3270 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Selective De-Coating of High Temperature Electrolyzers
A promising approach for recycling the layered core compo-
nent of high-temperature electrolyzers, the cell, is selective
ultrasonic decoating (Kaiser et al., 2024). In this process,
the anode is selectively removed from the cell by applying
mechanical stress using a sonotrode. Figure 5 shows the
schematic setup of ultrasonic de-coating a) and a stressed
cell after ultrasonication b). The one-sided ultrasonic stress
and the resulting cavitation at the surface cause a complete
detachment of the perovskite layers (Figure 5 b). Figure 6
therefore shows the decoating efficiency, i.e., the completely
decoated area in relation to the effective sonotrode area, as
well as the removed particle mass over time. The decoat-
ing efficiency increases continuously over the time range
considered and reaches 100 %at about 20 s. The removed
particle mass increases sharply and then appears to stagnate.
The removed particle product has a purity up to more than
99 %.
Simplified Flowsheets for Mechanical Processing
Flow-Sheet LIB
The established optimized recycling process for LIB is struc-
tured in two stages with each three sub-processes. Those are
categorized in comminution/crushing, classification and
Figure 4. Decoating efficiency for comminution in hammer
mill of PEM-electrolyzer’s MEA
Figure 5. a) Ultrasonic de-coating setup (based on Kaiser et al. (2024)), b) high temperature electrolyzer
cell after ultrasonic de-coating with a circular de-coated area where the electrolyte is exposed
Figure 6. De-coating efficiency and detached particle mass
for ultrasonic decoating of a high temperature electrolyzer
cell (based on Kaiser et al. (2024))
Selective De-Coating of High Temperature Electrolyzers
A promising approach for recycling the layered core compo-
nent of high-temperature electrolyzers, the cell, is selective
ultrasonic decoating (Kaiser et al., 2024). In this process,
the anode is selectively removed from the cell by applying
mechanical stress using a sonotrode. Figure 5 shows the
schematic setup of ultrasonic de-coating a) and a stressed
cell after ultrasonication b). The one-sided ultrasonic stress
and the resulting cavitation at the surface cause a complete
detachment of the perovskite layers (Figure 5 b). Figure 6
therefore shows the decoating efficiency, i.e., the completely
decoated area in relation to the effective sonotrode area, as
well as the removed particle mass over time. The decoat-
ing efficiency increases continuously over the time range
considered and reaches 100 %at about 20 s. The removed
particle mass increases sharply and then appears to stagnate.
The removed particle product has a purity up to more than
99 %.
Simplified Flowsheets for Mechanical Processing
Flow-Sheet LIB
The established optimized recycling process for LIB is struc-
tured in two stages with each three sub-processes. Those are
categorized in comminution/crushing, classification and
Figure 4. Decoating efficiency for comminution in hammer
mill of PEM-electrolyzer’s MEA
Figure 5. a) Ultrasonic de-coating setup (based on Kaiser et al. (2024)), b) high temperature electrolyzer
cell after ultrasonic de-coating with a circular de-coated area where the electrolyte is exposed
Figure 6. De-coating efficiency and detached particle mass
for ultrasonic decoating of a high temperature electrolyzer
cell (based on Kaiser et al. (2024))