The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) has opened a clean and dry zone (CDZ), which is available for use by cell developers, equipment manufacturers and specialists working in the battery sector.
Capable of maintaining the precise climate-controlled conditions needed in the production of high-quality, reliable cells, the 800m2 CDZ consists of five independent rooms which can be rented either individually or together for a range of uses.
The five controlled environment areas are ISO 7 clean rooms that use an air filtration system to maintain air cleanliness levels, and which have the capability of reaching -40°C dew point.
The flexible empty spaces, which range in size from 83m² to 245m², are 3m in height, one room, and have a ceiling height of 5m in some parts to accommodate processes which require additional height. Access to each room is controlled by a smart card to protect customer intellectual property.
Richard LeCain, UKBIC’s chief technology officer, said, “We’re delighted to unveil our clean and dry zone, tailored to meet the fast-evolving demands of the battery industry. One of the largest costs for cell and material developers is buying, installing and paying for the ongoing costs of keeping large areas dry. These dynamic, climate-controlled spaces are designed with flexibility for different customers in mind and offer the perfect environment for specialised testing, manufacturing and R&D, enabling customers to increase their technology readiness levels without large outlay in capex and opex. The CDZ enable organizations to push the boundaries of innovation and efficiency in battery technology, supporting one of UKBIC’s core missions.”
UKBIC is part of the Faraday Battery Challenge, a £657m (US$902m) investment program that supports world-class scientific technology development and manufacturing scale-up capability for batteries in the UK.
In related news, Göpel Electronic has developed a powerful and quickly configurable battery test bench that features a modular design and high flexibility. Read the full story here