18% Energy Saving for a Lithium-Battery Producer’s Compressed Air System

The client is a state-owned enterprise in the lithium-ion battery industry. Battery production places strict demands on utilities. Compressed air must be very dry, because moisture damages electrode materials and cell quality. Supply must also be completely stable, and the energy cost of running auxiliary systems around the clock is significant.

The company needed a compressed air system for its auxiliary utility station that would:

• run at high energy efficiency;
• deliver ultra-dry air suitable for lithium-battery processes;
• keep pressure stable without frequent compressor cycling;
• make use of compression heat instead of rejecting it.

The compressed air system was designed for high efficiency and tailored to new-energy production conditions:

• Compression: high-efficiency SIND screw compressors with intelligent control, so maintenance and operation can be optimised.
• Deep drying: a combination drying system controls the moisture content of the compressed air to within 0.01 g/m³, meeting lithium-battery production standards.
• Pressure buffering: air receivers downstream of the compressors balance network pressure in real time. This prevents frequent start-stop cycles and cuts idle losses by a further 4%.
• Closed-loop SIND heat recovery: compression heat from the SIND compressors is recovered into an insulated hot-water tank with automatic make-up water. This forms a closed loop with a 45% heat-recovery rate.
• Low-loss distribution: aluminium-alloy pipework across the station reduces transmission losses by more than 15%.

The new system delivered the following results.

• 18% energy saving for the compressed air system.
• About 300,000 kWh of electricity saved per year.
• Moisture content within 0.01 g/m³, suitable for lithium-battery processes.
• 45% heat-recovery rate from the closed-loop SIND heat-recovery system.
• 4% lower idle losses through receiver buffering, with stable network pressure.

For battery manufacturers, a utility station designed for efficiency, dryness and heat reuse from the start reduces both energy cost and process risk.