Three major technical routes and processes of lithium battery recycling

In recent years, China's new energy vehicle industry has developed rapidly, and the demand for power lithium batteries has grown rapidly. The batteries have entered the stage of routine replacement, and the power batteries contain a large amount of recyclable high-value metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, etc., which can be recovered after recycling. To generate greater economic benefits, a large number of waste power lithium batteries are expected to spawn a huge recycling and disposal market.

The recycling technology routes of lithium batteries are divided into three types: physical, pyrotechnic, and wet. Although the physical recycling process is simple and low-cost, the recovery rate is low, and impurities are easily introduced to affect the performance of recycled materials. From the perspective of return on investment, the fire method is not as good as the wet method, so domestic enterprises mostly use the wet method with mature technology.

The main technical route of major domestic power battery recycling enterprises is wet process. Due to the large difference between wet process and dry process, cathode precursor companies with similar process paths have technical homology and have more technical advantages in developing lithium battery recycling layout.

Referring to developed countries in Europe and the United States, power battery manufacturers often assume the main responsibility for battery recycling, and OEMs and battery leasing companies play a role in coordinating recycling.

According to the different responsible subjects, it can be divided into the recycling mode of power battery manufacturers represented by Japan (including battery leasing companies of electric vehicle dealers), and the recycling mode of industry alliances represented by European and American countries (power battery manufacturers jointly form recycling alliances). ) and third-party recycling modes.

1.Physical method and process

The waste power battery is obtained by means of crushing, sieving, magnetic separation, fine pulverization, etc. to obtain valuable products, and then sell or repair materials to realize the remanufacturing of the battery.

2.Fire process process

Ternary battery: After removing the battery shell to obtain the electrode material, limestone is added for roasting in a high temperature environment, and the roasted lithium and aluminum form slag, which is not recycled; the copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese forming alloys are separated and extracted by further processing.

Lithium iron phosphate: The electrode material does not contain precious metals, and the ordinary fire process is not applicable; the organic binder is removed by calcination with the improved fire recovery technology, and the lithium iron phosphate powder is separated from the aluminum foil to obtain lithium iron phosphate material, Then, an appropriate amount of raw materials are added to obtain the required molar ratio of lithium, iron and phosphorus, and a new lithium iron phosphate is synthesized by a high-temperature solid-phase method.

3.Wet process and process

Wet recovery of lithium iron phosphate: After dissolving the positive pole piece with strong acid, adding alkali to precipitate and separate the lithium, iron ions and phosphate ions in the solution, and then adjust according to the recovery ratio, and obtain the regenerated after high temperature roasting. Lithium Iron Phosphate.

Ternary wet recovery: after the metal is dissolved in the solution in the form of ions, the corresponding metal salts are appropriately added according to the ratio of nickel, cobalt and manganese in the ternary material to be synthesized, and then alkali is added to precipitate the metal coprecipitate , the obtained precipitate and lithium carbonate are mixed and sintered in proportion to form a regenerated ternary material.