Mercedes-Benz has inaugurated Europe’s first battery recycling plant using a combined mechanical-hydrometallurgical process in Kuppenheim, Germany. The company says it has invested tens of millions in the construction of the plant, which will have an annual capacity of 2,500 tons. According to the company, a recovery rate of over 96 percent is expected.
Hydrometallurgical Process Reduces Energy Requirements
The recycling plant covers all steps from shredding the battery modules to processing the active battery materials. The mechanical process separates plastics, copper, aluminium and iron, while the downstream hydrometallurgical process focuses on the black mass. From this, valuable metals such as cobalt, nickel and lithium are extracted. Compared with conventional pyrometallurgy, this process is less energy-intensive because lower temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius are required.
Mercedes-Benz is supported by its technology partner Primobius and by funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. The project, which is being carried out in cooperation with three German universities, is investigating the entire recycling value chain and is expected to help increase recycling capacities in the long term.
Source:
https://group.mercedes-benz.com/company/news/recycling-factory-kuppenheim.html
