3248 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
the shape plays an important role for the separation in the
zig-zag air classifier for the non-compact materials as (Kaas
et al., 2024) already concluded. However, the recovery of
copper (Figure 7b) to the heavy product shows very good
results for all types with Rc 90%. Yet, it must be taken
into account that the copper of the anode is mostly the
total amount of copper in the cell. Parts of the casing are
also made of copper, e.g., the nail safety device (Wilke et
al., 2023a). To fulfil the legislations of the EU (EU, 2020)
it is important to sort the casing after the air classification
as well. Therefore, optical sensors (Bischoff et al., 2023) or
eddy current separation (Lyon et al., 2022b, Werner et al.,
2022) should be applied. Other components in the copper
concentrate are smaller parts of the metal casing or thicker
plastic particles of the casing.
In summary, the copper separation is of high quality in
the second air classification step whereas the transfer of the
aluminium particles to the light product has to be improved
for the cylindric cells. Here, a closer look should be taken
at the pre-treatment of the aluminium particles and their
reshape in the high-impact mill (Kaas et al., 2024).
CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
The presented results show that the developed process of
mechanical recycling is suitable for the five investigated bat-
tery types. However, the suspected different reaction of the
battery types due to their composition e.g., casing material
or thickness of current collector foils was confirmed in a
reasonable scope. For the separator foil the separation effi-
ciency showed significant differences for the prismatic and
cylindric types. The design of this separation stage should
be reconsidered due to the variable recovery of the separator
film to an exclusive product and the transfer of the coating
to this product. Possible alternatives, such as pyrolysis or
different separation mechanisms and their reaction to the
battery material should be investigated. The casing material
was successfully separated by air classification for all bat-
tery types. The transfer of smaller casing particles to further
process do not influence them greatly. The air classification
was also applied for the separation of the electrode mixtures
into aluminium and copper concentrate. The results and
investigation in literature showed that the shape of the par-
ticles is essential for the separation efficiency. The prismatic
batteries showed very good recoveries of the aluminium
and copper to the designated fraction. Whereas, the recov-
ery of aluminium to the light fraction was problematic for
the cylindric batteries. Here, more investigations for mate-
rial selective pre-treatment depending on the thickness of
current collector foil are recommended.
The output black mass and the recovery of elements to
it showed promising results concerning the new EU regula-
tions. All batteries were well decoated and the impurity of
copper was kept at a low level. The scope of Li recovery
was met for all battery types. In contrast, the targets for the
recovery of Ni and Co could not be met by all investigated
types. Here, further investigations should concentrate on
better decoating in order to achieve the targets by the EU.
However, it must be ensured that the contamination from
copper, for example, remains minimal.
REFERENCES
BISCHOFF, P., KAAS, A., SCHUSTER, C., HÄRTLING,
T. &PEUKER, U. 2023. Fast and Efficient Evaluation
of the Mass Composition of Shredded Electrodes from
Lithium-Ion Batteries Using 2D Imaging. Journal of
Imaging, 9, 135.
DELUCCHI, M., YANG, C., BURKE, A., OGDEN,
J., KURANI, K., KESSLER, J. &SPERLING, D.
2014. An assessment of electric vehicles: technology,
infrastructure requirements, greenhouse-gas emis-
sions, petroleum use, material use, lifetime cost, con-
sumer acceptance and policy initiatives. Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical,
Physical and Engineering Sciences, 372, 20120325.
DIEKMANN, J., HANISCH, C., FROBÖSE, L.,
SCHÄLICKE, G., LOELLHOEFFEL, T., FÖLSTER,
A.-S. &KWADE, A. 2016. Ecological recycling of
lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles with focus
on mechanical processes. Journal of the electrochemical
society, 164, A6184.
EU 2020. Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE
COUNCIL concerning batteries and waste batter-
ies, repealing Directive 2006/66/EC and amending
Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020, Brussels.
HANISCH, C., LOELLHOEFFEL, T., DIEKMANN, J.,
MARKLEY, K. J., HASELRIEDER, W. &KWADE,
A. 2015. Recycling of lithium-ion batteries: a novel
method to separate coating and foil of electrodes.
Journal of cleaner production, 108, 301–311.
KAAS, A., MÜTZE, T. &PEUKER, U. A. 2022. Review
on Zigzag Air Classifier. Processes, 10, 764.
KAAS, A., WILKE, C., RABASCHUS, J.-S., MÜTZE,
T. &PEUKER, U. A. 2024. Modelling the Sorting
of Lithium-Ion Battery Components in a Zig-Zag Air
Classifier. Metals, 14, 269.
the shape plays an important role for the separation in the
zig-zag air classifier for the non-compact materials as (Kaas
et al., 2024) already concluded. However, the recovery of
copper (Figure 7b) to the heavy product shows very good
results for all types with Rc 90%. Yet, it must be taken
into account that the copper of the anode is mostly the
total amount of copper in the cell. Parts of the casing are
also made of copper, e.g., the nail safety device (Wilke et
al., 2023a). To fulfil the legislations of the EU (EU, 2020)
it is important to sort the casing after the air classification
as well. Therefore, optical sensors (Bischoff et al., 2023) or
eddy current separation (Lyon et al., 2022b, Werner et al.,
2022) should be applied. Other components in the copper
concentrate are smaller parts of the metal casing or thicker
plastic particles of the casing.
In summary, the copper separation is of high quality in
the second air classification step whereas the transfer of the
aluminium particles to the light product has to be improved
for the cylindric cells. Here, a closer look should be taken
at the pre-treatment of the aluminium particles and their
reshape in the high-impact mill (Kaas et al., 2024).
CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK
The presented results show that the developed process of
mechanical recycling is suitable for the five investigated bat-
tery types. However, the suspected different reaction of the
battery types due to their composition e.g., casing material
or thickness of current collector foils was confirmed in a
reasonable scope. For the separator foil the separation effi-
ciency showed significant differences for the prismatic and
cylindric types. The design of this separation stage should
be reconsidered due to the variable recovery of the separator
film to an exclusive product and the transfer of the coating
to this product. Possible alternatives, such as pyrolysis or
different separation mechanisms and their reaction to the
battery material should be investigated. The casing material
was successfully separated by air classification for all bat-
tery types. The transfer of smaller casing particles to further
process do not influence them greatly. The air classification
was also applied for the separation of the electrode mixtures
into aluminium and copper concentrate. The results and
investigation in literature showed that the shape of the par-
ticles is essential for the separation efficiency. The prismatic
batteries showed very good recoveries of the aluminium
and copper to the designated fraction. Whereas, the recov-
ery of aluminium to the light fraction was problematic for
the cylindric batteries. Here, more investigations for mate-
rial selective pre-treatment depending on the thickness of
current collector foil are recommended.
The output black mass and the recovery of elements to
it showed promising results concerning the new EU regula-
tions. All batteries were well decoated and the impurity of
copper was kept at a low level. The scope of Li recovery
was met for all battery types. In contrast, the targets for the
recovery of Ni and Co could not be met by all investigated
types. Here, further investigations should concentrate on
better decoating in order to achieve the targets by the EU.
However, it must be ensured that the contamination from
copper, for example, remains minimal.
REFERENCES
BISCHOFF, P., KAAS, A., SCHUSTER, C., HÄRTLING,
T. &PEUKER, U. 2023. Fast and Efficient Evaluation
of the Mass Composition of Shredded Electrodes from
Lithium-Ion Batteries Using 2D Imaging. Journal of
Imaging, 9, 135.
DELUCCHI, M., YANG, C., BURKE, A., OGDEN,
J., KURANI, K., KESSLER, J. &SPERLING, D.
2014. An assessment of electric vehicles: technology,
infrastructure requirements, greenhouse-gas emis-
sions, petroleum use, material use, lifetime cost, con-
sumer acceptance and policy initiatives. Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical,
Physical and Engineering Sciences, 372, 20120325.
DIEKMANN, J., HANISCH, C., FROBÖSE, L.,
SCHÄLICKE, G., LOELLHOEFFEL, T., FÖLSTER,
A.-S. &KWADE, A. 2016. Ecological recycling of
lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles with focus
on mechanical processes. Journal of the electrochemical
society, 164, A6184.
EU 2020. Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE
COUNCIL concerning batteries and waste batter-
ies, repealing Directive 2006/66/EC and amending
Regulation (EU) No 2019/1020, Brussels.
HANISCH, C., LOELLHOEFFEL, T., DIEKMANN, J.,
MARKLEY, K. J., HASELRIEDER, W. &KWADE,
A. 2015. Recycling of lithium-ion batteries: a novel
method to separate coating and foil of electrodes.
Journal of cleaner production, 108, 301–311.
KAAS, A., MÜTZE, T. &PEUKER, U. A. 2022. Review
on Zigzag Air Classifier. Processes, 10, 764.
KAAS, A., WILKE, C., RABASCHUS, J.-S., MÜTZE,
T. &PEUKER, U. A. 2024. Modelling the Sorting
of Lithium-Ion Battery Components in a Zig-Zag Air
Classifier. Metals, 14, 269.