Stages
  1. 1 Assessment & Transportation
  2. 2 Incoming Inspection & Storage
  3. 3 Discharging & Dismantling
  4. 4 Mechanical Recycling
  5. 5 Material Recovery

SUB PROCESS

4.1 Shredding

Info Current and Verified

Updated 04/2025

Short description

Battery packs, modules, cells, and production scrap such as coated foils or jelly rolls are fed into a shredder, where powerful blades break the material into smaller pieces. This process exposes the internal components, enabling the separation of valuable materials in later stages. Shredding can be done in a single step or as a multi-stage process. In multi-stage setups, a rough shredder is used first, followed by finer shredders that progressively reduce the particle size.

Inputs

(Discharged) Battery Packs
(Discharged) Battery Modules
(Discharged) Battery Cells
Cell Production Scrap Such as Kelly Rolls, Cathode Foils, Anode Foils, and Separator Films

Outputs

Battery Fractions Approximately 3 cm × 3 cm or Smaller

Process Details

A typical shredding system consists of several key components: an automatic feeding system, shredding chamber, knives, optional sieve, outfeed system, safety system, off-gas treatment or filtration unit, and a control cabinet. 

The feeding system is often a cleated conveyor belt. The cleat size should be selected based on the dimensions of the infeed material to ensure stable transport into the shredder. 

1. Wet-Shredding: Shredding with water 

  • In this setup, batteries are either submerged in water during shredding or sprayed with water to suppress sparks and cool the materials. This method reduces the risk of fire, though sparks can still occur under water, and fires may still happen with surface sprinkling only. 
  • To operate such a system, a water recirculation and treatment system is required. Electrolyte accumulates in the water over time, so a bleed and concentration control system is needed. Additionally, black mass fines build up in the water and must be removed—typically with a filter press to prevent loss and operational issues. 
  • For water-based shredding, deep discharge is not required, but a minimum discharge level is typically recommended for safety. 

  2. Dry-Shredding: Shredding in an inert atmosphere 

  • In this approach, batteries are shredded in a nitrogen-filled chamber to displace oxygen and minimize the risk of ignition. Because oxygen must be kept out, continuous processes must be adapted into batch-wise loading, typically using an airlock system to introduce material safely. 
  • Deep discharge is strongly recommended when shredding under inert gas. A fully charged battery shredded in this environment could still catch fire, so an automatic fire suppression system is required as a precaution. 

Additional process considerations 

  • Knife selection and turning speed are critical to ensure optimum black mass recovery. Improper knife selection or rotation speed can lead to pocket formation, where current collector foils are folded or crumpled in a way that traps black mass inside, making it inaccessible for downstream separation processes. 
  • Outfeed systems vary depending on the material and layout and can include screw conveyors, drag chain conveyors, or similar equipment tailored to the throughput and material characteristics. 

Relevant Product Groups

These are relevant product groups for Shredding. All listed solutions are vetted by industry experts to ensure they meet real-world recycling needs. Our supplier network is growing, with more products under review. 

Products & Solutions

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