Batteries are currently the main electrical energy storage devices, consisting of packaging materials, electrolytes, anode and cathode materials. Batteries are widely used and there are many types, from the current popular Tesla cars to various electronic products, batteries are used everywhere. Because of this, waste batteries are eroding our environment, and many countries have begun to pay attention to the recycling of waste batteries.
At present, the commonly used types of batteries include lead-acid batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, lithium-ion batteries, zinc-manganese batteries, alkaline manganese batteries, lithium batteries, etc. Recycling them can not only obtain common plastics, iron, but also precious metals such as lead, lithium battery, cobalt, nickel, cadmium and mercury are obtained.
The battery recycling process includes two steps: shredding and sorting.
Waste Battery Shredding
Waste batteries pass through a conveyor belt or a grabber into a device called a central shredder, where the entire waste battery is shredded into small pieces and discharged.
It should be noted that some types of batteries need to be treated before they are shred. For example, lead batteries contain a lot of electrolyte, which needs to be discharged to prevent corrosion of equipment.
Hazardous situations may occur in the shredding process and improvement measures should be taken. For example, when shred lithium battery, it may burn violently or even explode, and it should be carried out in a low-oxygen and nitrogen-added environment.
Waste Battery Sorting
After shredding, all materials are mixed together and need to be separated to facilitate recovery of the different components. Depending on the battery type, physical or chemical sorting methods may be employed. For example, buoyancy can be used to sort out lead and plastic in lead-acid batteries.
What GEP ECOTECH do in Battery Recycling Industry
As you know, GEP ECOTECH provides reduction, sorting and conveying equipment for the recycling and waste management industries. In the battery recycling industry, we provide customers with shredding machines optimized for the characteristics of the industry, and we also work with customers to continuously optimize solutions to improve safety and disposal efficienc.
