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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9660306-B2
Application number	US-201414586005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 12, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A lead-acid battery processing system, comprising:
an imaging system configured to perform imaging of a lead-acid battery using penetrating radiation 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, wherein the penetrating radiation comprises X-rays, gamma rays, or beta radiation; 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 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 , 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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, wherein the battery imaging system images the lead-acid battery using X-rays, gamma rays, or beta radiation; 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.

15. The method of claim 14 , 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.

16. The method of claim 14 , comprising:
separating the top lead from a remainder of the first portion of the lead-acid battery;
remelting, using a remelting device, the top lead to form a lead alloy, wherein remelting does not substantially reduce a concentration of alloying metals in the top lead; and
using the remelted lead alloy to manufacture a new lead-acid battery.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising constructing a terminal post, a bushing, a strap, or a grid for the new lead-acid battery from the lead alloy.

18. The method of claim 14 , comprising separating the remainder of the lead content of the lead-acid battery bottom lead into lead-bearing paste and bottom lead.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
remelting the bottom lead to yield metallic lead or a lead alloy;
forming grids using the remelted metallic lead or lead alloy; and
manufacturing a new lead-acid battery using the formed grids.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising pyrometallurgically or hydrometallurgically treating the lead-bearing paste to yield metallic lead, lead oxide, or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 20 , comprising:
forming grids or battery paste using the metallic lead and/or lead oxide; and
manufacturing a new lead-acid battery using the formed grids or battery paste.

22. 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 using X-rays, gamma rays, or beta radiation 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, or a combination thereof, suitable for use in new lead-acid batteries.

23. The system of claim 22 , comprising a polymer recycling system configured to receive a portion of the polymer content from the first and/or second portions of the lead-acid battery and to prepare the portion of the polymer content for use in new lead-acid batteries.

24. The system of claim 22 , comprising a sulfuric acid recovery device configured to recover a portion of the sulfuric acid c

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Johnson Controls Autobatterie Gmbh & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Spence Matthew A
• Curran Patrick M
• Meissner Eberhard

Classifications

• H01M10/54 Primary

  Reclaiming serviceable parts of waste accumulators · CPC title

• C22B1/005

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

• C22B13/045

  Recovery from waste materials · CPC title

• Y02W30/84

  Recycling of batteries or fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M10/06

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