Methods and systems for advanced battery collection, sorting, and packaging
Embodiments described herein relate to methods of sorting energy storage devices. In some aspects a method can include measuring, via a physical sensing device, a physical property of a first plurality of energy storage devices. The method further includes sorting the first plurality of energy storage devices into a second plurality of energy storage devices and a third plurality of energy storage devices, delivering the second plurality of energy storage devices to a first location. The method further includes measuring, via a magnetic sensing device, a magnetic property of the third plurality of energy storage devices and sorting the third plurality of energy storage devices into a fourth plurality of energy storage devices and a fifth plurality of energy storage devices, delivering the fourth plurality of energy storage devices to a second location.
1 . A method of sorting used energy storage devices, the method comprising:
measuring, via a physical sensing device, a physical property of a first plurality of energy storage devices;
sorting the first plurality of energy storage devices into a second plurality of energy storage devices and a third plurality of energy storage devices based on sorting instructions generated by a central processing unit (CPU) configured to receive the measured physical property;
delivering the second plurality of energy storage devices to a first location;
measuring, via a magnetic sensing device, a magnetic property of the third plurality of energy storage devices;
sorting the third plurality of energy storage devices into a fourth plurality of energy storage devices and a fifth plurality of energy storage devices based on sorting instructions generated by the CPU configured to receive the measured physical property and measured magnetic property;
delivering the fourth plurality of energy storage devices to a second location;
measuring, via a chemical sensing device, a chemical property of the fifth plurality of energy storage devices;
sorting the fifth plurality of energy storage devices into a sixth plurality of energy storage devices and a seventh plurality of energy storage devices based on sorting instructions generated by the CPU configured to receive the measured physical property, measured magnetic property, and measured chemical property;
delivering the sixth plurality of energy storage devices to a third location; and
delivering the seventh plurality of energy storage devices to a fourth location.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical property includes at least one of weight, a label, a physical dimension, a color, or a shape.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the physical sensing device includes a camera.
4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
combining data about at least one of physical dimension or shape with weight data to generate a pressure mapping of an energy storage device from the first plurality of energy storage devices.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic sensing device uses eddy current separation to sort the third plurality of energy storage devices into the fourth plurality of energy storage devices and the fifth plurality of energy storage devices.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the chemical sensing device includes a radiation source and a detector, the detector configured to detect an output radiation reflected or backscattered from an energy storage device.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sorting the first plurality of energy storage devices into the second plurality of energy storage devices and the third plurality of energy storage devices is guided via the central processing unit configured to receive data from the physical sensing device and provide sorting instructions to a routing device based on the data received from the physical sensing device.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the chemical property is via at least one of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, projectional radiography, computed tomography, or Raman spectroscopy.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pretreating the first plurality of energy storage devices, the pretreating including at least one of cleaning, removing protective covering materials, or separating the first plurality of energy storage devices from non-energy storage device materials.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage devices include at least one of an electrochemical cell or a battery pack.
11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to measuring the physical property, feeding the first plurality of energy storage devices to a measuring location via at least one of a robotic arm, a pusher, or a conveyor.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physical sensing device employs acoustic waves to measure a distance from the physical sensing device to an energy storage device from the first plurality of energy storage devices.
13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
isolating a problematic energy storage device upon detecting a dangerous condition in the energy storage device, the dangerous condition determined by measuring at least one of a temperature of the energy storage device, a gas composition in an immediate area surrounding the energy storage device, a state-of charge of the energy storage device, an impedance of the energy storage device, acoustic properties of the energy storage device, or visual properties of the energy storage device.
14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
uploading at least one of the physical property, the magnetic property, or the chemical property to a server, the server including a classification model; and
analyzing the at least one of the physical property, the magnetic property, or the chemical property via the classification model.