Frozen Electrode Laminate Separation for Battery Material Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for recycling electrode materials from batteries often result in unusable electrode laminates during the manufacturing stage, leading to waste, as defects occur when the electrode material is laminated on the current collector foil, making it impossible to use the electrode laminate.
Innovation Solution
A method involving providing an electrode laminate with a current collector foil and electrode material, supplying moisture, freezing it, and applying mechanical impact while blowing a gas to separate the electrode material from the foil, utilizing cooling rollers with irregularities and touch rolls for tension adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electrode material is laminated on current collector foil during manufacturing, then electrode laminate is formed, but defects may occur making it unusable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by collecting unusable electrode laminates generated during manufacturing and recovering the electrode material from them. Instead of discarding defective laminates, the process separates and recycles the electrode material, converting waste into reusable resources and reducing material loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by controlling moisture content and temperature to freeze the electrode material, making it brittle and easier to separate from the current collector foil. By changing the physical state of the electrode material through temperature control, the separation process becomes more efficient.
2Loss of substance
If conventional disassembly method is used to recycle electrode materials, then battery is disassembled, but the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the recycling process into distinct stages: moisture supply, freezing, mechanical impact, and gas blowing. This segmented approach allows each step to be optimized independently and enables continuous processing, reducing overall recycling time while maintaining high recovery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual disassembly with a automated mechanical system involving cooling rollers, impact mechanisms, and gas blowing. This substitution eliminates labor-intensive operations and significantly reduces recycling time while improving consistency and efficiency.
3Loss of substance
If electrode laminate is discarded due to manufacturing defects, then waste is generated, but recovery process adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into an integrated recovery system where moisture supply, freezing, mechanical impact, and gas blowing are combined in a single continuous process. This merging reduces the need for separate equipment and operations, thereby reducing overall system complexity while achieving effective material recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The recovery system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same equipment performs multiple tasks: cooling rollers both transport and freeze the electrode material, and the gas blowing system both dries and separates the material. This universality reduces the number of dedicated devices needed, simplifying the overall 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
Effectively recovers and separates the electrode material from the current collector foil, allowing for its reuse and recycling, particularly for lithium-ion batteries, by generating cracks and promoting separation through volume expansion and mechanical impact.
Implementation Method 1
freezing the moisture supplied to the electrode material
Implementation Method 2
by generating cracks and promoting separation through volume expansion and mechanical impact
Implementation Method 3
crushing the electrode material and separating the electrode material from the current collector foil by applying a mechanical impact to the frozen electrode material
Implementation Method 4
blowing a gas thereto
Data Source
AI summary
A method of recovering an electrode material comprising:providing an electrode laminate, wherein the electrode laminate comprises a current collector foil and an electrode material laminated on at least one surface of the current collector foil;supplying moisture to the electrode material;freezing the moisture supplied to the electrode material; andcrushing the electrode material and separating the electrode material from the current collector foil by applying a mechanical impact to the frozen electrode material and blowing a gas.