Li-ion battery recyclingLi-ion battery recycling

EMIRI Tech Talk, Brussels Feb. 23, 2017EMIRI Tech Talk, Brussels Feb. 23, 2017

Jan TytgatJan TytgatDirector Government Affairs EU-BeneluxDirector Government Affairs EU-Benelux

2Li-ion battery recycling

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

• Producers = person/company putting batteries on the market in a certain Member State

• Producers are responsible for EoL management

• Industrial and automotive batteries: take back and recycling obligation

• Portable batteries: collection target and recycling obligation

• Recycling Efficiency

• > 50% of battery weight (excl. H2O) has to be recycled; emissions in air/water, waste fractions and incinerated fractions ≠ recycling

• In situ use of battery materials (replacing chemicals, but not as source of energy) = recycling

• Battery packs: outer casing doesn’t count as input/ouput battery material, but EV batteries are not considered as ‘packs’ � ‘external jacket’ is input/output material

Battery recyclingLegal framework (EU)

3Li-ion battery recycling

Battery recycling concepts

• All recycling concepts are combinations of ‘pre-treatment’ (disassembling, shredding, pyrolysis) and metallurgical processes (pyro or hydro)

• Optimum combination depends on battery chemistry and design, scale leverage effects, processes, …

Early process steps Later process steps

Pre-treatment

Low investment cost; low environmental burden; high

labour cost

High metal losses; high labour cost; moderate

investment costs

Metallurgy

High investment; moderate environmental burden; low

labour cost

Efficient metal recovery; low labour cost; moderate

investment cost

Source: prof. B. Friedrich, RWTH

4Li-ion battery recycling

• Dismantling• Labour intensive: Manual � semi-automated � mechanical breaking• Safety: State of Charge?

• Shredding• Charged batteries + inflammable solvents = fire risk; � inert atmosphere or cryogenic

shredding• Alternatively: pyrolysis before shredding

• Pyrometallurgy• Optimum conditions for maximum metal yields

• Hydrometallurgy:• Robustness of the process to cope with variety of input materials

• General• Quality of the recycled products: should meet industry standards• Cost: complex material flow and (still) small quantities

Battery recycling concepts: challenges

Umicore

Battery Recycling

Recycling of Li-ion and NiMH batteries

Umicore Ultra High Temperature (UHT) technology

Innovative technology for metal recovery

Capacity: 7000 mt• 250 mio mobile phone batteries (≈ 30 gr) • 200,000 HEVs (≈ 35 kg) • 35,000 EVs (≈ 200 kg)

Metals recovery: Co – Ni – Cu Slag recovery:

• NiMH: rare earth concentrate (Ce, La, …)• Li-Ion: use in construction + future

potential for recovery Li

Flue dust: controlled separation of F

Energy efficient: use energy of battery (electrolyte, metals, plastics) to obtain high temperature.

Umicore Battery Recycling Technology

UHT Technology in Hoboken Belgium

Worldwide presence of UBR

• No breaking, no crushing…• Safe for workers• Safe for Environment• Cost efficient

• For any size of batteries• Small electronic appliances• Industrial batteries• HEV/ EV batteries

Feeding equipment / batteries handling

Recycling process

� Intellectual property of Umicore

� Products

�Alloy

�Slags

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Recycling processSpecially designed furnace

• Specially designed gas treatment

• A unique Umicore design

• No VOC formation

• All dust removal

• Gas cleaning technology

• Low volume gas

• Low CO2 footprint

Recycling processGas cleaning

UmicoreUmicoreUmicoreUmicore

Excellence in Battery Materials and Battery RecyclingExcellence in Battery Materials and Battery RecyclingExcellence in Battery Materials and Battery RecyclingExcellence in Battery Materials and Battery Recycling

www.umicore.com

End of Life Management and Recycling of Rechargeable of Lithium Ion, Lithium-Polymer and Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries :An industrial award-wining Comprehensive Solution

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