Contact person: Dennis Beusen (PSP)
Grant Number: 03EI6145A
Project Management Agency: Projektträger Jülich
Funding: Jan 01, 2026 - Dec 31, 2028 (36 months), Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)
Partners: Institute of Machine Tools and Production Technology (IWF), TU Braunschweig; No Canary GmbH; Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG; Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM); Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (VDE) (associated)
Project description:
The safe dismantling of stationary large-scale lithium-ion storage systems is a growing challenge. The transport of still-charged batteries poses high safety risks and is subject to strict, expensive dangerous goods regulations. This is where the LiBaTra project comes in: battery modules are to be automatically deep-discharged (0 volts) directly at the site of operation. This enables a safe and significantly more cost-effective onward transport to the recycling facility.
To validate the safety of these deep-discharged batteries, the Battery Process Engineering (BattVT) working group is conducting targeted safety assessments. The thermal and mechanical behavior of the cells is investigated in various abuse tests. The aim is to scientifically prove that the deep-discharged batteries can be considered "deactivated" and can be safely transported and handled.
Building on this, the Powder and Suspension Processes (PSP) working group focuses on the subsequent mechanical recycling process. In the iPAT pilot plant, the modules are shredded and separated into their individual material components. The PSP systematically investigates how the deep-discharged state affects the overall process. The goal is to optimize the plant parameters so that the valuable "black mass" (the active battery materials) is recovered with the highest possible yield and purity for further processing.
The LiBaTra project thus combines logistical and safety advantages with efficient material recovery. The joint findings of BattVT and PSP form the basis for safe and economical recycling routes, thereby sustainably strengthening the circular economy for future energy storage systems.