An auxiliary disassembly device and method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries

Abstract

The present invention provides a device and method for assisting in the disassembly of retired sodium-sulfur batteries, including a processing chamber, a pushing assembly, a clamping assembly, a cutting assembly, a crushing assembly, a processing pool, and a control assembly. The processing chamber is the main body of the device; the pushing assembly is arranged on the left outer side of the processing chamber, its axis is collinear with the clamping assembly and the sodium-sulfur battery, and the top is flush with the bottom end of the three-jaw chuck of the clamping assembly; the clamping assembly is arranged on the left side of the inner wall of the processing chamber; the cutting assembly is located behind the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery and is flush with the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery; the crushing assembly is located at the right end of the processing chamber; the processing pool is located at the right rear side of the processing chamber and is connected to the processing chamber through a rectangular conveying channel; the control assembly includes a controller, a limit switch, etc., and is arranged on each component in the processing chamber. The beneficial effects of this auxiliary disassembly device and method are as follows: By adopting a mechanized disassembly method, the disassembly efficiency of retired sodium-sulfur batteries is improved, the labor intensity of disassembly is reduced, and the safety of disassembly is effectively improved by using the protection of inert gas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste separation and treatment technology, and more particularly to an auxiliary disassembly equipment and method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries. Background Art

[0002] Sodium-sulfur batteries are occupying an increasingly large share in the field of power batteries such as automobiles and electronic products due to their advantages of large storage capacity and low price. Since the development of sodium-sulfur batteries started relatively late, the service life of the first batch of sodium-sulfur batteries is coming to an end, and the number of retired sodium-sulfur batteries will surely increase year by year. Moreover, the retired sodium-sulfur batteries still contain extremely active elemental sodium. If not processed in time, dangerous accidents such as combustion and explosion may occur.

[0003] Currently, there are relatively few treatment means for retired sodium-sulfur batteries. Only Shanghai Electric Sodium-Sulfur Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd. has published a set of disassembly processes in the invention patent with the patent number CN104466290A. However, the disassembly process it published is to cut by a person using a cutting machine or a wire saw, and the degree of mechanization is weak. Moreover, cutting with a cutting machine is extremely likely to generate high temperature and cause accidents such as explosion, and the wire saw cutting speed is slow. It takes at least 2 hours to completely process one, and the work efficiency is low.

[0004] Therefore, developing a device and method that can improve the disassembly efficiency of sodium-sulfur batteries is of great significance for reducing production costs, improving production efficiency, saving energy, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an auxiliary disassembly equipment and method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries, reduce the labor intensity and accident rate during the disassembly of sodium-sulfur batteries, and improve their disassembly efficiency. The specific content of the present invention is described as follows:

[0006] An auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries includes a processing chamber, a pushing component, a clamping component, a cutting component, a crushing component, a processing pool and a control component.

[0007] In the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries, the processing chamber is the main body, carrying other components, and each component is arranged based on the processing chamber; the pushing component is arranged on the left side of the processing chamber and is connected to the left chassis of the processing chamber by bolts. Its axis is collinear with the clamping component. There is a small platform screwed with screws at the front end of the push rod. In the initial state, the end face of the small platform is flush with the left end face of the three-jaw chuck; the clamping component is arranged on the left inner wall of the processing chamber, and the base is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the processing chamber; the cutting component is located behind the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery and is flush with the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery, and is connected to the processing chamber through an XY motion control mechanism; the crushing component is located at the right end of the processing chamber; the processing pool is located at the right rear of the processing chamber and is connected to the processing chamber through a rectangular conveying channel; the control component includes a controller, a limit switch, etc., and is arranged on each component in the processing chamber.

[0008] The internal sealing of the processing bin is good, one side (long side) of the main door is connected to the bin body of the processing bin by two sealed door hinges, and the other side is connected to the processing bin by a spring barb, so as to perform a rotating opening and closing movement, and the door gap is sealed by a rubber edge seal; after the sodium-sulfur battery is clamped, a rectangular opening is provided at the bottom of the processing bin directly below the corresponding position of the sodium tank, so that when the sodium tank is cut off, it can fall into the processing pool through the rectangular opening along the rectangular transport pipe.

[0009] Furthermore, a rectangular transport channel inclined toward the back of the processing bin is welded to the outer periphery of the rectangular opening at the bottom outside the processing bin, and the rectangular transport channel is inserted into the processing bin from the rectangular hole on the top cover of the processing bin. At the end of the rectangular transport channel, there is a flexible tube well connected with adhesives and screws. When working, the flexible tube is inserted into anhydrous ethanol to form a liquid surface seal to prevent air from entering the processing bin through the rectangular transport channel.

[0010] Furthermore, an oxygen concentration detector and a humidity detector are arranged on the main door and installed on the right side of the main door of the processing chamber by fixing screws, and are used to detect the environment in the processing chamber to ensure that the oxygen concentration and humidity in the processing chamber do not exceed the allowable values.

[0011] The clamping assembly is a three-jaw chuck and its driving motor; the three-jaw chuck is arranged on the left side of the inner wall of the processing chamber, and its clamping method is to tighten the three-jaw chuck by driving the centering clamping mechanism through the chuck wrench; the rotational movement of the three-jaw chuck is driven by the stepping motor in the processing chamber chassis to drive the transmission shaft, and the chuck is driven to rotate on a fixed axis through the gear train; when automatic cutting is performed, the motor speed is controlled by the control program in the PLC, and the speed is changed according to different cutting requirements; there is a circular groove in the center of the three-jaw chuck, which is convenient for the push rod of the pushing mechanism to extend from the circular groove when working.

[0012] The pushing mechanism mainly includes a cylinder body and a push rod; the cylinder body is connected to the left side chassis of the processing chamber by bolts; the axis of the push rod is collinear with the axis of the chuck, and a small platform is screwed on the front end of the push rod. In the initial state, the left end face of the small platform is flush with the left end face of the chuck.

[0013] The cutting assembly includes a cutting tool, a tool holder, and an XY motion control mechanism. The three are integrally arranged on the inner wall of the processing chamber at the rear side of the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery. The cutting tool is pressed onto the slider of the lead screw nut mechanism on the tool holder by a set screw. The small motor on the tool holder drives the lead screw to drive the cutting tool on the slider to move radially. The tool holder is pressed onto the slider of the lead screw nut mechanism on the rear vertical surface inside the processing chamber by a set screw. The motor drives the lead screw to rotate to drive the tool holder on the slider to move axially. The XY motion control mechanism consists of the aforementioned two lead screw nut mechanisms. The lead screw for X-axis movement is parallel to the chuck axis on the rear vertical surface of the processing chamber, and the lead screw for Y-axis movement is perpendicular to the chuck axis on the tool holder. The two are respectively driven by two motors. To ensure accurate cutting, after the cutting tool assembly is installed, the tip of the cutting tool and the chuck axis are on the same horizontal plane.

[0014] Further, the movement control of the cutting tool is divided into a manual mode and an automatic mode. In the manual mode, signals are transmitted to the PLC using the operation panel and shielded wire to control the stepping motors of the XY motion control mechanism to perform cutting. In the automatic mode, the PLC, various sensors, and control programs control the two stepping motors of the XY motion control mechanism to work.

[0015] The crushing assembly includes a crushing push rod, a triangular bracket, and a slideway.

[0016] Further, the crushing push rod is driven by a cylinder. The cylinder body is fixed to the upper part of the processing chamber chassis directly opposite the chuck with bolts. Its axis is perpendicular to the horizontal plane and intersects with the chuck axis. The main body is located directly above the triangular bracket. There is a small platform screwed with screws at the front end of the crushing push rod, and sharp conical protrusions conducive to the crushing of the ceramic tube are arranged on the platform. After the ceramic tube is pushed out, it falls on the triangular bracket. The crushing push rod starts to work. The crushing push rod extends. The ceramic tube is crushed under the dual pressure of the crushing push rod and the triangular bracket, exposing the core rod. The ceramic tube fragments fall along the slideway and pass through the rectangular transport channel at the bottom of the processing chamber and drop into the processing pool. After the core rod is placed on the triangular bracket, it is manually removed.

[0017] Further, the triangular bracket consists of three steel bars with equilateral triangle end faces. Its welding points are located on the inner wall of the processing chamber directly opposite the chuck. Each of the three brackets has an edge to support the ceramic tube. That is, the triangular bracket is arranged along the circumference on a cylindrical surface with the same diameter as the ceramic tube of the sodium-sulfur battery. From the end view, the edges correspond to the center of the circle. This is conducive to generating stress concentration and is conducive to crushing the ceramic tube. The central axis of the triangular bracket is parallel to the chuck axis, and the welding point position is slightly lower than the projection of the battery on the right side surface inside the processing chamber by 1 - 2 mm to ensure that the ceramic tube will not collide with the triangular bracket after the push rod pushes out the ceramic tube.

[0018] Furthermore, the slide is located directly below the triangular bracket, with the higher side welded to the inner wall of the processing chamber directly opposite the chuck, and the lower side welded to the bottom of the processing chamber, with an angle with the horizontal plane to ensure that the ceramic fragments can fall into the processing pool along the slide.

[0019] The treatment pool is arranged as a whole on the right rear side of the treatment bin, and is composed of a treatment pool shell, a top cover, and a plastic square barrel. There is a side panel on the side of the treatment pool shell that can be pulled out along the groove, which is convenient for replacing the plastic square barrel containing anhydrous ethanol; there is a square hole in the middle of the top cover that is connected to the rectangular transport pipe at the bottom of the treatment bin, and there are 4 small holes on the side for discharging hydrogen. The control component mainly realizes the control of the chuck and the tool, which includes manual control and automatic control; the movement of the tool mentioned above is controlled by two screw nut mechanisms, and the two screw motors are controlled by the operation panel, shielded wire and PLC to realize the movement of the tool in the XY direction; the automatic mode uses PLC, various limit switches, oxygen concentration detectors, and humidity detectors to realize the automatic disassembly of sodium-sulfur batteries; the oxygen concentration detector and humidity detector are used to detect whether the environment of the treatment bin is suitable, and the limit switch controls the processing position.

[0020] The auxiliary disassembly method of retired sodium-sulfur batteries comprises:

[0021] S01: Mark the position between the bottom of the battery shell and the bottom of the ceramic tube according to the sodium-sulfur battery structure, open the main door, and clamp the battery on the three-jaw chuck with the sodium tank end facing the chuck;

[0022] S02: Turn on the manual mode, start the chuck through the operation panel, control the XY axis motion mechanism to drive the tool to feed, cut off the bottom of the sodium-sulfur battery, and expose the bottom of the ceramic tube;

[0023] S03: Close the chuck, remove the sodium-sulfur battery, reverse the clamp, and make the bottom of the ceramic tube face the chuck; close the main door, the spring barb locks the main door, and the operator starts the automatic processing mode;

[0024] S04: Under the control of PLC, the tool automatically moves along the X-axis in the direction away from the chuck until it touches the farthest limit switch. At the same time, the gas exchange device is started, and the interior is filled with inert gas through the air inlet and outlet, and the interior is ensured to be slightly positive pressure;

[0025] S05: When the oxygen concentration detector and the humidity detector detect that the internal environment has reached a suitable environment, a signal is sent to the PLC. After receiving the signal, the PLC drives the chuck to rotate, and the cutting component also starts to move in the X and Y directions;

[0026] S06: The chuck rotates at a speed of V1, and the tool rest moves along the X-axis towards the chuck. When the first limit switch is touched, the movement along the X-axis stops, and the feeding movement along the Y-axis starts. The sodium can of the sodium-sulfur battery is cut open, and the sodium can falls into the treatment pool along the rectangular transportation channel through the rectangular opening below it;

[0027] S07: After cutting is completed, the tool retracts along the Y-axis to the initial position, the rotation speed of the chuck is changed to V2, and it continues to move along the X-axis direction. The second limit switch is triggered, the tool stops, and the second cutting along the Y-axis is performed. The root of the cut sodium can falls into the treatment pool through the rectangular opening;

[0028] S08: After cutting is completed, the tool continues to move along the X-axis. When the third limit switch is triggered, the tool stops, and the feeding along the Y-axis starts to cut the outer shell of the sodium-sulfur battery;

[0029] S09: The push rod of the pushing component extends to push out the ceramic tube inside the battery, so that the ceramic tube is separated from the battery outer shell; the ceramic tube falls on the triangular bracket at the front end, and the battery outer shell and carbon felt remain on the chuck;

[0030] S10: After the pushing mechanism finishes working, the crushing push rod extends and cooperates with the right angle of the triangle to crush the ceramic tube. The ceramic fragments slide along the chute into the treatment pool, and the mandrel remains on the triangular bracket;

[0031] S11: The ventilation device is started. When the internal gas environment reaches suitable conditions, a prompt sound is emitted, and the operator removes the battery outer shell and the mandrel;

[0032] S12: Repeat S1 - S11 to complete the disassembly of the next retired sodium-sulfur battery.

[0033] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: By adopting the provided auxiliary disassembly equipment and method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries, the automation level of the disassembly of retired sodium-sulfur batteries can be effectively improved, which is beneficial to improving the disassembly efficiency of retired sodium-sulfur batteries, reducing the disassembly labor intensity, and effectively improving the safety of disassembly by using the protection of inert gas. Description of the Drawings

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required to be used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present invention, and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other related drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0035] Figure 1 It is a top view cross-sectional view of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0036] Figure 2 Left view cross-sectional view of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0037] Figure 3 Front view of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0038] Figure 4 Cutting schematic diagram of the sodium-sulfur battery of the present invention

[0039] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the cutting positions of the initial stage and the first to third knives in the automatic processing mode of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0040] Figure 6 Axonometric view of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0041] Figure 7 Disassembly flow chart of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium-sulfur batteries of the present invention

[0042] In the figure:

[0043] 101 - Main door; 102 - Rectangular transport pipe; 201 - Cylinder block of the pushing mechanism; 202 - Push rod of the pushing mechanism; 301 - Chuck; 401 - Tool holder; 402 - Tool; 403 - XY-axis transmission mechanism; 501 - Crushing push rod; 502 - Triangular bracket 503 - Slideway; 601 - Treatment pool cover; 602 - Plastic square bucket; 603 - Treatment pool housing; 701 - Simple control panel; 702 - Oxygen concentration detector; 703 - Humidity detector; 800 - Retired sodium-sulfur battery. Detailed implementation manners

[0044] To make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] It should be understood that the terms indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0046] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected to", "fixed", etc. shall be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship in which the product of the invention is usually placed during use. It is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only used for distinguishing descriptions and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0048] In addition, the terms "horizontal", "vertical", "hanging", etc. do not mean that the component is required to be absolutely horizontal or hanging, but can be slightly inclined. For example, "horizontal" only means that its direction is more horizontal relative to "vertical", and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly inclined.

[0049] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the first feature being above or below the second feature may include the direct contact between the first and second features, or may include the situation where the first and second features are not in direct contact but in contact through other features between them. Moreover, the first feature being above, over and on the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being below, under and beneath the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0050] Embodiment:

[0051] See Figure 1 And Figure 2, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a disassembling device assisted by a retired sodium-sulfur battery, including: a processing chamber 100, a pushing component 200, a clamping component 300, a cutting component 400, a crushing component 500, a processing pool 600 and a control component 700; the processing chamber 100 is the main body of the device, carrying other components, and each component is arranged based on the processing chamber 100; the pushing component 200 is fixed on the chassis on the left side of the processing chamber by bolts, and the axis of the pushing component 200 is collinear with the axis of the clamping component 300; when the pushing component 200 is in the initial state, the left end surface of the front small platform of the pushing component 200 is flush with the left end surface of the clamping component 300; the clamping component 300 is arranged on the left inner wall of the processing chamber 100, and the base is fixedly connected with the inner wall of the processing chamber; the cutting component 400 is entirely located behind the axis of the sodium-sulfur battery 800. After installation, the tip of the cutting tool 402 and the axis of the three-jaw chuck 301 are on the same horizontal plane. The cutting component 400 is installed on the processing chamber 100 through an XY-axis movement control mechanism 403; the crushing component 500 is entirely arranged on the right side of the processing chamber; the processing pool 600 is arranged at the rear lower part of the processing chamber and is connected to the processing chamber through a rectangular transportation channel; the control component 700 is arranged in the processing chamber according to the control requirements.

[0052] See Figure 1 And Figure 2 , one side (long side) of the main door 101 of the processing chamber is hinged to the processing chamber body through a sealing door hinge, and the other corresponding side is connected to the processing chamber through a spring hook; on the right side of the main door 101, there are an oxygen concentration detector 702 and a humidity detector 703, which are installed on the main door 101 by screws; there is a rectangular opening on the bottom surface of the processing chamber, and a rectangular transportation pipe 102 is welded outside the opening. The end of the pipe is inserted into the rectangular hole in the middle of the top cover of the processing pool. A flexible pipe is connected to the end of the rectangular transportation pipe 102 and is inserted into the absolute ethanol in the processing pool to form a liquid surface seal. At the same time, the flexible pipe also facilitates the replacement of the square plastic bucket 602 containing absolute ethanol.

[0053] See Figure 1 , the cylinder body 201 of the pushing mechanism is fixed on the chassis on the left side of the processing chamber by bolts. The axis of the push rod 202 is collinear with the axis of the chuck. There is a circular small platform screwed on the front end of the push rod for facilitating the pushing out of the ceramic tube.

[0054] See Figure 1 , the clamping mechanism is a three-jaw chuck 301, whose base is fixedly connected with the processing chamber. There is a circular groove in the middle for parking the small platform at the front end of the push rod of the pushing mechanism. When the push rod contracts, it does not affect the clamping of the three-jaw chuck 301; the rotation of the chuck is realized by a stepping motor in the chassis of the processing chamber. The driving force of the main shaft of the stepping motor is transmitted to the chuck through a gear train to drive the chuck to perform fixed-axis rotation.

[0055] See Figure 1 And Figure 2, the XY motion control mechanism 403 in the cutting assembly is arranged at the rear side of the chuck axis as a whole; the lead screw moving in the X-axis direction is parallel to the chuck axis, and its end extends out of the processing chamber and is connected to the drive shaft of the stepping motor by a coupling. The X-axis movement of the cutting assembly is controlled by driving the forward and reverse rotation of the stepping motor; the tool holder 401 is connected to the slider on the X-axis lead screw by screws; a Y-axis moving lead screw nut mechanism driven by a stepping motor is also installed on the tool holder, and the tool 402 is pressed on the slider of the Y-axis moving lead screw by screws; after the whole assembly is installed, the tip of the tool 402 and the chuck axis are on the same horizontal plane, and the feed route of the tip in the Y-axis direction is perpendicular to and intersects the chuck axis.

[0056] See Figure 4 , the structure of the sodium-sulfur battery 800 is as shown in the figure. A total of 4 cuts are to be made, 1 cut in manual mode and 3 cuts in automatic mode; the first cut is in manual mode, and at this time, the operator uses the operation panel to control the tool to cut the bottom of the battery; the 2nd - 4th cuts are automatically processed by the tool under the control of the PLC and the control program; from the structure of the sodium-sulfur battery, it can be seen that the machining allowances for the 4 cuts are relatively large, so the accuracy of the control system can be met only by relying on the limit switch and the time relay in the PLC.

[0057] See Figure 5 , in the automatic cutting mode, the tool is driven by the XY motion control mechanism to first cut the sodium can, then cut the root of the sodium can, and finally make a relatively shallow cut on the battery shell.

[0058] See Figure 1 And Figure 2, the crushing assembly 500 consists of a crushing push rod 501, a triangular bracket 502, and a slideway 503. The cylinder block of the crushing push rod 501 is fixed to the top of the chassis on the right side of the processing chamber by bolts. The push rod wire is perpendicular to the horizontal plane and intersects with the axis of the three-jaw chuck 301. There is a small platform at the front end of the crushing push rod 501 that is pressed by screws, and sharp conical protrusions conducive to the crushing of the ceramic tube are arranged on the small platform, facilitating the generation of a large stress concentration in cooperation with the triangular bracket 502. The triangular bracket 502 is composed of three steel bars with triangular end faces. Its welding points are on the inner wall of the processing chamber directly opposite the chuck. Each of the three brackets has an edge to support the ceramic tube, that is, the triangular brackets are arranged along the circumference on a cylindrical surface with the same diameter as the sodium-sulfur battery ceramic tube. From the end view, the edges correspond to the center of the circle, which is conducive to generating stress concentration and facilitating the crushing of the ceramic tube. The central axis of the triangular bracket is parallel to the axis of the chuck, and the welding point is slightly lower than the projection of the battery end face on the right side surface in the processing chamber by 1 - 2 mm to ensure that the ceramic tube will not collide with the triangular bracket after the push rod pushes out the ceramic tube. The three edges of the three steel bars provide support for the ceramic tube, cooperate with the crushing push rod 501 to crush the ceramic tube, and the fragments fall and slide along the slideway 503 into the rectangular opening at the bottom of the processing chamber and then fall into anhydrous ethanol along the rectangular conveying channel for soaking.

[0059] See Figure 1 And Figure 5 , the treatment tank 600 is arranged in the lower right of the processing chamber. It is an overall rectangular box. There is a rectangular opening in the middle of the top cover 601 that is connected to the rectangular conveying channel, and there are small holes at the four corners for discharging hydrogen. 602 is a plastic square bucket for holding anhydrous ethanol. During normal operation, the flexible tube at the end of the square tube is inserted into anhydrous ethanol to form a liquid surface seal, and only the plastic square bucket 602 needs to be replaced during replacement. The plastic square bucket 602 is placed inside the housing 603 of the treatment tank, and the side plate of the housing can be pulled out through two grooves. When replacing anhydrous ethanol, pull out the side plate, replace the anhydrous ethanol, and then insert the side plate. The entire treatment tank is well-sealed except for the side plate and the exhaust holes. A rubber sealing edge is added between the side plate and the processing chamber to improve the sealing performance.

[0060] See Figure 3 , the control assembly mainly includes an operation panel 701, an oxygen concentration detector 702, a humidity detector 703, etc. The operation panel 701 in the manual mode is on the front of the chassis on the left side of the processing chamber. It sends signals to the stepping motor through the control PLC to control the forward and reverse rotation of the motor, thereby controlling the movement of the tool. The PLC in the automatic mode control mode is inside the chassis of the processing chamber. It receives the signals from each sensor through shielded wires and cooperates with the control program to control the equipment. The oxygen concentration detector 702 and the humidity detector 703 are on the right door edge of the main door of the processing chamber and are pressed on the main door by screws. The limit switches mainly control the x-axis movement of the tool. There are a total of 4 limit switches arranged on the rear vertical surface of the processing chamber and are arranged according to the cutting position and stop position of the tool.

[0061] Refer to Figure 7 , the provided automatic disassembly method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries is as follows:

[0062] S01: Make a mark at the position between the bottom end of the battery case and the bottom end of the ceramic tube according to the structure of the sodium-sulfur battery. Open the main door, and clamp the sodium tank end of the battery onto the three-jaw chuck with the sodium tank end facing the chuck;

[0063] S02: Turn on the manual mode, start the chuck through the operation panel, control the XY-axis movement mechanism to work and drive the tool to feed, and cut off the bottom end of the sodium-sulfur battery;

[0064] S03: Close the chuck, remove the sodium-sulfur battery, reverse the clamping, close the main door, and lock the main door with the spring barb. The operator starts the automatic processing mode;

[0065] S04: The tool automatically moves along the X-axis away from the chuck under the control of the PLC until it touches the limit switch at the farthest position. At the same time, the ventilation device starts, and the inside is filled with inert gas through the air inlet and outlet, and the inside is ensured to be slightly positive pressure;

[0066] S05: When the oxygen concentration detector and the humidity detector detect that the internal environment has reached a suitable environment, they send a signal to the PLC. After receiving the signal, the PLC drives the chuck to rotate, and at the same time, the cutting assembly also starts to move in the X and Y directions;

[0067] S06: The chuck rotates at a speed of V1, and the tool holder moves along the X-axis towards the chuck. When it touches the first limit switch, the movement along the X-axis stops, and the feeding movement along the Y-axis starts, cutting open the sodium tank of the sodium-sulfur battery. The sodium tank falls into the treatment pool along the rectangular transportation channel through the rectangular opening below it;

[0068] S07: After cutting, the rotation speed of the chuck is changed to V2, the tool retracts to the initial position, continues to move along the X-axis direction, triggers the second limit switch, the tool stops and makes a second cut along the Y-axis, and the cut root of the sodium tank falls into the treatment pool through the rectangular opening;

[0069] S08: After cutting, the tool continues to move along the X-axis. When it triggers the third limit switch, the tool stops and starts to feed along the Y-axis to cut the sodium-sulfur battery case;

[0070] S09: The push rod of the pushing component extends to push out the ceramic tube inside the battery, so that the ceramic tube is separated from the battery case; the ceramic tube falls on the front triangular bracket, and the battery case and carbon felt remain on the chuck;

[0071] S10: After the pushing mechanism finishes working, the crushing push rod extends, cooperates with the right angle of the triangle to crush the ceramic tube, and the ceramic fragments slide into the treatment pool along the slideway, and the mandrel remains on the triangular bracket;

[0072] S11: The ventilation device starts. When the internal gas environment reaches the appropriate conditions, a prompt sound is emitted, and the operator removes the battery housing and the mandrel.

[0073] S12: Repeat S1 - S11 to complete the disassembly of the next retired sodium - sulfur battery.

[0074] The working process of the auxiliary disassembly equipment for retired sodium - sulfur batteries disclosed in this embodiment is as follows:

[0075] ① The operator first measures the sodium - sulfur battery and marks the position of the first cut. Open the main door 101, align the sodium can end of the sodium - sulfur battery with the chuck 301 and clamp it. Start the power supply. In the manual mode with the chuck and the operation panel 701, adjust the movement and feed of the tool 402 to cut off the bottom of the sodium - sulfur battery, and the bottom of the ceramic tube is exposed.

[0076] ② The operator removes the battery, reverses the clamping, and the exposed part of the bottom of the ceramic tube faces the chuck 301. The axis of the battery is collinear with the axis of the chuck. The staff manually closes the main door 101, and the spring barb automatically locks. Start the automatic cutting mode. The tool 402 starts to automatically reset and moves away from the chuck 301. When it touches the limit switch at the farthest position, the tool 402 stops. At the same time, the ventilation device starts. When the gas environment changes to a certain extent, the oxygen concentration detector 702 and the humidity detector 703 send signals to the PLC controller, and the motor drives the chuck 301 to start rotating.

[0077] ③ After the chuck is opened, the stepping motor controlling the X - axis movement drives the lead - screw nut mechanism to operate and drive the tool 402 to move. When the limit switch at the first cutting point is triggered, the axial movement stops. The tool 402 makes a Y - direction feed. After cutting, the sodium can is cut open, and the cut - off part falls into the treatment pool along the rectangular conveying channel through the rectangular opening directly below. At the same time, the rotation speed of the chuck changes. The tool 402 continues to move axially and triggers the limit switch at the second cutting point, the axial movement stops, and the second - knife cutting starts to cut off the root of the sodium can. The tool 402 continues to move axially, and after triggering the limit switch at the third cutting point, the third - knife outer - shell cutting is carried out. After cutting, the tool 402 returns to the starting point and stops.

[0078] ④ After the tool 402 stops, the ejector rod 202 works according to the preset elongation amount, pushing the ceramic tube to separate from the battery housing. The battery housing and the carbon felt remain on the chuck, and the ceramic tube falls onto the triangular support 502 due to gravity. The crushing ejector rod 501 starts to elongate. The ceramic tube is supported by the triangular support 502 and pressured by the crushing ejector rod 501. Finally, the ceramic tube breaks, and the ceramic fragments slide into the anhydrous ethanol in the treatment pool along the slideway 503. The mandrel remains on the triangular support 502.

[0079] ⑤When the internal environment changes to a certain extent, the oxygen concentration detector 702 and the humidity detector 703 send signals, the indicator light turns on, the staff opens the main door 101, opens the three-jaw chuck 301, removes the battery case on the chuck and the mandrel on the triangular bracket, replaces the next battery, and repeats the previous operation.

[0080] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and changes. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An auxiliary disassembly device for retired sodium-sulfur batteries, characterized in that It includes a processing bin, a pushing component, a clamping component, a cutting component, a crushing component, a processing pool and a control component; the processing bin is the main body of the equipment and bears other components; the pushing component is arranged on the left outer side of the processing bin, and its axis is collinear with the clamping component and the sodium-sulfur battery. There is a small platform at the top of the push rod, and the left end face of the small platform is flush with the left end face of the three-jaw chuck; the clamping component is arranged on the left inner wall of the processing bin, and the component base is fixedly connected to the processing bin; the cutting component is located behind the axis of the three-jaw chuck. After the overall installation, the tip of the tool is on the same horizontal plane as the chuck axis and is connected to the processing bin through an XY motion control mechanism; the crushing component is located on the right side of the processing bin; the processing pool is located at the right rear of the processing bin and is connected to the processing bin through a rectangular conveying channel; the control component includes a controller, limit switches, etc., and is arranged on each component in the processing bin; The clamping component is a manual three-jaw chuck, and the base is fixedly connected to the left side inside the processing bin through bolts; The cutting component includes a tool holder, a tool, and an XY motion control mechanism. The tool holder is fixed on the XY motion control mechanism. The XY motion control mechanism includes an X-axis lead screw nut, a Y-axis lead screw nut, and corresponding drive motors; The crushing component includes three triangular brackets, a crushing push rod, and a slideway; the three triangular brackets are arranged along the circumference on a small cylindrical surface with the same diameter as the ceramic tube of the retired sodium-sulfur battery. The axis of the formed cylindrical surface is parallel to the axis of the three-jaw chuck and is slightly lower than the chuck axis. The edges of the triangular brackets point to the center of the circle; the crushing push rod is located directly above the triangular brackets, and the up and down movement of the crushing push rod is controlled by a cylinder; there is a small platform screwed with screws at the front end of the crushing push rod, and sharp conical protrusions conducive to the crushing of the ceramic tube are arranged on the platform; the slideway is directly below the triangular brackets. The higher side is welded to the right inner wall of the processing bin opposite the chuck, and the lower side is welded to the bottom of the processing bin, forming an angle with the horizontal plane.

2. The auxiliary disassembly device for retired sodium-sulfur batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that An L-shaped door is arranged at the top of the processing bin. One side (long side) is hinged to the processing bin through two sealed door hinges, and the other corresponding side is connected to the processing bin through a spring hook; there is a rectangular opening at the bottom surface of the processing bin. When the sodium-sulfur battery is clamped on the chuck, the sodium can corresponds to the position of the rectangular opening; a rectangular transport pipe is welded around the rectangular opening to connect the processing bin and the processing pool.

3. The auxiliary disassembly device for retired sodium-sulfur batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that The processing pool consists of a processing pool shell, a top cover, and a square plastic bucket filled with anhydrous ethanol. It is located at the right rear of the processing bin as a whole, is connected to the processing bin through a rectangular conveying channel, and the end of the rectangular conveying channel close to the processing pool is a flexible channel, and it is ensured that the outlet end face of the rectangular conveying channel is lower than the liquid level of the anhydrous ethanol.

4. The auxiliary disassembly device for retired sodium-sulfur batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that The control component consists of a detection part and a control part: the detection part includes limit switches, a humidity detector, and an oxygen concentration detector; the control part includes a PLC controller and corresponding control programs. All sensing signals are transmitted to the PLC controller through shielded wires, and the corresponding components are controlled to act according to the control programs.

5. The auxiliary disassembly device for retired sodium-sulfur batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that Inert gas inlets and outlets are respectively arranged at the left front corner and the right rear corner inside the processing bin to ensure that the automatic cutting process is carried out in an inert gas environment, and the internal air pressure environment is in a slightly positive pressure state.

6. An auxiliary disassembly method for retired sodium-sulfur batteries, characterized in that: S01: Mark the position between the bottom end of the battery housing and the bottom end of the ceramic tube according to the sodium-sulfur battery structure. Open the main door, and clamp the sodium can end of the battery onto the clamping assembly with the sodium can end facing the chuck. S02: Turn on the manual mode, start the chuck through the operation panel, control the XY-axis movement mechanism to drive the tool to feed, cut off and remove the bottom end of the sodium-sulfur battery. S03: Close the chuck, remove the sodium-sulfur battery, hold the sodium can end away from the chuck, close the main door, and lock the main door with the spring barb. The operator starts the automatic processing mode. S04: Under the control of the PLC, the tool automatically moves along the X-axis away from the chuck until it touches the limit switch at the farthest position. At the same time, the ventilation device starts, and the inside is filled with inert gas through the air inlet and outlet, and the inside is maintained at a slightly positive pressure. S05: When the oxygen concentration detector and the humidity detector detect that the internal environment has reached the appropriate environment, they send a signal to the PLC. After receiving the signal, the PLC drives the chuck to rotate, and at the same time, the cutting assembly also starts to move in the X and Y directions. S06: The chuck rotates at a speed of V1, and the tool holder moves along the X-axis towards the chuck. When it touches the first limit switch, the movement along the X-axis stops, and the feeding movement along the Y-axis starts. Cut open the sodium can of the sodium-sulfur battery, and the sodium can falls into the treatment pool along the rectangular transportation channel through the rectangular opening below it. S07: After cutting, the tool retracts to the initial position of the Y-axis, and the rotation speed of the chuck becomes V2, and it continues to move along the X-axis direction. Trigger the second limit switch, the tool stops and makes a second cut along the Y-axis, and the cut root of the sodium can falls into the treatment pool through the rectangular opening. S08: After cutting, the tool continues to move along the X-axis. When it triggers the third limit switch, the tool stops and starts to feed along the Y-axis to cut the battery housing of the sodium-sulfur battery. S09: The push rod of the pushing assembly extends to push out the ceramic tube inside the battery, so that the ceramic tube is separated from the battery housing; the ceramic tube falls on the triangular bracket at the front end, and the battery housing and carbon felt remain on the chuck. S10: After the pushing mechanism finishes working, the crushing push rod extends and cooperates with the right angle of the triangle to crush the ceramic tube, and the ceramic fragments slide down the slideway into the treatment pool, and the mandrel remains on the triangular bracket. S11: The ventilation device starts. When the internal gas environment reaches the appropriate conditions, it emits a prompt sound, and the operator takes out the battery housing and the mandrel. S12: Repeat S1 - S11 to complete the disassembly of the next retired sodium-sulfur battery.

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