The document describes the process for recycling scrap automotive lead acid batteries. Batteries are cut apart, with polypropylene pieces collected and washed for resale. Lead components are cleaned and smelted in furnaces, with molten lead poured into ingots for reuse in new batteries. Sulfuric acid is neutralized into water or processed into sodium sulfate for industrial uses. Lead smelting processes use equipment like blast furnaces or rotary kilns. A schematic flow sheet shows the recycling plant design, which can process 35,000 tons of batteries annually to produce 9,000 tons of lead ingots.

1. A Presentation by: P.R. Chandna
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2. Process Description
Scrap Automotive Lead Acid Battery
Lead Smelting Process
Smelting Methods
Schematic SRF Flow Sheet
Economics of Secondary Lead
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3. LEGENDS
1 Lead alloy grid 6 Negative
electrode set for
one cell
2 Separator - 7 Full electrode
porous insulating and separator
plate assembly for
one cell
3 Positive plate 8 Battery case
4 Separator 9 Positive terminal
5 Negative plate 10 Positive
electrode set for
one cell
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4. Brief Lead Acid Battery Recycling Process: The batteries are cut and broken
Process:
apart. Polypropylene pieces are collected, washed, blown dry, and sold to a
plastic recycler.
Lead Smelting:
Lead grids, lead oxide, and other lead parts are cleaned and smelted
furnaces. The molten melted lead is then poured into ingot molds. The
ingots are cooled, stacked and sold to battery manufacturers, where they’re
re-melted and used in the production of new batteries.
Sulfuric Acid
Old battery acid can be handled in two ways: 1) The acid is neutralized with
baking soda. Neutralization converts the acid into water. The water is then
treated, cleaned, tested in a waste water treatment plant to be sure it meets
clean water standards. 2) The acid is processed and converted to sodium
sulfate, an odorless white powder that’s used in laundry detergent, glass,
and textile manufacturing.
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6. Processes are essentially classified by the
type of equipment used
Blast furnace;
Rotary kiln;
Short rotary furnace;
Submerged lance slag bath reactor;
Electric furnace; and
Electrochemical treatment methods.
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7. Schematic SRF Flow Sheet
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8. Design Basis:
◦ Batteries processed: 35, 000 t/a
◦ Lead production: 9,000 t/a
◦ Wastes for disposal
(slag, gypsum, plastics): 6500 t/a
Land Requirement: 15,000 Sq.m.
Capex: US$ 2.5 million
Opex:
◦ Man Power: 50
◦ Flux: 30 kg/MTof Pb
◦ Iron chips: 100 kg/MTof Pb
◦ Power: 250 kWh/MTof Pb
◦ Fuel: 1,100,000 kCal/MTof Pb
◦ Oxygen: 20 Cubm/MTof Pb
◦ Water: 2 Cubm/MTof Pb
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9. P. R. Chandna
710, MECON Apartments,
C-58/10, Sector-62,
NOIDA, UP, INDIA
prchandna@gmail.com, prchandna@hotmail.com
Mobile: +91 9999724888
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