DRYING SOLUTION FOR RECOVERING BLACK MASS AND ELECTROLYTES
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
EKATO‘s Drying Solution for
Recovering Black Mass and Electrolytes
Marian Scherer
March 14th 2023
EKATO SYSTEMS GmbH
Agenda
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
1. Introduction: the EKATO Group
• Know-How, History and References
2. EKATO´s Drying Solution for Recovering Black Mass
and Electrolytes
• Vacuum contact drying
• Modular dryer configurations
• Condensation and recovery of electrolytes – how it works
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Webinar
EKATO Drying solution for EV Battery-Recycling
Presentation of EKATO vacuum contact drying technology for drying of
shredded EV batteries.
20 April
2023
9.00 – 09.45 am (CEST)
3.00 – 03.45 pm (CEST)
Free of
charge
Register here: am session pm session
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
EKATO Rühr- und
Mischtechnik GmbH
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• Customized agitators
• Reactor modules
• Process plants
• Mechanical seals & supply
systems
EKATO FLUID Misch- und
Dispergiertechnik GmbH
• Industrial agitators
• Side-entry agitators
• Agitators for small volumes
EKATO SYSTEMS GmbH
• Vacuum process mixing plants
• Mixers & dryers for solids
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Also for plastic recycling
EV Lithium and LFP battery recycling
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Key Figures EKATO GROUP
Annual turnover Export rate Agitators & plants
Companies Employees R&D - rate
€ 340 Mio. >85 % >300.000 total
16 >900 ~7 %
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EKATO has been a family business since it was founded in 1933
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
EKATO proven know-how
years of EKATO mixing know-how
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years of EKATO SOLIDMIX Vacuum Contact
Drying Know-how
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Worldwide SOLIDMIX installations & references
Vertical mixers and dryers
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VPT vacuum contact dryers in total
VPT pharma dryers
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
EKATO Subsidiaries
EKATO USA in New
Jersey
EKATO Chile
EKATO India
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EKATO Africa
EKATO Netherlands
EKATO Russia
EKATO Singapore
EKATO Australia
EKATO China
EKATO Japan
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
EKATO‘s Drying Solution for
Recovering Black Mass and Electrolytes
Marian Scherer
March 14th 2023
EKATO SYSTEMS GmbH
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
When is Vacuum Contact Drying used EV battery recycling?
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• Recycling of Lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate batteries.
• Still mainly from production scrap, later after their second life.
Deep
discharging
Disassembly Shredding
Vacuum Contact
Drying
(optional) (optional)
Hydrometallurgy
N2 nitrogen
atmosphere
Mechan
ical
Separat-
ion
BLACK MASS
(or with H2O)
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Components of an EKATO vacuum contact drying system
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Video 1: EKATO SOLIDMIX VPT drying system
Start the video, by clicking
on the button
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Mixing
For an even temperature distribution and a maximum heat transfer, axial/radial mixing of the entire bulk is mandatory.
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A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S www.ekato.com | 12
The EKATO Drying Plant can be added to any existing or
future concept
Output 1:
Dry Black Mass /
shredded flakes
Output 2:
Recovered and condensed
electrolytes
Input utilities:
• Electricity for drives, heater and chiller
• Nitrogen for explosion suppression
• Compressed air for actuators
• City water for cooling
Optional shredder
exhaust air treatment
Input: wet mass
Output 3:
Nitrogen with
solvent at
saturation level
Exhaust air
treatment
EKATO Scope of Supply
EKATO Scope of Supply
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Drying concept with 2 redundant dryers (evaporation of
EMC, DMC and EC (high boilers)
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Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Heating
Discharging
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Discharging Heating
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Heating
Discharging
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Discharging Heating
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Heating
Discharging
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Discharging Heating
Filling
Drying DMC & EMC
Heating
Discharging
Drying EC
Drying EC
Drying EC
Drying EC
Drying EC
Drying EC
Drying EC
dryer 1 dryer 2
Process sequence • Both dryers operate separately
• The steps are offset to each other, as there is only one shredder
• Evaporation of
• low boiling electrolytes DMC & EMC and
high-boiling components (e.g., EC)
• This concept needs 2 separate lines with 2 solvent recovery systems
→ Maximum flexibility regarding process adjustments for any future process requirements
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
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Selective removing and recovery of electrolytes, water and
other solvents
• Electrolytes such as DMC, EMC and EC have different vapor pressure
curves and therefore evaporate at different vessel pressures
• For optimum solvent separation during evaporating and recovery, we
have two parameters:
• Adjustable vessel pressure
• Adjustable product temperature control
• Pressure levels for medium and low levels need vacuum pumps.
• Typically, such vacuum pumps work in the area from
0.2 mbar to 500 mbar.*
• Precise temperature control can prevent undesired chemical reactions
and degradations of product ingredients.
• The Solvent Recovery System collects nearly all electrolytes
with only a small investment of cooling power
• Small quantities of exhaust air need to be treated
• Costly investments in large RTOs or huge filter systems can be avoided
* IP and patents must be respected
Solvent
Solvent 1
A D V A N C E D P R O C E S S S O L U T I O N S
Condensation: how it works
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For a deeper insight into vacuum contact drying, consult our recording (API Post drying webinar), by clicking on the play button
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Summary / our strengths 1
• High throughput version:
Pre-engineered and modular solutions up to 8 t/h
Shredder feeds continuously
Buffering optional
• Equipment designed for maximum flexibility (for your future products):
99,x % recovery rate of the electrolyte. 2023 design already meets 202X EU
regulations.
Wide range of pressures / temperature settings for maximum plant flexibility*
High degree of solvent recovery for negligible emission post-treatments and a low
environmental footprint
• Solvents levels below 0.25% are reached within minutes.
• In an emergency, the system holds a safe, emission free position.
• Small scale testing (50 liters) allows a safe scale-up to any commercially available plant
size:
0,5 t/hr., 1 t/hr., 2 t/hr., 4 t/hr., 8 t/hr equipment
* IP and patents must be respected
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Summary / our strengths 2
• Flexibility in products
• Drying of shredded batteries with the option to switch to black mass or shredded
foils
• The solvent recovery system is designed to recover solvents beyond the typical
EMC/DMC/EC/water contents of battery scrap
• Worldwide installation and service
• Europe PED and CE marking a
• USA , ASME code, NEC 500 and explosion proof topics
• China, China Stamp
• Asia, PED
• Integration
• EKATO scope can be integrated in most recycling plant concepts
• Clear scope of supply with precise integration in the plant
• Start-up support, installation support, thorough training