Fluid Cutting Apparatus for End-of-Life Battery Disassembly

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Solution Overview

Problem

The recycling of lithium-ion batteries is challenging due to difficulties in safely and efficiently disassembling them to recover electrode materials, as existing methods like shredding and mechanical cutting can cause contamination and safety risks from unreacted lithium, especially when batteries are in varying states of charge.

Innovation Solution

A fluid cutting apparatus is used to impinge a high-pressure stream of cutting fluid, which reacts with electrode materials to form a passivating layer, reducing contamination and safety risks, and the cut orientation is optimized for simplified material recovery, allowing for the use of a cutting fluid comprising water and carbon dioxide with a garnet-based abrasive to cut through batteries without causing fires or thermal runaway.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If mechanical cutting or shredding is used to disassemble batteries, then disassembly efficiency is improved, but contamination and safety risks from unreacted lithium increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisassembly efficiencyVSAvoidcontamination and safety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical cutting and shredding systems with a fluid jet system that uses high-pressure water or other cutting fluids to disassemble battery components. This substitution eliminates direct mechanical contact that causes contamination and safety risks, while maintaining efficient disassembly capability through the erosive and cutting action of the fluid jet.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cutting fluid as an intermediary medium between the disassembly tool and the battery components. This fluid acts as a mediator that transfers energy to cut through battery materials without requiring direct mechanical contact, thereby preventing contamination and reducing safety risks associated with exposed lithium.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If batteries are opened without passivation treatment, then processing speed is improved, but fire and thermal runaway risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidfire and thermal runaway risks

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies passivation treatment as a preliminary action immediately during or right after the cutting process. The cutting fluid or subsequent treatment creates a protective layer on exposed battery materials before they can react with air or moisture, preventing fire and thermal runaway while maintaining rapid processing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful exposed lithium surfaces into a beneficial state by applying passivation treatment. The reactive lithium that would otherwise pose fire risks is transformed into a stable, protected surface through chemical reaction with the cutting fluid or passivation agent, turning a hazard into a safe condition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If conventional cutting methods are used, then equipment complexity is reduced, but material recovery purity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment complexityVSAvoidmaterial recovery purity

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces conventional mechanical cutting equipment with a fluid jet system that avoids physical contact and mechanical contamination. This substitution maintains relatively simple equipment architecture while dramatically improving material recovery purity by preventing contamination of electrode materials during the cutting process.

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

The method effectively opens lithium-ion batteries without causing fires or thermal runaway, enabling the recovery of highly pure lithium compounds with reduced energy consumption and minimizing contamination, thus enhancing the safety and efficiency of the recycling process.

Implementation Method 1

the cutting fluid forms a passivating layer at an interface formed by the cut by reacting with one or more electrode materials within the battery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical reaction forming passivating layer: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

impinging the stream of the cutting fluid onto the battery at a sufficient pressure to form a cut entirely through all layers of the battery

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid jet cutting: Jet Erosion

Data Source

PatentUS20230198041A1Opening an end-of-life battery

Publication Date: 2023.06.22 HULICO LLC

AI summary

Examples are disclosed that relate to opening lithium-ion batteries in an end-of-life process using a fluid cutting apparatus. One example provides a method of opening a battery in an end-of-life process where the battery comprises a plurality of electrode layers. The method comprises placing the battery in a fluid cutting apparatus, and forming a stream of a cutting fluid. The method further comprises impinging the stream of the cutting fluid onto the battery at a sufficient pressure to form a cut entirely through all layers of the battery, wherein the cutting fluid forms a passivating layer at an interface formed by the cut by reacting with one or more electrode materials within the battery.