`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`EX 1016
`EX 1016
`
`
`

`

`I 1111111111111111 1111111111 11111 1111111111 11111 1111111111 111111111111111111
`
`
`
`
`
`USO 11050097B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Hanisch et al.
`
`(IO) Patent No.: US 11,050,097 B2
`Jun.29,2021
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54) METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF USED
`BATTERIES, IN PARTICULAR
`RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, AND
`BATTERY PROCESSING INSTALLATION
`
`(71) Applicant: DUESENFELD GMBH, Braunschweig
`(DE)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventors: Christian Hanisch, Braunschweig
`(DE); Bastian Westphal, Braunschweig
`(DE); Wolfgang Haselrieder,
`Braunschweig (DE); Martin Schoenitz,
`Braunschweig (DE)
`
`(73) Assignee: DUESENFELD GMBH, Braunschweig
`(DE)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 344 days.
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC ............. H0lM 10154 (2013.01); B02C 21100
`(2013.01); B02C 23110 (2013.01); B02C 23120
`(2013.01);
`
`(Continued)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC ...... Y02W 30/84; Y02P 10/212; B02C 23/08;
`B02C 23/10; B09B 3/008; B09B 3/0058;
`(Continued)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,632,863 A *
`
`6,524,737 Bl*
`
`5/1997 Meador ................... Cl OB 47/44
`201/25
`2/2003 Tanii ....................... C22B 7/005
`429/49
`
`(Continued)
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`15/569,484
`
`(22) PCT Filed:
`
`Apr. 28, 2016
`
`(86) PCT No.:
`
`PCT /EP2016/059526
`
`§ 371 (c)(l),
`(2) Date:
`
`Oct. 26, 2017
`
`(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO2016/174156
`PCT Pub. Date: Nov. 3, 2016
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2018/0301769 Al
`
`Oct. 18, 2018
`
`(30)
`
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`Apr. 28, 2015
`
`(DE) ..................... 10 2015 207 843.4
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`H0lM 10154
`B09B 3/00
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(Continued)
`
`CN
`CN
`
`6/2012
`102496752 A
`7/2014
`103959553 A
`(Continued)
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Machine Translation of DE 4424825, Translated Sep. 5, 2019, 3
`Pages. (Year: 1996). *
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner - Gregory D Swiatocha
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - W&C IP
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A method is described for the treatment of used batteries, in
`particular lithium batteries, containing the steps: comminut(cid:173)
`ing the batteries such that comminuted material is obtained,
`inactivating the comminuted material such that inactivated
`comminuted material is obtained, and filling a transport
`container with the inactivated comminuted material. The
`inactivation is performed by drying the comminuted mate(cid:173)
`rial, and the comminuted material is dried until an electro-
`(Continued)
`
`[)---22
`I
`
`48
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 1
`
`

`

`US 11,050,097 B2
`Page 2
`
`2003/0186110 Al*
`
`2005/0241943 Al
`2007/0134546 Al*
`
`2014/0003568 Al*
`
`2014/0290438 Al
`2016/0043450 Al*
`
`lyte content is so low that an electrochemical reaction is not
`possible.
`
`21 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`(51)
`
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`BOID 53/00
`C22B 1100
`H01M6/52
`B02C 21100
`B02C 23110
`B02C 23120
`BOID 53/04
`U.S. Cl.
`CPC ............ B09B 3/0058 (2013.01); C22B 11005
`(2013.01); HOlM 6152 (2013.01); BOID
`53/002 (2013.01); BOID 53/04 (2013.01);
`BOID 2253/102 (2013.01); Y02P 10/20
`(2015.11); Y02W 30/84 (2015.05)
`Field of Classification Search
`CPC ...... BOID 53/05; BOID 53/002; BOID 11/00;
`BOID 2253/102; H0lM 10/54; H0lM
`6/52
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`8,210,456 B2 *
`
`9,780,419 B2 * 10/2017 Hanisch .
`
`7/2012 Stevens ................... B03B 9/061
`241/19
`H0lM 10/54
`
`10/2003 Sloop ..................... H0lG 9/038
`429/49
`
`11/2005 Kakuta et al.
`6/2007 Hashimoto
`............. C22B 7/005
`429/49
`B01D47/10
`376/283
`
`1/2014 Eckardt.
`
`10/2014 Hanisch
`2/2016 Sloop .
`
`C0lG 53/50
`252/182.1
`
`B03B 9/061
`
`2016/0049699 Al
`
`2/2016 Hayashi et al.
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`CN
`DE
`DE
`DE
`DE
`JP
`KR
`KR
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`106259062 B
`4424825 Al *
`4424825 Al
`10 2011 110 083 Al
`10 2012 024 876 Al
`2005197149 A
`20060101683
`10-0665626 Bl
`2010/102337 Al
`2010/102377 Al
`2010/149611 Al
`WO-2013023640 Al *
`
`9/2015
`1/1996
`1/1996
`2/2013
`6/2014
`7 /2005
`3/2005
`1/2007
`9/2010
`9/2010
`12/2010
`2/2013
`
`............ H0lM 10/54
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Machine Translation of WO 2013/023640, Translated Sep. 5, 2019,
`5 Pages (Year: 2013).*
`Machine translation of CN 102496752, 4 Pages. (Year: 2012).*
`Dehnert et al: "Vacuum Distillation", Allgemeine Chemie, 14.3, p.
`14, 1979.
`Wolf et al: Allgemeine and Physikalische Chemie, Chemie, 1985.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 2
`
`

`

`10.2
`.11oy
`□ I
`I 1:(10.3
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`012
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`18
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`
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`38
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`Fig. 1
`
`d r.,;_
`"'""'
`
`"'""' = UI = = \0
`-....l = N
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun.29,2021
`
`Sheet 2 of 3
`
`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`N
`I..O
`
`00
`T""'
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`©
`I..O
`
`a
`
`□
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 4
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Jun.29,2021
`
`Sheet 3 of 3
`
`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`00
`00
`
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`
`w
`f'-..
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`0
`co
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`f'-..
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 5
`
`

`

`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`1
`METHOD FOR THE TREATMENT OF USED
`BATTERIES, IN PARTICULAR
`RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, AND
`BATTERY PROCESSING INSTALLATION
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention refers to a method for the treatment of used
`batteries, in particular used lithium batteries, such as lithium
`ion batteries, with the steps
`(a) comminuting
`the batteries such that comminuted
`material is obtained,
`(b) inactivating of the comminuted material such that an
`inactive comminuted material is obtained, and (c) filling a
`transport container with the inactive comminuted material. 15
`According to a second aspect, the invention refers to a
`battery processing installation for the treatment of used
`batteries, in particular for the treatment of used lithium
`batteries with (a) a comminuting device for comminuting the
`batteries such that comminuted material is obtained, (b) an 20
`inactivation device for inactivating the comminuted material
`and ( c) a filling device for filling a transport container with
`the inactivated comminuted material.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`2
`the battery fragments, as the organic carbonates of the
`electrolyte have been removed [from the fragments]. The
`comminuted material is therefore largely inert and can be
`transported safely, especially if it is packed under vacuum.
`A further advantage is that no additional material has to be
`added to inactivate the comminuted material. This decreases
`the complexity of the battery processing, reduces the weight
`of the inactivated comminuted material and increases the
`purity in the subsequent separation and recycling steps. In
`10 particular, in potential subsequent hydrometallurgical pro(cid:173)
`cessing steps, a high degree of product purity that does not
`require the input of foreign ions is advantageous.
`In addition, it is advantageous that a comminuted material
`is obtained that can be transported safely. The organic
`carbonate content is preferably so small that the for(cid:173)
`mation of a significant amount of fluorophosphates can
`be ruled out.
`Fluorophosphates are often strong neurotoxins, the for(cid:173)
`mation of which must be reliably prevented. Furthermore,
`due to the low electrolyte content, it is guaranteed that a
`self-amplifying and intensifying build-up of heat triggered
`by an electrochemical reaction cannot occur.
`Within the scope of the present description, the term
`drying should be understood particularly
`to mean the
`25 removal of at least one solvent in the conducting salt. In
`particular, the drying is executed such that dimethyl carbon(cid:173)
`ate and/or ethyl methyl carbonate is removed.
`The battery should be understood especially to mean a
`lithium battery. A lithium battery is a rechargeable battery
`30 whose electrochemical reaction
`involves lithium and/or
`lithium ions and/or a lithium compound.
`A battery processing installation should also be under(cid:173)
`stood particularly to mean a rechargeable battery processing
`installation for processing rechargeable batteries.
`The transport container should also be understood par(cid:173)
`ticularly to mean transport packaging. The transport pack(cid:173)
`aging is preferably sealed by way of a vacuum seal. Alu(cid:173)
`minium composite foil is especially well-suited as transport
`packaging.
`It is beneficial if the drying occurs after the comminuting
`of the batteries. It is indeed possible and represents a
`preferred embodiment that the batteries are exposed to a
`vacuum when in an uncomminuted state such that at least
`parts of the electrolyte vaporise, wherein the resulting gas
`45 either escapes through a safety valve in the rechargeable
`battery or the battery is destroyed by the pressure difference
`between the external environment and the internal pressure,
`enabling a vaporising electrolyte to escape. However, since
`the electrolyte is predominantly
`located between tightly
`50 wound or stacked and pressed layers of electrodes and
`separators and in their pores, and it is connected to other
`components of the batteries, this procedure can be very
`time-consuming. It is thus often more beneficial and repre(cid:173)
`sents a preferred embodiment of the invention for the
`55 batteries to be mechanically comminuted, for example
`through cutting, cropping, impact, separating and/or com(cid:173)
`pressing. This means that a larger interface is available for
`the transition of materials into the gas phase.
`The drying may occur by way of vacuum drying, contact
`60 drying, convection drying and/or infra-red drying. It is
`favourable if the drying occurs while the comminuted mate(cid:173)
`rial is being agitated and/or circulated.
`Prior to being comminuted, the used batteries are prefer(cid:173)
`ably dismantled. This means that larger battery systems are
`65 dismantled into their smaller subcomponents, the modules
`or stacks, or even that the cells which contain the electro(cid:173)
`chemically active material are separated from the control
`
`US 2005/0241943 Al describes a method for processing
`used batteries in which the batteries are heated prior to a
`comminuting step, thereby destroying plastic components in
`the batteries. The disadvantage of this type of procedure is
`that the remaining components of the batteries may be
`contaminated with degradation products of the plastic.
`DE 10 2012 024 876 Al describes a system for transfer(cid:173)
`ring transport-critical electrolyte cells, in which they are
`initially comminuted under inert gas and then dusted with a 35
`deactivation powder so as to prevent the electrochemically
`active material from spontaneously combusting. The disad(cid:173)
`vantage of this is that the resulting material still poses a
`comparatively high hazard potential and that the dusting
`powder itself poses a risk of explosion and that the formation 40
`of a flammable and explosive atmosphere in the transport
`container cannot be ruled out.
`DE 10 2011 110 083 Al describes a method for recov(cid:173)
`ering active material from a galvanic cell, in which the
`galvanic cells are initially mechanically comminuted, then
`pre-dried and subsequently sifted. Finally, the binder is
`broken down in an oven. This type of device is very
`well-suited to the efficient recycling of larger amounts of
`galvanic elements. However, for partial load operation, the
`construction of this installation is comparatively complex.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`The invention aims to reduce disadvantages of the prior
`art.
`The invention solves the problem by means of a method
`according to the preamble, in which the inactivation occurs
`at least also by way of drying the comminuted material.
`According to a second aspect, the invention solves the
`problem through a battery processing installation according
`to the preamble, the activation device of which comprises a
`drying device.
`The advantage of the invention is that the amount of
`electrolyte that can be obtained from the comminuted mate(cid:173)
`rial through drying is such that an electrochemical reaction
`is no longer possible, or only to a negligibly small extent. In
`addition, no flammable or explosive gas phase forms above
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 6
`
`

`

`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`3
`electronics. The control electronics comprise, for example,
`semiconductor elements and/or sensors and are responsible
`for the charge control of the batteries.
`According to a preferred embodiment, the drying occurs
`under vacuum. The size of the vacuum is preferably selected
`such that the vapour pressure of dimethyl carbonate at 80°
`C., especially at 70° C., is not reached. It is beneficial if the
`drying occurs at a maximum pressure of 300 hPa, in
`particular a maximum of 100 hPa. At such low pressures,
`considerable parts of most electrolytes vaporise, especially 10
`dimethyl carbonate and ethyl methyl carbonate, and do so at
`temperatures of less than 80° C. The advantage of low
`temperatures is that the formation of hydrogen fluoride is
`hindered. Hydrogen fluoride poses a potential risk for the
`battery processing installation and the surroundings. It is 15
`therefore beneficial to prevent the development of hydrogen
`fluoride.
`The drying preferably occurs at a temperature that is
`lower than a decomposition temperature. The decom(cid:173)
`position temperature should be understood particularly
`to mean the lowest temperature at which at least 80
`percent by mass of the binder has decomposed into
`gaseous components after keeping the comminuted
`material at this temperature for an hour. The decom(cid:173)
`position temperature can be measured by successively
`increasing the temperature of the comminuted material
`and recording when a loss of mass occurs, especially
`through the build-up of gas due to a decomposition of
`the binder, and the specified criteria is fulfilled. If
`necessary, the experiment must be conducted several 30
`times, each time using a new sample of comminuted
`material at an increased temperature.
`It is favourable if the drying occurs under an atmosphere
`in which the partial pressure of the water vapor is lower than
`50 Pa, in particular lower than 10 Pa. A low partial pressure 35
`of the water vapor leads to a low reaction rate of lithium
`compounds to lithium hydroxide and thus only to a low
`build-up of hydrogen. This prevents the formation of flam(cid:173)
`mable hydrogen-oxygen mixtures and contributes to the
`safety of the installation.
`In addition, it is favourable if the partial pressure of
`oxygen has a maximum value of 10 millibars, especially a
`maximum value of 5 millibars. This largely inhibits the
`reaction of oxygen with oxidisable components of the bat(cid:173)
`teries. It is possible to achieve the low partial pressure of 45
`oxygen by means of drying at a low pressure. Alternatively
`or additionally, the drying may occur in an inert gas atmo(cid:173)
`sphere.
`A method is preferred in which the drying of the com(cid:173)
`minuted material is only completed if, after the completion 50
`of the drying process, no flammable or explosive gas mix(cid:173)
`ture can form above the comminuted material that has been
`filled [in the container] and/or when the comminuted mate-
`rial is so dry that a flammable or explosive gas mixture can
`emerge in the transport container or during the subsequent
`processing. The property that the drying is completed if,
`after the completion of the drying process, no flanimable or
`explosive gas mixture can form above the comminuted
`material that has been filled [in the container] should be
`understood particularly to mean that, within the space of one
`week at 50° C. and 1013 hPa, no flammable gas mixture
`forms in a transport container in the form of a 50 litre
`container that has been half-filled (relative to its volume)
`with the comminuted material. Pre-tests determine whether
`the criteria has been fulfilled. If a flanimable gas mixture
`does form, the drying must be conducted for a longer time
`and/or at a lower pressure. The preliminary tests are repeated
`
`4
`until a drying time and/or drying pressure has been identified
`at which, in a set of tests of three transport containers, the
`requirements for the property have been fulfilled for all three
`transport containers.
`The comminuted material is preferably dried until an
`electrolyte content in the comminuted material is so low that
`an electrochemical reaction is impossible. In other words,
`the electrolyte content is lower than a threshold value, the
`threshold value being selected such that, if this threshold
`value is not achieved, the cell voltage is reduced to a
`maximum of one quarter. This threshold value is deter-
`mined, for example, by defining the cell voltage of a battery
`in relation to the electrolyte content. Shortly before achiev(cid:173)
`ing the threshold value, the cell voltage collapses, i.e. it
`decreases by at least 75%. If the threshold value is not
`achieved, the battery contains so little electrolyte that, to a
`good approximation, an electrochemical reaction is no lon(cid:173)
`ger possible.
`The comminuted material is preferably dried for so long
`20 that a 50 kg amount of comminuted material, which is
`contained in a compacted form in a 50 litre drum, does not
`experience a build-up of heat, or the build-up of heat is so
`low that a thermal runaway, i.e. a thermally induced chain
`reaction, is ruled out for at least two months, and that any
`25 build-up of hydrogen is also so low that after two weeks, no
`excess pressure occurs if a negative pressure of 500 hPa is
`present to begin with.
`It is beneficial if the comminuted material is dried until
`the electrolyte content of organic components that are vola(cid:173)
`tile at 80° C. has a maximum value of 3% by weight, in
`particular a maximum of 2% by weight, especially prefer-
`ably a maximum of 1.5% by weight.
`The drying is preferably conducted for so long that the
`accumulated content of organic carbonates from the elec(cid:173)
`trolyte that are volatile at 80° C. falls short of3% by volume
`in the atmosphere above the comminuted material.
`In particular, the drying is conducted until the dimethyl
`carbonate content is lower than 4% by volume, especially
`3% by volume, and/or the cyclohexylbenzene content is
`40 lower than 1 % by volume, in particular 0.5% by volume.
`The drying preferably occurs immediately after commi(cid:173)
`nution. This should be understood to mean that the time
`between the beginning of the comminution of the batteries
`and the point at which at least a part of the resulting
`comminuted material begins to dry is a maximum of five
`minutes, especially a maximum of one minute. The rapid
`drying after comminution means that the mass of material
`that may potentially experience an electrochemical reaction
`remains small; the electrochemical reaction time of potential
`exothermic reactions also remains small. This reduces the
`risk for the installation and the surroundings.
`It is especially favourable if the vacuum is created by
`means of an injector, i.e. a venturi pump or an ejector-jet
`pump. Ejector-jet pumps are largely resistant to aggressive
`55 gases that are due to be pumped, particularly if an appro(cid:173)
`priate pump fluid, i.e. pump liquid, is selected. It is benefi(cid:173)
`cial if the pump fluid, which is a liquid, has a pH value of
`at least 8, in particular of at least 9, for example at least 12.
`In this case, unwanted components of the gas that is being
`60 pumped can decompose or react to become less damaging
`substances. In this way, for example, dimethyl carbonates
`and/or ethyl methyl carbonates can be broken down by a
`saponification reaction. Any hydrogen fluoride contained in
`the pump fluid can be converted in the alkaline environment
`65 into a non-hazardous salt by way of an acid-base reaction.
`The pump fluid preferably contains a substance that
`precipitates fluoride. For example, the pump fluid may
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 7
`
`

`

`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`5
`contain sodium carbonate or calcium carbonate. The salts
`that result from the reaction with a fluorine compound, in
`particular hydrogen fluoride, are preferably separated, in
`particular filtered or removed by sedimentation. This at least
`largely prevents hydrogen fluoride or other poisonous fluo(cid:173)
`rine compounds from being emitted into the surroundings.
`The drying preferably occurs at a maximum temperature
`of 80° C.: this produces almost no hydrogen fluoride. This
`increases the service life of the battery processing installa(cid:173)
`tion and reduces the environmental risk.
`According to a preferred embodiment, the method com(cid:173)
`prises the steps of condensing components of the electrolyte
`by cooling and/or increasing the pressure such that an
`electrolyte condensate occurs. For example, the condensa(cid:173)
`tion is conducted at a point that lies between the dryer and
`the vacuum pump relative to the flow of gas. In this case,
`gases coming from the dryer must initially pass through a
`condenser before reaching the vacuum pump. This causes
`the gaseous electrolyte in the gas, which is produced during
`the drying, to be at least largely separated in the condenser 20
`before the remaining gas reaches the pump. Electrolyte can
`be recovered in this way. In addition, the flow of gas through
`the vacuum pump decreases, which increases the vacuum
`pump's service life and reduces its energy consumption.
`According to a preferred embodiment, the method alter- 25
`natively comprises the step of purifying the gas through the
`adsorption of the volatile organic components of an acti(cid:173)
`vated carbon filter in front of or behind the compressor unit.
`Alternatively or additionally, the method according to the
`invention preferably comprises the step of purifying the gas 30
`produced during the drying before it reaches the vacuum
`pump. This may also occur, for example, by the gas through
`passing an activated carbon filter and/or a filter that contains
`substances which react with hydrogen fluoride, such as a
`calcium salt like calcium carbonate or a potassium salt such 35
`as potassium carbonate.
`The method according to the invention preferably com(cid:173)
`prises the step of drying at a drying temperature and for a
`drying time that have been selected such that the binder
`which binds the active material of the lithium battery to a 40
`carrier at least largely decomposes. It is favourable if this
`drying step, which can also be described as high temperature
`drying, occurs in a separate space from a first drying step,
`described above. The latter drying step can also be described
`as low temperature drying.
`The high temperature drying, during which the binder
`decomposes, is preferably conducted such that the resulting
`decomposition gases do not mix with the gases resulting
`from the low temperature drying. It is possible that the high
`temperature drying and the low temperature drying occur at 50
`different pressures. For example, the high temperature dry-
`ing can be executed at normal pressure.
`The active material should be understood to mean the
`material that reacts electrochemically during operation of
`the batteries. The carrier for the active material should be 55
`understood particularly to mean a carrier foil to which the
`active material is applied in the form of particles. For
`example, the carrier foil refers to a foil made of aluminium
`or an aluminium alloy. The binder is the material which
`binds the active material with the carrier; for example, the
`binder contains polyvinylidene fluoride.
`It is beneficial if liquid nitrogen is added when commi(cid:173)
`nuting the batteries. This cools the batteries, the comminut(cid:173)
`ing machine and the comminuting material, and also drives
`oxygen and water vapour out of the atmosphere.
`It is beneficial if the comminution occurs when the partial
`pressure of water vapor is a maximum of 20 Pa and/or the
`
`6
`partial pressure of the oxygen is a maximum of 40 hPa,
`especially a maximum of 15 hPa.
`According to a preferred embodiment, the method com(cid:173)
`prises the steps of removing the comminuted material from
`the transport container; detaching hard parts and/or separat(cid:173)
`ing active material from the carrier, particularly via a second
`comminuting stage and/or air jet sieving, thereby producing
`an active material fraction and a carrier fraction; and a
`separate packing of the active material fraction and carrier
`10 fraction in suitable transport containers. It is beneficial if
`these transport containers are designed to be airtight. By
`separating an active material fraction and a carrier fraction,
`transportation generally does not require any permits. An
`additional advantage is that fractions separated in this way
`15 only pose a small risk.
`The removal of the comminuted material from the trans-
`port container is preferably conducted under vacuum
`and/or shielding gas.
`It is possible, but not necessary, for the transport container
`to be filled with communited material under vacuum. It
`is beneficial if the transport container is a vacuum
`container, in particular an evacuated vacuum container,
`such that a negative pressure or vacuum occurs in the
`transport container once it has been sealed. Alterna-
`tively, the transport container may be filled with an
`inert gas.
`In a preferred battery processing installation, the separa-
`tion unit and the drying device are arranged in a joint
`standard container. The advantage of this is that it renders
`the battery processing installation especially easy to trans(cid:173)
`port.
`The drying device is configured to dry the comminuted
`material until an electrolyte content is so low that an
`electrochemical reaction is impossible. If the drying
`device is operated in batch mode, which represents a
`preferred embodiment, the drying shall be performed,
`for example, for a pre-determined period of time.
`Alternatively or additionally, the content of organic
`substances, such as organic carbonates, in the atmo(cid:173)
`sphere in the drying device is continually measured and
`the drying stopped once the concentration is lower than
`a pre-determined threshold concentration.
`According to a preferred embodiment, the battery pro(cid:173)
`cessing installation, in particular the vacuum installa(cid:173)
`tion, comprises a condenser that is configured to con(cid:173)
`dense organic components of the atmosphere in the
`dryer, especially organic carbonates such as dimethyl
`carbonate, ethyl methyl carbonate and/or ethylene car(cid:173)
`bonate. The condenser is preferably arranged in the
`direction of material flow in front of a vacuum pump,
`by means of which the dryer is evacuated. It is benefi-
`cial if the condenser is cooled, preferably to a maxi(cid:173)
`mum temperature of 90° C., preferably a maximum of
`80° C., especially preferably a maximum of 70° C. In
`order to keep the energy required for cooling low, the
`condenser, insofar as it is cooled, is cooled to a tem-
`perature of at least -10° C., in particular at least 10° C.
`It is beneficial if the drying device comprises an agitator,
`for example an anchor agitator or a rod agitator, whose
`60 stirring rods can be arranged transversely to an agitator
`shaft. Alternatively or additionally, the agitator is an external
`agitator that moves the dryer as a whole.
`The battery processing
`installation preferably has a
`vacuum installation that is connected to the drying device
`65 for the purpose of generating a vacuum in the drying device.
`It is especially favourable if the vacuum installation is also
`arranged in the standard container. The standard container
`
`45
`
`Ascend Elements EX1016 Page 8
`
`

`

`US 11,050,097 B2
`
`7
`preferably refers to a container that conforms to ISO stan(cid:173)
`dard 668, preferably a 40 foot container or a 20 foot
`container.
`For example, the vacuum installation comprises an injec(cid:173)
`tor or venturi pump, i.e. a jet pump with a pump liquid that
`is used to generate the negative pressure.
`The battery processing installation preferably has a hard
`metal detachment device and/or a light fraction separation
`device; a separation device, especially a classification
`device, for separating active material from the carrier, in 10
`particular by means of a second comminution stage and/or
`air jet sieving, such that an active material fraction and a
`carrier fraction occur; and a second filling device for the
`separate filling of the active material fraction and the carrier
`fraction. It is beneficial if this filling device is designed for 15
`filling under negative pressure and/or inter gas.
`A hard metal detachment device should be understood
`particularly to mean a device for detaching fragments of
`peripheral components of the operating system, the battery
`cell casing and the electrical contacts. For example, the hard
`metal detachment device has a magnet separation device
`and/or a separator, in particular a cross-flow separator and/or
`a zigzag separator. The separation device should be under(cid:173)
`stood particularly to mean a device for detaching the sepa(cid:173)
`rator foil.
`The light fraction separation device preferably has a
`zigzag separator and/or an air separator, wherein it is favour(cid:173)
`able if the air is conducted within a circuit. This reduces the
`exposure of the environment to harmful dust.
`The second filling device and the separation devices are
`preferably arranged
`in a joint standard container, for
`example in the first standard container described above or a
`second standard container. It is beneficial if the container is
`sealed so as to be dust-tight.
`The battery processing
`installation preferably has an
`airlock between the comminution unit and the inactivation
`device, especially the drying device. For example, this refers
`to a rotary airlock. The airlock reduces the amount of oxygen
`introduced into the inactivation device, especially the drying
`device.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`In the following, the invention will be explained in more
`detail by way of the attached drawings. They show
`FIG. 1 a flow diagram of a method according to the
`invention,
`FIG. 2 a cross-section through a battery processing instal(cid:173)
`lation according to the invention and
`FIG. 3 a cross-section through further optional compo(cid:173)
`nents of a battery processing installation according to the
`invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method according to the
`invention. Batteries 10.1, 10.2, ...
`, in particular battery
`systems made up of several battery modules or battery
`stacks, which are in turn made up of several battery cells, are
`initially discharged in a discharge unit 12. This is followed
`by the dismantling of the batteries 10 at a dismantling station
`14, if this is necessary because the battery systems cannot
`otherwise be delivered into the comminution unit for geo(cid:173)
`metric or gravimetric reasons. In order to do this, the battery
`systems are opened and dismantled to the point at which the
`modules/stacks can be individually removed. If required, the
`cells can also be separated from the drive electronics. The
`
`8
`(modules/stacks) and/or cells 16.1,
`resulting sub-units
`16.2, . . . are fed into a comminution unit 18, which
`comprises, for example, a rotary shear with a rotor and a
`stator or several rotors, or a cutting mill with a rotor and
`several rotors.
`The comminution unit 18 comminutes the batteries 10
`under shielding gas 20, which is extracted, for example,
`from a shielding gas cylinder 22. Alternatively or addition(cid:173)
`ally, liquid nitrogen from a liquid nitrogen source 19 may be
`injected. The shielding gas may refer, for example, to
`nitrogen, a noble gas, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide or
`another gas which is preferably not toxic.
`Comminuted material 24 is produced during the commi-
`nuting; the material is fed into an inactivation device in the
`form of a drying device 26. An airlock 28 is arranged
`between the comminution unit 18 and the drying device 26,
`the airlock being so gas-tight that the drying device 26 is-to
`a good approximation-separated
`from the comminution
`unit 18 so as to