Systems and methods for selectively separating and separately processing portions of lead-acid batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016079636-A1
Application number	US-201414586005-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	Mar 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for recycling lead-acid batteries, and more specifically, relates to systems and methods for selectively separating and separately processing portions of lead-acid batteries to improve efficiency and reduce costs. A lead-acid battery processing system includes an imaging system configured to perform imaging of a lead-acid battery and perform image analysis to determine a break point that divides top lead from a remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery. The system also includes a battery breaking device configured to break the lead-acid battery at the determined break point and separate the lead-acid battery into a first portion, which includes the top lead, from a second portion, which includes the remainder of the lead content, for separate processing of the first and second portions of the lead-acid battery.

First claim

1 . A lead-acid battery processing system, comprising:
an imaging system configured to perform imaging of a lead-acid battery and perform image analysis to determine a break point that divides top lead from a remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery; and a battery breaking device configured to break the lead-acid battery at the determined break point and separate the lead-acid battery into a first portion, which includes the top lead, from a second portion, which includes the remainder of the lead content, for separate processing of the first and second portions of the lead-acid battery.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the top lead comprises terminal posts, bushings, and straps of the lead-acid battery.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system is configured to determine the break point such that the break point traverses a plurality of lugs that couple one or more grids to one or more straps of the lead-acid battery.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the top lead comprises a portion of the plurality of lugs.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery comprises a plurality of grids and lead-bearing paste disposed in the second portion of the lead-acid battery.

6 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a grinding device configured to receive and grind the first portion of the lead-acid battery to yield a mixture comprising top lead particles and polymer particles; and a separation device configured to separate the top lead particles from the polymer particles.

7 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a remelting device configured to receive and remelt the top lead to form a lead alloy for use in a new lead-acid battery, wherein the remelt does not remove a substantial portion of one or more alloying metals of the top lead.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises an X-ray imaging system configured to perform X-ray imaging of the lead-acid battery and to perform X-ray image analysis to determine the break point.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a penetrating radiation source and a penetrating radiation detection system configured to probe an internal structure of the spent battery to determine the break point.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the penetrating radiation source is an X-ray source, a gamma ray source, or a beta radiation source.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system is configured to determine the break point for the lead-acid battery from a data repository using one or more identifying features of the lead-acid battery.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more identifying features comprise a barcode, a quick response (QR) code, text, symbols, or size, or shape of the lead-acid battery.

13 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical lead recovery system configured to receive and convert at least a portion of the remainder of the lead content of lead acid battery to metallic lead, lead oxide, or a combination thereof, for use in a new lead-acid battery.

14 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a polymer recycling system configured to recover a portion of the polymer content of the lead-acid battery and to prepare the recovered portion of the polymer content for use in a new lead-acid battery.

15 . The system of claim 1 , comprising sulfuric acid recovery and purification devices configured to recover a portion of the sulfuric acid content of the lead-acid battery and to prepare the recovered portion of the sulfuric acid content for use in a new lead-acid battery.

16 . A method for selectively breaking and separately processing portions of a lead-acid battery, comprising:
determining, using a battery imaging system, a break point that divides top lead from a remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery; and breaking the lead-acid battery at the determined break point using a battery breaking device; and separating the lead-acid battery into a first portion, which includes the top lead, and a second portion, which includes the remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the break point comprises:
optically analyzing the lead-acid battery using the battery imaging system to identify the model and version of the lead-acid battery; and determining, using a processor of the battery imaging system, the break point from a data repository using the identified model and version of the lead-acid battery.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the break point comprises:
performing an X-ray analysis of the lead acid battery using the battery imaging system; and determining, using a processor of the battery imaging system, the break point to be below one or more straps of the lead-acid battery based on the X-ray analysis.

19 . The method of claim 16 , comprising:
separating the top lead from a remainder of the first portion of the lead-acid battery; and remelting, using a remelting device, the top lead to form a lead alloy for use in manufacturing a new lead acid battery, wherein remelting does not substantially reduce a concentration of alloying metals in the top lead.

20 . The method of claim 19 , comprising constructing a terminal post, a bushing, a strap, or a grid for the new lead-acid battery from the lead alloy.

21 . The method of claim 16 , comprising separating the remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery bottom lead into lead-bearing paste and bottom lead.

22 . The method of claim 21 , comprising remelting the bottom lead to yield metallic lead or a lead alloy and forming grids for use in a new lead-acid battery using the metallic lead or lead alloy.

23 . The method of claim 21 , comprising pyrometallurgically or hydrometallurgically treating the lead-bearing paste to yield metallic lead, lead oxide, or a combination thereof.

24 . The method of claim 23 , comprising forming grids or battery paste for use in a new lead-acid battery using the metallic lead and/or lead oxide.

25 . A lead-acid battery processing system, comprising:
a controller comprising a memory and a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to control operation of the lead-acid battery processing system; an imaging system that images a lead-acid battery and provides the processor with image data, wherein the processor analyzes the image data to determine a break point that divides top lead of the lead-acid battery from a remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery; a battery breaking device that breaks the lead-acid battery at the break point based on control signals provided by the processor of the control system and separates the lead-acid battery into a first portion, which includes the top lead, from a second portion, which includes the remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery; a remelting device that receives and remelts the top lead from the first portion based on control signals provided by the processor of the controller, wherein the remelt yields a lead alloy that has similar alloying metal composition as the top lead and is suitable for use in new lead-acid batteries; and a pyrometallurgical or hydrometallurgical lead recovery system that receives and converts the remainder of the lead content of lead acid battery to metallic lead, lead oxide

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Spence Matthew A
• Curran Patrick M
• Meissner Eberhard

Classifications

• C22B1/005

  Preliminary treatment of scrap (C22B1/02 - C22B1/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• H01M10/06

  Lead-acid accumulators (semi-lead accumulators H01M10/20) · CPC title

• C22B13/025

  Recovery from waste materials · CPC title

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title