Electromagnetic Flow Meters: Enhancing Copper Foil Industry Efficiency

Copper foil, a foundational material in the electronics manufacturing industry, is often referred to as the "nervous system" for electronic devices, facilitating the transmission of signals and power. It is primarily used in the production of printed circuit boards and lithium batteries. With the surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries, the copper foil industry has seen rapid growth. Electrolytic copper foil is produced by the deposition of copper ions from an electrolyte solution onto a smooth, rotating stainless steel (or titanium) cathode drum. Nowadays, the continuous roll cathode, non-consumable anode method is widely adopted for the production of electrolytic copper foil.

The production process of electrolytic copper foil includes several key steps: copper electrolysis, electrolyte filtration and purification, generation of raw foil, roughening treatment, deposition of different metal layers, anti-oxidation treatment, and slitting and packaging. Throughout these processes, multiple electromagnetic flow meters are employed to monitor the flow of electrolyte solutions. For instance, they are used to precisely control the injection volume of electrolyte into storage tanks, monitor flow changes before and after filtration in the electrolyte circulation system, and real-time monitor the electrolyte flow during electrolysis to ensure process stability and foil quality.

Application Case

A copper foil project required the substitution of flow measurement instruments in their production process, involving various stages such as copper (lithium battery) dissolution from high-position sulfuric acid tanks to copper dissolution tanks, dirty liquid circulation pumps to plate heat exchangers and back to copper dissolution tanks; clean liquid tank devices, clean liquid pumps to clean liquid filters; raw foil machine devices, raw foil machine inlets, anti-oxidation tank positions; and copper dissolution (standard foil) from high-position sulfuric acid tanks to copper dissolution tanks, dirty liquid circulation pumps to plate heat exchangers and back to copper dissolution tanks, as well as pickling, roughening systems, curing systems, blackening systems, zinc-nickel systems, silane systems, and silane tank inlets (organic corrosion), with multiple flow meter replacements at various points. The process is complex, involving a large number of products.

Customer Requirements

Accurate measurement of dissolution liquids at various points, with corrosion resistance and stable performance.

Flexible matching of output methods at different points.

Instruments must meet safety production requirements.

Solution

In response to the customer's previous issues with inaccurate measurements and frequent instrument failures, our engineers conducted on-site surveys and analyzed the properties of the medium at different points. We replaced the electromagnetic flow meters with corresponding electrodes and liners based on the medium's properties.

Considering the customer's pipeline temperature of copper sulfate medium around 50°C, which drops to 20°C during shutdowns and pipeline cleaning, causing negative pressure, our team determined that the liner material should be precision-cast, sanitary-grade lining with an inner steel mesh to prevent deformation due to pipeline negative pressure.

To meet the flexible output requirements at different points, the replaced electromagnetic flow meters feature a 4-20mA output, HART communication, 24V DC power supply, and are equipped with a dedicated 15-meter cable.

Given the presence of high-power equipment and complex electromagnetic environments in the copper foil industry, our engineers optimized the electromagnetic converter design to ensure the instrument meets electromagnetic compatibility standards, resisting electrostatic discharge, electrofast transient/burst, and interference from power supply variations and frequency magnetic fields. Additionally, all instruments are explosion-proof, isolating explosive flames to prevent accidents.

Customer Feedback

Our improvements to the process were recognized, and the customer adopted 687 of our electromagnetic flow meters in their new project, leading to significant improvements in the measurement system, with authentic and stable data. The precise measurement data provided by the electromagnetic flow meters offers reliable support for production decisions, successfully solving the problems of inaccurate measurement and frequent failures encountered with imported brands. This has ensured smooth production processes and enhanced the stability and consistency of the production process, helping the enterprise improve product quality and production efficiency. The customer is very satisfied with the performance and solutions of our products and has expressed their intention to continue using our products in future new factory constructions.

Product Recommendation for On-Site Applications

The LDG series of electromagnetic flow meters is specifically designed for measuring corrosive media. Its measurement electrodes can be made from special corrosion-resistant materials, effectively resisting the erosion of strongly corrosive fluids such as copper sulfate.

This flow meter features a unique structure designed to withstand negative pressure in pipelines, preventing liner delamination, making it an excellent measurement product for the copper foil manufacturing industry.

Product features:

■ Measurement error better than ±0.5%;

■ Lower limit of flow velocity less than 0.3m/s;

■ Convenient multiple signal output methods, no straight pipe section installation required;

■ Ultra-low net loss, energy-saving and consumption reduction.