Methods and systems for smart battery collection, sorting, and packaging

Abstract

A method includes irradiating an energy storage device using an input radiation characterized by a first electromagnetic spectrum and detecting an output radiation reflected or backscattered by the energy storage device. The method also includes determining a second electromagnetic spectrum of the output radiation and comparing the second electromagnetic spectrum with a reference electromagnetic spectrum. The method further includes generating a sorting instruction based on comparison of the second electromagnetic spectrum with the reference electromagnetic spectrum.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, via a physical sensing device, a physical property of a first plurality of energy storage devices;   dividing, based on the physical property, the first plurality of cells into a second plurality of energy storage devices and a third plurality of energy storage devices, the second plurality of energy storage devices including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the third plurality of energy storage devices including other batteries;   detecting, via a chemical sensing device, an output radiation of the second plurality of energy storage devices; and   dividing, based on the output radiation indicative of their cathode material chemistries, the second plurality of energy storage devices into a fourth plurality of energy storage devices and a fifth plurality of energy storage devices.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein detecting the output radiation includes:
 irradiating the second plurality of energy storage devices using an input radiation characterized by a first electromagnetic spectrum;   sensing the output radiation reflected or backscattered by the second plurality of energy storage devices;   determining a second electromagnetic spectrum of the output radiation that is characteristic of a chemical composition; and   comparing the second electromagnetic spectrum characteristic of a chemical composition with a reference electromagnetic spectrum to identify the chemical composition of the energy storage device.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein dividing the second plurality of energy storage devices includes generating a sorting instruction via a machine learning classification model based on comparison of the second electromagnetic spectrum with the reference electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the input radiation includes an X-ray radiation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the output radiation is generated via an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) process. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 packaging at least one of the second plurality of energy storage devices, the fourth plurality of energy storage devices, or the fifth plurality of energy storage devices.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the physical sensing device includes a camera. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the physical sensing device includes a mass sensor. 
     
     
         30 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, via a chemical sensing device, an output radiation of a first plurality of energy storage devices; and   dividing, based on the output radiation, the first plurality of energy storage devices into a second plurality of energy storage devices and a third plurality of energy storage devices, the second plurality of energy storage devices including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the third plurality of energy storage devices including other batteries;   detecting, via a physical sensing device, a physical property of the second plurality of energy storage devices indicative of their cathode material chemistries;   dividing, based on the physical property, the second plurality of cells into a fourth plurality of energy storage devices and a fifth plurality of energy storage devices.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein detecting the output radiation includes:
 irradiating the first plurality of energy storage devices using an input radiation characterized by a first electromagnetic spectrum;   sensing the output radiation reflected or backscattered by the first plurality of energy storage devices;   determining a second electromagnetic spectrum of the output radiation that is characteristic of a chemical composition; and   comparing the second electromagnetic spectrum characteristic of a chemical composition with a reference electromagnetic spectrum to identify the chemical composition of the energy storage device.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein dividing the first plurality of energy storage devices includes generating a sorting instruction via a machine learning classification model based on comparison of the second electromagnetic spectrum with the reference electromagnetic spectrum. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the input radiation includes an X-ray radiation. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the output radiation is generated via an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) process. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 packaging at least one of the second plurality of energy storage devices, the fourth plurality of energy storage devices, or the fifth plurality of energy storage devices.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the physical sensing device includes at least one of a camera or a mass sensor. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 housing the second plurality of energy storage devices in a holding unit.   
     
     
         38 . A system, comprising:
 a radiation source configured to irradiate an energy storage device using an input radiation characterized by a first electromagnetic spectrum;   a detector configured to detect an output radiation reflected or backscattered by the energy storage device;   a physical sensing device configured to detect a physical property of an energy storage device;   a compute device configured to generate an instruction to sort the energy storage device based on the output radiation and the physical property,   wherein the instruction to sort the energy storage device includes:
 a first instruction to sort a plurality of energy storage devices into lithium ion batteries (LIBs) and other batteries; and 
 a second instruction to sort the LIBs based on their cathode material chemistries. 
   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the radiation source includes an X-ray radiation source. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the radiation source and the detector form at least a portion of an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 a sorting device configured to receive the instruction and sort the energy storage device based on the instruction.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the sorting device includes a guiding switch. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , further comprising:
 a packaging device, disposed after the sorting device, configured to package the energy storage device.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive the energy storage device, wherein the physical sensing device is operatively coupled to the inlet.