To gain an advantage in this competition, my country must overcome existing bottlenecks, accelerate the development of standardized systems, improve the recycling and reuse system, and master breakthrough core technologies. This article will introduce the market size of lithium battery recycling and the recycling processes for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium battery recycling market size
Lithium-ion batteries must be recycled after their lifespan, primarily for environmental and economic reasons. Lithium-ion batteries typically contain a significant amount of hazardous substances; Ni, Co, and phosphides have ecotoxicity scores exceeding 1000, classifying them as highly dangerous substances. If discarded lithium-ion batteries are disposed of using conventional waste treatment methods (including landfill, incineration, and composting), the cobalt, nickel, lithium, manganese, and other metals, as well as inorganic and organic compounds, will inevitably cause severe pollution to the atmosphere, water, and soil, posing a significant hazard.
By the end of 2017, my country had cumulatively promoted over 1.8 million new energy vehicles, equipped with approximately 86.9 GWh of power batteries. After 2018, the power batteries for these new energy vehicles will enter a phase of large-scale retirement, with the cumulative amount expected to exceed 400,000 tons by 2022, representing a compound annual growth rate of 70%. The lithium-ion battery recycling market is projected to experience rapid growth over the next three years, with its market size expected to exceed 15.6 billion yuan by 2020, representing a compound annual growth rate of 41%.
Overall, the government is the biggest supporter of the new energy vehicle recycling industry. Since 2015, it has introduced a variety of policies to support the healthy development of the industry, and local governments have also introduced subsidies and tax incentives accordingly.
According to statistics from the my country Chemical and Physical Power Sources Association, lithium-ion batteries achieved a high growth rate of 42% in 2016, while the development of the Internet of Things and smart chips led to a growth rate of over 10%. Most other battery categories (nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, and zinc-manganese batteries) showed a shrinking trend. Therefore, lithium-ion batteries have entered a period of accelerated growth, and the recycling market is also expected to experience rapid growth in the future.
Lithium-ion batteries, as devices that convert chemical energy into electrical energy, undergo relatively reversible chemical reactions internally. However, the side reactions between the negative electrode and the electrolyte are a significant limiting factor in their cycle life. Consumer batteries typically have a lifespan of 3-6 years, with a general end-of-life of around 5 years depending on the appliance's function and replacement frequency. Power lithium-ion batteries are used in new energy vehicles, where their lifespan is primarily determined by charging frequency. Commercial vehicles such as ride-hailing cars, taxis, and buses typically require 7 charging sessions per week, while private cars usually require 1. Overall, the lifespan of power lithium-ion batteries is also around 5 years. Based on this estimate, it is projected that by 2025, the amount of lithium-ion batteries scrapped will reach 150 GWh, indicating a potential market of at least tens of billions of yuan for lithium-ion battery recycling, with excellent future prospects.
Processes and methods for recycling waste lithium-ion batteries
1. The waste lithium-ion battery negative electrode material obtained from dismantling is cut into sheets, and then placed in a hammer crusher to remove the carbon powder and acetylene black powder adhering to the surface of the negative electrode copper foil by hammering and vibration;
2. A screen plate is installed at the bottom of the hammer crusher rotor. Negative particles smaller than the screen plate aperture, after being crushed by the hammer, fall through the small holes in the screen plate into the screening equipment below.
3. Negative electrode materials with dimensions larger than the screen plate aperture are circulated and crushed in the hammer crusher until their dimensions are smaller than the screen plate aperture;
3. The crushed particles falling into the screening equipment utilize the size and shape differences between the particles to achieve separation of metallic copper from non-metallic carbon powder and acetylene black powder through vibration screening after hammer peeling.
How to recycle and utilize used lithium-ion batteries
First, we need to study battery standardization and implement a traceability system.
Strengthen research on the standardization of structural design, connection methods, process technology, and integrated installation of power lithium-ion batteries, formulate mandatory coding standards for power lithium batteries as soon as possible, link the traceability system with the management of new energy vehicle product announcements, ensure the recording of information throughout the battery's entire life cycle, and improve the convenience and accuracy of testing and evaluation.
Second, we will increase research and development of key technologies for battery recycling and reuse.
We will intensify our efforts to tackle key technologies related to the dismantling, reassembly, testing, and lifespan prediction of spent lithium-ion batteries, improving their technological maturity and the safety of the production process. Simultaneously, we will enhance the automation level and recycling efficiency of battery dismantling, reassembly, and recycling technologies to make the recycling and reuse of power lithium-ion batteries both economically feasible and safe.
