Direct Li-Ion Battery Recycling by Electrode Re-Lithiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recycling lithium-ion batteries involve complete dismantling and destruction of the batteries, which is inefficient and wasteful, as they do not effectively renew the electrodes for reuse.
Innovation Solution
A method that renews lithium-ion batteries by re-lithiating the electrodes using lithium as a source without dismantling, followed by packaging them in a new container, and adding extra tabs for simplified connection to external circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If complete dismantling and destruction of batteries is used for recycling, then material recovery is achieved, but manufacturing efficiency is reduced and resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by selectively removing depleted electrolyte from end-of-life batteries while preserving and re-lithiating the electrode structures. This allows recovery of valuable electrode materials without complete dismantling, resolving the contradiction between material recovery and recycling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing re-lithiation treatment on electrodes before final assembly into new batteries. This preliminary restoration of electrode capacity enables direct reuse without extensive processing, improving productivity while maintaining material recovery
2Productivity
If electrodes are preserved and re-lithiated without dismantling, then recycling efficiency is improved, but complete material recovery is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by extracting and removing the depleted electrolyte from battery cells while leaving the electrode structures intact. This selective extraction enables efficient recycling processing while ensuring complete recovery of electrode materials through subsequent re-lithiation and refurbishment processes
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If traditional dismantling methods are used, then complete battery analysis is possible, but process complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing diagnostic assessments and capacity evaluations on battery cells before the re-lithiation process. This preliminary characterization enables efficient processing without complete dismantling, reducing recycling time while maintaining accurate battery condition assessment through non-destructive testing methods
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 renews batteries, maintaining their functionality and simplifying the recycling process by preserving the electrodes and adding extra tabs for improved electrical connections.
Implementation Method 1
re-lithiating the cells using lithium as a source of re-lithiation
Implementation Method 2
removing an electrolyte from the cells
Data Source
AI summary
A system for recycling a Lithium-ion battery includes an electrolyte bath, a stack of cells, a sheet of lithium metal, and a circuit. The stack of cells is removed from a container of the battery without dismantling the cells and immersed in the electrolyte bath. Each cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrodes of the cells are connected together by first connections. The second electrodes of the cells are connected together by second connections. The sheet of lithium metal is immersed in the electrolyte bath. The circuit is connected to the sheet of lithium metal and one of the first electrodes of the cells. The circuit is configured to re-lithiate the cells according to an amount of re-lithiation predetermined for the cells.