New wide-web coating system uses simultaneous 2-sided process to produce up to 3 GWhr of battery electrode output annually
(De Pere, Wis.) Babcock & Wilcox MEGTEC (B&W MEGTEC) has launched the GigaCoater wide-web coating line for lithium-ion battery electrodes.
Developed to provide high-volume production of battery electrodes, each GigaCoater can produce up to 3 GWhr of electrode per year on average. The GigaCoater coating platform utilizes B&W MEGTEC’s exclusive simultaneous 2-sided coating system.
“The energy storage industry is demanding a significant reduction in production costs in combination with increased yields and product quality,” said Jeff Quass, vice president of technology and development, B&W MEGTEC. “The GigaCoater offers increased foil width and faster speeds. Coupled with our simultaneous two-sided coating system, the GigaCoater provides a simplified coating line that approximately doubles manufacturing capacity within the same footprint as a single-side sequential line.”
The dual-coating method, in combination with coating rheology and GigaCoater machine properties, maximizes production time and delivers in-line quality control. Additional GigaCoater specifications include:
- Web width of 1,300 mm
- Coating width of 1,200 mm
- Mechanical speed of 50/m/min
- Process speed of 40 m/min
- Wet coat weight of up to 400 gsm/side
“Manufacturing large quantities of lithium-ion battery cells requires a significant change and dimensional up-scaling of the production equipment and output per line to achieve industry targets,” Quass notes. “At the same time, the benefits of two-sided simultaneous coating technology become increasingly important the wider and faster coating lines are required to get.”
The GigaCoater maximizes manufacturing at a significantly lower total production cost with:
- 50 percent to 70 percent less floor space than typical single-side coating operations, which allows for more efficient plant layouts
- Thermal efficiencies that deliver lower energy requirements
- A wide-web width that significantly reduces the number of coils needing to be handled
- Simplified material flow that enhances overall throughput
- Higher automation that maximizes production volume
