Process and system for recycling alkaline and carbon zinc batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018366740-A1
Application number	US-201615563007-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Apr 8, 2015
Publication date	Dec 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present technology relates to processes for recycling alkaline and/or carbon zinc batteries. In particular, the present technology relates to a process for recycling alkaline and/or carbon zinc batteries that provides a consistent and measurable amount of material (e.g., discarded batteries) to be recycled and may enhance the recovery of certain materials during the recycling process.

First claim

1 . A system for recovering metals from a feedstock comprising discharged batteries, the system comprising:
a pre-sorter that delivers batteries having selected characteristics to a comminutor having an adjustable rate of operation, by way of a first conveyor having an adjustable rate of operation; a digester connected to the comminutor by way of a second conveyor having an adjustable rate of operation, wherein the digester produces a precipitate stream and a liquid stream; a control system that collects information on the selected characteristics of the batteries and at least one of: the rate of operation of the comminutor, the rate of operation of the first conveyor, the rate of operation of the second, and wherein, in response to the collected information, the control system subsequently adjusts at least one of: the rate of operation of the comminutor, the rate of operation of the first conveyor, and the rate of operation of the second conveyor; and wherein the precipitate stream includes at least one recoverable metal.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a temperature-controlled fluid source providing fluid of a selected temperature to at least one of: the comminutor, the digester, and the precipitate stream.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the control system also collects information on at least one of: the temperature of the fluid source, characteristics of material delivered by the comminutor to the digester, an observed pH level in the digester, and an observed pH level in the liquid stream.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein, in response to the collected information, the control system adjusts at least one of: the temperature of fluid provided to the precipitate stream, the temperature of fluid provided to the comminutor, the temperature of fluid delivered to the digester, and an amount of pH-adjusting reagent delivered to the digester.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the selected characteristics are at least one of: cylindrical battery containers having a larger length in comparison to diameter, batteries including manganese, batteries including zinc and batteries having a predetermined range of weight.

6 . The system according to claim 5 , wherein the range of weight is the only selected characteristic and wherein the range of weights correspond to at least one type of standard-sized alkaline batteries.

7 . The system according to claim 6 , wherein the type of standard-sized alkaline batteries is selected from AA, AAA, C, and D.

8 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the recoverable metal is manganese.

9 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a dust collector associated with the comminutor and wherein the comminutor does not produce slurry.

10 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the comminutor is provided with fluid to create slurry.

11 . The system according to claim 10 , wherein the slurry is pre-treated to remove soluble metals prior to providing material from the comminutor to the digester.

12 . The system according to claim 2 , wherein the comminutor is provided with the temperature-controlled fluid to create slurry.

13 . A method for recovering metals from a feedstock comprising discharged batteries, the method comprising:
pre-sorting the feedstock to select batteries having a defined characteristics and collecting information about the defined characteristics; conveying the selected batteries to a comminution process at a first rate; comminuting the selected batteries at a second rate to produce dust and particulates and processing at least one of the dust and particulates to produce a refined feedstock by removing unwanted materials; conveying the refined feedstock to a digestion process at a third rate; digesting selected metals from the refined feedstock in a selected amount of digestion reagent to create a soluble recoverable material and an insoluble recoverable material while at least periodically monitoring pH of the digestion process; separating the soluble recoverable material from the insoluble recoverable material; rinsing the insoluble recoverable material with a selected amount of rinsing reagent; collecting additional information about at least one of: the first rate, the second rate, the third rate, and the pH of the digestion process; and processing at least a portion of the information and the additional information to maximize recovery of insoluble recoverable material by making ongoing adjustments to at least one of: the first rate, the second rate, the third rate, the pH of the digestion process, the selected amount of digestion reagent, and the selected amount of rinsing reagent.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein pre-sorting includes a time-of-flight method to determine at least one of the defined characteristics.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the defined characteristics are selected from: battery size, battery chemistry, and battery weight.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising drying the insoluble recoverable material at a temperature sufficient to drive off impurities.

17 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein separating the soluble and insoluble recoverable materials comprising filtering.

18 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the rinsing reagent is heated.

19 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the processing includes at least one of: a demagnetization process and a screening process.

20 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising collecting the dust prior to digestion via a process that does not involve wetting the dust.

21 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein unwanted materials are removed from the refined feedstock by creating a slurry to dissolve at least a portion of the unwanted materials.

Assignees

• Energizer Brands Llc

Inventors

• Muska David
• Goedde Donald
• Resnick Richard

Classifications

• H01M10/54

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• C22B47/00

  Obtaining manganese · CPC title

• H01M6/52 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste cells or batteries {, e.g. recycling} · CPC title

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title