Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling via Black Mass Leaching and Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lithium-ion battery recycling processes, such as smelting or pyrometallurgy, fail to recover valuable lithium effectively, as it is lost in slag and off-gas streams, while also generating significant greenhouse gas emissions and waste disposal issues, with less than 5% of spent lithium-ion batteries being recycled globally.
Innovation Solution
A process involving size reduction, magnetic separation, acid leaching, and solid-liquid separation to recover lithium, cobalt, copper, graphite, and other metals from spent lithium-ion batteries, including steps like forming a size-reduced feed stream, separating magnetic and non-magnetic products, stripping solvents, and leaching to isolate various metal products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If pyrometallurgy is used for battery recycling, then metal alloys (cobalt, copper, nickel) can be recovered, but lithium is lost in slag and off-gas streams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the recycling process by using acid leaching instead of pyrometallurgy. The acid solution dissolves lithium and other metals from the battery materials, allowing selective recovery of lithium through precipitation or solvent extraction, thereby preventing lithium loss in slag and off-gas streams
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an acid leaching solution as an intermediary medium to transfer lithium from the solid battery materials to the liquid phase. This intermediary enables selective dissolution and subsequent separation of lithium from other components, avoiding direct thermal processing that causes lithium loss
2Loss of substance
If pyrometallurgy is used for battery recycling, then metal alloys can be recovered, but greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal/pyrometallurgical system with a chemical leaching system. Instead of using high-temperature combustion processes that generate CO2 emissions, the patent uses acid solutions at lower temperatures to dissolve and recover metals, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining effective metal recovery
3Productivity
If current recycling processes are used, then some metals can be recovered, but recycling rate remains below 5%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the recycling process into distinct stages: size reduction, magnetic separation to remove ferrous metals, acid leaching to dissolve lithium and other metals, and selective precipitation or solvent extraction to recover individual metals. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized for maximum efficiency, enabling high recycling rates while recovering all valuable metal contents
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes multiple process parameters including particle size reduction to enhance surface area for leaching, acid concentration and type, temperature and residence time for optimal dissolution, and pH control for selective metal precipitation. These parameter optimizations enable comprehensive metal recovery that makes recycling economically viable and increases overall recycling rates
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 process enhances the recovery of valuable metals from lithium-ion batteries, potentially recycling 90% of spent batteries, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1.2 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent and preventing metal waste, while providing a $65 billion residual metal value opportunity.
Implementation Method 1
separating the size-reduced feed stream into a magnetic product stream and a non-magnetic feed stream
Implementation Method 2
leaching the black mass solid stream with an acid to form a pregnant leach solution and residual solids
Implementation Method 3
separating the pregnant leach solution from the residual solids to form a first product stream comprising the residual solids and a second product stream comprising the pregnant leach solution
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention pertains to a process for recovering materials from lithium-ion batteries. The batteries are processed to form a size-reduced feed stream, which is separated into a magnetic product stream and a non-magnetic feed stream. The latter is stripped to form a slurry stream, which is separated into an oversize solids portion and an undersize stripped slurry stream. The undersize stripped slurry stream is subjected to a solid-liquid separation forming a black mass solid stream and recovered stripping solvent. The black mass solid stream is leached with an acid forming a pregnant leach solution and residual solids. The pregnant leach solution is separated from the residual solids forming a first product stream comprising the residual solids and a second product stream comprising the pregnant leach solution. A copper product is isolated from the second product stream forming a third product stream. An aluminum and/or iron product is isolated from the third product stream forming a fourth product stream. A cobalt, nickel, and/or manganese product is isolated from the fourth product stream forming a fifth product stream. A salt by-product is isolated from the fifth product stream forming a sixth product stream. A lithium product is isolated from the sixth product stream.