Title

LAREX-TUPY PROCESS: RECYCLING OF LI-ION BATTERIES FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLES THROUGH A FLEXIBLE HYDROMETALLURGICAL ROUTE

LAREX-TUPY PROCESS: RECYCLING OF LI-ION BATTERIES FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLES THROUGH A FLEXIBLE HYDROMETALLURGICAL ROUTE

Authorship

BOTELHO JUNIOR, AMILTON BARBOSA

BOTELHO JUNIOR, AMILTON BARBOSA

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-5327-39459

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Abstract

The recycling of Li-ion batteries will be crucial to promote the circular economy of the materials and decrease the dependence of extractive processes. Among the recycling routes, the hydrometallurgical processing has advantageous in light of less energy consumption and lower greenhouse gases emission. The LAREX-Tupy Process is flexible to attend all types of batteries (pouch, cylindrical and prismatic) and different cathode materials, including LiNiCoAlO2 and LiNiMnCoO2 materials. The packs and modules were dismantling to separate the Al alloys from case and electronic parts. Then, the batteries were discharged and sent to physical treatment, which includes milling and particle size separations. Further, the cathode-rich material is leached in acid conditions to obtain a solution containing lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and aluminum. The manganese is separated by ozone as oxide, and aluminum precipitates using carbonate/hydroxide. Then, solvent extraction using phosphinic acids separate cobalt from nickel and lithium. Finally, nickel and lithium are obtained after precipitation. The process has demonstrated flexible to attend all cathodes and battery configurations.

The recycling of Li-ion batteries will be crucial to promote the circular economy of the materials and decrease the dependence of extractive processes. Among the recycling routes, the hydrometallurgical processing has advantageous in light of less energy consumption and lower greenhouse gases emission. The LAREX-Tupy Process is flexible to attend all types of batteries (pouch, cylindrical and prismatic) and different cathode materials, including LiNiCoAlO2 and LiNiMnCoO2 materials. The packs and modules were dismantling to separate the Al alloys from case and electronic parts. Then, the batteries were discharged and sent to physical treatment, which includes milling and particle size separations. Further, the cathode-rich material is leached in acid conditions to obtain a solution containing lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel and aluminum. The manganese is separated by ozone as oxide, and aluminum precipitates using carbonate/hydroxide. Then, solvent extraction using phosphinic acids separate cobalt from nickel and lithium. Finally, nickel and lithium are obtained after precipitation. The process has demonstrated flexible to attend all cathodes and battery configurations.

Keywords

39459

Hydrometallurgy; Li-ion battery; Recycling process; NMC battery; NCA battery.