Novonix All-Dry Cathode Material Synthesis Process Study
Commercializing a novel, simplified process
Novonix Battery Technology Solutions
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Halifax, New Brunswick, Canada
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2023
Novel CAM production process
Commercial scale up
Commercial flowsheet definition
Challenges
- Novonix’s process had only been proven at pilot scale, so scaling up to commercial production introduced uncertainty.
- The pilot plant design excluded many secondary steps, requiring evaluation of which steps were essential for a full-scale operation.
- The best technology configuration for commercial-scale production had not yet been determined.
- The optimal economic capacity for a single commercial line remained unknown, creating risk in sizing and investment decisions.
Solutions
- Hatch’s expertise in CAM processing was relied upon to address gaps in the pilot-scale process, in order to propose a functional commercial-scale manufacturing plant.
- Novonix engaged Hatch to review the pilot-scale data and propose a commercial flowsheet, determine the optimal single-line capacity, and compare the process to the traditional route for manufacturing CAM.
Highlights
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The study was completed on time and on budget.
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Hatch proposed a detailed commercial-scale process, determined the optimal design capacity, and assessed the capital and operating cost estimates for the commercial plant.
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The proposed process was compared to the traditional processing route to distinguish differences in capital and operating cost estimates, as well as waste generation, power consumption, and technical risk.
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Hatch supported the scale-up of the all-dry process and assisted NOVONIX with optimization of utility demands. As a result, the process:
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Reduces capital expense intensity by approximately 30%.
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Reduces processing costs by up to 50%.
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Reduces estimated power consumption by approximately 25%.
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Removes the need for water in the material processing steps.
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Eliminates other key waste byproducts, including sodium sulphate (Na2SO4).
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“Hatch’s study supports our expected outcomes of our all-dry, zero-waste cathode synthesis process, which shows the potential for significant cost reductions and environmental benefits.”