Lithium Battery Shell Recovery Through Split Recycling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lithium battery recycling methods result in the crushing of the entire battery, including the metal shell, which compromises its reusability.
Innovation Solution
A lithium battery recycling method that involves split processing to separate the metal shell from the electrode assembly, allowing for the recycling of the metal shell without crushing it, and subsequent processing of the electrode assembly to recover valuable materials like copper, aluminum, and plastic, while maintaining the integrity of the shell for reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the entire lithium battery is crushed by using an electrified crushing process, then the shell, diaphragm, and electrode sheets are fully split and can be separated, but the metal shell is destroyed and its reusability cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the lithium battery recycling process into two distinct segments: first, the battery is opened and disassembled to separate the metal shell from the internal components (electrode assembly, diaphragm, etc.); second, only the internal components are subjected to electrified crushing and air separation, while the metal shell is preserved intact for direct recycling. This segmentation allows the shell to be reused while still achieving efficient separation of other materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If the metal shell is crushed along with the battery, then all components can be processed uniformly, but the shell loses its structural integrity and cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the metal shell from the battery assembly before the crushing process. The shell is removed and set aside separately, while only the remaining battery components (electrode assembly, diaphragm, tabs) are subjected to electrified crushing. This extraction ensures the shell maintains its structural integrity for reuse while still allowing uniform processing of the other materials.
3Reliability
If the battery is opened to preserve the shell, then shell reusability is ensured, but the sorting efficiency and separation of internal components may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary opening and disassembly of the battery to separate the metal shell from the internal components before the crushing process. By预先 (in advance) removing the shell and organizing the internal components, the subsequent electrified crushing and air separation processes can proceed efficiently without the shell interfering, thus maintaining high sorting efficiency while preserving shell reusability.
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
Ensures the reusability of the metal shell and achieves high recycling rates for copper, aluminum, and plastic, with improved sorting efficiency and reduced environmental pollution and explosion risks through controlled hot gas drying and thermal desorption processes.
Implementation Method 1
controlled hot gas drying
Implementation Method 2
thermal desorption processes
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure belongs to the field of battery recycling technologies, and specifically, to a battery recycling method. An example battery recycling method is disclosed including: performing split processing on a battery to obtain a metal shell and an electrode assembly, where the electrode assembly includes a roll core or a lamination; and recycling the metal shell. According to the recycling method in various embodiments of this disclosure, the battery is not wholly crushed, but the battery is split to obtain the metal shell and the electrode assembly. In other words, the metal shell obtained through recycling by using the recycling method in this disclosure is not crushed, thereby ensuring reusability of the metal shell.