Effective separated
Recycling of modern batteries
Part 2: Processing of lithium-ion batteries
The concept developed by the project partners IME RWTH Aachen, Accurec GmbH Mülheim/Ruhr and UVR-FIA Freiberg for recycling spent batteries consists of an effective combination of thermal and mechanical processing as well as pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy. Focus of the work and at the same time the innovative core of the solutions devised is the preferred use of the economical methods of mechanical processing in combination with metallurgical methods so as to largely avoid complex and expensive thermal and wet-chemical process stages. Following a report on effective processing methods for nickel-metal hydride batteries in AT 6/2009 [1], Part 2 below describes the cost-efficient recovery of the value materials in lithium-ion batteries.
1 Processing Li-Ion Batteries
1.1 Current situation
Of the more than 250 battery manufacturers known worldwide, at least around 80 companies are engaged in the production of Li batteries [2]. In the case of Li-ion accumulator batteries, besides cells with liquid electrolytes, Li-ion polymer accumulator batteries and Li-metal batteries are produced and sold. On account of their high energy density, Li-ion batteries are used most commonly today in high-quality battery-powered small devices. For traction applications, intensive development work has been initiated, which is set to lead to safe...
