Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Thermal Pre-Treatment for Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling

Abstract

Conventional recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) generally proceeds through stages of discharging, dismantling, shredding, and thermal treatment. The pyrolysis step is particularly important for removing organic components, such as electrolytes and binders. The present study focuses on investigating a thermal pretreatment process that integrates the discharging, dismantling, and pyrolysis steps. The process involves exposing LIB cells to moderate temperatures (below 300 °C) to trigger thermal runaway, while conserving the materials to be recycled. This method is intended to serve as an initial step in the LIB recycling chain, aiming to enhance the efficiency of downstream recycling processes, including pyro-, hydro-, and bio-metallurgy. To study this process, experimental and numerical approaches are being employed, with the goal of better understanding of the physical and chemical phenomena involved and providing insights for industrial optimization.

Full Paper