Battery recycling
Battery recycling: effluent treatment and recovery of strategic metals.
The rapid growth of the battery industry brings new industrial challenges around end-of-life management. FE by France Evaporation supports industrial operators with tailored solutions for concentration, purification, and material recovery, at the heart of battery recycling processes.
Battery recycling, egardless of architecture (Li-ion, NiMH, etc.), generates complex effluents containing strategic metals, dissolved salts, strong acids, and organic residues.
FE by France Evaporation goes beyond effluent treatment: our solutions are part of a comprehensive recovery approach, from securing waste streams to reintegrating materials back into the production chain.
Rethinking flows, unlocking their value
In battery recycling, each step reveals a new layer of complexity: effluents laden with salts, strategic metals, acids, and organic compounds, whose variability demands a tailored approach.
It is within these flows that the balance between industrial performance and environmental requirements is determined.
At FE, every project starts from this operational reality. Effluents are concentrated, metals recovered, salts crystallized, reagents recaptured. Progressively, liquid volumes decrease, resources are reorganized, and streams are transformed into recoverable materials.
To achieve this, our processes integrate high energy-efficiency technologies such as Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR), and rely on materials designed to withstand the most corrosive environments over the long term. The entire system is engineered for stable operation, despite effluent variability and process complexity.
Each system is designed with integration in mind: adapting to existing installations, optimizing overall performance, and contributing to a more sustainable recovery chain. Where constraints accumulate, the process finds coherence, and value.
Key steps in battery recycling
In most processes, battery recycling is structured around several key stages:
![[FE web site] Battery recycling process diagram](https://www.evaporation.com/wp-content/uploads/visual-selection-Battery-Recycling-EN-1.png)
> Turning complexity into a control point and giving structure to matter.
The crystallization phase directly determines the quality of the final product and the robustness of the process. Mastering nucleation, growth, and separation phenomena is essential to ensure lasting performance.
CRYSTALLIZATION
of primary elements such as NiMnCO
SEPARATION
of crystals & depletion of the solution
RECOVERY
of lithium through crystallization
All performance levers, combined
Given the complexity and variability of effluents generated by battery recycling, each project requires a comprehensive, structured approach.
From securing waste streams to recovering materials, every lever is activated to turn constraints into lasting performance.
- Securing waste streams, reducing volumes
- Concentration of dissolved metals (Li, Na, K, Co, Ni, Mn, Pb, Cd…) into a compact solid residue.
- Reduction of hazardous waste volumes requiring transport or disposal.
- Containment of pollutants to meet stringent regulatory requirements.
- Recovering strategic salts and metals
- Pre-concentration prior to hydrometallurgy or crystallization.
- Selective crystallization of metal salts and species separation.
- Reintegration into the industrial process or commercialization as secondary raw materials.
- Regenerating reagents and solvents
- Separation and recovery of acids (H₂SO₄, HCl…) for direct reuse.
- Product refining to increase purity and value.
- Robust, purpose-built design
- Materials resistant to acidic and corrosive environments (special alloys, titanium, coatings).
- Stable operation despite effluent variability.
- Custom manufacturing by our trusted partners.
- Energy optimisation
- Integration with waste heat from kilns, shredders, or chemical processes.
- Mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) to reduce energy consumption.
- Optimized process schemes to maximize recovery and minimize losses.
- A virtuous cycle
- Revamping for existing sites: recovery of existing units, seamless integration.
- Engineering for greenfield sites: treatment aligned with each recycling stage.
- Enhanced CSR credibility and environmental traceability.
Who are these solutions for?
FE’s solutions are designed for operators seeking to recover materials from recycling processes:
- Chemical industry and industrial effluent treatment players
- Secondary raw material producers
- Operators looking to bring metals such as NMC or lithium back to market
These recovered resources are then reintegrated into production chains for the manufacture of new batteries.
The difference FE
DIAGNOSIS
In-depth analysis of effluents and processes.
ADAPTABILITY
Customized solutions tailored to site-specific constraints.
NON-INTRUSIVE INTEGRATION
Optimized integration into existing installations.
PERFORMANCE
Continuous drive for energy efficiency.