Battery Electrode Dust Collection

DUST CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR BATTERY ELECTRODE PRODUCTION

RoboVent is working with battery manufacturers to design, install and maintain safe and effective dust control solutions for every stage of the manufacturing process, including electrode production. Industrial dust collectors like RoboVent Senturion provide an ideal solution for many electrode manufacturing processes, from material synthesis and mixing to electrode calendering and slitting. We can help you with:

Dust collection and air filtration system design for electrode manufacturing, including dust collector selection, ductwork, filter selection and regulatory compliance.
OSHA and NFPA regulatory requirements and safety guidelines for management of combustible dusts, including the dust hazard analysis (DHA) process and NFPA-compliant system design.
Operation and maintenance of your dust collection system.
Indoor air quality and exposure testing.

Our experienced air quality engineers offer comprehensive dust collection system design services, including needs analysis, system design and engineering, collector and ductwork installation, filter selection, HVAC system integration, startup and commissioning, and aftercare and service.

Learn More About Senturion

Dust-Creating Processes in Electrode Manufacturing

Electrode production is one of the dustiest parts of the battery manufacturing process. Electrode manufacturing varies widely among battery types; this article mainly focused on electrodes for Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries such as those used for electric vehicles (EVs) and consumer electronics. Dust is created during several processes for both cathode and anode preparation, including material preparation and mixing, slurry preparation, calendering, and slitting. Other processes, such as coating and drying, do not generate much dust themselves; however, it is important to have dust control systems in place to prevent dust from other processes from contaminating coating and drying lines.

Material preparation: Cathode and anode materials are synthesized and processed into fine powders. For Li-ion batteries, this typically involves a lithium metal oxide and graphite, respectively. Cathode materials are synthesized using various methods, such as co-precipitation or solid-state reaction. Particle size for both cathode and anode materials must then be reduced using milling or micronization techniques to create particles of a fine, uniform size. Nanomaterials are increasingly used in electrode production for Li-ion batteries.
Mixing: The active cathode and anode materials are mixed with conductive additives (e.g., carbon black or graphite) and binders to enhance electronic conductivity and adhesion to the current collector. Powder feeding and mixing of dry materials can create clouds of ultra-fine particulate.
Slurry preparation: Both cathode and anode mixtures are then combined with solvents to form a slurry. The slurry is mixed thoroughly using high-speed mixers, planetary mixers, or three-roll mills to ensure homogeneity.
Coating and drying: The slurry is coated onto a metallic current collector (aluminum for the cathode and copper for the anode) in a thin, uniform layer, and the coated electrodes are dried in an oven to remove solvents. While these processes do not themselves generate dust, it is essential to keep dust from milling and mixing processes out of coating and drying lines.
Calendering: After drying, the coated electrodes (cathode and anode) are passed through a calendering machine that consists of a series of rollers. The rollers apply pressure to the coated electrode, compressing the active material layer and reducing its thickness. Calendering can generate dust from the electrode material, as the compression process may cause some particles to break loose from the electrode surface.
Slitting: Slitting is the process of cutting the calendered electrode into the required dimensions for cell assembly. The calendered electrode is fed into a slitting machine, which cuts the electrode into the required width and length using rotary knives, shear cutters, or other cutting mechanisms. Slitting can generate dust as the electrodes are cut.

Health and Safety Risks for Electrode Dust

Dust generated during electrode production in lithium-ion battery manufacturing can pose several health and safety risks to workers and the overall production environment. These include health problems from exposure to toxic dust created during battery production and combustion risk from clouds of fine electrode dust. Special care must be taken to protect workers and facilities from the risks of dust generated during electrode manufacturing.

Regulations for the Battery Industry

Battery manufacturers involved with electrode production must comply with all environmental, worker health and safety regulations set by national, state and local regulatory agencies. Proper dust control and containment are necessary to meet regulatory standards related to worker exposure, combustible dust safety, and environmental protection. These regulations include:

Dust Control Challenges for Electrode Production

Dust collection during electrode production in battery manufacturing presents several challenges due to the nature of the materials involved, the requirements for maintaining a clean environment, and the need to ensure worker safety. Some of the primary challenges include:

TOTAL FILTRATION PARTNER

RoboVent is your full turnkey resource for clean air in industrial environments. From facility testing and engineering, to installing equipment, providing replacement filters and preventive maintenance, RoboVent is ready to manage the whole process.

EQUIPMENT

INDUSTRIAL AIR FILTERS

FACILITY TESTING & ENGINEERING SERVICES

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & INSTALLATION

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

CONTACT US

Contact one of our industrial dust experts to gain the advantage against dust-generating processes and applications.

INDUSTRIAL DUST COLLECTORS

WELD FUME EXTRACTION

EQUIPMENT CATEGORIES

Dust Collectors for Every Situation

Search for your industry or application.

PLEATLOCK

ENDUREX

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICES

VENTMAPPING SERVICES

Battery Electrode Dust Collection

DUST CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR BATTERY MANUFACTURING

Content Index

DUST CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR BATTERY ELECTRODE PRODUCTION

Dust-Creating Processes in Electrode Manufacturing