Methods and systems are provided, which convert spent electrolyte from aluminum-air batteries into high purity alumina (HPA) and useful co-products such as fertilizer(s) and/or feed supplement(s). Aluminum tri-hydroxide (ATH) having potassium (K) and/or sodium (Na) impurities, e.g., from spent electrolyte, may be dissolved in strong acid to form an acidic ATH solution having pH<4. Consecutively, the acidic ATH solution may be neutralized to pH>4 to precipitate ATH while retaining dissolved K/Na in the neutralized solution. The dissolving and the neutralizing may then be repeated with the precipitated ATH until a specified purity level of the precipitated ATH is reached. Using appropriate bases to neutralize the acidic ATH solution, e.g., ammonia and/or choline, yields useful co-products such as ammonium nitrate (with nitric acid as the strong acid) and choline chloride (with hydrochloric acid as the strong acid), respectively.

Methods and systems are provided, which convert spent electrolyte from aluminum-air batteries into high purity alumina (HPA) and useful co-products such as fertilizer(s) and/or feed supplement(s). Aluminum tri-hydroxide (ATH) having potassium (K) and/or sodium (Na) impurities, e.g., from spent electrolyte, may be dissolved in strong acid to form an acidic ATH solution having pH<4. Consecutively, the acidic ATH solution may be neutralized to pH>4 to precipitate ATH while retaining dissolved K/Na in the neutralized solution. The dissolving and the neutralizing may then be repeated with the precipitated ATH until a specified purity level of the precipitated ATH is reached. Using appropriate bases to neutralize the acidic ATH solution, e.g., ammonia and/or choline, yields useful co-products such as ammonium nitrate (with nitric acid as the strong acid) and choline chloride (with hydrochloric acid as the strong acid), respectively.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system for processing battery waste. The system comprises a decomposing device for mechanically decomposing the battery waste to a, in particular strip-shaped or flake-shaped, lightweight portion and a heavyweight portion. The decomposing device comprises an outlet for commonly discharging the lightweight portion and the heavyweight portion. The system further comprises a separating unit for separating the lightweight portion from the heavyweight portion, wherein the separating unit is coupled with the decomposing device for receiving the lightweight portion and the heavyweight portion. The system further comprises a fiber compactor unit, wherein the fiber compactor unit is coupled with the separating unit for receiving the lightweight portion. The fiber compactor unit is configured for compacting the lightweight portion under a separation of a further active material.

The present invention relates to the field of waste battery recycling, and discloses a method for treating waste diaphragm paper of a lithium battery, which includes the following steps of: (1) shearing and crushing waste diaphragm paper, and then carrying out pneumatic separation to obtain a light material and a copper-aluminum mixture; (2) putting the light material into a flotation machine for separation to obtain diaphragm paper and battery powder; and (3) pulping the battery powder, and then carrying out leaching of hydrometallurgy, pickling the diaphragm paper, and then filtering and spin-drying to obtain the diaphragm paper. According to the method, the diaphragm paper is treated by a method combining physics and chemistry, so that valuable metals in the waste diaphragm paper of the lithium battery are effectively recycled, and the industrial production requirements of environmental friendliness, low energy consumption and high resource recycling are satisfied.

A method of recycling a Lithium-ion battery includes removing a plurality cells from a container of the battery without dismantling the cells, removing an electrolyte from the cells, re-lithiating the cells using lithium as a source of re-lithiation, and packaging the re-lithiated cells in a new container to form a new battery.

Self-cleaning electrochemical cells, systems including self-cleaning electrochemical cells, and methods of operating self-cleaning electrochemical cells are disclosed. The self-cleaning electrochemical cell can include a plurality of concentric electrodes disposed in a housing, for example, a cathode and an anode, a fluid channel defined between the concentric electrodes, a separator residing between the concentric electrodes, first and second end caps coupled to respective ends of the housing, and an inlet cone. The separators may be configured to localize the electrodes and dimensioned to minimize a zone of reduced velocity occurring downstream from the separator. The end caps and inlet cone may be dimensioned to maintain fully developed flow and minimize pressure drop across the electrochemical cell.

Disclosed is a device for automatically dismantling a power battery module, including a cutting platform, a clamping mechanism, a first cutting mechanism, a second cutting mechanism, a turnover mechanism, and a stripping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is disposed on the cutting platform. The first cutting mechanism includes a first cutting blade, a cutting blade set, and a first drive assembly. The second cutting mechanism includes a third cutting blade, a fourth cutting blade, and a third drive assembly. The first cutting blade, the cutting blade set, the third cutting blade, and the fourth cutting blade are vertically movable. The cutting blade set includes a plurality of second cutting blades that are movable relative to each other.

Plant for disposing and recovering lithium batteries, including: storage; supply; crushing, submerged in liquid solution and in overpressure of inert gas, for destroying the batteries through cutting discs and milling cutters; torch for burning the gaseous residue and possible organic solvents; centrifugation and screening of the scrap; evaporation, for removing the volatile solvents and concentrating the lithium in solution; recovery of the heavy metals, with chemical/physical reactor which, by way of a filter press, distributes the products between a liquids tank and a solids tank; recovery of lithium wherein the lithium is recovered through the crystallisation of lithium carbonate by adding sodium carbonate and heating, contained in a tank and heating the solution in a special heated tank, in a chemical/physical reactor.

The invention relates to a plant for recycling used batteries, comprising a comminuting device to comminute used batteries in a comminuting space. The plant includes a drying device, arranged downstream of the comminuting device, to dry the comminuted batteries. The plant includes an intermediate storage device arranged between the comminuting device and the drying device. The plant includes a stirring means to keep the comminuted batteries received in the intermediate storage space in motion. The plant includes a respective supply line for inert gas for each of the comminuting space of the comminuting device, the intermediate storage space of the intermediate storage device, and a drying space of the drying device.

The invention relates to a plant for recycling used batteries, comprising a comminuting device to comminute used batteries in a comminuting space. The plant includes a drying device, arranged downstream of the comminuting device, to dry the comminuted batteries. The plant includes an intermediate storage device arranged between the comminuting device and the drying device. The plant includes a stirring means to keep the comminuted batteries received in the intermediate storage space in motion. The plant includes a respective supply line for inert gas for each of the comminuting space of the comminuting device, the intermediate storage space of the intermediate storage device, and a drying space of the drying device.