TY - JOUR
T1 - Recycling of spent NiMH batteries
T2 - Integration of battery leach solution into primary Ni production using solvent extraction
AU - Agarwal, V.
AU - Khalid, Muhammad K.
AU - Porvali, A.
AU - Wilson, Benjamin P.
AU - Lundström, Mari
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge BATtobe (1807/31/2018), BATCircle (4853/31/2018), CMEco (7405/31/2016) and MineWEEE (7100/31/2016) projects funded by Business Finland (Finland). In addition, this research has been supported by the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland, project CloseLoop (303452 and 303454). These investigations have been performed using the facilities provided by the Academy of Finland's RawMatTERS Finland Infrastructure (RAMI-FIRI) based at Aalto University. Furthermore, AkkuSer Oy (Finland) is also gratefully acknowledged for providing the raw materials used in this study.
Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge BATtobe ( 1807/31/2018 ), BATCircle ( 4853/31/2018 ), CMEco ( 7405/31/2016 ) and MineWEEE ( 7100/31/2016 ) projects funded by Business Finland (Finland) . In addition, this research has been supported by the Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland , project CloseLoop ( 303452 and 303454 ). These investigations have been performed using the facilities provided by the Academy of Finland's RawMatTERS Finland Infrastructure (RAMI-FIRI) based at Aalto University. Furthermore, AkkuSer Oy (Finland) is also gratefully acknowledged for providing the raw materials used in this study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/12
Y1 - 2019/12
N2 - The utilization of existing metallurgical infrastructure and integration of secondary process streams into primary metals production can provide advantages over separate recycling plants. This paper focuses on the integration of a pregnant leach solution (PLS) into a nickel production plant that contains Ni, Co, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al and Cd ions, derived from a NiMH recycling stream. The solution composition highlights the challenge related to spent battery investigations, as although toxic Cd is not present in NiMH battery chemistries, it ends up into the battery waste collection and prevents direct integration of the battery waste into the primary process. The aim of the study is to remove Zn, Fe, Al, Mn and Cd ions from the PLS, so that the Ni and Co remaining in solution could be integrated into the nickel production process. A two-step solvent extraction process using Di-2-ethylheyxl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) was developed. In the first step, Zn, Al and Fe were removed at pH 1.5, whereas in the second step Cd and Mn were removed at pH 2.3. Different process parameters (pH, O/A ratio, temperature, extractant concentration, kinetics) were optimized at each step of the solvent extraction. The purified and fully integrable PLS was found to contain Ni ~28 g/L and Co ~3.7 g/L.
AB - The utilization of existing metallurgical infrastructure and integration of secondary process streams into primary metals production can provide advantages over separate recycling plants. This paper focuses on the integration of a pregnant leach solution (PLS) into a nickel production plant that contains Ni, Co, Zn, Mn, Fe, Al and Cd ions, derived from a NiMH recycling stream. The solution composition highlights the challenge related to spent battery investigations, as although toxic Cd is not present in NiMH battery chemistries, it ends up into the battery waste collection and prevents direct integration of the battery waste into the primary process. The aim of the study is to remove Zn, Fe, Al, Mn and Cd ions from the PLS, so that the Ni and Co remaining in solution could be integrated into the nickel production process. A two-step solvent extraction process using Di-2-ethylheyxl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) was developed. In the first step, Zn, Al and Fe were removed at pH 1.5, whereas in the second step Cd and Mn were removed at pH 2.3. Different process parameters (pH, O/A ratio, temperature, extractant concentration, kinetics) were optimized at each step of the solvent extraction. The purified and fully integrable PLS was found to contain Ni ~28 g/L and Co ~3.7 g/L.
KW - Circular economy
KW - McCabe-thiele diagrams
KW - Solvent extraction
KW - Spent NiMH batteries
KW - Stripping
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85070201688
U2 - 10.1016/j.susmat.2019.e00121
DO - 10.1016/j.susmat.2019.e00121
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85070201688
SN - 2214-9937
VL - 22
JO - Sustainable Materials and Technologies
JF - Sustainable Materials and Technologies
M1 - e00121
ER -
