Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a robotic system that automates the disassembly of discarded electric vehicle batteries, making the process faster and safer, a report from New.
What is automated battery disassembly?
Automated disassembly reduces human exposure to toxic chemicals found inside the batteries and high power levels that are approaching the 900-volt level in some newer vehicles. The automated system, developed as part of DOE's Critical Materials Institute, or CMI, can be easily reconfigured to any type of battery stack.
Can a robotic disassembly system save electric car batteries?
Automated disassembly for car batteries Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a robotic disassembly system for spent electric vehicle battery packs to safely and efficiently recycle and reuse critical materials while reducing toxic waste.
Are battery pack designs a key obstacle to automated disassembly?
As identified in various studies, a key obstacle is the significant variation in battery pack designs, which complicates the automation process . Thompson et al. highlighted that the diversity in battery pack designs, along with the use of various fixtures and adhesives, impedes automated disassembly.
How do you disassemble a battery pack?
To conduct the operations, destructive disassembly has been a prevailing practice. The disassembly phase of the battery pack includes cutting cable ties, cutting cooling pipes, and cutting bonded battery modules and the battery bottom cover for separation .
Can EVB batteries be disassembled?
In industrial production, robots are typically programmed for repetitive actions on fixed objects in structured environments. However, disassembling used EVBs is less structured and requires adaptation to the battery's condition, type, and structural design.
How difficult is it to automate battery disassembly?
However, the current lack of standardisation in design remains a significant barrier to automating battery disassembly . Additionally, the uncertain conditions of end-of-life or damaged EVBs add to the complexity of executing the disassembly process effectively.