the batteries and to provide enough flow to suspend and small particles from the foils. The liquid (e.g. water), suspended solids, immiscible liquids, and solids drop through the shredder 25 and are moved by a screw conveyor 29 to the end exit point 27 which is kept submerged to maintain the low pressure in the comminution vessel 20.

[0034] Both embodiments of the comminution vessel (“A” and “B”), incorporate a feeder 10 and air lock feeder 11. Batteries are either loaded directly into the feed bin 10 or the bin 10 is replaced by a belt delivery system. From either embodiments, the batteries are introduced into the comminution vessel by an air lock device.

[0035] The gases in the comminution vessel 20, and other components of the comminution sub-circuit where volatilization of organics may occur, are held at a negative pressure compared to atmospheric by the withdrawal of gas, using a vacuum pump or other gas suction device. This gas is treated in the organics sub-circuit before being recirculated to the comminution circuit. The consumption of oxygen causes this returned gas to be anaerobic. The negative pressure promotes the volatilization of close to zero vapor pressure organics. In some embodiments, the below atmospheric pressure leads to the volatilization of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and they preferably remain contained in the comminution vessel and are extracted by the suction device. These organics are, also, removed by the organics sub-circuit. New gas added to the system can be any inert gas, such as CO2, N2, noble gases, or oxygen depleted air. In some embodiments, the gaseous environment in the comminution chamber is CO2, N2, noble gases, or oxygen depleted air. In some embodiments, the collected volatiles recovered in the recirculated gases from the comminution devices are destroyed by combustion. In some embodiments, the gas recirculated is free of VOCs or has less than 5 wt. %, less than 3 wt. %, or less than 1 wt. % of VOCs.

[0036] The liquid can be aqueous, an alcohol or an organic solvent, ethylene glycol, NMP or the like. In some instances the shredder is submerged in the liquid. In this case the liquid level is maintained at a level that allows the collection of volatilized gases and generates sufficient hydrostatic pressure to assist in moving the batteries through the shredder. This level dictates the dimensions of the feed chamber. The liquid flows through the device from the entry port 22. This can achieve a spraying onto the shredder 25, or can maintain a liquid volume 28 within the chamber. The liquid flows through the shredder or grinder 25 that is positioned above a collection zone 26 which leads to the exit port 27 from which liquid and shredded batteries go out. Since the exit port 27 remains submerged, the gaseous environment 21 is controlled through the gas entryport 23 and the gas exit port 24. The batteries move through a shredder 25 assisted by the liquid flow. An example is an in-line grinder whose product moves into the collection zone 26 and through the exit port 27 for further processing. In some embodiments, the outlet 27 may be open to atmosphere or directly feed into the next stage of processing.

[0037] The temperature of the comminution vessel is maintained to perform two functions. First, to control the dissolution or volatilization of organics. Second, to prevent combustion in the comminution sub-circuit, a liquid flow collects and dissipates any heat that is generated. The liquid can be sprayed onto the shedding or the shredding can performed submerged. The liquid flow is controlled to maintain temperature and to ensure that the batteries or their pieces flow through the shredding device. The temperature of this liquid may be adjusted to control the comminution vessel temperature independent of liquid flow or to control the chemical or change of state processes. When necessary, heat exchangers can be used. Suitable temperatures for the comminution vessel are around or below 40 °C, preferably room temperature.

[0038] In some embodiments, the submerging or spray liquid of the comminution sub-circuit dissolves exposed solids. This may include, but is not limited to, battery binders such as CMC, electrolytes, organic solvents, lithium, and manganese which are removed by appropriate methods. In some embodiments, the liquid of the comminution sub-circuit suspends particles that have become liberated. The concentration of these materials in the recirculating liquid is controlled through a bleed stream to the organics recovery sub-circuit 209 and dissolved materials sub-circuit 210 (see Fig. 2). It could also suspend liberate solid particles or, in some instances, precipitates formed by the electrolyte salt. The liquid is held within the system for sufficient residence time to allow for the volatilization of near-zero vapor pressure organics.

[0039] Mobilization of metals within the comminution vessel can be minimized in order to optimize their recovery. Thus, in preferred embodiments, the system liquid is maintained at the proper pH and oxidation / reduction potential (Eh) and is recirculated to the comminution chamber. The specific values of pH and Eh will depend on the species present in the water as explained in more details further below. The spray or submersion liquid, if it is water or comprises at least 90 vol. % water, has Eh, pH and temperature parameters that are adjusted to promote or passivate specific ionic species.

[0040] As an example, in some embodiments, the batteries contain or yield IJC0O2. When dealing with IJC0O2 cathode chemistry, the elements that could be in the black mass are Al, Cu, Co, Fe and Li. Aluminum and copper are present in the metallic form as foils. It is possible to selectively enable the LiCoCh to stay in solid or ionic forms. The Eh-pH diagram for LiCoCh is shown in Fig. 5. The LiCoCh is stable under conditions of high Eh and pH, for example under theconditions at the solid line crosshairs in Fig. 5. Thus, if the water used in the comminution circuit is kept at these conditions the lithium should remain as a solid. Dissolution can be achieved under the dashed line conditions. The iron stability, as shown in Fig. 6 with the LiCoCh pacification lines, indicates that the stable form of iron when pacifying the IJC0O2 is Fe2C>3*nH2O, or various form of rust that will likely be in the form of small suspended particles or the unreacted Fe(m). In this Eh-pH zone, aluminum is, for these purposes, stable in the metallic form. The copper stability is illustrated in its Eh-pH diagram (Fig. 7) that indicates the stable form of copper under these conditions is Cu(OH)2<S) although this may only be a surface coating on the metallic copper. The advantage of pacification is that lithium would not enter the comminution water. However, an oxidation agent would need to be added and its reaction with the organics and the evolution of oxygen can potentially lead to a combustion environment which should be avoided. The advantage of lithium dissolution is that, at this stage the lithium is in fine particle form but would be melted in the calcination stages. It also means that lithium and other neutral to moderately pH mobilized metals could be removed early in the process.

[0041] The suspended particles include, but are not limited to, battery binders and particles such as silicone, graphite, carbon black and cathode compounds. Liquid flows are maintained at levels that suspend their particles.

[0042] The shredder 25 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, “A”, an in-line grinder is used (for example a Franklin Miller super shredder) and in other embodiments a horizontal double roll system can be used (“B”). The shredder is used with a limited reduction ratio in order to produce a different size between the fragile foils and the stretchable polymers.

[0043] In some embodiments, the exit port 27 is passed over a two-deck filter (Fig. 2, 202). The material retained on the first deck, about 2 cm in size, is the majority of the polymers. The material retained on the second deck, about 1 mm in size opening, is the majority of the remaining polymers and foils. The materials passing the second deck are the liquid, shredded foils and fine suspended particles. Other screen configurations or styles can be used such as using two separate screen (202, 206). In some embodiments, the decks are vibrated. In some embodiments, the decks are tilted or curved along their length. In some embodiments, the decks are tilted along their width. In some embodiments, rakes, screws, orthe devices aid the movement of the particles.

[0044] The liquid passing the sieve, and materials dissolved or suspended in it, move to dewatering. In one embodiment, this dewatering is a single step clarifier, in other embodiments it is a multi-stage system, for example composed of a decanter 203, pressure filter 204 and fineparticle filter 205, and cross flow ultra-filter 205. The separated water is treated in the organics sub-circuits 209. The filtered solid is a black mass that undergoes further processing.

[0045] Separation of the magnetic materials, steel, is done using series of conveyors wherein electromagnets transfer the magnetic materials away from the non-magnetics 207 (see Fig. 2). A low temperature pyrometallurgical stage 208 is included that removes the remainder of the water from the filtered solids 205.

[0046] The organics for bleed streams of both air and water from the comminution circuit are processed in the organics recovery sub-circuit (Fig. 2, 209). In one embodiment, immiscible liquids are to be removed, recovered, or destroyed, using techniques such as hydrocyclones, settling, filters or centrifugal devices followed by purification or destruction methods specific for each material. In some embodiments, the entrained immiscible liquids of are to be removed, recovered or destroyed, using techniques by means of distillation, vacuum distillation or other chemical means.

[0047] Referring to Fig. 1 , 102, the hydrometallurgy sub-circuit has a leach system fed by comminution 101 or by third party black masses. In this sub-circuit, these feed materials are leached simultaneously to form a leachate. The leachate undergoes a series of solvent-liquid extractions and precipitations to isolate the various metals. This leach is acidic, where any of sulfuric, acetic, citric other acids can be used. The precipitation stages can be augmented by, or replaced by, electrowinning in order to produce metal products. The residuals of the leach are processed, along with other carbon streams, to recover graphite sub-circuit 103.

[0048] Leaching is normally done in a series large-stirred aqueous tanks operating at the appropriate Eh, pH and temperature.

[0049] A series of conventional, public domain solvent liquid extraction stages are used, wherein some metals are separated from others at one pH and released, separated from the prior solution at a different pH. The solvent extraction can be performed as follows. First, the pregnant solution from the leach is placed into a mixer settler, or an equivalent contactor. Alternatively, adsorption or cementation can be performed instead or in combination independently with the liquid extraction.

[0050] To perform precipitation, cementation, Eh and pH adjustment, water removal and other means of precipitation can be used. The precipitation reactor is a vessel that gives the residence time and conditions for precipitation to occur and allow the resulting solids to be separated from the liquid. The metallic iron and copper ions are replaced by metallic copper and iron in solution. The decanter then separates the metallic copper and un-reacted iron. At the industrial scale, the resulting copper is estimated to grade about 95% and can be either sold, as is to smelters, orupgraded using electrowinning to anode grade copper. The drawback of this process is the introduction of iron into the solution. Alternatives to cementation in the circuit can be considered, for example either selective leaching or the use of an additional solvent extraction (SX) stage.

[0051] The Eh and pH techniques adjust the pH (or Eh) conditions to cause precipitation, typically by the addition of acids or bases to the solution. A multi-stage precipitation can for example be performed, to precipitate Cu (e.g. Cu sulfate), to precipitate Co / Ni (e.g. Co / Ni sulfate), to precipitate Mn (e.g. Mn sulfate), and then to precipitate Li (e.g. Li carbonate).

[0052] The graphite sub-circuit takes, as feed, the residuals of the leach, third-party carbon residuals or other graphite containing products. In one embodiment, a wash is used to remove tramp material and dissolve, without using acid, potential contaminates. Water is added to the feed to form a 10 and 20% (w / w) suspension. This mixed product is fed to the primary flotation. The graphite concentrate of the primary stage feeds to the grade stage and the rejects feed the recovery stage. The concentrate product of the grade stage is dewatered and forms the graphite product. The reject of the recovery stage is dewatered and forms a waste product. This product may be recirculated to the hydrometallurgy sub-circuit if a bleed stream is used. Water is recycled in the within the flotation sub-circuit in orderto control ion levels and minimize the reagents used.

[0053] The carbon residual product may have contaminates particulates or precipitates that are physically or electrically bound to the graphite. These can be removed by froth flotation when they are physically liberated from the graphite.

[0054] While the present disclosure has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modifications and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice within the art and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as follows in the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:1 . A comminution circuit for shredding batteries, the comminution circuit comprising: a feeder for receiving batteries; and a comminution vessel connected to the feeder so as to receive a feed of the batteries, the comminution vessel comprising: a battery inlet for receiving the feed of the batteries, an entry port for supplying a liquid in the comminution vessel, a gas entry port for providing a gas in the comminution vessel, a gas exit port connected to a suction device to create a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the comminution vessel, a shredder for shredding the batteries to provide shredded batteries, a collection zone positioned below the shredder for receiving the shredded batteries, and an exit port connected to the collection zone to recover the shredded batteries and a portion of the liquid present in the shredding chamber.

2. The comminution circuit of claim 1 , wherein the pressure below atmospheric pressure leads to the volatilization of volatile organic compounds.

3. The comminution circuit of claim 2, wherein the volatile organic compounds remain contained in the comminution vessel and are extracted by the suction device.

4. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a portion of the gas provided by the gas entry port is obtained by recirculating the gas from the gas exit port.

5. The comminution circuit of claim 4, wherein the gas recirculated is anaerobic and maintains the comminution vessel in an anaerobic state.

6. The comminution circuit of claim 4 or 5, wherein the gas recirculated has less than 1 wt. % of volatile organic compounds.

7. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the liquid is water, alcohol, NMP, or an organic solvent.

8. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the entry port is at least one spray nozzle to spray the liquid onto the shredder.

9. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liquid provided by the entry port submerges the shredder.

10. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the liquid is maintained at a pH and Eh to pacify metals including Fe, Co, and / or Cu.

11. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the temperature is maintained at less than 40 °C.

12. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 11 , further comprising a cooler.

13. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the shredder is an in-line shredder.

14. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein at least a portion of the liquid recovered at the exit port is recycled to the entry port.

15. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 14, further comprising an air lock feeder connecting the feeder to the battery inlet.

16. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the collection zone comprises a screw conveyor and screens to collect and classify the shredded batteries.

17. The comminution circuit of any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising means to agitate the comminution vessel of a given size to give sufficient residence time to allow for the volatilization of low vapor pressure organic solvents.

18. The comminution circuit of claim 17, wherein the means to agitate is selected from a mixer, a tumbler, a stirrer, or a sonicator.

19. A circuit comprising: a) a comminution sub-circuit as defined in any one of claims 1 to 18, to physically free each component of the electrodes either to complete liberation or to expose a surface, then to separate those components based on their size and magnetic properties; b) a hydrometallurgy sub-circuit to dissolve Cu, Co, Fe, Li, Mn, and Ni, then to use solvent liquid extraction, adsorption or cementation to separate each, followed by precipitation; c) a physical separation sub-circuit to separate graphite from the hydrometallurgical residuals, process other recyclers waste products, or process other graphite containing mixtures.

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