Li Ion Battery Recycling Process and Equipment for EVs

With the rapid global adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), the number of spent lithium-ion batteries is increasing dramatically. By 2030, the volume of retired EV batteries is expected to reach millions of tons annually, presenting both a significant environmental challenge and a major economic opportunity. For businesses engaged in the electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling process, selecting the right technology is essential to maximize resource recovery while ensuring operational safety. Henan DOING Holdings Co., Ltd.'s electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling equipment uses a specially designed dry physical separation process, which can safely and efficiently process LCP and NMC lithium batteries, turning potential environmental risks into valuable resources.

DOING's electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling equipment can be divided into the following six main steps:

To eliminate safety hazards posed by residual electrical energy in spent LCP.NMC lithium batteries, the batteries first undergo a controlled discharge process. They are placed in a saline solution with a concentration of 8%–15% and soaked for 2–3 days, which effectively short-circuits the positive and negative terminals to achieve complete discharge. This initial discharge step is fundamental to the electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling process, ensuring that all subsequent mechanical operations are performed on safely de-energized batteries.

Lithium battery discharge

The prepared batteries are first fed into a dual-shaft shredder, which tears them into pieces of approximately 2–3 cm, effectively breaking the outer casing and liberating internal components. These shredded materials are then conveyed into a drying oven（small-scale production lines that air-dry naturally can skip the drying process and proceed directly to the next stage）, where controlled heating evaporates the residual electrolyte. This drying step is essential for eliminating volatile organic compounds, reducing fire risk, and preparing the materials for efficient mechanical separation. DOING's drying system features precise temperature control and sealed operation, ensuring thorough treatment without compromising safety.

Shredder for lithium batteries recycling

The dried battery pieces enter a hammer crusher for secondary crushing, reducing the material to less than 1 cm to further liberate the electrode materials from the current collectors. The crushed mixture is then pneumatically conveyed to a primary drum screen. With a 6-meter length and 120-mesh specification, this drum screen effectively separates approximately 70%–80% of the black powder—the mixture of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese compounds—from the plastic, copper, and aluminum fractions. This stage represents a critical recovery point in the electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling process, achieving high-yield black powder collection early in the workflow.

Primary screening of lithium battery recycling equipment

After the primary screening, the remaining mixture—composed of plastic diaphragms, iron casings, copper, and aluminum—is pneumatically transferred to a linear vibrating screen. Under the combined action of vibration and controlled airflow, lightweight plastic diaphragms are drawn upward and collected separately, removing a key contaminant from the metal fraction. The remaining materials then pass through a magnetic separator, where a strong magnetic field efficiently extracts iron casings and other ferrous components. This dual-stage separation ensures that plastics and ferrous metals are isolated cleanly, reducing the burden on subsequent downstream processing.

Lithium battery recycling magnetic separator

The copper-aluminum mixture, along with any remaining black powder, enters a secondary crusher, where it is reduced to below 5 mm to further liberate fine electrode materials adhered to metal surfaces. The crushed material is then fed into a secondary drum screen, measuring 4 meters in length with a 140-mesh screen. This stage recovers an additional approximately 10% of black powder, significantly increasing overall resource yield. DOING's two-stage screening design maximizes black powder recovery while maintaining consistent material flow for downstream separation.

Secondary drum screen for lithium battery recycling equipment

The remaining copper-aluminum mixture is processed through a grinding mill for fine particle size reduction, followed by classification using a vibrating screen equipped with two layers of mesh. This screening divides the material into three fractions: coarse particles returned to the grinder for re-processing; fine particles containing residual black powder, completing the final stage of black powder recovery; and a medium fraction of optimally sized copper-aluminum mixed particles. These particles are then introduced into an air classifier, where differences in specific gravity between copper and aluminum enable efficient, high-purity separation—yielding clean copper granules and aluminum granules ready for direct sale.

Lithium battery recycling equipment sorting system

The Li Ion battery recycling equipment for EVs from Henan Doing Holdings Co., Ltd. is engineered with a strong emphasis on environmental protection and operational intelligence. The entire production line operates as a physical separation system, utilizing pulse dust collection to effectively capture any fine particles or dust generated during processing, ensuring emissions meet stringent environmental standards. PLC intelligent control system monitors real-time operational data, allowing for automatic adjustment of key parameters such as feed rate, screen vibration frequency, and airflow volume. This automation not only ensures consistent separation efficiency and output purity but also simplifies operation, reduces manual intervention, and lowers overall energy consumption.

With over 15 years of experience in exporting recycling equipment, we provide comprehensive support including on-site installation guidance, operator training, spare parts supply, and ongoing technical assistance. Contact Henan Doing today to discuss how we can help you establish a safe, efficient, and profitable electric vehicle lithium-ion battery recycling process.