Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Limited

Mitsubishi Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Chubu Electric Power Company, Inc.

Tadaaki Tanii

Satoshi Tsuzuki

Takeo Kamimura

Masaaki Kurokawa

Takahiko Hirai

Reizou Miyauchi

Shiro Honnmura

Masaaki Negoro

Masaru Ishibashi

Toshihiro Kamata

Yutaka Kawata

Kenji Sasaki

Takefumi Murakami

Masakazu Yabuki

Kiyonori Nishida

Hikaru Kitamura

Hidetomo Noda

Akira Saji

Matsushige Sakai

Shiro Honmura

Takeo Hondoh

A method and an apparatus for classifying and recovering the main components of used batteries, particularly, a method and an apparatus by which the batteries are conveyed on a conveyor while an alternating magnetic field of a plurality of frequencies is applied to each and a detection means detects what sort of induced magnetic field has resulted from the eddy current induced in the battery. The orthogonal components in the change of the induced magnetic field are detected; the relationship between these orthogonal components and the frequencies are compared with the database of the same which is previously obtained, and the batteries are sorted according to their classification and size. This method can sort large amounts of used batteries continuously. In this invention, the battery will be drawn down into the detection region either magnetically or mechanically while the stable transport of the battery is achieved. The method and apparatus of the invention enable continuous bulk sorting of batteries, assure a smooth feed, and improve the accuracy with which the induced magnetic field generated in the battery is detected.

Method and apparatus for classifying and recovering the main components of used batteries

This invention provides a safe and efficient method of dismantling used lithium ion batteries. More specifically, the plastic cases which protect sealed battery cells are removed from the system in a stable and reliable fashion. Valuable materials such as lithium cobalt oxide, an oxide of a lithium-transition metal compound, aluminum and copper must be separated and recovered. The invention is distinguished by the fact that it entails the following processes. In the crushing process, the batteries are chilled to a temperature of &minus;50&deg; C. or lower. In this state they are repeatedly subjected to vibration and pressure by a number of objects whose rigidity and specific gravity are greater than those of the plastic. In this way the batteries are separated into sealed battery cells and plastic cases. In the heating process, the sealed battery cells separated in the process are heated to a temperature of at least 200&deg; C. in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to separate mainly the organic materials. Finally, in one or more separation processes, the useless materials are removed and the targeted valuable materials are separated in a sequential fashion from the crushed fragments produced in the crushing process.

Method for crushing cell

A carbon dioxide clathrate having a lump diameter enough to precipitate on a desired abyssal position of the sea without being drifted by a seawater flow of the abyss can be produced by bringing an aqueous solution into contact with carbon dioxide with the interposition of an interface in a reactor and retaining this contact; adjusting the pressure in the reactor to 13 atm or more, the temperature of the aqueous solution to a level of more than 5.degree. C. to 10.degree. C., the temperature of the interface to a level of more than 10.degree. C. to 15.degree. C. and the temperature of a lug inserted into the aqueous solution to a level of more than 0.degree. C. to 5.degree. C.; producing/growing the carbon dioxide clathrate on the lug; and then heating the lug to a temperature of more than 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. to separate/drop the carbon dioxide clathrate therefrom.

Process for producing carbon dioxide clathrate

Growing community of inventors

Takasago, Japan

Tadaaki Tanii