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Beyond Pyrometallurgy: Duesenfeld's Disruptive Recycling Tech for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Andrea Mirandola, Sales Director, DuesenfeldDuesenfeld achieves 91% recycling rate at cell level with the Duesenfeld mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling process. The main difference to other existing processes is that we are able to recover graphite, electrolytes and lithium in addition to the usual metals. With the Duesenfeld process, no toxic gases such as hydrogen fluoride are produced during the production of the black mass. This enables the recovery of solvents and lithium to a much greater extent, both qualitatively and quantitatively, than with other processes.
Research and development
Lithium-Ion Batteries are subject to constant further development and the recycling technology significantly influences the CO2 footprint and its impact on natural resources. Duesenfeld is constantly researching the ecologically and economically best recycling technology and continuously provides license customers with solutions to meet upcoming legal requirements and beyond.
Duesenfeld licenses the CO2-neutral and economical technology to car manufacturers, cell manufacturers and recycling companies worldwide.
Duesenfeld has won the German Sustainability Award 2024. It is an acknowledgement for the research and development work started in 2009 for eco-friendly recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries and it is underlining the importance of the battery recycling process for the reduction of electromobility’s CO2 foortprint.
For cell production, it is important to reuse as many recycled materials as possible at cell level for new batteries. Duesenfeld supplies the technology for this.
Safe and efficient discharge
The recycling process begins with deep discharge. The patented Duesenfeld discharge enables safe and efficient discharge of series-connected cells, modules or packs. The intelligent control software enables an automated deep discharge of the batteries regardless of the state of charge level, the voltage, the age of the battery or the manufacturer. The high linear discharge capacity achieves a high throughput rate and the highest possible efficiency. The recovered electricity can be used to operate the recycling plant or fed into the grid.
The Duesenfeld discharging station guarantees maximum safety and protection against operating errors thanks to permanent software monitoring during the discharge process and other intelligent safety circuits. For example, the connected lithium-ion batteries can be replaced safely and easily during operation via quick contacting and a reverse polarity protection circuit.
No high-voltage personnel are required for subsequent work steps, such as the optional manual disassembly or the handling of Lithium-Ion Battery systems or packs, as the batteries have been deep-discharged in a defined manner and there is no further electrical hazard. The batteries are safe and can also be transported safely.
The discharge developed by Duesenfeld GmbH ensures employee protection, process safety, high efficiency and saves on investment components.
Positive CO2 balance
The positive CO2 balance from the discharge, up to 50% of the total energy requirement can be obtained from the discharge, continues in the recycling process.
The Duesenfeld process for producing black mass saves costs and CO2 because no hydrogen fluoride or toxic gases are produced during the mechanical shredding and subsequent drying of the Lithium-Ion Batteries due to the low temperatures. The investment and operating costs for exhaust gas scrubbing are eliminated. This step alone has considerable economic and ecological advantages. CO2 emissions are significantly lower. No additives need to be added to the process, there are no toxic filter materials to dispose of or contaminated water. The system is not corroded by hydrogen fluoride and does not have to be designed to resist to highly corrosive materials. The conducting salt is not decomposed, 100% of the lithium remains in the Duesenfeld black mass, the Duesenfeld Black® and simplifies the process of lithium recovery. The condensed solvents are recovered in such a high quality that a subsequent distillation into the individual components of the light-ends enables a purity of 99.99 % and thus the use for new batteries. This is only possible with the Duesenfeld process.
Andrea Mirandola: "At the low temperatures, we do not decompose the conductive salt, which means that the valuable lithium remains completely contained in the black mass."
The scaling of this technology through licensing enables the greatest possible impact for CO2 savings and cost savings.
No high-voltage personnel are required for subsequent work steps, such as the optional manual disassembly or the handling of Lithium-Ion Battery systems or packs, as the batteries have been deep-discharged in a defined manner and there is no further electrical hazard. The batteries are safe and can also be transported safely.
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"At the low temperatures, we do not decompose the conductive salt, which means that the valuable lithium remains completely contained in the black mass," states Andrea Mirandola
Positive CO2 balance
The positive CO2 balance from the discharge, up to 50% of the total energy requirement can be obtained from the discharge, continues in the recycling process.
The Duesenfeld process for producing black mass saves costs and CO2 because no hydrogen fluoride or toxic gases are produced during the mechanical shredding and subsequent drying of the Lithium-Ion Batteries due to the low temperatures. The investment and operating costs for exhaust gas scrubbing are eliminated. This step alone has considerable economic and ecological advantages. CO2 emissions are significantly lower. No additives need to be added to the process, there are no toxic filter materials to dispose of or contaminated water. The system is not corroded by hydrogen fluoride and does not have to be designed to resist to highly corrosive materials. The conducting salt is not decomposed, 100% of the lithium remains in the Duesenfeld black mass, the Duesenfeld Black® and simplifies the process of lithium recovery. The condensed solvents are recovered in such a high quality that a subsequent distillation into the individual components of the light-ends enables a purity of 99.99 % and thus the use for new batteries. This is only possible with the Duesenfeld process.
Andrea Mirandola: "At the low temperatures, we do not decompose the conductive salt, which means that the valuable lithium remains completely contained in the black mass."
The scaling of this technology through licensing enables the greatest possible impact for CO2 savings and cost savings.
