Battery Recycling via Incomplete Extraction and Chlorination Volatilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional methods for recycling nickel, cobalt, and manganese from waste power batteries are complex, energy-intensive, and costly, with high impurity content, limiting economic and sustainable recycling.

Innovation Solution

A method involving incomplete extraction, which includes discharging, crushing, and pyrolysis of waste batteries, followed by a chlorination volatilization reaction using specific gases and solutions to achieve high extraction rates of Li, Mn, and Co, with subsequent pH adjustment and crystallization to produce a ternary positive electrode material.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional complete extraction method is used to recover metal elements from waste batteries, then the extraction process can remove impurities, but the process becomes complicated, energy-consuming, and costly with high impurity content in the solution product

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction rate of metal elementsVSAvoidcomplexity of recycling process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by performing chlorination volatilization treatment on waste battery powder before extraction. This pre-treatment step converts metal elements into volatile chlorides that can be easily separated and then recovered through extraction, simplifying the overall process while maintaining high extraction rates of 99.86-99.98% for Li, Mn, Ni, and Co

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical state parameters of metal elements through chlorination, transforming them into volatile chloride compounds. This parameter change enables selective volatilization and simplifies subsequent extraction steps, reducing process complexity while achieving complete metal recovery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If traditional complete extraction method is used to recover metal elements from waste batteries, then the extraction process can separate metal elements, but the energy consumption and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveextraction rate of metal elementsVSAvoidenergy consumption of recycling process
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The chlorination volatilization pre-treatment converts refractory metal compounds into volatile chlorides, making subsequent extraction much more efficient. This preliminary action reduces the energy required for complete extraction by preparing the materials in a more reactive and separable form

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces energy-intensive mechanical and thermal extraction methods with a chemical volatilization approach followed by selective extraction. The chlorination process substitutes for multiple high-energy separation steps, significantly reducing overall energy consumption while achieving 99.86-99.98% extraction rates

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 method achieves extraction rates of 99.86-99.98% with low impurity content, enabling efficient recovery and reuse of metals for ternary positive electrode materials, reducing energy consumption and costs.

Implementation Method 1

subjecting waste batteries to discharging, crushing, and pyrolysis in order to obtain a waste battery powder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPyrolysis: Pyrolysis

Implementation Method 2

a chlorination volatilization reaction is carried out prior to using an extraction method

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChlorination: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

raising the temperature, introducing the reaction gas, and then introducing the pretreatment gas; and reducing the temperature, and turning off the pretreatment gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVolatilization: Evaporation

Implementation Method 4

adding an extractant to absorption liquid A, mixing the mixture, carrying out liquid separation, taking organic phase A

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLiquid-liquid extraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Implementation Method 5

adding a stripping agent for liquid separation, and taking aqueous phase A

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReverse extraction: Liquid-Liquid Extraction

Data Source

PatentUS11920213B2Method for recycling battery by incomplete extraction
Publication Date: 2024.03.05 GUANGDONG BRUNP RECYCLING TECH CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed is an incomplete extraction method for recycling batteries, which may include: introducing a pretreatment gas into a device loaded with a waste battery powder, and bringing a gas outlet into communication with absorption liquid A and absorption liquid B in order; raising the temperature and introducing the pretreatment gas; reducing the temperature and introducing a reaction gas; raising the temperature, introducing the reaction gas, and then introducing the pretreatment gas; and reducing the temperature, and turning off the pretreatment gas; adding an extractant to absorption liquid A, mixing the mixture, taking organic phase A, adding a stripping agent, and taking aqueous phase A; and adjusting the pH to acidity, then adding an extractant, taking organic phase B, adding a stripping agent to obtain a stock solution enriched in Li, Mn, Ni and Co.