Simulation of Structure Formation during Drying of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes using Discrete Element Method

Lithium-ion batteries are state-of-the-art and still their performance is subject to constant improvement. These enhancements are based, among other things, on optimization in the electrode production process chain. High optimization potential exists for the drying process of electrodes, as aiming for high drying speeds can greatly reduce both, investment costs and operating costs of the drying. However, high drying rates without appropriate precautions go hand in hand with poorer cell performance and adhesive strength, leading to a conflict between the required performance and production costs of the electrodes. Herein, a numerical approach based on the discrete element method to describe the formation of the electrode structure during drying is presented. The focus is placed on the active material structure and the effects due to particle interactions. Herein, a direct numerical description of the fluid phase is avoided by using various fluid substitute models, so that the simulation time and the computational costs can be greatly reduced. The model is validated by simulating different electrode areal loadings and comparing the achieved layer thicknesses to experimental results of the electrode drying process. A high agreement between experiment and simulation regarding density is obtained for different areal loadings.