PHYSICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL METHOD FOR PROCESSING USED BATTERIES

摘要

A method comprising physical and physico-chemical steps for processing and recycling used batteries of any shape, size or chemical nature. The physical processing steps comprise turning the batteries into a uniform mass and seprating 35-40 % of the inert residues and directly recyclable metals. The physico-chemical steps of processing the remaining active mass of batteries, i.e. 60-65 % of the overall mass, comprise removing toxic contaminants such as mercury and cadmium, purifying and separating the manganese oxides in the form of a sludge which may be recycled or turned into an inert residue, then purifying and separating the zinc compounds in the form of a metallurgically or electrolytically recyclable hydroxide sludge to obtain metal with a purity of 99.5 % or higher. According to an alternative embodiment of the physico-chemical processing of the remaining active mass of batteries, the zinc is extracted as a directly electrolysable sulphuric solution whereas the manganese oxides and the impurities are turned into granules stabilised by means of an immobilisation method using cement.