Battery production & recycling

Lithium batteries are key to the energy transition away from fossil fuels – but their production and recycling create air and water pollution problems. N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) from cathode coating is a substance of very high concern (SVHC), so subject to very strict emissions limits. Carbonic acid esters such as dimethyl chloride (DMC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) from electrolytes are also very volatile in air emissions. 

DESOTEC filters are a reliable treatment for these compounds and others, ensuring the sustainability of your battery production and recycling processes. 

Activated carbon is an excellent purification technology for both air emissions and liquids in battery production. 

Air emissions are generated by: production processes, including the coating of cathodes and injection of electrolytes; and vented storage tanks. DESOTEC filters treat NMP, DMC and EMC in these emissions, and can handle the high flow rates with low concentrations of compounds that are typical for battery production. 

It may also be possible to recycle solvents by using DESOTEC filters to remove impurities such as aromatic or halogenated compounds, further closing the loop in this sustainable sector. 

Filtration with activated carbon is an effective way to purify air emissions and wastewater from lithium battery recycling. 

The shredding process generates low volume air emissions containing high concentrations of compounds that may be removed by a standalone DESOTEC filter. It might be more efficient to install a complementary technology such as wet scrubbers to remove corrosive hydrofluoric acid, followed by our activated carbon filters as a polishing step – our experts can advise you.

Wastewater from the washing and rinsing of scrap batteries and on-site rainfall run-off will contain components from electrolytes, coatings and cleaning fluids. DESOTEC’s activated carbon filtration solutions can adsorb these compounds, which are measured together as chemical oxygen demand (COD). DESOTEC has extensive experience of designing filtration set-ups to meet your battery recycling needs, and will guide you to the optimal solution.

Activated carbon filtration is a Best Available Technology (BAT) for many pollution treatment applications, and is often the most cost-effective and sustainable option – but it does depend on various factors.

For example:

• Where production is discontinuous, activated carbon is generally more cost-effective than alternatives such as thermal oxidisers (RTOs).
• If space is tight, DESOTEC filters have a smaller footprint than most alternatives.
• For short-term usage, our filters are mobile and rental – unlike more permanent installations such as RTOs.
• If treatment is needed immediately, our filters can be delivered fast and are plug-and-play – some alternatives have a lengthy lead-in time.
• If your needs might change in the future, our systems are modular – other technology might be less adaptable. 

DESOTEC is keen to help customers find the best treatment for their needs, and our experts will tell you if they think an alternative technology might be more suitable than activated carbon. 

Activated carbon is a very versatile technology, so there are many ways to optimise set-ups – e.g. placing filters in series, using different carbon grades, or combining filters with complementary technology such as scrubbers.

DESOTEC’s experts carry out testing, advise on set-up design, and offer ongoing support as part of our full-service solution. Our activated carbon filtration solutions have a low total cost of ownership (TCO): they have minimal capex costs, and our service includes maintenance, upgrading, and sustainable carbon waste handling. They enable your business to continue production uninterrupted, and save you the cost of specialist wastewater disposal. Thanks to our circular approach, waste carbon is reactivated wherever possible, reducing your TCO and your carbon footprint.