Apparatus for separating shredded waste battery material

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for separating shredded waste battery material, the apparatus being characterized by comprising: a heating unit which accommodates shredded waste battery material and provides fluidity to the shredded material; a hot air supply unit which provides high-temperature hot air capable of evaporating an electrolyte in the shredded material into the heating unit; and a gas discharge unit through which evaporated gas is discharged, wherein the shredded material is separated into a plurality of materials while flowing in the heating unit.

Description

Waste battery shredder separator

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste battery shredder separation device, and more specifically, to a waste battery shredder separation device comprising a heating unit of a specific structure, a hot air supply unit, and a gas discharge unit, wherein the shredded material flows within the heating unit and is separated into multiple materials.

[0002] Recently, due to environmental pollution issues, secondary batteries are being applied in various industrial sectors, and as the scope and volume of their use are rapidly increasing, solutions for recycling waste batteries are emerging.

[0003] The generally known waste battery recycling process is as follows. First, a crushing step is performed in which waste batteries are collected and discharged, then crushed into small sizes of approximately 10 mm to 30 mm using a crushing device. Next, a drying step is performed in which the crushed material in the form of small particles is fed into a drying device and heat of approximately 100 to 130°C is applied to remove residual moisture from the crushed material. Afterward, the crushed material from which moisture has been removed is discharged from the drying device and fed into a chamber within a heat treatment device, and a heat treatment step is performed in which the electrolyte and separator are burned by heating to a high temperature of approximately 400°C or higher. Once this process is completed, the crushed material from which the electrolyte and separator have been removed is discharged, and a raw material recovery step is performed to recover BM (Black Mass) such as Ni, Co, Mn, Cu, Al, and Carbon from the remaining residue.

[0004] However, this conventional method has a problem in that it is difficult to provide uniform heat supply because the outer wall of the chamber containing the shredded material is heated to a high temperature of over 400°C, resulting in a high temperature on the outside of the shredded waste battery material that is in direct contact with the chamber, while the temperature on the inside that is not in contact with the chamber is relatively low. In addition, the separator contained in the shredded material melts due to the high heat supplied directly through the chamber and adheres to the inner wall of the chamber, continuously generating harmful gases such as carbonized gas, which leads to a rapid increase in environmental pollution and the risk of explosion and fire. In particular, explosions and fires are recognized as the biggest problem in waste battery recycling, as they can lead to casualties.

[0005] Therefore, there is a high need in the industry for the development of new technologies that can solve these problems at once.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art described above and technical challenges that have been requested over time.

[0007] After conducting in-depth research and various experiments, the inventors of the present application developed a waste battery shredder separation device with a new structure capable of evaporating only the electrolyte from waste battery shreds of a predetermined size and discharging it to the outside, while uniformly penetrating high heat into the interior of the shreds with high thermal conductivity efficiency. They confirmed that this device can prevent the generation of harmful gases caused by the separator and reduce the risk of fire, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] Accordingly, the waste battery shredder separation device according to the present invention is,

[0009] A heating unit that accommodates shredded waste battery material and provides fluidity to the shredded material;

[0010] A hot air supply unit that provides high-temperature hot air capable of evaporating the electrolyte within the crushed product into the heating unit; and

[0011] It includes a gas discharge section through which evaporated gas is discharged, and

[0012] The above crushed product is characterized by flowing within the heating section and separating into multiple substances.

[0013] The above-mentioned waste battery shredder separation device is a device capable of separating Cu electrodes, Al electrodes, separators, etc. remaining within the shredder by evaporating the electrolyte contained in the waste battery shredder, which has been shredded to a predetermined size, and discharging it to the outside, and by uniformly penetrating high heat into the interior of the shredder due to its high thermal conductivity efficiency.

[0014] In other words, the waste battery shredding separation device of the present invention has a structure that prevents the generation of harmful gases caused by the separator and manages the risk of fire below a limit by selectively evaporating and removing only the electrolyte and separator, rather than burning and removing the electrolyte and separator. In particular, since polyolefin-based, polyimide-based, and cellulose-based materials are commonly used for separators, applying high temperatures directly causes them to melt and generate harmful gases, thereby increasing the risk of explosion and fire; however, the present invention can solve this problem because the separator can be recovered.

[0015] The present invention also includes inventions of specific configuration examples as follows, when the above configuration is referred to as the first invention.

[0016] (1) The second invention, in the first invention, has a configuration in which the heating unit provides fluidity to the crushed product through rotation.

[0017] (2) The third invention has a configuration in which, in the second invention, the crushed product inside the heating unit is separated into a number of substances by the thermal energy of the hot air and the rotational force of the heating unit.

[0018] (3) The fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, has a heating unit comprising a rotating body in the shape of a polygonal or circular tube, and the rotating body has a configuration in which a plurality of gas flow holes are formed through it.

[0019] (4) The fifth invention has a configuration in which, in the fourth invention, the gas flow hole in the rotating body is formed in a mesh shape.

[0020] (5) The 6th invention has a configuration in which, in the 4th invention, a spiral crushed product guide is formed along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body.

[0021] (6) The 7th invention, in the 4th invention, includes an inner housing that accommodates the heating unit and restricts the outflow of hot air and gas, and the hot air supply unit includes a generating unit located outside the inner housing and generating hot air, and a connecting port that connects the generating unit and the inner housing so that the generated hot air can be supplied into the rotating body, and the connecting port is not fixed to the rotating body.

[0022] (7) The 8th invention has a configuration that further includes a hot air guide part located outside the rotating body of the 7th invention, which suppresses the scattering of hot air introduced through the communication hole and guides it to be introduced into the rotating body through the gas flow hole.

[0023] (8) The ninth invention is configured such that, in the eighth invention, the hot air guide section includes a pair of guide panels that are spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body and each have a shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotating body, and the hot air guide section is not fixed to the rotating body, and one end of the connecting hole is located between the pair of guide panels.

[0024] (9) The 10th invention, in the 8th invention, has a configuration in which a plurality of side holes are formed spaced apart in a direction that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotating body.

[0025] (10) The 11th invention is the 4th invention, wherein the hot air supply unit is provided at a predetermined interval along the direction of movement of the crushed product outside the heating unit, and each hot air supply unit has a configuration in which the hot air temperature can be controlled individually.

[0026] (11) The 12th invention has a configuration in which, in the 4th invention, the heating part is provided to have a predetermined slope.

[0027] (12) The 13th invention further comprises a driving unit that provides rotational force to the heating unit in the 3rd invention, wherein the driving unit is located outside the heating unit.

[0028] (13) The 14th invention, in the 13th invention, the driving unit is,

[0029] Motor unit that generates rotational force;

[0030] A drive shaft provided in a direction corresponding to the heating unit and rotating together with a motor unit; and

[0031] A transmission unit that rotates the heating unit by linking the above-mentioned drive shaft and the heating unit;

[0032] It has a configuration that includes.

[0033] (14) The 15th invention has a configuration in which, in the 11th invention, the temperature of at least one of the plurality of hot air supply units is 200℃ to 300℃.

[0034] (15) The 16th invention has a configuration that further includes a transfer unit located at the bottom of the heating unit and moves the material discharged through the gas flow hole in the 4th invention.

[0035] (16) The 17th invention has a configuration in which, in the 4th invention, the gas flow hole has a diameter smaller than the size of the waste battery crushed product.

[0036] (17) The 18th invention, in the 4th invention, has a configuration in which the heating unit includes an inlet located at one end of the rotating body to supply crushed material and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body to discharge the moved crushed material, and the gas outlet is located outside the rotating body in the direction of the inlet.

[0037] (18) The 19th invention has a configuration in which the diameter of the gas flow hole is less than 50 mm, in the 17th invention.

[0038] (19) The 20th invention, in the 4th invention, has a heating unit that includes an inlet located at one end of the rotating body to supply crushed material and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body to discharge moved crushed material, and the outlet includes a plurality of divided outlets formed at a predetermined interval along the side, spaced apart from the end of the rotating body and a residue outlet formed open at the end of the rotating body.

[0039] (20) The 21st invention, in the 4th invention, has a heating unit that includes an inlet located at one end of the rotating body to supply crushed material and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body to discharge moved crushed material, and the hot air supply unit is provided in multiple units at predetermined intervals to form multiple zones along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body, and the temperature range of the entire area has a configuration in which the temperature range of 80°C to 300°C or lower gradually increases.

[0040] As explained above, the waste battery shredder separation device of the present invention has the effect of preventing the generation of harmful gases caused by the separator and reducing the risk of fire by evaporating only the electrolyte from waste battery shredders shredded to a predetermined size and discharging it to the outside, and by uniformly penetrating high heat into the interior of the shredders through high thermal conductivity efficiency to separate the separator, Cu electrode, Al electrode, etc. remaining in the shredders.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waste battery shredder separation device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration relationship between the hot air supply section and the heat guide section in the waste battery shredder separator of FIG. 1;

[0043] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of the waste battery shredder separation device of FIG. 1;

[0044] Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration relationship between the hot air supply section, the heat section guide section, and a part of the rotating body in the waste battery shredder separation device of Figure 1.

[0045] The present invention will be described further below with reference to embodiments thereof, but the scope of the invention is not limited by them.

[0046]

[0047] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a waste battery shredder separation device according to one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration relationship between a hot air supply unit and a heat guide unit in such a waste battery shredder separation device, FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the overall structure of the waste battery shredder separation device, and FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration relationship between a hot air supply unit, a heat guide unit, and a part of a rotating body.

[0048]

[0049] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 together, the waste battery crushing separation device (1000) of the present invention is configured to include a heating unit (100), a hot air supply unit (200), a gas discharge unit (300), a hot air guide unit (500), a driving unit (600), and a conveying unit (700).

[0050] The heating unit (100) is a space in which waste battery shreds (not shown) are received, and the hot air supply unit (200) provides high-temperature hot air capable of evaporating the electrolyte in the shreds into the heating unit (100). In order to uniformly evaporate the electrolyte in the shreds and separate the separator from materials such as Cu electrodes, Al electrodes, and BM without burning, the thermal energy of the hot air must be able to be transferred to the interior of the shreds.

[0051] In this regard, the present invention applies both "thermal energy of hot air" and "rotational force of the heating unit (100)" as a means to uniformly transfer the thermal energy of the hot air to the inside and outside of the crushed product while simultaneously separating the crushed product into multiple substances. Additionally, since there is a very high possibility of explosion and fire occurring if the evaporated electrolyte organic material remains inside the heating unit (100), a gas discharge unit (300) capable of discharging the evaporated gas is applied to resolve this.

[0052] In addition, by forming a plurality of gas flow holes (120) in the rotating body (110) of the heating unit (100), the risk of fire occurring as heat is accumulated due to the continuously supplied hot air being loaded inside the heating unit (100) is minimized. Furthermore, the evaporated electrolyte gas is not allowed to remain inside the rotating body (110) but is continuously discharged through the gas discharge unit (300). However, instead of the electrolyte gas moving along the entire interior of the rotating body (110) to be discharged to the gas discharge unit (300) and being discharged at the end of the rotating body (110), it is allowed to be discharged immediately to the outside of the rotating body (110) through the plurality of gas flow holes (120) formed in the rotating body (110), thereby drastically reducing the phenomenon of the evaporated electrolyte remaining inside the rotating body (110) and minimizing the possibility of explosion and fire.

[0053]

[0054] The hot air supplied into the interior of the heating unit (100) through the hot air supply unit (200) has a temperature range of approximately 200°C to 300°C so as to selectively evaporate the electrolyte and separate the membrane from other materials, rather than burning the electrolyte and the membrane. If the temperature is below 200°C, the membrane is not effectively separated, and if the temperature exceeds 300°C, the membrane melts and adheres to the inner wall of the rotating body (110), which may increase the risk of fire.

[0055] In addition, the waste battery shredder consists of a negative electrode Cu plate and a positive electrode Al plate bonded together with silicon, etc. Since Cu and Al have high thermal conductivity, if the rotational force of the heating unit (100) having a gas flow hole (120) is simultaneously provided along with hot air within the above temperature range, heat is rapidly absorbed, causing the adhesive at the bonding site to melt instantaneously and weaken the bonding force. At this time, the shredders collide and frictionally with each other due to the rotation of the heating unit (100), and are separated into multiple substances such as "Cu, Al, separator, BM (Black Mass) powder." It is more preferable that the temperature of the hot air be 210℃ to 250℃, and the separation effect of Cu, Al, separator, and BM powder is maximized within the above temperature range. Therefore, the waste battery shredder separation device (1000) according to the present invention maximizes the recycling recovery rate by separating most of the substances constituting the waste battery, rather than separating only one substance such as BM.

[0056] Here, "separated" means that the crushed materials initially introduced into the heating unit (100) are in the form of lumps with "Cu, Al, electrolyte, separator, BM powder" attached, but are separated into their respective materials as they move through the heating unit (100), so that they continue to move within the heating unit (100) in a mixed state even after being separated.

[0057] The heating unit (100) receives rotational force from the driving unit (600) and rotates in one direction to provide fluidity to the crushed material, and includes a rotating body (110) having a polygonal or circular tubular shape. An inlet (140) and an outlet (150) are respectively located at both ends of the tubular rotating body (110), and the crushed material fed into the inlet (140) is received inside the rotating body (110). When the heating unit (100) rotates, the crushed material moves slowly along the inner wall of the rotating body (110) and reaches the outlet (150) before being discharged.

[0058] However, if the amount of crushed materials fed into the rotating body (110) is large, they are discharged all at once through the outlet (150) formed at the end, which not only exacerbates the scattering of the separation membrane, BM, etc., but also places a load on the conveying unit (700). To prevent this, the outlet (150) may include a plurality of divided outlets (151) formed at predetermined intervals along the side, spaced apart from the end of the rotating body (110), and a residue outlet (152) formed openly at the end of the rotating body (110). For example, three of the plurality of divided outlets (151) may be formed at 120° intervals, and the number and intervals thereof can be adjusted. As the rotating body (110) continuously rotates, the crushed materials that have moved along the interior of the rotating body (110) are discharged to the outside of the rotating body (110) only when passing through each divided outlet (151), and are discharged in small amounts. The crushed materials that remain undischarged through the three divided outlets (151) are discharged through the residue outlet (152) formed open at the end of the rotating body (110).

[0059]

[0060] In the heating unit (100), a spiral crushed material guide (130) may be formed protruding along the longitudinal direction of the inner wall of the rotating body (110) and arranged in a direction horizontal to the ground, and when the heating unit (100) rotates, the crushed materials can move smoothly to the outlet (150) by the crushed material guide (130). The spacing of this crushed material guide (130) varies according to the inclination (slope) of the spiral, and the residence time and discharge speed of the crushed materials can be controlled by controlling the inclination of the spiral, the rotation speed of the heating unit (100), and the rotation time. The crushed materials moving in the longitudinal direction inside the rotating body (110) are uniformly mixed and collide by the spiral crushed material guide (130), and as a result, the thermal energy of the hot air supplied into the interior of the rotating body (110) is uniformly supplied to the inside and outside of the crushed materials.

[0061] Additionally, the heating unit (100) may be provided with a predetermined incline so that the crushed materials can move smoothly to the outlet (150) when rotating, and this structure may be applied together with or independently of the crushed material guide (130). However, in order to ensure that the thermal energy of the hot air is supplied uniformly to the entire crushed material, it is more effective to apply a spiral crushed material guide (130) to allow the materials to move while being uniformly mixed. Furthermore, if the crushed material guide (130) is not applied, the movement speed of the crushed materials slows down, increasing the residence time within the rotating body (110), which increases the probability that the separator will adhere to the inner surface of the rotating body (110); therefore, it is desirable to apply the crushed material guide (130).

[0062] A plurality of gas flow holes (120) are formed in a through-hole shape in the rotating body (110) of the heating unit (100). The gas flow holes (120) serve as passages for hot air introduced from the hot air supply unit (200) to be drawn into the interior of the rotating body (110), and at the same time serve as passages for the electrolytic gas generated from the crushed material inside the rotating body (110) to be discharged into the interior of the rotating body (110), thereby minimizing the contact area between the separator and the interior surface of the rotating body (110) and minimizing the phenomenon of the separator sticking to the interior surface.

[0063] These gas flow holes (120) may be formed in multiple numbers at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body (110) to maximize the above effect, and more preferably, may be formed in a mesh shape. A mesh shape refers to a shape in which gas flow holes (120) having a predetermined diameter are formed throughout the rotating body (110). More specifically, by forming gas flow holes (120) regularly or irregularly throughout the rotating body (110), hot air supplied from multiple hot air supply units (200) can be effectively introduced into the interior of the rotating body (110), and a large amount of gas generated from the crushed materials moving inside the rotating body (110) is effectively discharged without accumulating inside the rotating body (110), thereby minimizing the risk of explosion and fire. In particular, the drying efficiency of the moisture remaining in the crushed materials is increased, and the vaporization efficiency of the electrolyte is also increased.

[0064] If the waste battery shredded material is shredded into a size too small and fed into the heating unit (100), the separator contained in the particle-shaped shredded material may become stuck to materials such as Cu electrodes, Al electrodes, and BM due to the high-temperature hot air, and thus may not be separated. To solve this problem, preferably, the waste battery shredded material is shredded into a rectangular or square shape in which at least one length of the width, length, and height is 50 mm or more, and accordingly, the diameter of the gas flow hole (120) can also be formed to be less than 50 mm.

[0065] If the diameter of the gas flow hole (120) is formed to be 50 mm or larger, the crushed materials introduced into the interior of the rotating body (110) cannot move along the crushed material guide (130) toward the outlet (150) and fall downward through the gas flow hole (120), making it difficult to evaporate the electrolyte and separate the material by hot air. Therefore, it is desirable for the diameter of the gas flow hole (120) to be smaller than the size of the crushed materials.

[0066]

[0067] Some of the materials separated inside the rotating body (110) by the thermal energy of the hot air and the rotation of the heating unit (100) may be reduced in size, and some of the materials may be discharged downward through the gas flow hole (120). The materials thus discharged are transported by a conveying unit (700) spaced apart from the bottom of the rotating body (110) and may be mixed with crushed materials discharged through the outlet (150) of the rotating body (110) or moved to a separate storage location located outside the heating unit (100).

[0068] The hot air supply structure may also vary depending on the shape of the heating unit (100). For example, if a rotating body (110) in the form of a pipe with a closed surface is applied instead of a rotating body (110) in the form of a mesh as described above, the hot air must be supplied from the direction of the outlet (150), which is opposite to the direction of the gas discharge unit (300), so that the hot air and the crushed material move in opposite directions.

[0069] Due to the characteristics of the waste battery crushing separation device (1000), the heating section (100) is very long, with a length of several tens of meters. Consequently, the hot air supplied into the interior of the closed rotating body (110) cannot travel to the gas discharge section (300) located several tens of meters away and accumulates in the middle of the heating section (100). As a result, the heat accumulates, which not only rapidly increases the risk of fire, but also makes it difficult for the hot air to be effective near the gas discharge section (300) because the hot air is not supplied well. In this case, in order to spread the hot air throughout the interior of the heating section (100), a larger amount of hot air must be supplied or the supply pressure must be increased. However, the problem becomes more serious as more heat accumulates inside the rotating body (110), causing a fire, and the detached separator film scatters, causing a fire.

[0070] To solve these problems, a mesh-shaped rotating body (110) as described above may be preferred, and as described later, by supplying hot air from both sides at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the heating unit (100), the cause of heat condensation on one side of the interior of the rotating body (110) or the scattering of the separator membrane can be resolved.

[0071]

[0072] The heating unit (100) is housed inside the inner housing (410), and the gas generated by the evaporation of the electrolyte and the hot air introduced through the hot air supply unit (200) is restricted from flowing out by the inner housing (410). Additionally, the inner housing (410) is housed inside the outer housing (420), and the hot air supply unit (200) is located between the inner housing (410) and the outer housing (420). The hot air supply unit (200) may include a generating unit (210) located outside the inner housing (410) and generating hot air, and a connecting port (220) that penetrates and connects the generating unit (210) and the inner housing (410) so that the generated hot air can be supplied into the interior of the rotating body (110). As described above, since the rotating body (110) is preferably formed in a mesh shape and rotates continuously, if the connecting port (220) comes into contact with the rotating body (110), it may be difficult for the rotating body (110) to rotate. Therefore, it is preferable for the connecting port (220) to be provided in a non-fixed state with respect to the rotating body (110).

[0073] The hot air generated by the generating unit (210) flows into the inner housing (410) through the flue (220), but since the flue (220) and the rotating body (110) are positioned in a non-fixed state, the hot air passing through the flue (220) cannot effectively flow into the interior of the rotating body (110), and a large amount of hot air may collide with the outer surface of the rotating body (110) and scatter in all directions. To minimize this, a hot air guide (500) may be provided that is positioned in a non-fixed state on the exterior of the rotating body (110), suppresses the scattering of the hot air flowing in through the flue (220), and guides it to flow into the interior of the rotating body (110) through the gas flow hole (120).

[0074] This hot air guide section (500) has a shape that surrounds the outer periphery of the rotating body (110) and includes a pair of guide panels (510) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body (110), and one end of the communication port (220) may be located between the pair of guide panels (510). Since hot air introduced through the communication port (220) may scatter when the guide panel (510) rotates together with the rotating body (110), it may be desirable for the guide panel (510) to also be unfixed to the rotating body (110). To this end, the guide panel (510) may be fixed to the inner housing (410) by a separate fixing unit (not shown), or may be fixed to each side of the communication port (220) located between the opposing guide panels (510) without a separate fixing unit.

[0075] The guide panel (510) has a center perforated shape so that the tubular rotating body (110) can be positioned in the center, and it may be preferable to form it in the shape of a plate with a predetermined area so that the hot air introduced through the chimney (220) does not scatter in all directions and can have a straight line. In addition, since friction may occur as the hot air flows along the surface of the rotating body (110) when the rotating body (110) rotates, it may be preferable to form a plurality of side holes (520) on the guide panel (510) in a direction surrounding the outer periphery of the rotating body (110) to minimize the friction phenomenon caused by the airflow.

[0076]

[0077] Since the heating unit (100) is preferably formed in the shape of a mesh-shaped tube, in order to uniformly supply hot air to the entire heating unit (100), it may be preferable to supply hot air along the entire longitudinal direction from both sides of the rotating body (110) rather than supplying hot air only from one end of the rotating body (110). To this end, a plurality of hot air supply units (200) are provided at predetermined intervals along the direction of movement of the crushed product on both sides of the outside of the heating unit (100), and each hot air supply unit (200) may be configured to control the hot air temperature individually. That is, by dividing the heating unit (100) into several zones and supplying hot air from both sides to each zone, uniform evaporation and separation can be achieved throughout the entire heating unit (100).

[0078] In addition, to form multiple zones with different temperature ranges through multiple hot air supply units (200) provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body (110), the hot air supply unit (200) located on the inlet (140) side is configured to start at a temperature of about 80°C and gradually increase to a temperature of about 300°C as it moves toward the outlet (150) side, so that after the crushed material is fed, the electrolyte is evaporated using hot air in a relatively low temperature range of 80°C to 200°C or lower in the initial stage, and thereafter, the remaining crushed material is separated into multiple materials using hot air of 200°C or higher. Of course, this temperature range can be applied in a form that gradually increases while having various temperature ranges such as 80°C to 250°C depending on the type of waste battery, etc.

[0079] The quantity and temperature of the hot air supply unit (200) can be appropriately controlled according to the length and area of ​​the heating unit (100), the amount / type of crushed material being fed in, etc. In particular, if the amount of hot air supplied into the interior of the rotating body (110) is too strong, the separator membrane, BM, etc. may be scattered inside, and in such cases, the possibility of fire occurrence increases rapidly, so it may be desirable to control the amount of hot air within a range that minimizes the scattering phenomenon.

[0080]

[0081] The drive unit (600) provides rotational force to the heating unit (100) and is located outside the heating unit (100) to minimize the risk of fire. This drive unit (600) may be configured to include a power unit (610) that generates rotational force, a drive shaft (620) that is provided in a direction corresponding to the heating unit (100) and rotates together with the power unit (610), and a transmission unit (630) that rotates the heating unit (100) by linking the drive shaft (620) with the heating unit (100).

[0082] The heating unit (100) is connected to the drive shaft (620) by the transmission unit (630) to receive rotational force. If the drive shaft (620) is located inside the rotating body (110), some scattered separator membranes may continuously wrap around the surface of the rotating drive shaft (620), and the separator membranes accumulated on the surface of the drive shaft (620) may catch fire, leading to an explosion and fire. To prevent this, preferably, the entire configuration of the drive unit (600) is located outside the heating unit (100), thereby eliminating the possibility that scattered separator membranes may not escape outside the rotating body (110) and could wrap around the drive shaft (620).

[0083]

[0084] The risk of explosion and fire in the waste battery crushing separation device (1000) according to the present invention varies significantly depending on the location of the gas discharge section (300). For example, since the crushed material introduced into the interior of the heating section (100) has a high moisture content, if the gas discharge section (300) is located near the outlet (150) where the crushed material is discharged, the evaporated moisture moves toward the outlet (150) together with the crushed material, causing a problem where a large amount of moisture remains in the final discharged crushed material. In addition, as the crushed material moves toward the outlet (150) and is continuously frictionally rubbed, dust is generated. As the dust that has moved toward the outlet (150) is blown toward the gas discharge section (300) by the suction force of the gas discharge section (300) located at the top and scatters, the risk of fire and explosion increases rapidly.

[0085] Conversely, if the gas discharge unit (300) is located near the inlet (140) into which the crushed material is fed, the moisture remaining therein is heated and evaporated by the hot air as the crushed material moves toward the outlet (150). As the material moves in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the crushed material and is discharged through the gas discharge unit (300), almost no moisture remains in the crushed material discharged through the outlet (150). Additionally, since the location of the gas discharge unit (300) is near the inlet (140) rather than the outlet (150) and the distance between the outlet (150) and the gas discharge unit (300) is very far, such as tens of meters, the dust generated while the crushed material moves is not scattered but moves along with the crushed material and is discharged through the outlet (150), thereby eliminating the risk of fire and explosion. Accordingly, the gas discharge section (300) is preferably located outside the rotating body (110) in the direction of the inlet (140) rather than the outlet (150) where the crushed material is discharged, and in this embodiment, it is provided in the form of a tube penetrating the inner housing (410) and the outer housing (420).

[0086] Although not described in detail in the present invention, the materials separated through the waste battery crushing material separation device (1000) according to the present invention can be discharged through the outlet (150) and then separated into individual materials through a separate material separator, etc.

[0087]

[0088] The operation process of the waste battery crushing separation device (1000) according to the present invention is described exemplarily below.

[0089] The rotational force generated by the power unit (610) of the drive unit (600) is supplied to the heating unit (100) through the drive shaft (620) and the transmission unit (630), causing the heating unit (100) to continuously rotate in one direction. Hot air generated by the generating unit (210) of the hot air supply unit (200) located between the outer housing (420) and the inner housing (410) flows into the interior of the inner housing (410) through the connecting port (220), and the incoming hot air is suppressed from scattering by a pair of guide panels (510) and supplied into the interior of the rotating body (110) through the gas flow hole (120) formed in the rotating body (110). A plurality of such hot air supply units (200) are spaced apart on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body (110), and all operate simultaneously to supply hot air.

[0090] Waste battery crushed material supplied through an inlet (140) provided at one end of the rotating body (110) is received inside the rotating body (110), and the crushed material supplied inside by the rotation of the heating unit (100) begins to move along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body (110) by the crushed material guide (130). At this time, the crushed material does not rotate 360° along the rotation direction inside the rotating body (110), but rather moves up to a predetermined height and then is pushed down or falls due to the load, thereby generating frictional force and collision energy and being uniformly mixed, and is separated into multiple materials by moving while repeating this process.

[0091] The moisture remaining in the crushed product is dried by the thermal energy of the hot air supplied into the interior of the rotating body (110), and at the same time, the electrolyte evaporates, generating gas. The generated gas exits to the outside of the heating unit (100) through the gas flow hole (120) formed in the rotating body (110), and is then discharged to the outside through the gas outlet (300) located at the top of the inlet (140). The crushed products have the electrolyte evaporated and the adhesion between materials such as Cu, Al, separator membrane, and BM weakened by the thermal energy of the hot air, and in that state, the materials are separated as they collide and frictionally collide with each other by the rotational force of the heating unit (100).

[0092] The separated materials are moved toward the outlet (150) by the continuous rotation of the rotating body (110), and the crushed materials that reach the outlet (150) are discharged to the outside through the outlet (150). At this time, the crushed materials that have moved along the inside of the rotating body (110) are divided and discharged to the outside of the rotating body (110) only when they pass through each divided outlet (151) by the continuous rotation of the rotating body (110), and the crushed materials that remain without being discharged by the divided outlet (151) are discharged through the residue outlet (152) formed open at the end of the rotating body (110).

[0093]

[0094] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and can be manufactured in various different forms, and those skilled in the art will understand that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without changing the technical concept or essential features of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

Claims

1. A heating unit that receives shredded waste battery material and provides fluidity to the shredded material; A hot air supply unit that provides high-temperature hot air capable of evaporating the electrolyte within the crushed product into the heating unit; and It includes a gas discharge section through which evaporated gas is discharged, and A waste battery shredder separation device characterized by the above-mentioned shredded material flowing within a heating section and being separated into multiple materials.

2. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating unit provides fluidity to the shredded material through rotation.

3. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 2, characterized in that the shredded material inside the heating unit is separated into a plurality of materials by the thermal energy of the hot air and the rotational force of the heating unit.

4. In any one of paragraphs 1 to 3, The heating unit includes a rotating body in the shape of a polygonal or circular tube; A waste battery crushing separation device characterized by having a plurality of gas flow holes formed through the rotating body.

5. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotating body has gas flow holes formed in a mesh shape.

6. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that a spiral shredder guide is formed along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body.

7. In Paragraph 4, The above heating element is housed inside and includes an inner housing that restricts the leakage of hot air and gas; The hot air supply unit comprises a generating unit located outside the inner housing and generating hot air, and a connecting port connecting the generating unit and the interior of the inner housing so that the generated hot air can be supplied into the interior of the rotating body; A waste battery shredder separation device characterized in that the above-mentioned connecting port is not fixed to the above-mentioned rotating body.

8. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 7, further comprising a hot air guide portion located outside the rotating body to suppress scattering of hot air introduced through the connecting port and to guide it to be introduced into the interior of the rotating body through the gas flow hole.

9. In Paragraph 8, The above hot air guide section includes a pair of guide panels that each have a shape surrounding the outer periphery of the rotating body and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the rotating body; A waste battery shredder separation device characterized in that the above-mentioned hot air guide part is not fixed to the rotating body, and one end of the connecting port is located between the above-mentioned pair of guide panels.

10. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 9, characterized in that a plurality of side holes are formed in the guide panel spaced apart in a direction surrounding the outer periphery of the rotating body.

11. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 4, wherein the hot air supply unit is provided in a plurality at predetermined intervals along the direction of movement of the shredded material outside the heating unit, and each hot air supply unit is capable of individually controlling the hot air temperature.

12. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the heating part is provided to have a predetermined slope.

13. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 3, further comprising a driving unit that provides rotational force to the heating unit, wherein the driving unit is located outside the heating unit.

14. In claim 13, the driving unit is, Motor unit that generates rotational force; A drive shaft provided in a direction corresponding to the heating unit and rotating together with a motor unit; and A transmission unit that rotates the heating unit by linking the above-mentioned drive shaft and the heating unit; Waste battery shredder separation device characterized by including 15. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 11, characterized in that the temperature of at least one of the plurality of hot air supply units is 200℃ to 300℃.

16. A waste battery crushing material separation device according to claim 4, further comprising a conveying unit located at the bottom of the heating unit and moving materials discharged through the gas flow hole.

17. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 4, characterized in that the gas flow hole has a diameter smaller than the size of the waste battery shredder.

18. In Paragraph 4, The heating unit includes an inlet located at one end of the rotating body for supplying crushed material, and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body for discharging moved crushed material; A waste battery shredder separation device characterized by a gas discharge section located outside the rotating body in the direction of the inlet.

19. A waste battery shredder separation device according to claim 17, characterized in that the diameter of the gas flow hole is less than 50 mm.

20. In Paragraph 4, The heating unit comprises an inlet located at one end of the rotating body for supplying crushed material, and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body for discharging moved crushed material; A waste battery crushing separation device characterized in that the above outlet includes a plurality of divided outlets formed spaced apart at predetermined intervals along the side, spaced apart from the end of the rotating body, and a residue outlet formed open at the end of the rotating body.

21. In Paragraph 4, The heating unit includes an inlet located at one end of the rotating body for supplying crushed material, and an outlet located at the other end of the rotating body for discharging moved crushed material; A waste battery shredder separation device characterized by the above-mentioned hot air supply unit being provided in multiple units at predetermined intervals to form multiple zones along the longitudinal direction of the rotating body, wherein the temperature range of the entire area has a shape in which the temperature range of 80℃ to 300℃ or lower gradually increases.

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