Dry Ice Cooling for Safe Crushing of High-Energy Galvanic Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for disposing of high energy density galvanic cells are hazardous, energy-intensive, and costly due to the toxic and flammable nature of their components, lacking a safe and efficient method for crushing and separating valuable materials.
Innovation Solution
The method involves storing and crushing used galvanic cells in a mixture with solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to lower their temperature to -20°C to -50°C, using a thermally insulated container and device, which prevents ignition and allows for safer processing by maintaining a uniform low temperature and using the carbon dioxide atmosphere to manage flammable gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high energy density galvanic cells are crushed at room temperature in ambient atmosphere, then the crushing process is simple and fast, but the process is hazardous due to fire and explosion risks from flammable electrolytes and toxic materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by flooding the crushing chamber with carbon dioxide gas during the crushing process. This inert gas displaces oxygen and prevents combustion of flammable electrolytes and materials, eliminating fire and explosion hazards while allowing rapid crushing at ambient temperature without requiring cell disassembly or complex safety systems
2Loss of substance
If pyrolysis is used to dispose of used galvanic cells, then metals are recovered as alloys, but significant thermal energy is required and toxic flue gases must be purified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal pyrolysis system with a mechanical crushing system operating in an inert carbon dioxide atmosphere. Instead of using high thermal energy to vaporize and condense metals, the invention uses mechanical force to crush cells and separate materials, dramatically reducing energy consumption while still achieving metal recovery through subsequent magnetic and density-based separation processes
3Reliability
If cell disassembly and inert gas replacement is performed before crushing, then safety is improved, but the process becomes more complex and costly with gas-tight insulation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling the crushing chamber with carbon dioxide gas before cells are introduced. This preliminary inerting of the environment eliminates fire hazards without requiring individual cell disassembly or complex gas-tight insulation systems. The simple approach of flooding the chamber with inert gas before crushing achieves safety while maintaining process simplicity
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 approach ensures a safe, energy-efficient, and cost-effective method for crushing high energy density cells, preventing fires and releasing fewer harmful chemicals, while enabling effective separation of valuable fractions.
Implementation Method 1
storing and crushing used galvanic cells in a mixture with solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to lower their temperature to -20°C to -50°C
Implementation Method 2
The mixture of used galvanic cells with dry ice is cooled down to the value from -20°C to -50°C
Implementation Method 3
using a thermally insulated container and device, which prevents ignition and allows for safer processing by maintaining a uniform low temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A crushing method for galvanic cells with high energy densities characterised in that a mixture of used cells is placed inside an insulated container and carbon dioxide as dry ice is added to this mixture as a cooling medium. Dry ice is added to the mixture of used galvanic cells at a volumetric ration of 0.5 : 1 to 2 : 1, and the mixture of used cells with dry ice is cooled down from -20°C to -50°C, and the mixture of used cells with dry ice is subsequently fed to the crushing device and subjected to crushing. Dry ice is preferably a granulate, with granule size of 14mm to 18mm. A stream of used galvanic cells and a stream of dry ice granules are preferably fed simultaneously to the insulated container of the crushing device, and this mixture is forwarded to the working part of the crushing device. At the end of galvanic cell crushing, the mixture of air and gaseous carbon dioxide is returned to the insulated container of the crushing device.