My Projects

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

electronic:Sort-Cell [2018/05/07 14:18]
tony
electronic:Sort-Cell [2023/07/27 16:42] (current)
tony
Line 18: Line 18:
   * Charging characteristics would be dangerous to assess unless the cell was already determined to be rechargeable   * Charging characteristics would be dangerous to assess unless the cell was already determined to be rechargeable
   * Pre sorting of leaking batteries would be required as wouldn'​t want leaking battery material throughout the machine. ​ Perhaps liquid or stains on the battery label could be detected.   * Pre sorting of leaking batteries would be required as wouldn'​t want leaking battery material throughout the machine. ​ Perhaps liquid or stains on the battery label could be detected.
-  * To measure battery health, and discharge batteries a connection needs to be made to either end, with some batteries there needs to be significant pressure (eg a spring) pressing the contact onto the battery to ensure the end-caps contact the internal anode/​cathodes properly. ​ Might need some sort of battery terminal clamp that is opened momentarily to admit the battery, battery contacts can be automatically centred with a lever that adjust for hieght ​(diameter) of the battery.+  * To measure battery health, and discharge batteries a connection needs to be made to either end, with some batteries there needs to be significant pressure (eg a spring) pressing the contact onto the battery to ensure the end-caps contact the internal anode/​cathodes properly. ​ Might need some sort of battery terminal clamp that is opened momentarily to admit the battery, battery contacts can be automatically centred with a lever that adjust for height ​(diameter) of the battery.
  
 +===== More musings =====
 +Real recycling plants are quite concerned about the purity of their inputs, eg they don't want any non lithium-ion cells mixed into the waste recycling stream or it will contaminate their chemical outputs. ​ It occurs to me that another good distinguishing feature of cell technology is density - probably a bit messy to immerse the cells into liquid to measure displacement,​ but as these types of cell are all regular shapes (cylinders),​ it's not too difficult to measure their length, diameter and weight to determine density.
 +
 +Powering it from the discarded cells would be a fun aspect, but I have no idea of whether the amount of power available would be the right order of magnitude to be feasible. ​ I can imagine the machine being solar powered and doing a sort of bootstrapping operation, where it starts off early in the morning (first light) just using solar energy to slowly sort through cells until it finds enough residual power to start running the machine at full speed. ​ At the other extreme, if there is a lot of "cell waste" power available, the machine can be used for recharging other devices too (eg phones, laptops ... electric cars ;-) ).  Maybe it would have to flare-off the extra power by powering the locations lighting or even heating/​cooling.
 +
 +To minimise power consumption,​ we probably want to minimise handling of each cell (ie not move it from station to station for different functions).
 +
 +We can probably have the system using gravity for most of the movement through the system, to minimise the energy needed.
 +
 +If we detect rechargeable batteries we can test them with a charge then discharge them back into the system reservoir (need to monitor heating during charging).
 +
 +This is the sort of project that could be implemented in dozens of different ways, eg a marble-track type arrangement with the cells rolling through the system, stopping at different stations along the way to be processed, then dropped into the appropriate bin, or a series of robot arms to pick up, orientate, and place the cells as appropriate. ​  Maybe it could be a whole Instructables competition category :-).
  
 ====== Links to Useful Resources ====== ====== Links to Useful Resources ======
  
      * [[https://​www.gizmodo.com.au/​2012/​12/​giz-explains-everything-you-need-to-know-about-batteries|Everything you need to know about batteries]] Overview of battery types and technologies.      * [[https://​www.gizmodo.com.au/​2012/​12/​giz-explains-everything-you-need-to-know-about-batteries|Everything you need to know about batteries]] Overview of battery types and technologies.
 +     * [[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Joule_thief|Joule thief]], extracting energy from low voltage sources.
 +     * [[https://​www.instructables.com/​An-Improved-Joule-Thief-An-Unruly-Beast-Tamed/​|Improved joule thief]]
 +     * [[https://​www.youtube.com/​watch?​v=-1fS485Wqjk|Battery Recycling Training - Identification,​ Sorting, EoL Management]]
 +
 +=====Potential useful products=====
 +  * [[https://​www.trademe.co.nz/​electronics-photography/​other-electronics/​electronic-components/​other/​listing-2928808764.htm?​rsqid=ff2d86b1fbf745d1acd5638c032fd173-002|DC-DC Boost Module (0.9V ~ 5V) 600mA]]
 +  * [[https://​www.trademe.co.nz/​electronics-photography/​other-electronics/​electronic-components/​other/​listing-2932587239.htm?​rsqid=bd3fc370cba644cfb25907291573a162-003|0.8-3.3V To 3.3V DC-DC Step-Up]]
 +  * [[https://​www.trademe.co.nz/​electronics-photography/​other-electronics/​electronic-components/​other/​listing-2932587067.htm?​rsqid=bd3fc370cba644cfb25907291573a162-003|1-5V To 5V Step-up Boost]]
 +  * [[https://​www.trademe.co.nz/​electronics-photography/​other-electronics/​electronic-components/​other/​listing-2933471439.htm?​rsqid=bd3fc370cba644cfb25907291573a162-003| Input 1.1-6V, output DC 3.3V]]
 +  * [[https://​www.trademe.co.nz/​electronics-photography/​other-electronics/​electronic-components/​other/​listing-2929442290.htm?​rsqid=bd3fc370cba644cfb25907291573a162-003|2v-5v boost to 5v DC-DC ]]
 +
 +  * [[https://​drive.google.com/​file/​d/​1oRw0p0x11eadhBPLIaBNflbZcL8_4ymr/​view|High Efficiency 1.2MHz 2A Step Up Converter chip]]
 +  * [[https://​www.elektormagazine.com/​news/​second-life-for-batteries-|Second Life for Batteries — Circuit Extracting Residual Energy]]]
 +
 +  * [[https://​diy-forums.net/​forum/​viewtopic.php?​f=6&​t=170|Forum discussion about building it]]
 +
 +  * [[https://​www.youtube.com/​watch?​v=JglYXZgP740|67% of disposed cells have useful power inside]]
    
 <​html><​small>​If any referenced page no longer exists, try looking for its URL on <a href="​http://​archive.org">​http://​archive.org</​a>​.</​small></​html>​ <​html><​small>​If any referenced page no longer exists, try looking for its URL on <a href="​http://​archive.org">​http://​archive.org</​a>​.</​small></​html>​