Emerson to provide automation technology for battery recycler

Emerson, a St. Louis-based automation technology and software provider, has been selected by lithium-ion battery recycler SungEel HiTech Co. Ltd. to provide advanced automation solutions for sustainable production and operational efficiency goals at the newest of three lithium-ion recycling plants at SungEel's Hydro Center complex in South Korea.

Through the combination of Emerson's automation technology and SungEel HiTech's battery recycling methods, the collaboration aims to establish a resource cycle that will create a more stable supply of battery materials for electric vehicles (EVs) to bolster the world's overall production capacity.

"Our automation portfolio and expertise are empowering our customers to optimize and scale the circular economy for critical battery components, a key step toward meeting global net-zero targets head-on," says Mike Train,  chief sustainability officer at Emerson.

SungEel HiTech operates a comprehensive battery recycling portfolio across nine global locations, including a recycling park for collection and pretreatment and a hydrometallurgical battery material production facility at the Gunsan Hydro Center. The upcoming third Hydro Center plant will be triple the size of the first two, which SungEel HiTech says will contribute to increased production capacity that can supply raw materials for approximately 400,000 electric vehicles each year.

"As the battery recycling market continues to grow, the significance of automation solutions to improve productivity and process efficiency is increasingly apparent," says ChenFai Chung, vice president and general manager for Emerson in North Asia. "We are proud to work with an innovative leader like SungEel HiTech to contribute to the advancement of battery recycling technology."

Emerson will supply advanced instrumentation and valve solutions for the advanced proprietary hydrometallurgical processes that SungEel HiTech uses. The package will include a variety of flow, level, pressure and pH sensors and transmitters, as well as control valves that Emerson says are critical to safe and reliable operations.