Air Flotation Dryer for Battery Production
Problem definition
A process and a system for coating metal foils needed to be developed for a research and development project. The metal foils are used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. After coating, the foil must be dried before it can be calendered and rewound into a coil. The application required a dryer that dries the foils without touching them so that they can be coated on both sides. The dryer needs to have a modular design for easy integration into the rest of the system and allow for flexible expansion. Flammable gases are emitted during drying, which means that ATEX requirements must be met. The coating on the foils must also not be damaged by vapours or abrasion from the system itself.
mk Solution
Our subsidiary mkf has worked together with industrial oven specialist Tridelta Thermprozess to develop an air flotation dryer. The coated metal foil is transported by air currents and dried over a distance of approx. 10 meters at temperatures between 60 and 80°C. The entire oven is encased by components from mk's modular profile construction kit. All components are designed in compliance with the ATEX directive and are free of substances that interfere with the lacquering process. All materials are antistatic to prevent electrostatic charge from building up. In the oven itself, old air is extracted in a controlled manner to prevent explosive concentrations of gas. The waste heat from the old air is used to heat the fresh air. This makes the oven both safe and energy efficient.
Benefit to the customer
- contactless drying for foils coated on both sides
- safe and energy efficient
- collaboration with multiple areas of expertise
- research and development with mutual exchange of knowledge between project partners
