Chinese plant manufacturer LEAD Intelligent Equipment has unveiled a new dry coating system for anoes and cathodes of lithium batteries. According to the company, the system is specifically designed for industrial mass production. By eliminating solvents and energy-intensive drying steps, LEAD claims the plant enables more resource-efficient manufacturing.
Up to 60 percent less heating energy
Dry coating is considered an alternative to established wet processes, in which solvent removal accounts for up to 35 percent of the energy required for battery cell production. The system can process web widths of up to 1,000 millimeters and achieve production speeds of 80 meters per minute for anodes and 60 meters per minute for cathodes, according to LEAD. The systemʼs variable heating system, which uses electric heating elements, is designed to reduce energy consumption by up to 60 percent compared to oil-heated variants.
Material costs reduced by 20 percent
When fiberizing the powder, the three-stage temperature control system uses only in-house cooling water, reducing the need for external cooling technology. Process monitoring includes real-time roll gap measurements with an accuracy of ±1 micrometer, automatic adjustments, and a vacuum system for dust and material recovery. LEAD claims that this can reduce total energy costs by more than a third and material costs by around 20 percent.
Source:
https://www.leadintelligent.com/en/lead-launches-dry-coating-system-cutting-energy-use-and-cost/