Crystallization System Introduced at New York Battery Recycling Facility

Li-Cycle, a lithium-ion battery resource recovery company, will use Veolia's HDP crystallisation technology at its lithium-ion battery recycling plant in New York. The market for transportation battery recycling is likely to grow through 2030. Volvo, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz all have battery recycling facilities.

To assist in processing materials for new batteries, Li-Cycle will deploy an evaporation and crystallization technology from Veolia Water Technologies at its lithium-ion battery recycling plant in New York.

In the last stage of the battery recycling process, the Rochester facility will use Veolia's HDP crystallization technology. The technology will improve the conversion of nickel sulphate and cobalt sulphate from lithium-ion batteries into high-purity raw materials that may be used in new batteries.

According to Veolia, the crystallizers will generate 42,000 to 48,000 metric tonnes of nickel sulphate and 6,500 to 7,500 metric tonnes of cobalt sulphate every year. After that, the materials can be sold to battery makers.

Battery recycling has become more of a priority, especially with the rise in electric car adoption and the increase in battery usage, such as energy storage systems. By 2030, the transportation battery recycling industry is predicted to grow significantly.

As a result of this expansion, new recycling activities and targets have emerged.

Ascend Elements, formerly Battery Resources, is constructing one of North America's largest battery recycling plants, which will have the capacity to process 30,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries and scrap annually when it opens later this year. Mercedes-Benz is constructing its battery recycling plant in Germany, where the recycled components will be used to produce additional electric vehicles. In the United States, Ford and Volvo are cooperating in a Redwood Materials effort to recycle electric vehicle batteries.

According to Li-Cycle, the New York facility will contribute to the production of almost 225,000 electric vehicle batteries each year. In 2023, the facility should be completely operational.

In more than 30 countries, Veolia Water Technologies has installed more than 1,000 crystallization and evaporation systems. They help with water treatment, waste management, and energy efficiency in the oil and gas, paper and power, and metals industries.