Pyrometallurgical recycling of different lithium-ion battery cell systems: Economic and technical analysis

The global trend towards electromobility raises questions about the treatment of lithium-ion batteries from battery-electric vehicles at the end-of-life stage. The paper examines two pyrometallurgical recycling routes (a direct and a multi-step process) for different lithium-ion battery cell compositions (NMC333/C, NMC811/C, LFP/ C, NMCLMO/C) from a techno-economic perspective. Based on lifecycle inventories per recycling process and battery type, the profitability of these two recycling processes is investigated by conducting a total cost of ownership analysis for typified pyrometallurgical recycling plants on a pre-industrial scale. The results reveal that the cell chemistry will have a major impact on the profitability of recycling. In particular, it appears to be difficult to operate recycling profitably under current conditions for low-cobalt and low-nickel battery types. A sensitivity analysis shows different levers and their respective limitations for increasing the process profitability of recycling different lithium-ion battery cell systems.

Automated summary

This paper examines two pyrometallurgical recycling routes for different lithium-ion battery cell compositions from a techno-economic perspective. It investigates the profitability of these recycling processes through a total cost of ownership analysis, based on lifecycle inventories and battery types. The results indicate that the profitability of recycling is greatly influenced by cell chemistry, especially for low-cobalt and low-nickel battery types. A sensitivity analysis reveals different levers and limitations for increasing the process profitability of recycling different lithium-ion battery cell systems.