A coating and drying apparatus based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction to improve coating uniformity
The coating and drying equipment based on the ultrasonic transduction principle has solved the problem of uneven electrode coating, achieved dynamic homogenization and uniform curing of the slurry, and improved battery performance and lifespan.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202521332329.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-06-27
AI Technical Summary
Traditional coating methods can easily lead to uneven coating of the electrode sheets, resulting in inconsistent active material loading in different areas of the battery electrode, which affects battery performance and lifespan. In addition, it is difficult to eliminate air bubbles and micron-sized particles inside the slurry, resulting in limited dispersion effect.
The coating and drying equipment, which adopts the principle of ultrasonic transduction, vibrates the electrode substrate through an ultrasonic vibration mechanism during the coating and drying process. It uses sound pressure and standing wave field to break up the agglomeration of slurry particles and eliminate air bubbles. The combination of heat-conducting rollers and air-cooled oven is used for preheating and curing to ensure uniform curing of the slurry.
It improves the uniformity of electrode coating, enhances the balance of battery charge and discharge reaction rates, reduces polarization, extends battery cycle life, and adapts to different slurry characteristics.
Smart Images
Figure CN224542207U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of electrode coating, and in particular to a coating and drying device based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction to improve coating uniformity. Background Technology
[0002] In battery manufacturing, the quality of the electrode coating process is crucial. Traditional electrode coating methods typically include spraying and roller coating. However, in actual production, these traditional coating methods are prone to uneven coating and streaks, resulting in inconsistent active material loading in different areas of the battery electrode. This leads to differences in the reaction rate and capacity of different parts of the battery during charging and discharging. For example, during charging, areas with high active material loading may reach an overcharged state first, while areas with low loading may be undercharged. Long-term use will seriously affect the overall performance and lifespan of the battery, impacting battery quality. Traditional coating methods only spread the slurry through mechanical pressure, which is not conducive to removing internal air bubbles in the coating slurry and has limited effect on dispersing micron-sized particles. It is difficult to fundamentally solve the problem of uneven coating, which urgently needs to be addressed. Utility Model Content
[0003] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, this application provides a coating and drying device based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction to improve coating uniformity.
[0004] The above-mentioned utility model objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solutions:
[0005] A coating and drying device for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction includes:
[0006] Coating back roller, which is used to contact the electrode substrate;
[0007] A coating unit for applying coating slurry to an electrode substrate located on the surface of a coating back roller;
[0008] The drying unit is used to dry and cure the coated electrode substrate;
[0009] An ultrasonic vibration mechanism is located between the coating unit and the drying unit and is used to drive the coating slurry on the electrode substrate to vibrate.
[0010] Preferably, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes several sets of vibrating rollers arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate. Each set of vibrating rollers includes an acoustic vibrating roller, a first transducer assembly, and a first control box. The first transducer assembly is coaxially disposed at the shaft end of the acoustic vibrating roller. The first transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the first control box and is used to drive the acoustic vibrating roller to vibrate. After the electrode substrate has completed the coating process by passing through the coating back roller, each acoustic vibrating roller is used to guide the conveying of the electrode substrate.
[0011] Preferably, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes a second transducer assembly and a second control box. The second transducer assembly is coaxially disposed on the shaft end of the coating back roller, and the second transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the second control box and is used to drive the coating back roller to vibrate.
[0012] Preferably, the gap size between the coating unit and the coating back roller is in the range of 20um-500um.
[0013] Preferably, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes several planar vibration modules, which are arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate. Each planar vibration module includes a planar head, a third transducer assembly, and a third control box. The third transducer assembly is connected to the planar head and is used to drive the planar head to vibrate. After the electrode substrate completes the coating process by passing through the coating back roller, each planar head is located at the bottom of the electrode substrate and is used to abut against the electrode substrate.
[0014] Preferably, the drying mechanism includes a heat-conducting roller, which is equipped with a heating device for heating the roller surface. After the electrode substrate passes through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism, the heat-conducting roller is used to contact the electrode substrate and guide the electrode substrate for transport.
[0015] Preferably, the drying mechanism further includes a fan-operated drying oven, which is disposed between the ultrasonic vibration mechanism and the heat-conducting roller. When the electrode substrate enters the fan-operated drying oven after passing through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism, the fan-operated drying oven is used to preheat and cure the coating slurry on the electrode substrate.
[0016] Preferably, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism further includes a fourth transducer assembly and a fourth control box. The fourth transducer assembly is coaxially connected to the heat-conducting roller and is used to drive the heat-conducting roller to vibrate. The fourth transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the fourth control box.
[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are: after the electrode substrate is coated, by using a coating back roller with integrated ultrasonic vibration function, or by using several vibration roller groups or planar vibration modules with the same integrated ultrasonic vibration function, it is possible to achieve the following during the coating process and before drying:
[0018] This system utilizes the principle of ultrasonic transduction to subject the electrode substrate to regular mechanical vibration. The sound pressure and standing wave field act on the coating slurry, breaking up slurry particle agglomerates and eliminating internal air bubbles, thus dynamically homogenizing the slurry. Simultaneously, the gap control between the coating unit and the coating back roller ensures effective transmission of ultrasonic energy, improving coating quality. After electrode guidance and ultrasonic vibration, the slurry is rapidly preheated through hot air circulation in a fan-operated oven, achieving uniform pre-curing. Upon contact with the heat-conducting roller, combined with the ultrasonic vibration of the heat-conducting roller, continuous homogenization occurs before final curing, ensuring uniform slurry curing. Ultimately, this improves the consistency of the active material loading on the electrode, enhances the balance of the battery's charge-discharge reaction rate, reduces polarization, and extends battery cycle life. Furthermore, the equipment can adjust vibration parameters to match different slurry characteristics, demonstrating strong adaptability. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a coating and drying device for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction in one embodiment of this application;
[0020] Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a coating and drying device based on the ultrasonic transduction principle to improve coating uniformity in one embodiment of this application;
[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vibrating roller assembly in one embodiment of this application;
[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a planar vibration module in one embodiment of this application.
[0023] Reference numerals: 1. Coating back roller; 2. Coating unit; 3. Drying mechanism; 31. Heat-conducting roller; 32. Air-cooled oven; 4. Ultrasonic vibration mechanism; 41. Vibrating roller group; 411. Acoustic vibrating roller; 412. First transducer assembly; 413. First control box; 42. Planar vibration module; 421. Planar die head; 422. Third transducer assembly; 5. Electrode substrate. Detailed Implementation
[0024] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments of this application, including various details to aid understanding. These should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this application. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.
[0025] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this utility model are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this disclosure described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. The implementation methods described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all implementation methods consistent with this disclosure.
[0026] Furthermore, the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this article, unless otherwise specified, generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.
[0027] The following is a reference appendix. Figure 1 To be continued Figure 4 This application describes a coating and drying device based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction to improve coating uniformity.
[0028] Reference Figures 1 to 4 The coating and drying equipment based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction to improve coating uniformity includes a coating back roller 1, a coating unit 2, a drying mechanism 3, and an ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4. The coating back roller 1 is used to contact the electrode substrate 5. The coating unit 2 is used to apply coating slurry to the electrode substrate 5 located on the roller surface of the coating back roller 1. The drying mechanism 3 is used to dry and cure the coated electrode substrate 5. The ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 is set between the coating unit 2 and the drying mechanism 3 and is used to drive the coating slurry on the electrode substrate 5 to vibrate. The ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 is set between the coating unit 2 and the drying mechanism 3 so that the slurry on the coated electrode substrate 5 is subjected to ultrasonic vibration treatment before drying. The ultrasonic pressure and standing wave effect can break the agglomeration of slurry particles and remove internal air bubbles, so that the slurry particles are arranged according to the design rules, thereby improving the coating uniformity.
[0029] It should be noted that the coating unit 2 can use commercially available coating equipment, such as single-channel coating heads or multi-channel coating heads, to apply the coating slurry.
[0030] Specifically, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 includes several vibration roller groups 41, which are arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate 5. Each vibration roller group 41 includes an acoustic vibration roller 411, a first transducer assembly 412, and a first control box 413. The first transducer assembly 412 is coaxially disposed at the shaft end of the acoustic vibration roller 411. The first transducer assembly 412 is controlled and connected to the first control box 413 and is used to drive the acoustic vibration roller 411 to vibrate. After the electrode substrate 5 completes the coating process via the coating back roller 1... Each acoustic vibration roller 411 is used to guide the conveying of the electrode substrate 5. During operation, the first transducer assembly 412 drives the acoustic vibration roller 411 to vibrate through the inverse piezoelectric effect. When the electrode contacts the roller surface, the vibration energy is transferred to the slurry. The sound pressure fluctuation breaks the agglomeration of slurry particles. At the same time, the standing wave field causes the particles to align in the designed direction. For example, it is desired that the soft binder in the slurry floats and takes root, and that the conductive agent is arranged in three dimensions. The first control box 413 can adjust the vibration parameters to match different slurry characteristics.
[0031] It should be noted that the first transducer assembly 412 typically includes an ultrasonic generator, a transducer, and an amplitude modulator. The ultrasonic generator can convert 220V / 50Hz electrical energy into 20kHz electrical energy, and the 20kHz electrical energy is then converted into 20kHz mechanical energy, i.e., ultrasonic waves, by the transducer. The amplitude of the ultrasonic waves is adjusted and changed by the amplitude modulator, so that the first transducer assembly 412 can output ultrasonic waves when it is working. The ultrasonic generator, transducer, amplitude modulator, and first control box 413 are all common ultrasonic devices on the market. Their specific structures and working principles are common knowledge to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.
[0032] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 includes a second transducer assembly (not shown) and a second control box. The second transducer assembly is coaxially disposed on the shaft end of the coating back roller 1. The second transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the second control box and is used to drive the coating back roller 1 to vibrate. By integrating the second transducer assembly on the shaft end of the coating back roller 1, the coating back roller 1 becomes an ultrasonic vibration roller, which synchronously applies ultrasonic vibration to the slurry during the coating process, completing the integration of coating and homogenization, and improving homogenization efficiency and production efficiency.
[0033] Furthermore, the gap size between the coating unit 2 and the coating back roller 1 ranges from 20um to 500um. By setting this gap size, the ultrasonic wavelength and amplitude can be matched to ensure the effective transmission of ultrasonic energy in the slurry.
[0034] In one embodiment, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 includes a plurality of planar vibration modules 42, which are arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate 5. Each planar vibration module 42 includes a planar head 421, a third transducer assembly 422, and a third control box (not shown in the figure). The third transducer assembly 422 is connected to the planar head 421 and is used to drive the planar head 421 to vibrate. After the electrode substrate 5 completes the coating process by passing through the coating back roller 1, each planar head 421 is located at the bottom of the electrode substrate 5 and is used to abut against the electrode substrate 5. After the electrode substrate 5 is coated, the planar vibration module 42 drives the planar head 421 to perform contact-type planar ultrasonic vibration at the bottom of the electrode substrate 5 through the third transducer assembly 422, so that the vibration energy is transmitted to the coating surface of the electrode substrate 5, causing the slurry to resonate and achieve homogenization.
[0035] In addition, the drying mechanism 3 includes a heat-conducting roller 31, which is equipped with a heating device. The heating device is used to heat the roller surface of the heat-conducting roller 31. The heating device can be an electric heater, a liquid bath heater, or a radiation heater to provide a targeted heating solution for different slurry characteristics. There are no restrictions here. After the electrode substrate 5 passes through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4, the heat-conducting roller 31 is used to contact the electrode substrate 5 and guide the electrode substrate 5 for conveying. By contacting the electrode substrate with the heat-conducting roller 31, guiding the conveying, and heating and drying, the slurry can be quickly solidified by conductive heating after ultrasonic homogenization, reducing uneven moisture evaporation during the drying process and improving drying uniformity.
[0036] Furthermore, the drying mechanism 3 also includes a fan-operated drying oven 32, which is located between the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 and the heat-conducting roller 31. When the electrode substrate 5 enters the fan-operated drying oven 32 after passing through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4, the fan-operated drying oven 32 is used to preheat and cure the coating slurry on the electrode substrate 5. After the electrode substrate 5 is coated, it is first pre-cured by the hot air circulation of the fan-operated drying oven 32, and then the heat-conducting roller 31 is used to contact and heat the substrate to complete the staged drying process for deep drying. This can avoid the rapid evaporation of solvents that could cause the slurry to crack.
[0037] Furthermore, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism 4 also includes a fourth transducer assembly (not shown in the figure) and a fourth control box. The fourth transducer assembly is coaxially connected to the heat-conducting roller 31 and is used to drive the heat-conducting roller 31 to vibrate. The fourth transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the fourth control box. By setting the fourth transducer assembly at the shaft end of the heat-conducting roller 31, ultrasonic vibration is applied synchronously during the drying stage, which can eliminate the problem of uneven slurry shrinkage caused by solvent evaporation during the drying process. This allows the slurry particles to be closely arranged through sound pressure and standing wave field before the slurry is cured, and continuous homogenization is carried out to achieve uniform curing of the slurry.
[0038] It should be noted that the structure and working principle of the second transducer assembly, the third transducer assembly 422, and the fourth transducer assembly are the same as those of the first transducer assembly 412.
[0039] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A coating and drying device for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction, characterized in that, include: A coating back roller (1) is used to contact the electrode substrate (5); Coating unit (2) is used to apply coating slurry to the electrode substrate (5) located on the roller surface of coating back roller (1); The drying unit (3) is used to dry and cure the coated electrode substrate (5); An ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) is disposed between the coating unit (2) and the drying mechanism (3) and is used to drive the coating slurry on the electrode substrate (5) to vibrate.
2. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) includes several vibration roller groups (41). The vibration roller groups (41) are arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate (5). The vibration roller group (41) includes an acoustic vibration roller (411), a first transducer assembly (412) and a first control box (413). The first transducer assembly (412) is coaxially arranged at the shaft end of the acoustic vibration roller (411). The first transducer assembly (412) is controlled and connected to the first control box (413) and is used to drive the acoustic vibration roller (411) to vibrate. After the electrode substrate (5) completes the coating process through the coating back roller (1), each acoustic vibration roller (411) is used to guide the conveying of the electrode substrate (5).
3. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) includes a second transducer assembly and a second control box. The second transducer assembly is coaxially disposed on the shaft end of the coating back roller (1). The second transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the second control box and is used to drive the coating back roller (1) to vibrate.
4. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The gap size between the coating unit (2) and the coating back roller (1) ranges from 20um to 500um.
5. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) includes several planar vibration modules (42). The planar vibration modules (42) are arranged along the conveying direction of the electrode substrate (5). The planar vibration module (42) includes a planar head (421), a third transducer assembly (422) and a third control box. The third transducer assembly (422) is connected to the planar head (421) and is used to drive the planar head (421) to vibrate. After the electrode substrate (5) completes the coating process through the coating back roller (1), each planar head (421) is located at the bottom of the electrode substrate (5) and is used to abut against the electrode substrate (5).
6. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The drying mechanism (3) includes a heat-conducting roller (31), which is equipped with a heating device. The heating device is used to heat the roller surface of the heat-conducting roller (31). After the electrode substrate (5) passes through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4), the heat-conducting roller (31) is used to contact the electrode substrate (5) and guide the electrode substrate (5) to be transported.
7. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The drying mechanism (3) also includes a fan oven (32), which is located between the ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) and the heat-conducting roller (31). When the electrode substrate (5) enters the fan oven (32) after passing through the ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4), the fan oven (32) is used to preheat and cure the coating slurry on the electrode substrate (5).
8. The coating and drying equipment for improving coating uniformity based on the principle of ultrasonic transduction as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The ultrasonic vibration mechanism (4) also includes a fourth transducer assembly and a fourth control box. The fourth transducer assembly is coaxially connected to the heat-conducting roller (31) and is used to drive the heat-conducting roller (31) to vibrate. The fourth transducer assembly is controlled and connected to the fourth control box.