Battery recycling is categorized into three types: dry recycling, wet recycling, and biological recycling. Currently, biological recycling is in the research and development phase and represents the future direction. Wet recycling is the predominant method, with dry recycling serving as a complementary process to wet recycling.

Dry recovery refers to the direct recycling of materials or valuable metals without the use of solutions or other mediums, involving physical sorting methods and high-temperature pyrolysis.

Physical sorting methods are used to classify battery materials based on their different physical properties (such as density, magnetism) through processes like crushing and screening, initially separating various useful metals.

The high-temperature pyrolysis method employs high-temperature combustion to decompose and remove binders, achieving material separation. Furthermore, after high-temperature combustion, the metals and their compounds in the battery will undergo oxidation, reduction, decomposition, and vapor volatilization, which are then collected through condensation.

The principle of dry metallurgical recycling of waste power batteries is simple, the equipment is simple, and the application is extensive. However, it has issues such as high energy consumption, low recovery efficiency, and potential secondary pollution and safety concerns. For example, LiPF6 in the electrolyte is prone to hydrolysis when exposed to water, producing toxic gases; organic solvents, due to their low flash point, may cause fires and explosions during the recycling process; and the disposal of metals like Li during recovery results in resource wastage.