US 12,344,917 B2
Energy-efficient pyrometallurgical process for treating Li-ion batteries
Lennart Scheunis, Olen (BE)
Assigned to UMICORE, Brussels (BE)
Appl. No. 18/561,016
Filed by Umicore, Brussels (BE)
PCT Filed May 24, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/063978
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 15, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/248436, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 1, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 21176046 (EP), filed on May 26, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0258597 A1, Aug. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. C22B 23/02 (2006.01); C22B 7/00 (2006.01); C22B 7/04 (2006.01); C22B 23/06 (2006.01); H01M 4/525 (2010.01); H01M 10/0525 (2010.01); H01M 10/54 (2006.01)
CPC C22B 23/02 (2013.01) [C22B 7/001 (2013.01); C22B 7/004 (2013.01); C22B 7/04 (2013.01); C22B 23/021 (2013.01); C22B 23/06 (2013.01); H01M 4/525 (2013.01); H01M 10/0525 (2013.01); H01M 10/54 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
 
1. Process for the recovery of valuable metals from a metallurgical charge comprising slag formers, and Li-ion batteries or their derived products containing Co, Ni, metallic Al, and C, wherein the slag formers comprise one or more of CaO, Al2O3, and SiO2, comprising the steps of:
providing a metallurgical smelting furnace equipped with means for the submerged injection of an O2-bearing gas;
defining an oxidizing level Ox characterizing oxidizing smelting conditions according to the formula:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
wherein 0.1<Ox<1, pCO and pCO2 are the partial pressures of CO and CO2 in contact with the melt;
preparing the metallurgical charge comprising a weight fraction Bf of Li-ion batteries or their derived products, according to the formula:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
wherein Ox is the oxidizing level, and Al and C are the weight fractions of respectively metallic Al and C in said batteries or their derived products;
oxidizing smelting the metallurgical charge by injecting an O2-bearing gas into the melt to reach the defined oxidizing level Ox, thereby obtaining a first alloy with a major part of Ni, and a first slag containing residual Ni and Co;
liquid/liquid separation of the first alloy from the first slag; and
reducing smelting of the first slag using a heat source and a reducing agent, maintaining a reduction potential ensuring the reduction of Co and Ni, thereby producing a second alloy, and a second slag containing less than 1% by weight of Ni.