Battery Recycling Atmosphere Control for Accurate Electrode Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery recycling systems face challenges in accurately sorting crushed secondary battery components due to separator melting and sticking to electrode materials, leading to inaccurate sorting and potential oxidation, while also emitting high levels of CO2.
Innovation Solution
A battery recycling system that includes a discharging device, primary and secondary crushing devices, an electrolytic solution recovery device, and a sorting device, all operating in a nitrogen atmosphere to prevent separator melting and oxidation, with sensors to monitor and adjust oxygen concentrations, ensuring accurate sorting and reduced CO2 emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the secondary battery is crushed without atmosphere control, then the crushing process is simple and fast, but the separator melts due to short circuit and sticks to the electrode material, preventing accurate sorting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere control by introducing nitrogen gas into the crushing chamber before and during the crushing process. This prevents oxidation of the electrode material and maintains a stable environment that prevents separator melting and sticking, thereby ensuring accurate sorting while maintaining efficient crushing operations.
2Reliability
If multiple oxygen concentration sensors are deployed in each device, then the detection reliability is high, but the system cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the oxygen concentration detection function across multiple devices by implementing a shared sensor system. The sensor is selectively deployed in one or more of the crushing chamber, electrolytic solution recovery device, or sorting device, and the control device coordinates detection across the system, reducing the total number of sensors needed while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability and high detection reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If the oxygen concentration is not controlled, then the process operates without additional equipment, but the crushed objects undergo oxidation and the separator melts, reducing recycling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements inert atmosphere control by introducing nitrogen gas into the processing environment. This prevents oxidation of the crushed electrode material and prevents separator melting, thereby preserving material quality and reducing substance loss during the recycling process while maintaining operational simplicity through automated control.
4Device complexity
If a single sensor is used for selective detection, then the cost is reduced, but the detection coverage across multiple devices is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal detection approach where a single oxygen concentration sensor can be selectively deployed in different devices (crushing chamber, electrolytic solution recovery device, or sorting device) depending on process requirements. The control device manages the sensor's selective deployment, enabling one sensor to perform multiple detection functions across different stages of the recycling process, thereby reducing sensor quantity while maintaining comprehensive detection coverage.
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
The system effectively prevents separator melting and oxidation, enabling precise sorting and efficient recycling of secondary battery components with reduced CO2 emissions by maintaining low oxygen concentrations and using selective sensor detection to enhance reliability.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolytic solution recovery device configured to heat the secondary battery whose electrode material has been exposed under a reduced-pressure environment to recover an electrolytic solution contained in the electrode material
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of first sensors configured to detect respective oxygen concentrations in the primary crushing device, the electrolytic solution recovery device, the secondary crushing device, and the sorting device
Data Source
AI summary
A battery recycling system according to the present disclosure includes: a primary crushing device configured to crush a case of a discharged secondary battery to expose an electrode material; an electrolytic solution recovery device configured to heat the secondary battery whose electrode material has been exposed under a reduced-pressure environment to recover an electrolytic solution contained in the electrode material; a secondary crushing device configured to further crush the secondary battery whose electrolytic solution has been recovered; a sorting device configured to sort crushed objects of the secondary battery; and an adjustment device configured to adjust an atmosphere in each of the devices to an N2 atmosphere, and further includes: a plurality of first sensors configured to detect oxygen concentrations in the respective devices; a second sensor; and a control device that causes the second sensor to selectively detect the oxygen concentration in each of the devices.