Method and apparatus for recycling lithium iron phosphate batteries
US10741890B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2018 |
| Grant date | Aug 11, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 2, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02W30/84
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Cathode material from exhausted lithium ion batteries are dissolved in a solution for extracting the useful elements Co (cobalt), Ni (nickel), Al (Aluminum) and Mn (manganese) to produce active cathode materials for new batteries. The solution includes compounds of valuable charge materials such as cobalt, nickel, aluminum and manganese dissolved as compounds from the exhausted cathode material of spent cells. However, LiFePO4 is a waste stream charge material often discarded due to infeasibility of recycling. LiFePO4 is precipitated as FePO4 and remains as a by-product, along with graphite and carbon, which are not dissolved into the solution. FePO4 can be separated from graphite and carbon, FePO4 can be used to synthesize LiFePO4 as cathode materials and graphite can be regenerated as anode materials.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.