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Filter Cloth Treatment of Sodium Aluminate Solution for Lithium Batteries Using a Plate-and-Frame Filter Press
In the wet-process lithium-ion battery manufacturing workflow, sodium aluminate solution serves as a critical alkaline intermediate for lithium resource extraction and purification. It exhibits complex physicochemical characteristics—high-temperature strong corrosivity, extensive enrichment of ultrafine colloidal impurities, and relatively high slurry viscosity—making solid–liquid separation and purification extremely challenging. Conventional filtration media are prone to corrosion, pore blockage, and material leakage, severely limiting the purity of lithium-ion battery feedstock and the continuous production efficiency of the manufacturing line. Plate-and-frame filter presses are the core equipment for fine solid–liquid separation of sodium aluminate solutions in lithium-ion battery production; the performance of the filter cloth directly determines filtration throughput, the high purity of the filtrate, dewatering and cake formation, and overall on-site operation and maintenance costs. This paper focuses on the specific pain points of filtration conditions for sodium aluminate solutions in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, analyzing common field issues such as rapid alkali-induced aging and clogging of standard filter cloths, difficulty in regeneration, poor cake release, and inadequate impurity retention. Leveraging the R&D and manufacturing expertise of Xiamen Xiadias, a specialist filter-material company, the paper highlights a suite of core adaptation technologies for custom-designed filter cloths tailored for plate-and-frame filter presses: modified alkali-resistant base materials, gradient precision weaving, nano-scale anti-adhesion modification, and high-pressure tear-resistant reinforcement. Based on real-world industrial-scale production conditions in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, the performance of these specialized filter cloths is verified across the entire filtration process—including plate-and-frame filtration, high-pressure pressing, and intelligent backwashing and regeneration—and their effectiveness in enhancing sodium aluminate solution processing capacity, rigorously controlling trace harmful impurities such as iron and silicon, reducing cake moisture content and losses of lithium salt materials carried over with the cake, significantly extending filter-cloth service life, and lowering downtime for cloth replacement and labor-intensive maintenance costs. Practical results demonstrate that Xiadias’ domestically produced, lithium-ion-specific filter cloths can fully replace conventional general-purpose filter media, resolving key technical bottlenecks in the alkaline wet-process filtration of lithium-ion batteries. These cloths are well-suited for long-term, stable, large-scale operations on lithium-ion production lines, delivering multiple benefits including improved product quality, energy savings, reduced consumption, and compliance with environmental regulations. They provide a highly adaptable, low-cost, and durable domestic complete filtration solution for the wet-process solid–liquid separation stage in the lithium-ion new-energy industry chain, thereby supporting the green, low-carbon, high-quality, and scalable upgrading of the lithium-ion sector.
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Detailed Description
Xiamen Xiadis Citius
Filter Cloth Treatment of Sodium Aluminate Solution for Lithium Batteries Using a Plate-and-Frame Filter Press
Filter type: Plate-and-frame filter
Application Industry: Lithium Batteries
Material handling description: Sodium aluminate solution
In the lithium-ion battery industry chain, sodium aluminate solution serves as a core intermediate product following the leaching of raw materials such as spodumene and bauxite, and the effectiveness of its solid–liquid separation directly determines the purity of lithium-ion battery materials, production energy consumption, and compliance with environmental protection standards. Plate-and-frame filter presses, thanks to High pressure, high dewatering rate, and strong adaptability Its advantages have made it the mainstream equipment for purifying sodium aluminate solutions in lithium-ion battery production. As the “heart” of the plate-and-frame filter press, the filter cloth’s material, structure, and performance directly affect filtration efficiency and product quality. Xiamen Xiadidas Filtration Materials Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Xiadidas”), with more than three decades of deep expertise in the industrial filter cloth sector, has focused on the pain points of the lithium-ion battery industry and developed a specialized plate-and-frame filter cloth tailored to the characteristics of sodium aluminate solutions. This provides an efficient, stable, and cost-effective solution for solid–liquid separation in lithium-ion battery manufacturing, thereby driving the upgrade of filtration technology across the industry.
I. Characteristics of Sodium Aluminate Solution in Lithium Batteries and Core Challenges in Filtration
Sodium aluminate solution for lithium batteries is a complex system that is strongly alkaline, highly viscous, and contains ultrafine solid particles. Its main components include sodium aluminate, sodium hydroxide, and sodium carbonate, while also containing admixtures such as fine spodumene powder, aluminum hydroxide colloids, iron oxides, and other impurities, exhibiting Highly corrosive, ultra-fine particles that easily cause clogging, high viscosity that makes filtration difficult, and the need for thorough impurity removal. The four major characteristics pose significant challenges to the application of filter cloths in plate-and-frame filter presses.
(1) In highly alkaline corrosive environments, the filter cloth must exhibit stringent weather resistance.
The pH of sodium aluminate solution is typically stable at 12–14, with the temperature maintained between 60 and 90°C, making it a high-temperature, strongly alkaline medium. Under these conditions, ordinary filter cloths are prone to Fiber hydrolysis, strength degradation, and pore structure deformation Short-term use already leads to rupture and material leakage, which not only increases replacement costs but also causes filtrate contamination, thereby compromising the purity of subsequent lithium-ion battery products.
(2) Ultrafine solid particles exacerbate the trade-off between particle retention and fouling resistance.
The particle sizes of solid particles in the solution are mostly concentrated around 0.5–10 μm The formulation primarily consists of nanoscale aluminum hydroxide colloids and micron-sized spodumene fine powder. If the pore size of the conventional filter cloth is too large, fine particles will pass through, resulting in turbid filtrate; if the pore size is too small, the cloth is easily clogged by colloidal particles, significantly prolonging the filtration cycle, reducing production capacity, and even leading to premature replacement of the filter cloth, making it difficult to strike a balance between retention accuracy and filtration efficiency.
(3) High viscosity and colloidal adhesion result in significant challenges in filter cake detachment and regeneration.
The viscosity of sodium aluminate solution is much higher than that of ordinary industrial wastewater, and during filtration it readily forms a layer on the surface of the filter cloth. Dense, sticky filter cake layer It exhibits strong adhesion, making it difficult to remove naturally and requiring manual cleaning, which is labor-intensive and can easily damage the filter cloth fibers. Moreover, colloidal particles tend to become embedded in the internal pores of the filter cloth, rendering conventional cleaning methods ineffective for thorough regeneration. As a result, the air permeability of the filter cloth continuously declines, shortening its service life.
(4) There is a high demand for the deep removal of impurities, as the purity of the filtrate directly affects lithium-ion battery performance.
Sodium aluminate solution for lithium-ion batteries must be purified to remove impurities such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and silicon down to the ppm level; otherwise, it will adversely affect the subsequent cathode materials. Cyclic attenuation, bloating, and reduced safety The filtration accuracy, surface smoothness, and pore uniformity of filter cloths directly determine the effectiveness of impurity removal; conventional filter cloths often fail to meet the high-purity production standards required in the lithium-ion battery industry.
II. Technical Advantages and Adaptive Design of Filter Cloth for Xiamen Dias Plate-and-Frame Filter Press
As a national high-tech enterprise and the drafting body for industry standards in the belt filter media sector, Xadiyas holds more than 30 technical patents, boasts an annual production capacity of 1.8 million square meters, and is equipped with imported weaving machines from Italy and Germany as well as comprehensive, end-to-end testing equipment. The company has deep expertise in fields such as lithium-ion batteries, chemicals, and metallurgy, and, in response to the pain points associated with filtering sodium aluminate solutions, has developed specialized plate-and-frame filter press filter cloths, thereby achieving Alkali-resistant and anti-corrosive, precise retention, anti-fouling and easy to peel off, long service life Four major technological breakthroughs deliver performance on par with leading international brands, while reducing costs by 20%–40% and shortening delivery times by 50%.
(1) Selection of high-performance materials tailored for high-temperature, strongly alkaline operating conditions
Xia Deyasi’s lithium-battery-specific filter cloth specifically addresses the challenge of severe alkaline corrosion:
- Filter cloth: resistant to the full pH range of 0–14, with temperature resistance up to 90°C; perfectly suited for the high-temperature, strongly alkaline environment of sodium aluminate solutions; fiber strength retention of ≥95% after 1,000 hours; excellent hydrolysis resistance; and long-term use without significant deformation or damage.
- Modified filter cloth: Enhanced with a special alkali-resistant coating, it withstands temperatures up to 140°C, exhibits high strength and excellent oxidation resistance, and is suitable for operating conditions with significant temperature fluctuations, balancing alkali resistance and mechanical strength.
- All products are certified under REACH and RoHS environmental standards, with no release of harmful substances, thereby preventing contamination of sodium aluminate solutions and meeting the high-purity production requirements for lithium-ion battery materials.
(2) Precision weaving with graded pore sizes to balance retention accuracy and filtration efficiency.
To address the challenge of ultrafine particle clogging, Xiamen Dias employs pore-size design in conjunction with a composite weaving process:
(3) High-strength structural design, tailored for the high-pressure operating conditions of plate-and-frame filter presses.
The filtration pressure in plate-and-frame filter presses typically ranges from 0.6 to 1.2 MPa; under high pressure, the filter cloth is prone to stretching, deformation, rupture, and material leakage. Xiadidas filter cloths utilize High-strength multifilament weaving + edge reinforcement process ：
- Longitudinal breaking strength ≥ 2000 N/5 cm, transverse breaking strength ≥ 1500 N/5 cm; resistant to high pressure and tensile forces; maintains dimensional stability and remains intact under prolonged high-pressure service.
- The filter cloth edges feature a double-layer thickening and high-temperature heat-sealing to prevent edge tearing and material leakage under high pressure. It is compatible with plate-and-frame filter presses from various brands, easy to install, and allows for quick replacement.
III. Application Process and Performance of Xiamen Dias Filter Cloth in the Treatment of Lithium Battery Sodium Aluminate Solutions
(1) Application Process Flow
After leaching and neutralization pretreatment, the sodium aluminate solution enters the plate-and-frame filter press system, with the core process as follows:
- Feed Filtration : Sodium aluminate solution is fed into the filter press at a pressure of 0.8–1.0 MPa, where solid particles are retained by the diaphragm filter cloth, while the filtrate passes through the cloth and flows out, proceeding to the next purification step.
- Pressing and dewatering : After feed introduction is complete, high-pressure water (1.2 MPa) is introduced to press the filter cake, reducing its moisture content to ≤10% and minimizing lithium salt entrainment losses.
- Filter cake removal : After pressing is completed, the filter plates are opened, and the filter cake automatically falls off under the combined action of gravity and the smooth surface of the filter cloth, then conveyed to the solid-waste treatment system.
- Filter Cloth Cleaning and Regeneration : Close the filter plates and use low-pressure water (0.2 MPa) to backwash the filter cloth, removing residual colloids and particles. After regeneration, the system enters the next filtration cycle, enabling continuous operation.
(II) Practical Application Results
Several leading domestic lithium-ion battery companies use Xiadis’ proprietary filter cloths to treat sodium aluminate solutions, and operational data show:
- Filtration efficiency : Processing capacity increased by 25%–35%, with filtration cycles shortened to 30–45 minutes per batch, making it suitable for continuous production on lithium-battery manufacturing lines with capacities in the tens of thousands of tons.
- Purity of the filtrate : Impurity removal rates for iron, silicon, and other contaminants exceed 98%, with effluent turbidity below 5 NTU, thereby meeting the high-purity raw material requirements for lithium-ion battery cathode materials.
- Filter cloth life : Service life is more than twice that of conventional filter cloths, replacement frequency is reduced by 60%, and overall operating costs are lowered by 30%–50%.
- Environmental Benefits : Filter cake moisture content ≤10%, reducing solid waste volume by 30% and lowering transportation and treatment costs; filtrate can be recycled, enabling efficient water resource recovery.
IV. Xiamen Dias’ Technical Services and Industry Value
(1) End-to-End Customized Technical Services
Xia Deyasi has upgraded from a filter media manufacturer to Comprehensive industrial filtration system service provider We provide end-to-end services spanning process-condition analysis, filter-cloth selection, custom fabrication, on-site installation and commissioning, and operations-and-maintenance training. For lithium-ion battery sodium aluminate solution applications, our technical team can conduct on-site sampling and analysis to determine key parameters such as particle size distribution, pH, and temperature, enabling the customization of optimal filter-cloth materials, pore sizes, and structural designs to maximize filtration performance. In addition, we have established a 24-hour after-sales response mechanism to promptly address issues such as clogging and damage during filter-cloth operation, thereby ensuring stable production-line operation.
(2) Promoting the domestication and upgrading of lithium-ion battery filtration technology
For a long time, the high-end lithium-ion battery filtration fabric market has been dominated by foreign brands, resulting in high prices, lengthy lead times, and slow after-sales service—factors that have constrained domestic lithium-ion battery manufacturers’ cost control and capacity expansion. Leveraging more than three decades of technological expertise, Xiamen Deyas has broken through foreign technology barriers and achieved breakthroughs in the development of lithium-ion battery-specific filtration fabrics. Domestic substitution Its performance meets international advanced standards, while offering more competitive pricing, shorter delivery times, and faster after-sales service, thereby helping domestic lithium-battery companies reduce production costs and enhance product competitiveness.
(3) Supporting the Green and Low-Carbon Development of the Lithium-Ion Battery Industry
Under the “dual carbon” goals, the lithium-ion battery industry is accelerating its green and low-carbon transformation, making high-efficiency, energy-saving, and environmentally compliant solid–liquid separation critical. Xiamen Deyas’ specialized filter cloths help lithium-ion battery companies achieve this by enhancing filtration efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and minimizing the discharge of solid waste and wastewater. Energy conservation, consumption reduction, pollution mitigation, and efficiency enhancement , promote the green and sustainable development of the lithium-ion battery industry chain, and contribute to the high-quality development of the new energy sector.
V. Conclusion
Sodium aluminate solution treatment in the lithium-ion battery industry is a critical link in the value chain, and the performance of filter cloths used in plate-and-frame filter presses directly determines filtration efficiency, product purity, and production costs. Xiamen Dias focuses on the pain points of the lithium-ion battery industry, with Centered on technological innovation and supported by customized services A specialized plate-and-frame filter press cloth tailored to the properties of sodium aluminate solutions has been developed, effectively addressing industry challenges such as severe alkali corrosion, blockage by ultra-fine particles, and difficulty in cake release, thereby achieving simultaneous improvements in filtration efficiency, product quality, and economic benefits.
Looking ahead, as the lithium-ion battery industry continues to evolve toward higher purity, greater energy density, and greener, lower-carbon operations, solid–liquid separation technologies will face increasingly stringent requirements. Xiamen Deyas will remain committed to deepening its expertise in the industrial filter cloth sector, ramping up R&D investment, continuously optimizing product performance, and expanding applications in high-end markets such as lithium-ion batteries, new energy, and advanced materials. By leveraging more cutting-edge technologies, delivering higher-quality products, and providing more comprehensive services, Xiamen Deyas aims to help China’s lithium-ion battery industry break through technological bottlenecks, transition from a manufacturing giant to a manufacturing powerhouse, and contribute Chinese strength to the global development of new energy.
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