Battery Cathode Powder Dust Collection · Gigafactory ATEX IIIC
A composite reference case based on representative battery gigafactory cathode/anode dust collection deployments — supplying ATEX II 3D Ex tc T125°C IIIC certified plug fans + high-pressure CDU fans for cathode (NMC) powder handling with 3.2 kPa static for dense cartridge filter face, ramping to 80,000 fans/year across gigafactory build-out.
1 · Challenge
- NMC cathode powder dust = combustible electrically-conductive (IIIC) — most aggressive ATEX dust group.
- ATEX II 3D Ex tc T125°C IIIC required for collector interior fans (zone 21).
- Modern dense cartridge filter media requires 1,500–3,000 Pa fan static pressure — exceeds standard plug fan envelope (1,800 Pa).
- Gigafactory ramp: 12,000 ATEX plug fans + 5,000 high-pressure CDU fans per year, sustained through 2030.
- OSHA NFPA 652 + EU CBAM-aligned emissions documentation per shipment.
2 · Solution Architecture
Bill of materials
| LONGWELL SKU | Type | Qty | Key spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| LWBE3G-ATEX-IIIC | ATEX EC plug fan | 12,000 units/yr | Ø355–Ø560 mm, II 3D Ex tc T125°C IIIC, electrically grounded impeller + shaft per IEC 60079-31, 87% η peak |
| LWHV-ATEX-450-HP | ATEX high-pressure plug fan | 5,000 units/yr | Ø450 mm, 3.2 kPa static, II 3D Ex tc T125°C IIIC, anti-static + spark-resistant housing |
| LWAE3G-ATEX-630 | ATEX workspace ventilation axial | 3,000 units/yr | Ø630 mm, ATEX II 3D Ex tc T125°C IIIC for cathode-workspace clear-air ventilation |
3 · Modelled Outcomes — Typical Range
How to read these figures: the values below are modelled for this composite scenario — LONGWELL platform specifications combined with industry-standard deltas. They are a planning range, not measured results from one named project. Verified data from real deployments is in Section 6.
4 · Implementation Timeline
5 · Engineering Lessons
- ATEX dust group IIIC (combustible electrically-conductive) is more aggressive than IIIB (grain) or IIIA (sugar). Battery cathode dust requires full IIIC scope — IIIB-only certification is insufficient.
- 3.2 kPa static pressure capability (LWHV-ATEX vs standard plug at 1.8 kPa max) was the binding spec for modern dense cartridge filter face. Standard plug fans starve below design CFM in this duty.
- ATEX certificate per shipment (not as one-time type test) is mandatory for permit-issuing authorities. Compliance statement attached per bill of lading.
- Workspace clear-air ventilation (LWAE3G-ATEX-630) in zone 22 (occasional dust) is often forgotten in dust-collector OEM spec — but required for OSHA compliance at the workplace.
- Sustained 1,700 fans/month cadence required dedicated ATEX production line at Yuyao + Hai Phong — competitor European brands cannot match this volume.
6 · Verified Project Evidence
Everything below is drawn from actual project correspondence and from photographs taken during production and shipment. Model numbers, duty points and test results are stated as they occurred. Customer names are withheld; no pricing is published.
Sweden — industrial dust and air-cleaning units, high static duty
EC backward-curved · delivered
- Supplied: LWBE3G250-102NS-011 — 230 VAC (200–277 V / 176–264 V), 50/60 Hz, 4,100 rpm, 3.4 A, 750 W, up to 2,950–3,039 m³/h and 1,420–1,442 Pa, 93 dB(A), IP55, with 0–10 VDC / PWM / RS485 control.
- Why this duty is different: a dust collector’s resistance rises as the filter loads. The fan is selected to hold output while pushing through a dirty HEPA or industrial cartridge, so the shape of the pressure curve at high speed matters more than the headline airflow.
- A model-code decision that saved the customer a re-certification: the customer’s appliance is certified to EMC, LVD, SVHC, RoHS, REACH and CE, and the fan model number is written into those reports. Renaming LWBE3G250-102NS-011 to a new code would have forced re-testing of the whole machine, so the original designation was kept in production and on documents. Worth checking before any internal part-numbering cleanup.
Poland — dust-extraction equipment, transit-damage investigation
Failure analysis · batch verification · delivered
- Model: LWBE3G190-072NS-011 — Ø190 mm wheel on a 72 mm motor, 230 V 50/60 Hz, 64 W ±16%, 0.53 A, 2,940 r/min ±10%, IP55, Class B, hipot 1,800 VAC for 1 s with trip current < 10 mA.
- What happened: three suspect units were pulled back by courier and stripped down. The bearings had been damaged by heavy vibration and compression in transit — the outer cartons were intact, which is what makes this failure mode easy to miss.
- How it was closed out: a full inspection report was issued for the same 1,000-piece shipment, with measured speed 3,200–3,232 r/min, measured power 65.9–67 W and hipot passed. Packaging was then redesigned to add shock absorption around the bearing seat.
- The transferable lesson: on long overland routes an intact carton is not evidence of an undamaged fan. Cushioning has to be designed around the bearing, not around the box.
United States — fume-extraction equipment on a 120 V grid
Voltage-specific variants · delivered
- Supplied as dedicated part numbers: LWBE3G225-092PU-14 backward-curved with mounting bracket, and LWFE3G180-102DU-03 forward-curved — both built for 120 V / 60 Hz rather than re-labelled 230 V stock.
- Selection basis: the 230 V reference units (190 W, 1,545 m³/h, 731 Pa, 3,000 rpm; and 400 W, 2,000 m³/h, 720 Pa, 1,550 rpm) were used for initial duct sizing, then measured 115 V data was issued once the prototypes were tested.
- Process point: a separate factory part number was created for the low-voltage variant (…-092PS-13 becomes …-092PU-14). Sharing a code between 230 V and 120 V builds is how the wrong motor ends up on a production line.

Fan performance figures are quoted from LONGWELL controlled datasheets and are tested per AMCA 210/211 methods; third-party reports available on request. EC versus AC energy saving is approximately 30%, higher under strongly varying load — confirm against your own load profile. Final selection must be confirmed against the actual duty point (airflow / static pressure / voltage / control method) and project validation.
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