Powder handling in
battery production
As the world increasingly shifts towards renewable energy, batteries have become an essential part of energy storage. However, producing high-quality batteries involves a complex process with various manufacturing stages, including bulk solids handling. Powder handling plays a crucial role in battery production, encompassing the transport, storage and processing of powdered materials used in battery electrodes.
Handling these powders requires a delicate balance: their purity must be maintained, cross-contamination prevented and optimal conditions preserved to protect their physical and chemical properties.
At the same time, the growing demand for electric mobility and energy storage is increasing the need for lithium and other raw materials such as cobalt, nickel and manganese, particularly in battery manufacturing. Within this demanding production chain, feeding the raw materials is the first step, but also one that is decisive for the quality of the final product.
Bulk solids handling therefore has a significant impact on battery performance and service life. In addition to explosion protection, containment requirements must also be taken into account.
Production of battery materials
HECHT Technologie develops and supplies state of the art discharge, conveying and dosing technologies for the production of a wide range of battery components. The main focus is on the continuous and precise feeding of raw materials for cathode and anode production, while ensuring maximum protection for both operators and products.
Our customer is a renowned battery manufacturer headquartered in Germany.
The installed combined system comprises an anode line and a cathode line. Each line consists of two separate and independently operating subsystems. In principle, the same process is carried out in each subsystem, beginning at the material charging stations.
Within the system, the powdered components are introduced, conveyed and precisely dosed into a mixing vessel provided by the customer. In the subsequent process stages, the powder is used to produce the electrode paste for the anodes of lithium ion battery electrodes. In total, two mixing stations and their corresponding product charging systems were supplied.
Functional description
The anode and cathode materials are introduced into Big Bag discharge stations with minimal dust generation. These stations consist of four main components: the connection system, support table, frame and lifting device. An integrated lump breaker crushes agglomerates before dosing.
The Big Bag is connected to the HECHT Liner Connection System LAS-EC, which enables safe, ergonomic and dust-free handling and meets OEB 4 requirements for NMC products. Carbon black and graphite are also discharged via the LAS-EC system to ensure cleanliness and prevent contamination.
Small quantities supplied in bags are processed with minimal dust generation using a bag discharge station equipped with a glovebox. The bags are opened inside the glovebox, and the product is transferred into the pneumatic conveying system by means of a spherical suction shoe and agitator, ensuring consistent product quality.
The powder is transported to the dosing station by a HECHT ProClean Conveyor (PCC) vacuum conveyor. Each product has its own conveying system, which also serves as a buffer hopper. Dosing is carried out precisely and sequentially according to the recipe, allowing up to three solids to be combined.
After each dosing step, the result is verified by check weighing. The mixing vessel is housed inside an extraction booth and fitted with a pneumatically operated lid.
The electrode paste is then produced by combining the powder with liquid in the mixer. It is applied to metal substrates, dried and cut to size. Separator films made of porous plastic prevent short circuits. The electrodes and separators are stacked, placed in a housing, filled with electrolyte and sealed.
Recycling Process
Battery manufacturing is not the only complex process. Recycling is equally important for reducing the environmental impact of hazardous chemicals. However, several challenges make battery recycling particularly demanding.
Carbon black, which consists of carbon, is a useful material but can also pose a potential health risk when inhaled. Its fine particles can enter the lungs and cause respiratory problems. Appropriate safety precautions must therefore be taken when handling carbon black. It can be recovered from used batteries through a recycling process known as pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of organic materials in an oxygen free environment.
In battery recycling, the batteries are first mechanically crushed and separated into their individual components. The battery components are then heated in a furnace under oxygen free conditions. The heat decomposes the organic materials within the battery, producing a mixture of liquid and gaseous components as well as carbon black. This mixture is subsequently processed in several stages to separate and purify the carbon black.
The recovered carbon black can be used in other applications, such as rubber and plastics manufacturing, or returned to battery production. Recycling also enables the recovery of other raw materials, including lithium, cobalt and nickel, as well as copper or aluminium carrier foils.
In the final stage, various HECHT containment conveying and filling stations are used to fill these products safely, protect the operators and prepare the materials for transport.