Looking at the rising environmental concerns, the automotive sector has been undergoing a paradigm shift towards clean mobility. Vehicular exhausts add a colossal amount of pollution to the air, which is responsible for triggering the entrenched issue of climate change. For combating the issue, it is imperative to drive deeper penetration of EVs across the country to encourage green transportation without any tailpipe emissions from the vehicles.
Even the government has been supporting the cause with subsidies, policies, and incentives such as PM E-Drive, PLI schemes, etc., to expedite the adoption of EVs across the country. However, the rising concern around range anxiety, long charging time, and safety concerns of electric vehicles are major setbacks discouraging the potential consumers from purchasing the vehicle. Considering that batteries are at the heart of driving EV performance, the industry is shifting towards solid-state Li-ion batteries with agility. It is a holy grail of electric vehicles that alleviates the limitations of liquid Li-ion batteries and fortifies the performance of the vehicles with enhanced power, faster charging, and improved energy density.
The solid-state Li-ion batteries are composed of a solid electrolyte that offers great energy density to the batteries. It innately increases the energy storage capacity, which facilitates fast charging, efficiently mitigating the drawback of limited range and slow charging speed in liquid Li-ion batteries. It is highly proficient at withstanding extreme temperatures, which plays a crucial role in attenuating instances of explosions or EVs catching fire. It exhibits exemplary resistance against high heat temperatures, owing to non-flammable organic solvents, where it is capable of performing even at high temperatures. In addition to this, unlike liquid Li-ion batteries that experience voltage drops at low temperatures, the advanced battery technology is adept at defying freezing at low temperatures. Along with this, the solid electrolyte comes with the added advantage of slow deterioration that improves the longevity of the batteries.
Understanding the pioneering technology of solid-state Li-ion batteries, it exercises an edge over other alternatives present in the market. Assuaging the major concerns deterring the adoption of EVs, it emerges as the next generation of batteries, coming with a lot of potential to democratize clean mobility across the country. Thereby, it becomes more essential than ever to manufacture the highest quality solid-state Li-ion batteries to further amplify the resilience and performance of the EVs.
However, considering that solid electrolytes contain sulfides, it undergoes degeneration in the presence of moisture, accounting for low-quality, malfunctioning solid-state Li-ion batteries. Therefore, it is mandatory to maintain a highly controlled environment at the time of solid-state Li-ion battery manufacturing. To achieve the purpose, the batteries are manufactured in Dry Rooms, which are characterized by sealed & controlled environment. It maintains ultra-low humidity levels where a precision dehumidifier is plugged in for ensuring safe and efficient solid-state Li-ion battery manufacturing. The dehumidifiers play an instrumental role in preserving the product quality and safety by inhibiting the moisture-related defects in battery components like lithium salts and electrolytes.
Thereby, Dry Rooms are a prerequisite for conducting lithium-ion battery manufacturing for their ability to immaculately control humidity levels. However, the Dry Rooms are responsible for utilizing 43% of the total energy used in the Li-ion manufacturing process, which is majorly consumed to power the dehumidifiers. This necessitates deployment of energy-efficient dehumidifiers in the Dry Rooms aimed at reducing the overall energy costs of the manufacturing process.
Making use of Bry-Air’s Super Low Dew Point (LDP) dehumidifiers helps in further amplifying the energy efficiency of the Dry Rooms which significantly contributes to reducing the operational cost during the manufacturing process. Being well equipped with high-performance rotors, it promotes optimal efficiency of Dry Rooms. It ensures ideal manufacturing conditions by maintaining a dew point of -80°C while supplying air of < -70°C Dew Point for guaranteeing the stability and optimal performance of solid electrolytes.
Likewise, in order to promote resilient battery manufacturing, it is essential that industry players adopt NMP recovery technology with agility. NMP is an essential raw material that is used as a solvent in the electrode coating process involved in the manufacturing of solid-state Li-ion batteries. But it is very hazardous in nature as it contains toxic gases and substances that can pose a significant threat to the lives of the occupants. At the same time, NMP is very expensive, making it difficult to procure the material, and compounding the problem, it also adds to the air pollution, which has a deteriorating impact on the environment. On account of this, even the government has issued guidelines to not release NMP directly into the air while mandating recovery of 99.9% of NMP in the process.
To address the issue, employing NMP Recovery System for lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing is vital for capturing and recycling N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP). It plays a crucial role in reducing toxic emissions and improving workplace safety while abiding by environmental compliance. By facilitating recovery and reuse of expensive solvent, it offers a cost-effective solution by reclaiming the expensive raw material. In addition to this, the NMP recovery system goes a long way in improving air quality, which significantly contributes to a cleaner and safer work environment while reducing material waste.
The role of technology transcends to strict regulation of NMP released into the air that abides by the regulations outlined by the government. In the process, it significantly contributes to reducing the air pollution induced at the time of battery manufacturing which also inhibits development of cancer among the occupants due to NMP released into the air.
Therefore, understanding that solid-state Li-ion batteries are a game-changer in revolutionizing the EV sector, the industry must focus on establishing a robust and resilient manufacturing infrastructure. Deploying highly efficient desiccant dehumidifiers must be prioritized to reinforce the position of EVs in the market by leveling up their offering and performance, which can surpass that of ICE vehicles. Managing the humidity levels is crucial for steering the growth of the industry, which comes in handy for mitigating the moisture menace during battery manufacturing, contributing to the highest quality Li-ion battery in the world.
