California Auto-Salvage: Automotive Battery Recycling
The demand for lead-acid batteries shows steady growth, and is likely to continue to grow in the foreseeable future because of both the growth in conventional vehicles and the emerging popularity of the electric car. While a number of battery technologies are under development, it is generally believed that none yet offers comparable economies to the lead-acid battery. At present, approximately 90% of used lead-acid batteries are being recycled. The lead-acid battery recycling industry must address a number of environmental issues regarding air, water, and solid waste management practices that have an impact on the collection, transportation, and recycling of spent batteries.
The commercial process used to recycle lead-acid batteries is designed to recover:
The lead sulphate/lead oxide battery paste (after desulphurization), which is later treated in a smelting furnace to recover lead.
Lead grids and poles, which can be treated in a smelting furnace with a metal yield of 90%.
Polypropylene, which can be sold directly or upgraded to produce high-quality pellets.
Anhydrous sodium sulphate, as a detergent-grade product for resale to detergent manufacturers and glass works.
The main features of the recycling process include:
Pre-crushing of batteries to remove the sulphuric acid solution.
Initial separation of iron material by a magnetic separator.
Wet-screening to separate the battery paste (a mixture of lead sulphate and lead oxide).
Separation of the metallic lead and plastic components in a hydrodynamic separator, isolating the various components due to their density differences. In water, polypropylene floats, lead sinks and separator material and ebonite overflow to a vibrating screen. The water used in the hydrodynamic separator is collected in settling tanks for reuse.
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3 years ago • Notes