Black Mass Roasting Using Anode Carbon for Lithium Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lithium recovery from recycled lithium-ion batteries requires additional carbon sources, such as activated carbon, which increases energy consumption and operational costs, and can interfere with the thermal reduction of cathode materials, leading to inefficient recycling processes.
Innovation Solution
A partial oxygen roasting environment is used to react the carbon present in the anode material with lithium from the cathode material, forming lithium carbonate without the need for additional carbon sources, allowing for efficient lithium recovery while minimizing the impact on downstream carbon and charge material recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If additional carbon sources such as activated carbon are added to the black mass, then lithium recovery can be achieved, but energy consumption and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The black mass itself provides the carbon source through its inherent anode material content, eliminating the need for external carbon addition. The system uses its own components (anode carbon) to reduce cathode materials and form lithium carbonate, making the process self-sufficient and reducing energy consumption associated with handling and processing additional carbon sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The method recovers lithium from the black mass while simultaneously utilizing the carbon that would otherwise be considered waste or byproduct material. By using the anode carbon for reduction reactions, the process converts potentially wasted carbon into a useful reagent, improving overall resource efficiency and reducing operational costs.
2Quantity of substance
If additional carbon sources such as activated carbon are added to the black mass, then lithium recovery can be achieved, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The process utilizes materials already present in the black mass (anode carbon) to perform the reduction reactions needed for lithium recovery. This eliminates the need to purchase, transport, and process additional carbon sources like activated carbon, thereby reducing operational costs while maintaining lithium recovery effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The method recovers value from materials that would otherwise be discarded or require separate processing. The anode carbon, which is already present in the black mass, is recovered and utilized as the reducing agent, eliminating the need to buy external carbon sources and reducing overall operational costs.
3Quantity of substance
If additional carbon sources are added to the black mass, then lithium recovery can be achieved, but downstream carbon and charge material recovery is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The black mass provides its own carbon source from the anode material, eliminating the need to add external carbon sources. This self-service approach ensures that the carbon available for reduction reactions comes from the inherent composition of the black mass, preventing interference with downstream carbon and charge material recovery processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The method recovers lithium while using the anode carbon that is already part of the black mass composition. By utilizing the carbon that is naturally present rather than adding external carbon sources, the process maintains the integrity of the downstream recovery streams and avoids contamination or interference with charge material recovery.
4Quantity of substance
If conventional carbon addition approaches are used, then lithium can be extracted, but additional carbon resources are required
Solution Approach 1:
The black mass serves as its own carbon source through the carbon content of its anode material. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need to import or add external carbon resources, thereby preventing carbon resource consumption while maintaining effective lithium extraction through carbothermal reduction reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The process recovers lithium while simultaneously utilizing the carbon that would otherwise be considered excess or waste material in the black mass. By recovering and using this inherent carbon for reduction reactions, the method eliminates the need for additional carbon resources and prevents carbon loss associated with adding and then potentially discarding external carbon sources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy consumption and operational costs by utilizing existing carbon in the black mass, enhancing lithium recovery yield and maintaining the effectiveness of downstream carbon and charge material recovery, with lithium carbonate produced achieving battery-grade purity.
Implementation Method 1
carbon from anode material in the black mass combines with lithium from cathode material in the black mass to form lithium carbonate
Implementation Method 2
combine Li with the oxygen and anode carbon without requiring the addition of separate carbon sources
Implementation Method 3
heating the lithium leach solution for precipitating the lithium based on decreased solubility of the leached lithium at the increased temperature
Implementation Method 4
as the Li precipitates out of solution as Li2CO3 at increased temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
Recycling of charge material for an NMC (Ni, Mn, Co) battery recovers lithium from a recycled battery stream by roasting a black mass from the recycled stream in a partial oxygen environment at a temperature based on the thermal reduction of cathode material and reacting carbon in an anode material with lithium in the cathode material, and then leaching the lithium from the roasted black mass for forming a lithium leach solution. Lithium is recovered by heating the lithium leach solution, precipitating the lithium carbonate based on decreased solubility of the leached lithium carbonate at the increased temperature.