Mini-Environments in Lithium-Ion Battery Cell Production: A Survey on Current State, Challenges and Trends

The demand for lithium-ion batteries increases rapidly. Possible improvements of the production technology are seen as key lever to improve sustainability and cost. The production of lithium-ion battery cells is complex and highly influenced by the production environment. Large parts of the production processes must take place in so-called clean and dry rooms to strictly control particles, temperature, and humidity. Especially the dehumidification of air for dry room conditions requires significant amounts of energy. Moreover, contaminants are emitted in certain processes that must not interfere with operational safety. A possible improvement is given with so-called mini-environments. This concept, roughly described as encapsulation of the individual process step, offer numerous theoretical benefits such as improved process control, enhanced product quality, increased worker safety and reduced energy consumption. The concept of minienvironments in battery cell production is not yet established. This paper presents the findings of an industry and institute survey with key stakeholders from the battery machinery, clean-and dry room, and encapsulation industries. The results show that while the potentials of mini-environments in battery cell production are recognised, many hurdles must be overcome before successful implementation. For example, adapted holistic production systems and new logistic measures must be developed.