Model-based approach for technology assessment in battery manufacturing process chains and factories

The introduction of new technologies in battery manufacturing process chain constitutes a key strategy to boost throughput, lower energy demands and battery costs. Implementing new technologies in the process chain is a costly, time-consuming and resource-intense exercise. Therefore, manufacturers have to prioritize technologies with great potential benefits since there are various alternative technologies being proposed. To cope with such problem, this paper presents a model-based approach to aid decision makers in the pre-assessment of new process technologies and strategies in the battery manufacturing process chain. The multi-factor model considers the cell performance parameters, equipment operating parameters and building environment configurations to ascertain the demands in the manufacturing process chain caused by new technologies. A case study for the production of an NMC 333 18650-type battery cell was used to test the model. Energy demand and production cost were assessed in 3 different scenarios (pessimistic, literature based and optimistic), determined by the equipment operating conditions. The results of the model were benchmarked against those reported in the literature and have shown to be comparable. The model has shown to be flexible and user-friendly. Its application extends from gaining quick insights of the manufacturing process chain, screening technologies before embarking in a more detailed assessment and for planning the establishment of a battery manufacturing plant.