A new experimental line for manufacturing raw materials for Li-ion batteries in Russia
On the Angarsk electrolysis chemical plant (AO AEHC under the Rosatom’s TVEL) in Russia an experimental installation for manufacturing battery quality lithium hydroxide has been ceremonially opened.
Lithium hydroxide (LiOH) is used to manufacture chemical cells. New AEHC line is mainly export-oriented, its main potential customers are foreign-based Li-ion batteries components manufacturers. A potential Russian consumer is, for example, the Novosibirsk chemical concentrates plant, the largest manufacturer of lithium and its compounds in Russia.
The new installation works in experimental industrial production, during which the technological regimes will be checked, the technical characteristics of the process will be confirmed and the samples of product will be obtain and checked for compliance with the customer’s requirements. Based on the results the main design decisions will be made for the large-scale production facility which is planned to be introduced in 2024. With that in mind, the plan is to not only obtain experimental batches of LiOH, but also to start marketing it to the customers.
The production line on AEHC will work without generating waste, which is especially important for the Baikal region and complies with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”, and it will also be less energy-demanding than the classic technology of LiOH manufacturing.
“Chemicals manufacturing is a dynamic non-nuclear business of the TVEL company, which brings 10 billion rubles in revenues per year, and one of its drives in export of lithium products. Manufacturing LiOH in AEHC will allow TVEL to expand their product assortment and strengthen our position on the world market of lithium compounds which is expected to grow substantially in the coming decade”, – Mikhail Metelkin, the head of business department “Special Chemistry” of AO TVEL pointed out.
LiOH manufacturing is just one of the series of projects dedicated to non-nuclear production on AEHC in the special chemistry department. The Angarsk enterprises already manufactures potassium bifluoride, the work is ongoing to create the line for polyanionic cellulose manufacturing.