Altech Batteries Limited (ASX: ATC) has named the key contractors for its CERENERGY battery joint venture with Fraunhofer IKTS in Germany.
The company says there has been outstanding progress and advancement as the company finalises the plant design with the various suppliers. Critical expert Workshops were recently held at Fraunhofer’s facility in Dresden, Germany.
The Workshops were attended by Altech personnel, Leadec’s process and automation engineering team, and Fraunhofer’s CERENERGY expert battery team. Most importantly, all the key suppliers for the project attended the Workshops and presented their designs for their section of plant. All design areas involve high automation and robotics. The Workshops were headed and led by Managing Director Iggy Tan.
Ceramic Mixing Systems
Altech is working with Gustav Eirich GmbH (Eirich), a highly experienced German company that provides advanced ceramic powder mixing and granulation equipment and technology. Eirich will also provide equipment and technology for granulating salt and nickel, essential for battery cathodes. Eirich has a strong reputation, having worked with Fraunhofer before, making them a trusted partner in Altech’s battery plant.
Green Ceramic Cell Production
Frey Systeme GmbH has been selected to provide isostatic machines for producing green ceramic tubes using alumina powder. Frey’s advanced technology enables high-speed filling of rubber moulds and applies high pressure to produce green tubes. With robotic technology, this will achieve a remarkable production rate of one tube every 45 seconds.
Sintered Ceramic Cell Production
Altech has selected Riedhammer GmbH, a world leading German ceramic kiln plant provider, who will provide a tunnel kiln for sintering of ceramic tubes, employing a heating profile of approximately 35 hours and maximum temperature of 1600°C. The Riedhammer tunnal kiln is designed to use renewable electricity for heating which will dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the CERENERGY battery.
Cell Quality Checks
Altech is working with Xenon Automation GmbH to implement comprehensive quality checks for completed sintered ceramic tubes, ensuring that there are no cracks or faults. Xenon’s technology will involve optical and ultrasonic tests to detect faults. Additionally, Xenon has designed the initialisation process for completed cells, which involves subjecting them to a full charge and discharge cycle.
Cell Filling and Assembly
Fritz Automation GmbH (Fritz) has been chosen as the supplier for the cell assembly plant that encompasses various tasks such as tube cutting, ceramic ring assembly, ceramic to cell case assembly, electrode assembly and welding, cathode granules and medium filling, as well as cell and battery pack assembly. Fritz will also provide systems for cell initialisation and performance testing. Fritz have designed the advanced automation systems which will ensure efficient and precise execution of each step of the cell assembly process.
Battery Connections
Altech has selected Hofer Powertrain GmbH, a leading German supplier of connector plates used for battery busbar connections and wire connections. Hofer’s expertise lies in designing and manufacturing efficient and reliable solutions for battery cell mounting. With its advanced connector plate technology, Hofer Powertrain will help secure and seamless connections between battery cells.
Battery Casing
König Metall GmbH has been chosen as the supplier for the insulated battery pack cases for the 60 KWh battery packs. These battery packs are designed with excellent vacuum insulation, ensuring that the exterior remains safe to touch. The cases are designed to IP 65 standards, which allow the batteries to operate in all weather conditions. The metal casings are designed for BMS and connector wiring at the bottom of each unit.
Cell Initialisation
For the cell initialisation and subsequent performance testing of completed battery cells, Dresden Elektronik GmbH has been selected to provide automation and robotics around this manufacturing step. The unit is designed to efficiently collect test data and perform charge and full discharge cycles to ensure the proper functioning of the cells. Tracking each individual cell during the manufacturing process is critical to the proposed battery facility.
Battery Management Systems
Altech has partnered with IAV GmbH Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr (IAV) to provide an advanced Battery Management System (BMS) design for its 60 KWh battery pack and 1 MWh GridPack. The BMS allows seamless integration with site panel software control and enables remote operation when connected to customer grid control systems. It ensures optimal performance and safety of the battery packs and provides users with efficient management and monitoring capabilities. The proposed BMS design also offers remote control capabilities, optimising energy storage and utilisation based on real-time demand and supply dynamics.
1 MWh GridPack Iso-container
Altech has selected Mein Lagerraum GmbH for the fabrication of the specially designed iso-container frame to house the eighteen (18) 60 KWh battery packs that make up the one MWh GridPack (ABS 1000). The open style high cube sea container frame is specially designed for easy transport and simple site installation. The GridPacks will be assembled on the Altech site and then undergo a complete charge and discharge cycle before shipping to customers. These frames are being accredited for use.
Plant Electrics and Control Systems
Leadec Automation & Engineering GmbH (Leadec) has been appointed as the contractor to provide advanced electric and automation solutions for the battery plant. This will include intranet-equipped control centres and local operation systems, allowing for centralised monitoring and control of operations. In addition, a SCADA real-time live system, ensuring real-time data acquisition, visualisation, and control will be incorporated. Track and trace functionality along with batch identification will be the key feature of the battery plant.
Layout, Architecture and Permitting
Altech appointed ARIKON Infrastruktur GmbH to design and cost all site buildings and infrastructure on the CERENERGY battery site. Arikon is the main contractor that will also manage the approval and permitting of the project with the local and state authorities. Additionally, Arikon is responsible for ensuring that site infrastructure meets all requirements for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the battery facility. Arikon was the infrastructure contractor for the Tesla Gigafactory in Brandenberg, Germany.
EPCM Contractor
Leadec Automation & Engineering GmbH has been chosen as the lead engineer for the Definitive Feasibility Study and possibly the EPCM contractor during the build of the CERENERGY 100MWh Battery project. Leadec is a leading global service specialist for factories across the entire life cycle and related infrastructure. For 60 years, the German company has been supporting customers in the manufacturing industries; from planning, installation, and automation of the factories.
“The level of excellence exhibited by the German plant unit suppliers we have brought together is truly remarkable. They possess extensive expertise in manufacturing plants that prioritise automation and robotics as essential components of the design,” Mr Tan said.
“Our objective is to manufacture battery cells from the ground up, encompassing the production of ceramic solid-state tubes, full cell assembly, and conducting quality and battery performance checks at a rate of one every 45 seconds.
“We have made substantial progress in our design endeavours and are currently transitioning towards obtaining the final cost estimates for the plant. Given our exclusive rights to this technology, all our design efforts will pave the way for our future success.”
