Ural federal university Scientists Develop Effective Method for Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries Disposal

The project of Ural Federal University scientists on rechargeable lithium-ion batteries disposal was given the highest award of the regional contest “Minute of Tech Fame” at INNOPROM.

The effective and environmentally friendly method helps to dispose of old batteries, isolating individual valuable components such as cobalt, lithium, aluminum, copper, iron and others. As a result, the metals return to circulation. To achieve the results, the scientists used a combination of mechanical methods and methods of hydrometallurgy and pyrometallurgy.

‘We very much hope to find investors, which will provide an opportunity to continue the work,’ says the project manager, graduate student of the Academic Department of Foundry and Strengthening Technologies Stepan Sapyanov. ‘We want to implement it as a pilot project in the Sverdlovsk region, and, in the future, to build such plants in each million-plus city and continue to scale up. Winning the competition is not just my success. This is a victory of the whole team; we have been going towards this for the past nine months. We have been trying to promote the invention for a long time and were rejected everywhere. Today we were noticed, and we will realize this chance.’

The second place in the competition was taken by another Master’s student of Ural Federal University, Yuri Marchenko from the Academic Department of Turbines and Engines. The project presented by him is aimed at reducing costs of electricity production. The young scientist modernized one of the steam turbine units, which helped to save 97 million rubles a year from one installation by increasing the efficiency of its hydraulic resistance.

On July 8-11, Ekaterinburg hosted the International Industrial Trade Fair INNOPROM, where Ural Federal University organized a number of events.