1. Project Background
With the arrival of the first wave of “retired” power batteries, a well-known domestic lithium battery recycling enterprise faces the challenge of handling a large volume of secondary LiFePO₄ battery waste.
Material characteristics: The material to be processed is the primary mixed material obtained after crushing retired LiFePO₄ batteries, containing cathode powder, crushed aluminum foil residues, and a small amount of impurities.
Core challenges: The aluminum residues are tightly adhered to the powder, and traditional screening methods have low efficiency and poor purity. It is necessary to achieve high-efficiency separation of aluminum foil and LiFePO₄ while maintaining high throughput.
2. Technical Solution: Epic Powder Horizontal Classifier Mill System for Lithium Battery Recycling
To meet the requirements of processing hard LiFePO₄ powder and stripping aluminum foil, the project adopted the Epic Powder Horizontal Classifier Mill as the core process equipment.
System workflow:
- Impact stripping: After entering the mill, the material is subjected to high-speed rotor rotation, using shear and impact forces to completely strip the LiFePO₄ black powder adhered to the surface of the aluminum foil.
- In-situ classification: The horizontal structure design stabilizes the airflow field. By adjusting the speed of the classifier wheel, aluminum foil residues and LiFePO₄ powder are centrifugally separated based on differences in specific gravity and shape.
- Multi-stage collection: With the cooperation of cyclone collectors and pulse dust collectors, different particle sizes and material types are precisely captured.
3. Processed Products and Outcomes
Through this process, the project achieved three-in-one outputs from the mixed material:
| Product Name | Separation Characteristics | Downstream Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Aluminum Residues | Large particles, flake-shaped, separated through the mill’s internal discharge system | Sent to aluminum plants for secondary smelting |
| Aluminum Residue Black Powder Mixture | Intermediate product, usually larger composite particles | Returned to the front-end for recirculation or separately refined |
| Qualified LiFePO₄ Powder | Stable D50 particle size, high purity, extremely low metal impurity content | Used as cathode material repair or wet-process recovery feedstock |