Optimierte Prozessketten für hydromechanisches Li-Ionen-Batterie-Recycling Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg für Ressourcentechnologie (HIF)

The study aimed to develop design for recycling (DfR) recommendations for NMC 811 batteries using a well-defined recycling process. The methodology integrated comprehensive empirical and analytical measurements to construct an accurate thermodynamic simulation of material and substance flow throughout the recycling process. This involved stages of manual dismantling, followed by mechanical, physical, and metallurgical processing of the NMC 811 battery cells. Thermodynamic simulations were conducted using FactSage™ version 8.2 and HSC Chemistry 10 version 10.3.7.1 software to model the recovery of lithium present in the black mass via metallurgical processing methods. The results provided a detailed breakdown of the material composition post-dismantling, revealing that separated cells containing the active NMC 811 material constituted 63.7% of the total weight. The study also introduced a recyclability index to quantify the recovery rates of individual elements, showcasing a recovery rate of 59.7% for lithium and an overall recycling index of 59.4%. The generated data was meticulously formatted to ensure clear comprehension, thereby supporting informed decision-making for optimizing recycling strategies. Key conclusions emphasized the importance of integrating comprehensive material flow analysis and adopting a product-centric approach to enhance recycling efficiency. Recommendations included optimizing the dismantling process to achieve a 21% reduction in environmental impacts, such as Global Warming Potential, and avoiding the use of materials that would be lost in the recycling route. These measures are projected to increase the recycling index to 90%, thereby significantly improving the overall sustainability of the recycling process for NMC 811 batteries.