3286 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
activities in the pretreatment of EOL LIBs. The steps are
discussed below.
Preparation
Presorting of End Of Life LIBs Currently, most of the tech-
nologies for recycling of spent LIBs operate without presort-
ing, especially technologies that rely on pyrometallurgical
unit operations. The processes were derived from the recy-
cling of nickel-based battery systems for the production of
primary and secondary metallic raw materials. The chang-
ing composition of these mixed material systems has led
to lower recycling rates and a reduction in quality of the
secondary raw materials. Therefore, only metals like nickel,
cobalt, and copper are recovered and byproduct metals like
aluminum, lithium or manganese are discharged into the
furnace slag in a pyrometallurgical flowsheet.
Discharging
Discharging eliminates the residual electricity in the spent
LIBs to ensure the safety of subsequent battery recycle
procedures. The discharge methods can be categorized as
cryogenic freezing, physical discharging, and chemical dis-
charging. Among them, chemical discharging has attracted
much attention because of its high efficiency and exemplary
safety. However, the drawback is that the discharge effi-
ciency always seems to be accompanied by corrosion issues
(Fang et al.,2022). Cryogenically freezing LIBs can pas-
sivate them against abusive conditions and may therefore
enable LIBs to be granted exemptions for certain hazardous
material transportation requirements, significantly reduc-
ing the cost of their transportation to recycling facilities
(Sunderlin.et al.,2023).The physical discharge methods,
such as connecting resistors at both ends of the battery to
consume the residual electric energy of the spent LIBs, are
Table 2. Recycling process technology readiness levels (TRL)
Technology Definition Maturity
Pyrometallurgy Uses high temperature
furnaces (1000°C) to melt
and produce an alloy of
mixed metal, Co, Fe and Ni.
Mature
(TRL =11)
Hydrometallurgy Uses aqueous solutions to
dissolve the desired metals
from battery cathode
material, includes leaching,
separation, extraction and
precipitation.
Mature
(TRL =11)
Direct Recycling Cathode material can be
recovered without the use of
acids or smelting
Early
Prototype
(TRL=3–4)
Electricity based
recycling
The use of electric currents
and voltage to separate
the metals in the battery
assembly
Concept
(TRL 2–3)
Figure 1. End of Life Lithium Ion Battery pretreatment steps for recycling
activities in the pretreatment of EOL LIBs. The steps are
discussed below.
Preparation
Presorting of End Of Life LIBs Currently, most of the tech-
nologies for recycling of spent LIBs operate without presort-
ing, especially technologies that rely on pyrometallurgical
unit operations. The processes were derived from the recy-
cling of nickel-based battery systems for the production of
primary and secondary metallic raw materials. The chang-
ing composition of these mixed material systems has led
to lower recycling rates and a reduction in quality of the
secondary raw materials. Therefore, only metals like nickel,
cobalt, and copper are recovered and byproduct metals like
aluminum, lithium or manganese are discharged into the
furnace slag in a pyrometallurgical flowsheet.
Discharging
Discharging eliminates the residual electricity in the spent
LIBs to ensure the safety of subsequent battery recycle
procedures. The discharge methods can be categorized as
cryogenic freezing, physical discharging, and chemical dis-
charging. Among them, chemical discharging has attracted
much attention because of its high efficiency and exemplary
safety. However, the drawback is that the discharge effi-
ciency always seems to be accompanied by corrosion issues
(Fang et al.,2022). Cryogenically freezing LIBs can pas-
sivate them against abusive conditions and may therefore
enable LIBs to be granted exemptions for certain hazardous
material transportation requirements, significantly reduc-
ing the cost of their transportation to recycling facilities
(Sunderlin.et al.,2023).The physical discharge methods,
such as connecting resistors at both ends of the battery to
consume the residual electric energy of the spent LIBs, are
Table 2. Recycling process technology readiness levels (TRL)
Technology Definition Maturity
Pyrometallurgy Uses high temperature
furnaces (1000°C) to melt
and produce an alloy of
mixed metal, Co, Fe and Ni.
Mature
(TRL =11)
Hydrometallurgy Uses aqueous solutions to
dissolve the desired metals
from battery cathode
material, includes leaching,
separation, extraction and
precipitation.
Mature
(TRL =11)
Direct Recycling Cathode material can be
recovered without the use of
acids or smelting
Early
Prototype
(TRL=3–4)
Electricity based
recycling
The use of electric currents
and voltage to separate
the metals in the battery
assembly
Concept
(TRL 2–3)
Figure 1. End of Life Lithium Ion Battery pretreatment steps for recycling