What *Really* happens to used Electric Car Batteries? - (you might be surprised)

Posted by $ AJAshinoff 1 year, 4 months ago to Science
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This is contrary to what I believed. While I hope its true, I suspect that its not the entire story. Opinion?

SOURCE URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2xrarUWVRQ


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  • Posted by mhubb 1 year, 4 months ago
    a friend works for a company that sells "carts" that use lithium batteries


    so if true, what is the cost to recycle?
    what is the impact to recycle and to get the material in the first place?
    all of the ones they have gotten back defective now site in an outside storage shed as nothing can be done with them at this time
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  • Posted by $ rainman0720 1 year, 4 months ago
    My initial thought is that the process seems a long way from being done, as the Rochester plant isn't done. I have no idea whether or not Jerry is legit, but since the media isn't inundating us with stories about this recycle plant, I have my doubts.
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  • Posted by chad 1 year, 4 months ago
    I always wonder how the carbon footprint compares to a fuel engine. This is a lot of effort to reclaim, and rebuild a battery, that will only take you 275 miles in the most optimum conditions before you have to spend forty-five minutes "refueling" to get back on the road.
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  • Posted by $ Radio_Randy 1 year, 4 months ago
    Our state radio shop started recycling rechargeable batteries, back in the 90's. It didn't cost us a dime, because the company sent free, postage paid, boxes. Fill them, seal them, ship them. We were still recycling lead acid and nicad batteries back then.

    I enjoyed the video, because I always wondered what happened to the batteries, after they left our shop, and have no reason to believe it's a scam.

    The reason we don't see this in the news is that nobody cares. Just like how nobody cared about photos of piles of scrapped PCs left in third world countries, years ago. And just like nobody cares about the hundreds of pounds of alkaline batteries placed in landfills, after disaster responses, like wildland fires.

    I'll bet the media would pick up the story if that center was recycling GUNS, instead of batteries, though.
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year, 4 months ago
    This makes sense to me. These materials are hard to mine, and often from countries with bad politics (no comment on our own banana republic).

    The process is obviously low power. There is no power infrastructure of consequence in the factory. People here are questioning the efficiency of it. I suspect is is considerably less than the mining operation it all started with.

    Grinding the batteries in the absence of oxygen and surrounded by a very high specific heat liquid (water) is a great idea.

    This is what I expected someone to do with batteries.

    We need to separate our position on the use of government force to force EVs from the correct understanding of the technology. Cognitive dissonance is a real issue. EVs are not bad just because Obama liked them. Obamas et al’s policies are bad.
    EVs are pretty cool. I never drive further than 150 miles anymore, and have a bunch of cars, so can switch to gas or rent if I need to drive 400 miles. More than that, and I’m flying or other.

    In my town, we have our own electric system. Our rates just changed to 10:1 for energy used during 4pm to 8pm vs all other times. We already have a rate 2/3’s of other towns. This makes an EV very inexpensive for me. Too bad I don’t need a car right now.
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  • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 1 year, 4 months ago
    Ok, so why is it necessary to take everything apart if we are going to use all the same materials again, why not rejuvenate the batteries in their present state?
    I know, no one thought about that . . Like a few screws, take some goop out and put in more new goop in, screw and put back into the tool or car, rinse and repeat?
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    • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year, 4 months ago
      You could, but you would have to disassemble the batteries to cells, and then take apart the cells.

      The cells fail from chemicals moving back and forth from anode to cathode, charge to discharge. As the materials move and redeposit, they do not redeposit evenly, and eventually shorts appear.

      There are battery chemistries with external electrolytes that you can replace the liquid electrolytes to recharge. These are presently only suitable for stationary power, and lack the specific energy for vehicles, but that would be an elegant solution to recharging, rendering it equal to refilling a fuel tank!
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      • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 1 year, 4 months ago
        So what of the internet pests that claim "You Too" can rejuvinate all your batteries yourself. Pay them and what? Is that really possible? AA/AAA/9s and Ds. Seems to me that the power tool batteries would be the easiest. Just a bunch of AAs?
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        • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year, 4 months ago
          I’m not sure what you are asking, but the silliness with welders and battery rejuvenation are snake oil. You might burn out a dendrite in a special case, but it could become another Darwin Award just as easily.

          Once rechargeables fail, they don’t recover gracefully.
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          • Posted by $ Olduglycarl 1 year, 4 months ago
            Guess you haven't seen the ads
            From what I gather . . .and I more than likely am wrong but it seems that someone wants you to think that he has discovered a way to put the chemistry right without taking the dang thing apart.
            It's all BS I spect.
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            • Posted by $ Thoritsu 1 year, 4 months ago
              I haven’t seen them, but if you point me to them, I will analyze, and/or get one of my expert buddies to give me the straight scoop. I have a great connection to the battery community. One of my soccer buddies, now a professional partner, is the expert on silver battery chemistries and wrote the chapter in the seminal battery book on them. He is also real good at lithium chemistries. Silver batteries are cool. They have the same volumetric energy density as lithium, but are heavier and more expensive. Like lithium they can be rechargeable (secondary), or disposable (primary) batteries.

              The Italians took the work from his company and developed the Blackshark torpedo, which is an electric drive heavyweight torpedo. Goes very fast and has great range. Not quite as fast or the same range as a US MK48, but damn good, and MUCH stealthier! This is a primary battery (not rechargeable), totally different energy density, not to be dismissed in favor of fuel. Of course throwing away silver is a problem, and recycling is not as efficient as the lithium example in the video. But who cares for a warshot?

              He is a great soccer player, in his 60s and still at it. Both his daughers played professionally in Sweden (you know, the country that sent our arrogant, entitled politically loud mouthed bitches home)
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