As part of our series of partner interviews, it is Fraunhofer's turn to give us an outlook of their role in the project.
Can you give us a short description of what is the Fraunhofer society for the promotion of applied research?
The Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft) is a leading organization in applied research in Europe. Founded in 1949, it operates over70 research institutes and facilities across Germany and internationally. The society focuses on practical and applied research, driving innovations that benefit industry and society. Its areas of expertise encompass a wide range of fields, including manufacturing, energy, health, and environmental technologies. The Fraunhofer Society collaborates closely with industry partners to develop market-oriented solutions and technologies, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of science and technology in various sectors.
What does joining an EU-funded research project such as FREE4LIB bring to Fraunhofer IWKS?
Joining FREE4LIB allows the Fraunhofer IWKS to enhance its research capabilities through cooperation with a diverse consortium, thereof research organizations, SMEs, and industrial partners. This collaboration fosters knowledge transfer and access to innovative technologies in battery recycling. Additionally, the Fraunhofer IWKS can consolidate its role in developing sustainable recycling processes aligned with EU regulations, thereby increasing its reputation in applied research. The project also enables technology validation and testing at pilot scales, paving the way for commercialization and new business models.
Among many other contributions, the Fraunhofer IWKS is the leading partner of Free4Lib’s work package 4 on scaling and validation of feasible technologies. Can you explain what are the responsibilities associated with this leadership role?
As the leading partner of WP4, the Fraunhofer IWKS is responsible for evaluating feasible technologies for a large-scale lithium-ion battery recycling. This involves coordinating the integration of various recycling processes, including robotically-supported dismantling, pre-treatment, and materials recovery. We must ensure that these processes are effectively scaled up from laboratory to pilot level, achieving technological readiness levels (TRL) 5-6. The Fraunhofer IWKS is also tasked with validating the technologies developed within the project, focusing on improving the efficiency and safety of battery recycling. This includes optimizing methods to recover valuable materials like metals and polymers while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. Moreover, we are in charge for overseeing the design of new battery packs that utilize recycled materials, ensuring they meet industry standards.
The Fraunhofer IWKS is also heavily involved in developing electrohydraulic fragmentation through a highly material-selective comminution and separation process. Can you describe what is this process and what does Fraunhofer’s work on this topic comprise?
The electrohydraulic fragmentation (EHF) process developed by the Fraunhofer IWKS is a cutting-edge technology for the selective comminution and separation of lithium-ion batteries. This innovative technique utilizes short, high-voltage electrical discharges in a liquid medium to fragment battery components without causing significant damage to the materials. The EHF process allows for the efficient separation of valuable materials such as metals, polymers, and black mass from spent batteries. Our work on this subject includes optimizing the EHF process for scalability and integrating it with automated skimming and sieving techniques to enhance material recovery. The focus is on developing a continuous EHF process capable of handling significant quantities of battery waste, thus ensuring high recovery rates of critical raw materials. This research aims to improve the sustainability and efficiency of battery recycling, contributing to a circular economy by enabling the reuse of valuable materials in new battery production.
.jpg){kind=logo}
