Abstract: A method for discharging end-of-life batteries prior to dismantling and recycling involves recovering residual stored electrical energy by draining the battery to a zero charge state, and reverse biasing the battery to bring the potential from a zero charge state of around 2.7 V to a zero or near zero energy state. The reverse bias inverts the normal usage polarity for inducing a reverse current flow, and continues based on formation of internal short circuits formed on the cathode current collector for rendering the battery with little to no energy storage for safe agitation and dismantling.

Abstract: A continuous feed coater for coating a length of substrate with vaporized or sprayed material, is disclosed. A specific example is a roll-to-roll coater which includes two lower supply rollers for supporting two webs of uncoated material, and two upper take-up rollers for supporting the webs after they are coated. A central web-support forms a plenum that acts as a deposition chimney or chamber by bringing the two webs into close proximity to each other to form two large walls of the plenum. The ends of the webs are sealed using side dams to form the chimney with a rectangular cross section such that the vapor cannot exit from the edges of the material. The vaporized coating constituents to be deposited on the rolled material are directed into the deposition plenum from a coating material supply source located at the bottom of the plenum, and are exhausted through the top of the plenum.