Lithium iron phosphate (lithium ferrophosphate) is a staple in the electric vehicle market, expected to surpass lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) battery production. This type of lithium-ion battery chemistry, which uses lithium iron phosphate as the cathode material, impresses through high levels of safety, low toxicity, a long life-cycle, and low cost. The lithium iron phosphate manufacturing process, however, requires precision, as technologies producing the powder have to:
- Handle a high feed rate without risk of blockages.
- Withstand the abrasive nature of the product.
- Allow for easy control over droplet size.
- Offer consistent particle size regardless of feed rate.
- Avoid introducing contaminants into the product.
Spray dryers have become crucial in the manufacture of lithium-ion battery materials, particularly in producing electrode powders (cathode or anode active materials), or binders such as PVDF – but like any other technology, it has had its limits.
The spray drying process in lithium iron phosphate production – advantages and current limitations
For production of fast charging and high-capacity lithium iron phosphate batteries, exceptionally fine lithium powder is required. In a nutshell, when handling these powders, the electrode materials are mixed into a liquid slurry upstream of the spray dryer and then atomised using a nozzle or rotary atomiser to produce a cloud of droplets in a large chamber. There, hot air is introduced to evaporate all the water or organic solvent and leave behind fine particles which are collected in a bag filter – without the need for a cyclone. Depending on the atomising technology, particles of sizes anywhere in the range of 10 – 50 µm can be produced.
Meeting the target particle size is critical to achieving optimal electrochemical performance, processability, and packing density of the final LFP powder. Spray drying acts not only as a drying step but also as a micro-scale granulation/structuring method, combining mixing, shaping, and solvent removal in one continuous (or semi-continuous) process. This eliminates the need for separate granulation or shaping steps. After all, lithium iron phosphate cathodes require high tap density, good flowability, and uniform carbon distribution – spray drying achieves all of this in one step, making it a strategic process for high-performance, scalable lithium iron phosphate production. Despite its widespread and long-standing use in lithium-based electrode material production, the spray drying technology still faces limitations. The main issues come from the nature of the product handled; a high-purity end product with a uniform particle size is needed for a uniform electrode behaviour, but the feed often has varying particle sizes and takes its toll on the drying technology due to its abrasive behaviour. Extensive experience with customer projects to date has shown the research team at ANDRITZ Dedert a single component of the spray dryer, the optimisation of which can minimise most of these problems: the atomising technology.
This is a preview of an article that was originally published in the Jan/Feb 2026 issue of Global Mining Review. Subscribe to Global Mining Review for free to read this article in full and many more here.