Infrared heat improves battery production

Infrared heat can significantly accelerate drying and heating processes.

Lithium batteries are found in e-cars, electric scooters and many other modern means of transportation. Their production is booming and with it the manufacture of the necessary electrodes. For this purpose, metal foils, usually made of copper, are coated with a paste called slurry. Drying the slurry on the metal foils is not simple, but a complex interplay between drying temperature, energy input and time to achieve as little residual moisture as possible with maximum adhesion.

Practical test series and computer simulation optimize slurry drying with infrared heat

Slurry drying with IR heat

How to identify the interaction of the various parameters and understand their influences?

  • Conduct drying trials with different radiation sources and outputs at the application center.
  • Simulate the process from coating to drying to analysis on a laboratory scale.

 Watch our video about advantages of infrared heating technology for battery production

adhesion testing after infrared drying of slurry
  • A film applicator precisely coats the substrate films with electrode paste in different layer thicknesses.
  • After infrared drying, residual moisture is determined.
  • Adhesion tests are carried out.

In this way the relationships between film thickness, drying speed and adhesion can be readily identified.
 Infrared emitters are individually adapted to the required parameters in the wavelength range and also in the power density.

Process optimization using numerical simulation: Computer Aided Engineering - CAE

Production systems can be analyzed and optimized using virtual product data models. This involves simulating precise information on temperature distribution in the coated foils, feedback from environmental influences and air flow for the removal of moisture/water vapor.

 Learn more about CAE