Pilot plant for recycling lithium-ion batteries

Archiv – U.K.-based AEA Technology plc (AEAT) is targeting ’a significant part’ of the European market for lithium-ion battery recycling in launching a £2 million (US$ 3.3 million) research and development facility in Sutherland in the far north of Scotland.U.K.-based AEA Technology plc (AEAT) is targeting ’a significant part’ of the European market for lithium-ion battery recycling in launching a £2 million (US$ 3.3 million) research and development facility in Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. According to group managing director Andrew McCree, the pilot plant will be ’the only facility of its kind in Europe’ and is likely to ’attract considerable interest as new environmental regulations take effect’, not least because all types of lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries will be treated.
Backed by £1.06 million (US$ 1.8 million) of regional aid, the pilot facility represents the next stage in a development that began with two years’ technology-related work at AEAT’s Harwell facility in Oxfordshire, U.K. The recycling process employs a series of separation technologies ’to disassemble the battery systematically’ and focuses on ’maximising the recovery of cobalt from the battery for resale’, although all other valuable contents, such as copper, will also be recovered for onward sale, according to AEAT. ’Novel techniques and technologies have been incorporated in the process to improve the recovery of the materials and hence minimise the environmental impact,’ it adds.
The project will commence in the first quarter of next year. The plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation by the end of 2004 and will employ some 30 people once fully on stream.
Under environmental regulations due to be introduced in 2005, battery manufacturers/equipment suppliers will have an increased responsibility for the recycling of their batteries. Commenting from a U.K. perspective, Mr McCree points out: ’At present, lithium-ion rechargeable batteries are shipped to France where they are incinerated and materials recovery is limited.’