Method and apparatus for mixing and homogenizing a powder and granule

Abstract

This application provides a method and apparatus for mixing and homogenizing powdered materials. The method, operated using a powdered material mixing and homogenizing apparatus, includes: dividing the total incoming material quantity of a feeding unit within a reference time period into multiple distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N; during continuous feeding by the feeding unit, controlling the distribution unit to sequentially pre-charge a certain amount of powdered material into multiple storage units; upon completion of pre-charging of powdered material into each storage unit, controlling the discharge unit to simultaneously and continuously discharge material from each storage unit to mix and homogenize the powdered material; and during the mixing and homogenization process, controlling the distribution unit to allocate the powdered material from the feeding unit to each storage unit, thus achieving continuous mixing and homogenization. This application can achieve continuous macroscopic homogenization and quality stability of powdered materials produced over a relatively long time period, and its application in the new energy field can promote the production process of lithium battery raw materials.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of powder and granular material processing technology, specifically to a method and apparatus for mixing and homogenizing powder and granular materials. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of new energy technology, polyolefin powder products are used in the production of lithium battery raw materials. Polyolefin products can be either powder or granules. Both powder and granules are solid particles, differing only in particle size, and there is no strict dividing line. Generally, particles with a particle size of 1 mm or larger are called granules, and particles with a particle size of less than 1 mm are called powder. In situations where no distinction is needed, powder and granules can be collectively referred to as powder and granules.

[0003] During the polymerization process, fluctuations in process parameters are inevitable, leading to variations in the melt index, density, impact strength, and tensile strength of dried polyolefin products. This results in differences in the basic physical properties of products produced at different times. To reduce these differences, it is necessary to perform mixing and homogenization treatment on the powder and granules.

[0004] Polyolefin blending and homogenization is a commonly used production process in the production of polyolefin resins. Its function is to use blending and homogenization technology to mix polyolefin products produced over a period of time, so that the fluctuation range of their performance parameters is smaller and the quality is more stable.

[0005] Previously, polyolefin powders existed only as intermediate transitional products, with the final product primarily in granule form. Granules have better flowability than powders and are relatively easier to homogenize. Therefore, existing blending and homogenization methods and equipment are mainly designed for granules and are intermittent batch operations. With the expanding application prospects of powders, high-end markets, represented by lithium battery separator materials, have higher requirements for the stability of various indicators of polyolefin powders. The industry urgently needs a method that can operate continuously and effectively blend and homogenize powders at different time intervals to ensure product quality and improve production efficiency.

[0006] Currently, the blending and homogenization of polyolefin powders often employs bubbling blending. Nitrogen gas, driven by a blower, enters the powder accumulation from the distribution pipes and perforated plates at the bottom of the homogenization silo. Under pressure, it rises from the bottom, loosening the powder through bubbling and penetration, causing localized agglomeration and promoting relative misalignment and sliding between the tiny powder particles. However, due to limitations in power consumption and powder characteristics, this blending and homogenization method can only achieve small-scale, localized homogenization (micro-homogenization) of the powder within the silo. Powders with large production intervals (significant differences in height upon entering the silo) cannot come into contact and mix, making it difficult to achieve macro-homogenization and quality stability for large batches of products produced over several hours.

[0007] In bubble mixing and homogenization, powder is fed into the mixing and homogenizing equipment in batches. The first batch of powder enters the equipment, completes the mixing and homogenization process, and then exits. The second batch of powder is then fed into the equipment for the same process, and this cycle repeats. For example, if the first batch of powder (e.g., powder from hour T) enters the mixing and homogenizing equipment's hopper, the powder that entered first is at the bottom, and the powder that entered last is at the top. In bubble mixing technology, bubbles flow from bottom to top. A common method is to use relatively low power to allow small bubbles to slowly rise through gaps. This method only disturbs the powder that the bubbles come into contact with during their ascent, creating localized homogenization. It cannot allow powder that is far apart to come into contact with each other, resulting in poor homogenization. If a fluidized bed homogenization operation is performed, the required homogenizer hopper capacity and airflow are much larger. Due to the aforementioned limitations, the cost of using high-power mixing and homogenization is too high for industrial implementation. Therefore, bubbling homogenization is still more commonly used. However, this method can only perform micro-homogenization on local powder materials and is only suitable for situations with short feeding times (small batches of powder materials). It cannot achieve macro-homogenization and quality-stable mixing and homogenization effects for incoming materials over longer periods (large batches of powder materials), which seriously restricts the quality stability and production efficiency of lithium battery raw materials in the field of new energy technology.

[0008] Therefore, in response to the shortcomings of bubbling homogenization, this application provides a technical solution that can mix and homogenize powder and granules over a long period of time and ensure the mixing and homogenization effect. This technical solution is applicable to both powder and granules. It can be applied not only to the mixing and homogenization treatment of lithium battery raw materials in the field of new energy technology, but also to the mixing and homogenization treatment of other powder and granules that require mixing and homogenization treatment in other fields. Summary of the Invention

[0009] One objective of this application is to provide a method and apparatus for mixing and homogenizing powder and granules, which aims to achieve continuous macroscopic homogenization of powder and granules produced over a relatively long period of time, improve quality stability and maintain production continuity, thereby improving the mixing and homogenization effect and production efficiency of powder and granules.

[0010] According to one aspect of this application, a method for mixing and homogenizing powder and granules is provided. The method is based on a powder and granules mixing and homogenizing device, which includes a feeding unit, a distributing unit corresponding to the feeding unit, a plurality of storage units disposed on one side of the outlet of the feeding unit, and a discharging unit corresponding to the storage units.

[0011] The powder and granule mixing and homogenization method includes:

[0012] The total amount of material received by the feeding unit within the reference time period is divided into multiple material distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N;

[0013] During the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit, the dispensing unit is controlled to pre-fill a certain amount of powder material into multiple storage units in sequence; wherein, the certain amount of powder material refers to the initial amount of powder material, which can be set according to the average dispensing amount, such as directly setting it to the average dispensing amount, or the initial amount of each storage unit is different, and the amount of powder material is increased by 1 / N times the average dispensing amount in sequence.

[0014] When the pre-filling of powder and granules in each of the storage units is completed, the discharge unit is controlled to discharge powder and granules simultaneously and continuously to mix and homogenize the powder and granules.

[0015] During the mixing and homogenization process of the powder and granules, the material distribution unit is controlled to distribute the powder and granules from the feeding unit to each of the storage units, thereby achieving continuous mixing and homogenization operation.

[0016] According to one aspect of this application, a mixing and homogenizing apparatus is provided, the mixing and homogenizing apparatus comprising:

[0017] Feeding unit;

[0018] A material distribution unit is provided corresponding to the feeding unit;

[0019] A storage unit is provided on one side of the outlet of the feeding unit;

[0020] A discharge unit is provided, which corresponds to the storage unit;

[0021] The control unit is connected to the dispensing unit, the storage unit, and the discharging unit, and is used to divide the total amount of material received by the feeding unit within a reference time period into multiple dispensing quantities according to the number N of storage units; during the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit, the dispensing unit is controlled to pre-fill the initial amount of powder and granules into multiple storage units in sequence; when the pre-filling of powder and granules into each storage unit is completed, the discharging unit is controlled to simultaneously and continuously discharge from each storage unit to mix and homogenize the powder and granules; during the mixing and homogenization process of the powder and granules, the dispensing unit is controlled to distribute the powder and granules from the feeding unit to each storage unit to achieve continuous mixing and homogenization operation.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, based on the above technical solutions, the control unit is configured as follows:

[0023] The total incoming material quantity is divided into N average material distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N;

[0024] According to the material distribution sequence of the material distribution unit and the average material distribution amount, the corresponding material distribution amount is pre-filled into the multiple material storage units in sequence.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, based on the above technical solutions, the control unit is configured as follows:

[0026] After all the powder and granular materials in the storage units are configured, the system enters a continuous feeding and discharging operation state.

[0027] In the continuous feeding and continuous discharging operation, each of the storage units discharges material simultaneously, achieving mixing and homogenization of powder and granular materials during the discharge process;

[0028] Control each of the aforementioned storage units to discharge material at the same speed; control the total discharge speed of the powder and granule mixing and homogenizing device to be equal to the total feed speed, so as to prevent empty or overflowing storage units.

[0029] During the mixing and homogenization process of the powder and granular material output, the material distribution unit is controlled to fill the next average material distribution amount into the storage unit that is ranked first in the material distribution sequence, and then fill the average material distribution amount into the storage unit that is ranked last in the sequence.

[0030] In some embodiments of this application, based on the above technical solutions, the control unit may further be configured as follows:

[0031] Locate the storage unit that is first in the material distribution sequence, and pre-fill the storage unit that is first in the sequence with a basic amount of powder material that can maintain continuous operation. This basic amount of powder material may be different from the average amount of material distributed.

[0032] Based on the basic powder and granular material quantity, for multiple storage units following the first in the material distribution sequence, a 1 / N average material distribution quantity is added sequentially according to the material distribution sequence for pre-filling, thereby achieving:

[0033] The pre-fill amount of the first storage unit is the basic powder material amount, the pre-fill amount of the second storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus 1 1 / N average distribution amount, the pre-fill amount of the third storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus 2 1 / N average distribution amounts, and the pre-fill amount of the Nth storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus (N-1) 1 / N average distribution amounts, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3.

[0034] Furthermore, any software capable of implementing the control flow and functions described in this patent application contains (or embodies) the substantive content of this patent and is also within the scope of the claims of this patent.

[0035] During the mixing and homogenization of granular materials, the distribution unit fills the granular materials from the feeding unit into each storage unit, thereby mixing and homogenizing the granular materials within a reference time period. Feeding is continuous during the continuous discharge process; newly arrived granular materials enter the storage units under the operation of the distribution unit, utilizing the storage space left during discharge for subsequent mixing and homogenization. This mixing and homogenization process is uninterrupted, allowing for continuous mixing of granular materials delivered over a relatively long period. Furthermore, during the continuous feeding process, the granular materials pre-filled in multiple storage units correspond to different arrival times. Since the discharge process is simultaneous, the granular materials flowing out of the discharge unit at the same time actually have different arrival times, including earlier and later arrivals, thus mixing and homogenizing the granular materials within this time period. The above-mentioned method of mixing and homogenizing powder and granules avoids the drawbacks of bubbling mixing technology. Compared with bubbling mixing technology, it can achieve macroscopic homogenization and quality stability of powder and granules over a longer period of time, thereby improving the mixing and homogenization effect. Attached Figure Description

[0036] The above and other objectives, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from a detailed description of its embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a powder and granule mixing and homogenization method according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0038] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the changes in material levels in each compartment during a continuous feeding and batch discharging operation according to an embodiment of this application.

[0039] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the material level changes in each compartment during a continuous feeding and discharging operation without clear batch division, according to an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0041] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the arrangement of multiple compartments according to one embodiment of this application is provided.

[0042] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0044] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0045] 10-Feeding unit; 101-Feed inlet; 20-Distribution unit; 201-Distributor; 202-Switching valve; 30-Storage unit; 301-Compartment; Material level detection equipment-302; 303-Regulating valve; 304-Baffle; 40-Discharge unit; 401-Outlet valve; 50-Housing; 60-Control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, they are provided to make the description of this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art. The drawings are merely illustrative of this application and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts, and therefore repeated descriptions of them will be omitted.

[0047] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more exemplary embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a full understanding of exemplary embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced with one or more specific details omitted, or other methods, components, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known structures, methods, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0048] Some of the block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically or logically independent entities. These functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and / or processor devices and / or microcontroller devices.

[0049] The technical solution of this application will be described in detail below through several embodiments.

[0050] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates a flow chart of a powder / granule mixing and homogenization method according to an embodiment of this application. The powder / granule mixing and homogenization apparatus includes a feeding unit, a distributing unit corresponding to the feeding unit, a storage unit disposed on one side of the outlet of the feeding unit, and a discharge unit corresponding to the storage unit. The method includes:

[0051] Step S101: Divide the total incoming material quantity of the feeding unit within the reference time period into multiple material distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N.

[0052] The powder and granular material mixing and homogenization method, or powder and granular material mixing and homogenization process, can be implemented through the control of a powder and granular material mixing and homogenization device. This device is used to mix and homogenize powder and granular materials; it can also be described as a mixing and homogenizing unit. Powder and granular materials refer to both powder and granules. A feeding unit is used to obtain the powder and granular materials and introduce them into the powder and granular material mixing and homogenization device. The feeding unit may include a feed inlet and a feed pipe located on the inlet side. The inlet side of the feed pipe can be connected to upstream powder and granular material production equipment, such as a powder and granular material dryer. The powder and granular materials produced by the dryer flow through the feed pipe, from the outlet side of the feed pipe into the feed inlet, and then into a storage unit. The storage unit is located on the outlet side of the feeding unit and includes a space for storing the powder and granular materials; the storage unit may be a silo or a storage chamber. There are multiple storage units. For a mixing and homogenizing device with multiple hoppers, multiple hoppers can be set up as storage units. For a mixing and homogenizing device with multiple compartments, a partition can be set in a housing to separate different spaces as compartments, and each compartment can correspond to one storage unit.

[0053] The material distribution unit is configured corresponding to the feeding unit, and can be located either on the inlet side or the outlet side of the feeding unit. In an embodiment where the material distribution unit is located on the inlet side of the feeding unit, each storage unit corresponds to an independent inlet. The material distribution unit can be connected to the outlet of the feeding pipeline and transport the powder / granular material to the inlet of the corresponding feeding unit. The material distribution unit can change the flow direction of the powder / granular material to guide it to the corresponding inlet, and through the inlet, the powder / granular material enters the corresponding storage unit. The discharge unit includes an outlet, which allows the powder / granular material to flow out of the storage unit.

[0054] The reference time period refers to the total length of time during which sequentially arriving powder materials can be mixed. It's essentially the time difference between the first and last powder materials delivered to the mixer / homogenizer for mixing and homogenization, such as 1 hour, 6 hours, etc. A reference time period of 6 hours means that powder materials delivered continuously within 6 hours will be mixed into a single batch of product. The reference time period can be set long or short, depending on the specific needs of the industrial application and the size of the mixer / homogenizer. The total incoming material quantity refers to the incoming material quantity within the reference time period, which is also the amount of powder material that needs to be mixed and homogenized within that time period. For example, if the reference time period is T0, the amount of powder material that needs to be mixed and homogenized within T0 is M0. M0 is divided into N equal parts according to the number of storage units N, and each part is called a distribution quantity. Multiple distribution quantities correspond to multiple storage units; that is, each storage unit has one distribution quantity.

[0055] Dispensing quantity describes the amount of powder or granular material allocated to a storage unit within a mixed batch. In one embodiment, the dispensing quantity can be expressed as the weight or volume of the powder or granular material, or as the corresponding material level in the silo chamber. For example, the amount of powder or granular material stored in the silo can be obtained by detecting the material level in the silo using sensors. When a certain dispensing quantity is reached, the dispensing unit can pause dispensing into the silo, thereby ensuring that the amount of powder or granular material stored in the silo corresponds to the dispensing quantity that needs to be allocated to it.

[0056] In another embodiment, the material distribution time period can also be used to indirectly measure the material distribution amount. If the flow rate of the input powder is stable, then the amount of powder passing through the material distribution unit within a certain time period is stable. By simply setting an appropriate material distribution time period, a specific amount of powder can be distributed to the corresponding storage unit. Therefore, the material distribution time period can also be used to represent the material distribution amount.

[0057] Step S102: During the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit, the material distribution unit is controlled to pre-charge the initial amount of powder and granular material into multiple storage units in sequence.

[0058] The initial amount refers to the amount of pre-charged powder or granular material. The initial amount is not zero. Continuous feeding of the feeding unit means that the powder or granular material passes through the feeding unit continuously in time. The amount of pre-charged powder or granular material in different storage units can be the same or different. During the material distribution process, multiple storage units need to be pre-charged with powder or granular material sequentially. That is, the first storage unit is pre-charged until it is pre-charged to a specific distribution amount before the next storage unit is pre-charged to the specific distribution amount. This makes the timing of powder or granular material distribution between different storage units different, so as to facilitate the subsequent blending and homogenization of powder or granular material within the reference time period.

[0059] In one embodiment, during the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit, the dispensing unit is controlled to pre-fill each storage unit with the corresponding amount of powder material, including: dispensing the corresponding amount of powder material to the storage unit that is ranked first in the dispensing sequence during the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit; dispensing the corresponding amount of powder material to the storage unit that is ranked first after the dispensing is completed; dispensing the corresponding amount of powder material to the storage unit that is ranked last in the dispensing sequence; and completing the dispensing of powder material to each storage unit according to the corresponding amount by the multiple storage units.

[0060] In the process of distributing materials to multiple storage units, a specific distributing order can be used to improve efficiency. For example, the distributing units can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise, allowing them to sequentially distribute materials to their corresponding storage units during rotation. This distributing order is determined by the relative positions of the storage units. After setting one storage unit as the first in the sequence, the remaining storage units are then ordered sequentially along a reference direction to achieve the desired distributing order. Compared to distributing materials without a specific order, this method is easier to apply in industrial applications and offers higher efficiency.

[0061] Step S103: When the pre-filling of powder and granules in each storage unit is completed, control the discharge unit to discharge powder and granules simultaneously and continuously to mix and homogenize the powder and granules.

[0062] The pre-filling of powder and granules in each storage unit is complete, meaning that each of the multiple storage units has been filled with the corresponding initial amount of powder and granules. The discharge unit is set up corresponding to the storage units, meaning the discharge unit is connected to the storage units, allowing the powder and granules to flow out of the storage units. The powder and granules flowing out of the discharge unit can further enter downstream processes or other storage equipment; the powder and granules flowing out of the discharge unit are those that have undergone mixing and homogenization. The discharge unit needs to discharge the powder and granules from each storage unit simultaneously; this discharge process is continuous. The feeding and discharging processes, once started, are continuous until they are completed.

[0063] Step S104: During the mixing and homogenization process of powder and granules, the material distribution unit is controlled to distribute the powder and granules from the feeding unit to each storage unit to achieve continuous mixing and homogenization operation.

[0064] The discharge process can be understood as the stage of powder and granular material mixing and homogenization. Feeding needs to continue as the powder and granular material flows out of the discharge unit. During the powder and granular material mixing and homogenization process, different feeding and discharging strategies can be implemented, with separate material distribution units filling the storage units from the feeding units. This can be done either simultaneously or within a short, nearly simultaneous timeframe, or sequentially filling each storage unit with an average amount of powder and granular material. Each pre-filled storage unit needs further filling with powder and granular material during the mixing and homogenization process.

[0065] To achieve homogenization of powder and granular materials during continuous feeding and discharging, the material distribution unit needs to continue filling the storage unit with powder and granular materials from the feeding unit from the very beginning of the mixing and homogenization process—that is, once discharging begins. This maintains the continuity of feeding and discharging, and thus the continuity of the mixing and homogenization process. Based on this, powder and granular material mixing and homogenization can be achieved over a longer period, ensuring stable homogenization quality and improving the mixing and homogenization effect.

[0066] Furthermore, the technical solution provided in the above embodiments has lower energy consumption compared to bubble mixing technology. This is because during the mixing and homogenization process of powder and granules, no additional power is required to drive the bubbles; the powder and granules simply need to pass through the powder and granule mixing and homogenization device along their original flow path. Only a small amount of control is involved in each unit, thus consuming less energy and achieving energy-saving effects.

[0067] In summary, the above method allows for the blending and homogenization of granular materials within a reference time period. During continuous discharge, feeding continues, and newly arrived granular materials enter the storage unit under the operation of the distribution unit. This storage space, created during discharge, is used for subsequent blending and homogenization. The blending and homogenization process is uninterrupted, allowing for continuous blending of granular materials over a relatively long period. Furthermore, during continuous feeding, the pre-filled storage units contain corresponding quantities of granular materials with different arrival times. Since the discharge process is simultaneous, the granular materials flowing out of the discharge unit at the same time correspond to different arrival times, including earlier and later arrivals, thus achieving blending and homogenization of the granular materials within this time period. The above-mentioned method for mixing and homogenizing powder and granules avoids the weakness of bubble mixing technology, which can only achieve local homogenization. It can mix powder and granules from upstream production facilities that are several hours apart. It can achieve full mixing and homogenization of powder and granules over a long period of time with very low energy consumption. Moreover, the mixing and homogenization process can be continuously fed and discharged, and can be seamlessly connected with the upstream drying production without interruption or switching.

[0068] In one embodiment, the total incoming material quantity of the feeding unit within a reference time period is divided into multiple distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N. This includes: dividing the total incoming material quantity into N average powder / granule material quantities according to the number of storage units N; and pre-filling the corresponding distribution quantities into multiple storage units sequentially according to the distribution order of the distribution units and the average distribution quantity. For example, if the total incoming material quantity is M0 and N is 4, then the average powder / granule material quantity is M0 / 4.

[0069] In one embodiment, the total incoming material quantity is divided into N average distribution quantities for the number of storage units. This includes: dividing the reference time period into N consecutive average time periods for the number of storage units according to the number of storage units N; when the incoming material is continuous and the speed is stable, the filling amount of the average time period can be directly used as the set average distribution quantity. During the material distribution process of the distribution unit, timing can be directly performed. When the timed duration reaches the duration of the average time period, it can be regarded as filling the average distribution quantity.

[0070] By using the above method, by controlling the dispensing time of the dispensing unit to a certain storage unit, it is possible to conveniently control the filling of a specific amount of powder or granular material into the storage unit in industrial applications.

[0071] In one embodiment, the average material distribution amount can be directly measured using the material distribution time period. For example, the amount of material arriving within a reference time period T0 is considered the total amount of material arriving, and the number of storage units N is 4. Then, after average division, the material distribution time period is T0 / 4. The amount of material that can be fed within the time period T0 / 4 is M0 / 4. Therefore, T0 / 4 can also be directly regarded as the average material distribution amount. When setting the corresponding material distribution amount for multiple storage units later, it can be represented by time, for example, directly set to T0 / 4. Then, the material distribution unit will distribute the powder and granular material to the corresponding storage unit within the time period T0 / 4. This method can be used when the feeding is continuous and stable.

[0072] In one embodiment, the number of storage units can be set according to the actual mixing and homogenization requirements. A storage unit can be a homogenizer with multiple compartments or a combination of multiple hoppers. If it is a homogenizer with multiple compartments, the number of storage units corresponds to the number of compartments; if it is a combination of multiple hoppers, the number of storage units corresponds to the number of hoppers. The number of storage units is generally 3 to 8, and in most cases 4 to 6 are sufficient for production needs. In special cases, other numbers can be set according to specific requirements. Correspondingly, the common range of N is 3 to 8, and in special cases it can be 2 or an integer greater than or equal to 9.

[0073] In one embodiment, the powder material input from the upstream device to the mixing and homogenizing device is continuous, uniform, and stable. The time sequence length of the input powder material to be homogenized as a batch is T0, corresponding to the amount of powder material that can be mixed and homogenized in the preceding and following batches, M0. In the case of continuous feeding, T0 is the total time sequence length of the powder material that can be mixed in the preceding and following batches. The number of storage units in the mixing and homogenizing device is N. Each batch of powder material to be homogenized enters each storage unit sequentially according to time order. The volume of each storage unit is the same, which is achieved by setting the size of the compartments to be the same. The discharge speed between different storage units is the same, for example, the upper interface of the powder material in each compartment moves downward at the same speed during the discharge process. The discharge capacity of this powder material mixing and homogenizing device is greater than or equal to the feeding capacity, where discharge capacity refers to the maximum supported discharge speed and feeding capacity refers to the maximum supported feeding speed. Furthermore, by adjusting the discharge speed, the actual feeding speed and the actual discharge speed are the same during continuous feeding and continuous discharge.

[0074] Please refer to Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the changes in material levels in each compartment during a continuous feeding and batch discharging operation according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 In the diagram shown, there are 4 compartments, i.e., N=4. 1 represents compartment 1, 2 represents compartment 2, 3 represents compartment 3, and 4 represents compartment 4. I represents the material level of each compartment when the first batch of powder and granules is filled (H0). II represents the material level of each compartment when the second batch of powder and granules is filled in compartment 1 during the second T0 period. III represents the material level of each compartment when the second batch of powder and granules is filled in compartments 1 and 2 during the second T0 period. IV represents the material level of each compartment when the second batch of powder and granules is filled in compartments 1, 2, and 3 during the second T0 period. V represents the material level of each compartment when the second batch of powder and granules is filled in compartments 1, 2, 3, and 4 during the second T0 period. At this time, the first batch of powder and granules is just emptied, which is equivalent to the state of the first batch of powder and granules being filled. Then, the next cycle begins. When the volume of the powder and granular material mixing and homogenizing device is sufficient to accommodate the incoming material corresponding to twice the T0 time period, the first T0 time period material is first filled into chambers 1 to 4 according to the time sequence. After the feeding is completed, the material level in each chamber is the same. Then the discharge valve is opened to discharge the material at the same time, so as to realize the simultaneous discharge and mixing of powder and granular materials in the same batch of powder and granular materials in the first T0 time period, including T1 time period, T2 time period, T3 time period, and T4 time period.

[0075] Based on this, simultaneous feeding and discharging can be performed. With the same feeding and discharging rates, the feeding time equals the discharging time. The feeding time of the first batch of powder (T0 time interval) can be used to feed the second batch of powder (T0 time interval), thus achieving seamless connection and continuous operation of two batches of powder entering the homogenizer for homogenization. It should be noted that, in this embodiment, theoretically, the mixing and homogenization operation only occurs between the same batch of powder (powder with a time interval of T0); two batches of powder are not mixed and homogenized together.

[0076] Under the condition that the discharge rate and the feed rate are equal, the volume of the mixing and homogenizing device should theoretically be greater than the volume of powder / granular material that needs to be mixed and homogenized by more than twice the length of the incoming material's duration, in order to achieve continuous feeding and batch discharge. For example, if the incoming material needs to be mixed and homogenized in batches of 4 hours, the total volume of the mixing and homogenizing device needs to be able to hold at least 8 hours' worth of incoming material. However, if the discharge rate is greater than the feed rate, the homogenizer volume can still operate even if it is slightly less than the volume of powder / granular material that needs to be homogenized by more than twice the length of the incoming material's duration. In short, a certain safety margin needs to be left in actual operation. Therefore, the maximum discharge rate should not be less than the maximum feed rate.

[0077] Using the above method, the same amount of powder and granular material is pre-filled into multiple compartments for the T0 / N period. Then, while discharging, the material is sequentially filled into each compartment with the amount of material fed into the T0 / N period of the second T0 period. When the powder and granular material of the first T0 period (first batch) is discharged, the powder and granular material of the second T0 period (second batch) is just filled. This can realize the operation mode of continuous feeding and batch discharge.

[0078] Please refer to Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This diagram illustrates the material level changes in each compartment during a continuous feed and discharge operation without defined batch divisions, according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 3In the diagram shown, I represents the material level in each compartment after pre-filling of the powder / granular material, and II represents an example of the material level in each compartment during continuous feeding and discharging. The time period for the powder / granular material to be mixed and homogenized is T0, the total incoming material quantity is M0, the average distribution quantity in each compartment is M0 / N, and the corresponding material level height is H0. The storage unit is a compartment, and it is assumed that there are 4 compartments, i.e., N=4. Each compartment is pre-filled with an initial material distribution quantity, which is the amount of powder / granular material to be filled in each compartment at the start of material distribution. The initial material distribution quantities between adjacent compartments differ by a basic material distribution quantity of 1 / N, i.e., M0 / 4 / 4, and the material level height difference is H0 / 4. Pre-charge the basic material distribution amount Mb to bin 1, with a corresponding material level height of Hb. Pre-charge bin 2 with Mb + M0 / 4 / 4, bin 3 with Mb + 2 * M0 / 4 / 4, and so on, until bin N is pre-charged with Mb + (N-1) * M0 / 4 / 4. After pre-charging, the material level heights of bins 1, 2, 3, and 4 are Hb, Hb + H0 / 4, Hb + 2 * H0 / 4, and Hb + (4-1) * H0 / 4, respectively. Furthermore, N can be set to other values, such as replacing 4 with 5, 6, 7, etc.

[0079] After pre-charging, each compartment begins to discharge material simultaneously, and the discharge process is also a mixing and homogenization process. During discharge, material is continuously fed in simultaneously, and a distributor is used to circulate and evenly distribute material to each compartment. This ensures that the material arriving in each "hourly segment" t0, which can be considered simultaneous, is evenly distributed to each compartment. The material level increment in each compartment during one rotation of the distributor is δH. Due to the different material levels in each compartment, the powder entering the homogenizer almost simultaneously falls to the position (height) of the existing powder in each compartment, and the time they reach the bottom discharge port is spaced out by a predetermined interval. The entry times corresponding to the powder exiting simultaneously from the bottom of compartments 1, 2, 3, ... N are t1, t2 (=t1-T0 / N), t3 (=t1-2*T0 / N)...tN (=t1-(N-1)*T0 / N), respectively. This achieves simultaneous discharge and mixing of materials arriving at different time periods, thus achieving homogenization.

[0080] The basic operating quantity Mb of the first compartment is the minimum. It is a safe operating quantity that ensures continuous material discharge from the compartment and also serves to isolate any nitrogen that may be filled in, as nitrogen filling is intended to prevent explosions of combustible dust. In continuous feeding and continuous discharging operation modes, the time span of the homogenized powder is always T0. In reality, there is no strict batch boundary between the previous and subsequent batches; the batches referred to are dynamic. That is to say, the homogenized powder that comes out of the homogenizer at any given moment actually includes powder that entered the homogenizer at N moments: t1, t2 (=t1-T0 / N), t3 (=t1-2*T0 / N)...tN (=t1-(N-1)*T0 / N). In actual production, product batches can be defined according to production time.

[0081] Using the above method, the pre-filling difference for multiple compartments is T0 / N. 2 The feed rate of granular materials varies over time periods. Then, while discharging, the granular materials are continuously and evenly distributed to each compartment. This allows for a continuous feeding and discharging operation mode that can mix and homogenize granular materials from different time periods without clear batch division.

[0082] Using the above method, the powder and granules are first pre-filled into different storage units, and then the powder and granules arriving at the powder and granules mixing and homogenizing device in a continuous feeding and discharging manner are continuously mixed and homogenized within a specific time period. This can mix powder and granules that enter the equipment at multiple different times, achieving mixing and homogenization of materials arriving at multiple time points with a time span of up to several hours, realizing global homogenization and quality stability, and improving the powder and granules mixing and homogenization effect.

[0083] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application is shown. Figure 4 The powder and granule mixing and homogenization device shown includes a feeding unit 10, a distributing unit 20, a storage unit 30, a discharge unit 40, a housing 50, and a control unit 60. Figure 4 The control unit 60 shown is connected to the storage unit 30, the discharge unit 40 and the distribution unit 20. The control unit 60 can send control signals according to the material level information of each compartment to make the storage unit 30 and the discharge unit 40 discharge material and make the distribution unit 20 distribute material, and realize the mixing and homogenization of powder and granular materials. In addition, the relative position of the control unit 60 is not specifically limited and can be integrated into the powder and granular material mixing and homogenization device.

[0084] The material distribution unit 20 is configured corresponding to the feeding unit 10, the material storage unit 30 is located on the outlet side of the feeding unit 10, and the material discharge unit 40 is configured corresponding to the material storage unit 30. The control unit 60 is connected to the material distribution unit 20, the material storage unit 30, and the material discharge unit 40, and can be used to implement the control method of the powder and granular material mixing and homogenization device involved in the above embodiments. Figure 4 In the powder and granule mixing and homogenizing device shown, the material distribution unit 20 is located below the inlet of the feeding unit 10 and above the material storage unit 30. In other embodiments, the material distribution unit 20 may also be located above the inlet of the feeding unit 10.

[0085] exist Figure 4In the powder and granular material mixing and homogenization device shown, the feeding unit 10 includes a feed inlet 101, the storage unit 30 includes a silo 301, a material level detection device 302, and a regulating valve 303 disposed on the outlet side of the silo 301. There are multiple storage units 30. A distribution unit 20 is disposed above the N storage units 30, and this distribution unit 20 includes a distributor 201. A discharge unit 40 is disposed on the outlet side of the storage unit 30, and this discharge unit 40 includes an outlet valve 401. The regulating valve 303 can also be replaced with a damping baffle or other facilities capable of adjusting the discharge speed.

[0086] The upper section of the shell 50 is a cylindrical shell 50 with a circular, polygonal, or rectangular cross-section. The top can be a flat top, a conical top, an arched top, or some kind of convex head. The lower part is a conical or pyramidal shell. The interior is divided into several compartments 301 by longitudinal partitions 304. The partitions 304 do not extend to the top of the homogenizer. The upper parts of each compartment 301 are interconnected spaces used to house the distributor 201 and share a single feed port. For the outlet, a regulating valve 303 or a damping baffle can be installed at the outlet of each compartment. By controlling the opening and closing sequence and the opening degree of the regulating valve 303 or the damping baffle, the discharge timing and discharge volume of each compartment can be controlled, achieving mixing and homogenization of powder and granular materials at different times between different compartments 301. The outlet valve 401 is used to control the discharge speed.

[0087] The storage unit 30 includes: a chamber 301, with its inlet located near the inlet of the feeding unit 10 and near the distributing unit 20, and its outlet located near the outlet of the discharging unit 40; a level detection device 302; and a regulating valve 303 located near the outlet of the chamber 301. The regulating valve 303, under the control of the control unit 60, maintains its opening at a target opening that ensures a consistent outflow rate of powder / granular material across the multiple storage units 30. The control unit 60 can communicate with the storage unit 30 to control the opening of the regulating valve.

[0088] In one embodiment, the material distribution unit 20 includes a material distributor 201, which is disposed between the outlet side of the feeding unit 10 and the inlet side of the storage unit 30; the material distributor 201 is used to distribute the powder material of the feeding unit 10 to the compartments 301 of a plurality of storage units 30 arranged in sequence under the control of the control unit 60.

[0089] Using the above method, a single powder and granule mixing and homogenizing device can be used to achieve the mixing and homogenization of powder and granules. It has a more compact structure, more convenient control of feeding and discharging, lower cost, and higher application value.

[0090] Figure 5A schematic diagram illustrating the arrangement of multiple compartments according to an embodiment of this application is shown. In this diagram, the multiple compartment units are arranged continuously, and the overall external outline of the formed structure can be circular, rectangular, or hexagonal. The number of compartments can be four, five, or six. From left to right, the schematic diagram shows a circular silo with four compartments, a circular silo with five compartments, a rectangular (or square) silo with four compartments, and a hexagonal silo with six compartments.

[0091] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The powder mixing and homogenizing device includes a housing 50, a feeding unit 10 including a feeding pipe and a feeding port 101, a storage unit 30 including a chamber 301 separated by a partition 304 and a regulating valve 303 disposed on the outlet side of the chamber 301, the partition 304 extending to the top of the homogenizer, each chamber 301 needs to be provided with an independent feeding pipe, and each chamber 301 has a feeding port 101 above it. The feed from each feeding port 101 independently enters the corresponding chamber 301. The distributing unit 20 includes a switching valve 202, which can switch the feeding pipe to the corresponding feeding port 101, so that the powder in the feeding pipe flows into the corresponding feeding port 101. The discharging unit 40 includes an outlet valve 401. It should be noted that the diagram shows the communication connection between the control unit 60 and the material distribution unit 20, the material storage unit 30 and the material discharge unit 40, but does not limit the relative position of the control unit. In actual setup, the control unit 60 can be integrated into the powder and granule mixing and homogenizing device.

[0092] This method results in a compact structure between the various compartments 301, facilitating industrial applications.

[0093] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a powder mixing and homogenizing device according to an embodiment of this application is shown. The feeding unit 10 of this powder mixing and homogenizing device includes a feeding pipe and a feeding port 101; the storage unit 30 includes hoppers (each hopper is equivalent to a chamber 301); the distributing unit 20 includes a switching valve 202; and the discharging unit 40 includes an outlet valve 401 disposed at the outlet of the hopper. The switching valve 202 allows the powder in the feeding pipe to enter the hopper. It should be noted that the control unit 60 is shown outside the hopper in the figure for ease of illustrating its communication connection with the distributing unit 20 and the discharging unit 40; its relative position is not limited. In actual installation, the control unit 60 can be integrated into the powder mixing and homogenizing device. Using this method, the mixing and homogenization of powder can be achieved using existing hoppers.

[0094] Any software capable of implementing the control flow and functions described in this patent application contains (or embodies) the substantive content of this patent and falls within the scope of the claims of this patent.

Claims

1. A method of mixing and homogenizing a powder particle material, characterized by, The powder and granule mixing and homogenization method is operated based on a powder and granule mixing and homogenization device, which includes a feeding unit, a distributing unit corresponding to the feeding unit, a plurality of storage units disposed on one side of the outlet of the feeding unit, and a discharging unit corresponding to the storage units. The powder and granule mixing and homogenization method includes: The total amount of material received by the feeding unit within the reference time period is divided into multiple material distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N; During the continuous feeding process of the feeding unit, the dispensing unit is controlled to sequentially pre-fill the multiple storage units with an initial amount of powder and granular material; When the pre-filling of powder and granules in each of the storage units is completed, the discharge unit is controlled to discharge powder and granules simultaneously and continuously to mix and homogenize the powder and granules. During the mixing and homogenization process of the powder and granular materials, the distributing unit is controlled to allocate the powder and granular materials from the feeding unit to each of the storage units, thereby achieving continuous mixing and homogenization operations; wherein, The total incoming material quantity of the feeding unit within the reference time period is divided into multiple distribution quantities according to the number of storage units N. The pre-filled powder quantity of the storage units differs by 1 / N of the distribution quantities in sequence; including: Locate the storage unit that is first in the material distribution sequence, and pre-fill the storage unit that is first in the sequence with a basic amount of powder material that can maintain continuous operation. The basic amount of powder material is different from the average amount of material distributed. Based on the basic powder and granular material quantity, for multiple storage units following the first in the material distribution sequence, pre-filling is performed by sequentially increasing the average material quantity by 1 / N times according to the material distribution sequence, thereby achieving: The pre-fill amount of the first storage unit is the basic powder material amount, the pre-fill amount of the second storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus 1 / N average distribution amount, the pre-fill amount of the third storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus 2 / N average distribution amount, and the pre-fill amount of the Nth storage unit is the basic powder material amount plus (N-1) / N average distribution amount, where N is an integer greater than or equal to 3; After all the pre-filled powder and granular materials in the storage units are configured, the system enters a continuous feeding and discharging operation state. During the process of mixing and homogenizing the powder and granules, the material distribution unit is controlled to continuously and evenly distribute the powder and granules from the feeding unit to each of the storage units. Control each storage unit to discharge material at the same speed; control the total discharge speed of the powder and granule mixing and homogenizing device to be equal to the total feed speed, keep the storage unit with the lowest material level from becoming empty, keep the storage unit with the highest material level from overflowing, and keep the material level difference between each storage unit basically stable.

2. A powder and granule mixing and homogenizing apparatus, characterized by The device includes: Feeding unit; A material distribution unit is provided corresponding to the feeding unit; A storage unit is provided on one side of the outlet of the feeding unit; A discharge unit is provided, which corresponds to the storage unit; A control unit is connected to the material dispensing unit, the material storage unit, and the material discharging unit, and is used to implement the method described in claim 1.

3. The powder granule mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The storage unit includes: Multiple compartments, wherein the inlet of each compartment is close to the inlet side of the feeding unit and the inlet side of the compartment is close to the distributing unit, and the outlet of each compartment is close to the outlet side of the discharging unit; A regulating valve is disposed on the side near the outlet of the chamber. The regulating valve is used to maintain the opening of the regulating valve at a target opening degree under the control of the control unit. The target opening degree is the regulating valve opening degree that keeps the powder and granule material outflow rate of the multiple storage units consistent.

4. The powder granule mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The material dispensing unit includes: A material distributor is disposed between the outlet side of the feeding unit and the inlet side of the storage unit; the material distributor is used, under the control of the control unit, to distribute the powder and granular material from the feeding unit into the compartments of a plurality of storage units arranged in sequence.

5. The powder granule mixing and homogenizing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The material dispensing unit includes: A switching valve is disposed between the feed inlet of the feeding unit and the feed pipe of the feeding unit. The switching valve is used to guide the powder material flowing out of the feed pipe to the feed inlet that needs to be filled with powder material under the control of the control unit, and to allow the powder material to enter the corresponding storage unit from the feed inlet.

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