High-temperature material continuous potting equipment and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of high-temperature material continuous equipment and method of loading bowl, belong to battery material sintering forming technical field, including rack, feeding assembly and loading assembly, the loading assembly is arranged on the rack, the feeding assembly is arranged on the loading assembly, the loading assembly includes feeding bin, replacement bin and conveying roller, the feeding bin is arranged below the feeding assembly, the feeding bin is communicated with the replacement bin, the conveying roller passes through the feeding bin and the replacement bin for conveying box, can be transported and continuously loaded bowl to high-temperature material, omit the step of material reheating temperature rise, reduce the energy consumption of fired material, inert gas is used for protection when conveying material, ensure the quality of material firing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery material sintering and molding technology, specifically to a high-temperature material continuous loading equipment and method. Background Technology

[0002] New energy vehicles powered by batteries are widely used, most of which employ lithium batteries. In the production of lithium battery cathode and anode materials, the powdered raw materials must first be loaded into saggers and then transported to a kiln for high-temperature sintering. To ensure the consistency and quality of the sintered material, precise control is required over the loading speed, quantity, density, and surface flatness of the material within the saggers. This necessitates the use of a specialized loading machine. Currently, the loading machines operate by allowing empty saggers to enter the machine under atmospheric conditions. The lifting platform is located inside the hoist. The hoist lifts the lifting platform, which in turn lifts the empty sagger upwards to the discharge port of the screw conveyor. It discharges material while descending until the sagger is filled. Then, the rollers inside the lifting platform rotate to transport the sagger to the external sintering equipment. The non-metallic parts used in this equipment can only withstand temperatures below 80°C. They cannot work properly in environments with temperatures above 80°C, and the gas environment for filling the sagger is not controlled. The material in the sagger is easily oxidized in the air at high temperatures, affecting the performance of the material after molding.

[0003] A patent with publication number CN219776371U discloses an automatic filling machine for a lithium battery production line, including a material box and a sagger. The material box has a feeding port, and the sagger is located below the feeding port. It also includes a positioning mechanism for stabilizing the sagger and a shaking mechanism connected to the positioning mechanism for shaking the powder in the sagger. This automatic filling machine does not replace the air environment for filling the sagger, and the connection of the filling machine is not protected against high temperature, so the quality of high temperature filling cannot be guaranteed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a continuous high-temperature material filling device, which solves the problem that existing filling machines cannot be used for continuous filling of high-temperature materials.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A continuous high-temperature material loading device includes a frame, a feeding assembly, and a loading assembly. The loading assembly is mounted on the frame, and the feeding assembly is mounted on the loading assembly. The loading assembly includes a feeding bin, a displacement bin, and a conveying roller. The feeding bin is located below the feeding assembly and is connected to the displacement bin. The conveying roller passes through the feeding bin and the displacement bin to convey the saggers. This device can convey and continuously load high-temperature materials, eliminating the need for material reheating and reducing energy consumption in the firing process. Inert gas is used for protection during material conveying, ensuring material quality.

[0007] Furthermore, the feeding assembly also includes a first compartment door and a second compartment door. The first compartment door is disposed on one side wall of the replacement compartment, and the second compartment door is disposed between the replacement compartment and the feeding compartment. The material is transferred from the feeding compartment to the sagger to prevent the material from oxidizing.

[0008] Furthermore, the loading assembly also includes a lifting device, which is installed inside the replacement chamber. The lifting device drives the sagger to move up and down within the replacement chamber to assist in loading.

[0009] Preferably, the lifting device includes a driver, a guide rod, and a lifting platform. The driver is located at the top of the feeding hopper and is connected to the lifting platform. The guide rod penetrates the feeding hopper in a direction perpendicular to the conveying roller. The lifting platform is slidably connected to the guide rod and is used to lift empty caskets in the feeding hopper for loading.

[0010] Preferably, the feeding hopper includes a first exhaust valve and a first intake valve. The first exhaust valve is disposed on the top wall of the feeding hopper, and the first intake valve is disposed on the side wall of the replacement hopper. The replacement hopper includes a second exhaust valve and a second intake valve. The second exhaust valve is disposed on the top of the replacement hopper, and the second intake valve is disposed on the side wall of the replacement hopper, for removing air from the feeding hopper and the replacement hopper respectively, to prevent material oxidation.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a feeder, which is disposed between the feeding assembly and the loading assembly. The feeder includes a screw feeder and a seal. The screw feeder is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the seal is disposed between the screw feeder and the loading assembly. It is used to transfer materials from the buffer bin to the feeding bin, thereby completing the material transfer.

[0012] Furthermore, the feeding assembly includes a buffer chamber, a first vibrator, an automatic valve, a third air inlet valve, and a third exhaust valve. The buffer chamber is located above the feeding assembly, the automatic valve is located on the buffer chamber, the third air inlet valve and the third exhaust valve are both located on the outer wall of the buffer chamber, and the first vibrator is located on the side wall of the buffer chamber. The first vibrator can make the material density in the buffer chamber uniform and improve the performance of the sintered material.

[0013] Preferably, the feeding assembly further includes a first material level sensor, which is disposed on the inner wall of the buffer bin and is used to detect the material storage level in the buffer bin.

[0014] More preferably, a weighing bin is provided between the feeding component and the feeding bin, for uniformly weighing the material from the feeding component, thereby improving the quality of the subsequent sintering material.

[0015] The second objective of this invention is to provide a continuous high-temperature material filling method that solves the problems of easy oxidation and leakage of existing high-temperature materials during filling.

[0016] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0017] A method for continuous loading of high-temperature materials into bowls includes the following steps:

[0018] S1. Feeding: High-temperature material enters the buffer chamber from the outside. The buffer chamber is sealed after the material is loaded. Inert gas is introduced through the third air inlet valve on the buffer chamber, and the air in the buffer chamber is discharged to the outside through the third exhaust valve on the buffer chamber.

[0019] S2. Feeding: The material is conveyed from the feeder below the buffer bin to the top of the replacement bin;

[0020] S3, Feeding the sagger: The sagger is fed from the buffer chamber into the replacement chamber. After the replacement chamber is closed, the replacement chamber and the adjacent feeding chamber are vented by inert gas. The sagger enters the feeding chamber from the replacement chamber.

[0021] S4. Loading: The sagger moves upward to the top of the feeding bin, and the material is released from the buffer bin into the sagger. After the sagger is filled with enough material, it descends to the bottom of the feeding bin and is then transported to the external material firing equipment.

[0022] S5. Repeat steps S1-S4 to complete the continuous filling of materials into bowls.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0024] (1) The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment feeds materials into the sealable loading hopper and replacement hopper through the feeding component. The replacement hopper is used to isolate the empty sagger with inert gas before it enters the replacement hopper. The feeding component can also protect the material entering the buffer hopper with inert gas. The material is fed into the sagger in the feeding hopper and the sagger holds the material in the feeding hopper, which can complete the continuous feeding of the material. The connection between the feeding component and the loading component is made of high-temperature resistant seal to prevent external air from entering the hopper. It can transfer and feed high-temperature materials, which improves the quality of the molded battery material.

[0025] (2) The invention of continuous high-temperature material loading uses inert gas to isolate the material during feeding, input of new saggers and loading of saggers, so as to prevent air from oxidizing the high-temperature material. The material and empty saggers enter the loading hopper from the top and the side respectively, so as to realize the continuous supply of high-temperature material. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a front view of the high-temperature material continuous loading device provided by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a side view of the high-temperature material continuous filling device provided by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 The loading state of the high-temperature material continuous loading device provided by the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 4 The loading state of the high-temperature material continuous loading device provided by the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 5 The system flow diagram of the high-temperature material continuous filling equipment provided by the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 A simplified structural diagram of the high-temperature material continuous loading device provided in Example 3;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a simplified structural diagram of the high-temperature material continuous loading equipment provided in Example 4.

[0033] Figure label:

[0034] 1. Frame; 2. Sagger; 3. Feeding assembly; 31. Buffer bin; 32. First level sensor; 33. Third air inlet valve; 34. First vibrator; 35. Third exhaust valve; 36. Leak-proof component; 37. Automatic valve; 38. First agitator; 4. Feeder; 41. Screw feeder; 42. Seal; 5. Lifting device; 51. Driver; 52. Guide rod; 53. Weighing sensor; 54. Lifting platform; 6. Loading assembly; 61. Feeding bin; 62. Replacement bin; 621. Second exhaust valve; 622. Second air inlet valve; 63. Dust collection hood; 64. Conveying roller; 65. First bin door; 66. First exhaust valve; 67. First air inlet valve; 68. Second bin door; 7. Weighing bin; 71. Second vibrator; 72. Feed valve; 73. Second level sensor; 74. Second agitator. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments in the application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment discloses a continuous high-temperature material loading device, including a frame 1, a feeding assembly 3, and a loading assembly 6. The loading assembly 6 is mounted on the frame 1, and the feeding assembly 3 is mounted on the loading assembly 6. The loading assembly 6 includes a feeding bin 61, a displacement bin 62, and a conveying roller 64. The feeding bin 61 is located below the feeding assembly 3, and the feeding bin 61 and the displacement bin 62 are connected. The conveying roller 64 passes through the feeding bin 61 and the displacement bin 62 to convey the saggers 2. The feeding bin 61, the displacement bin 62, and the feeding assembly 3 can all be sealed. By introducing inert gas into them, the air can be vented, ensuring that no oxidation reaction occurs during the overall material loading process. This device has the ability to continuously and uninterruptedly load high-temperature materials below 400°C. The high-temperature materials can enter the high-temperature kiln for firing directly after loading, without needing to start reheating from room temperature. This reduces the power requirement of the downstream high-temperature kiln, saving energy consumption of the fired materials and has high industrial value.

[0038] The material feeding hopper 61 is equipped with a dust collection hood 63 below it. The dust collection hood 63 is used to collect the dust that overflows when the screw feeder 41 adds materials into the casket 2, and to prevent the dust from leaking out and causing environmental pollution.

[0039] Furthermore, the feeding assembly 3 also includes a first door 65 and a second door 68. The first door 65 is disposed on one side wall of the replacement chamber 62, and the second door 68 is disposed between the replacement chamber 62 and the feeding chamber 61. The first door 65 and the second door 68 are used to isolate the replacement chamber 62 from the external environment and to separate the replacement chamber 62 from the feeding chamber 61, respectively.

[0040] Preferably, the loading assembly 6 further includes a lifting device 5, which is installed in the replacement chamber 62. The lifting device 5 drives the sagger 2 to move up and down in the replacement chamber 62 to assist in loading.

[0041] Furthermore, the lifting device 5 includes a driver 51, a guide rod 52, and a lifting platform 54. The driver 51 is located on the top of the feeding bin 61 and is connected to the lifting platform 54. The guide rod 52 penetrates the feeding bin 61 in a direction perpendicular to the conveying roller 64. The lifting platform 54 is slidably connected to the guide rod 52. The driver 51 provides power for lifting the lifting platform 54, and the guide rod 52 improves the stability of the movement of the lifting platform 54.

[0042] Preferably, the lifting device 5 further includes a weighing sensor 53, which is disposed between the driver 51 and the lifting platform 54. The weighing sensor 53 is used to confirm the material quality in the sagger 2 and ensure the consistency of each loading.

[0043] Preferably, the feeding chamber 61 includes a first exhaust valve 66 and a first intake valve 67. The first exhaust valve 66 is disposed on the top wall of the feeding chamber 61, and the first intake valve 67 is disposed on the side wall of the replacement chamber 62. The replacement chamber 62 includes a second exhaust valve 622 and a second intake valve 621. The second exhaust valve 621 is disposed on the top of the replacement chamber 62, and the second intake valve 622 is disposed on the side wall of the replacement chamber 62. The air in the chamber is replaced by the intake valve and the exhaust valve to prevent the air from reacting with the high-temperature materials and affecting the firing quality of the battery materials.

[0044] Furthermore, it also includes a feeder 4, which is located between the feeding assembly 3 and the loading assembly 6. The feeder 4 includes a screw feeder 41 and a seal 42. The screw feeder 41 is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the seal 42 is located between the screw feeder 41 and the loading assembly 6 for sealing the discharge end of the screw feeder 41 with the feeding bin 61. The lower opening of the buffer bin 31 is sealed with the feeder 4 by a leak-proof component 36. The entire feeder 4 is enclosed in a sealed shell to prevent air from contacting the material.

[0045] Furthermore, the feeding assembly 3 includes a buffer bin 31, a first vibrator 34, an automatic valve 37, a third air inlet valve 33, and a third exhaust valve 35. The buffer bin 31 is located above the feeding assembly 6. The automatic valve 37 is located on the buffer bin 31. The third air inlet valve 33 and the third exhaust valve 35 are both located on the outer wall of the buffer bin 31. The first vibrator 34 is located on the side wall of the buffer bin 31. The automatic valve 37 closes the top opening of the buffer bin 31 for automatic feeding. The buffer bin 31 is an inverted cone-shaped bin, which plays the role of automatically collecting materials.

[0046] Preferably, multiple first vibrators 34 are arranged around the side wall of the buffer chamber 31. The first vibrators 34 can make the density of the material in the buffer chamber 31 uniform during feeding, thereby improving the consistency of feeding.

[0047] Preferably, the feeding assembly 3 further includes a first material level sensor 32, which is disposed on the inner wall of the buffer chamber 31. The first material level sensor 32 is installed at both the upper and lower parts of the buffer chamber 31 to detect the feeding amount and ensure the consistency of the feeding amount each time.

[0048] More preferably, it also includes a leak-proof component 36, which is disposed between the automatic valve 37 and the buffer chamber 31. The leak-proof component 36 is a static sealing structure composed of a high-temperature resistant flange and non-metallic materials, which can withstand high temperatures above 400°C for a long time and is used to prevent material leakage and gas leakage.

[0049] The working process of this high-temperature material continuous filling equipment is as follows:

[0050] High-temperature materials enter the buffer chamber 31 through the automatic valve 37. After storing sufficient materials, the buffer chamber 31 is sealed. During feeding, the first vibrator 34 is activated to shake the materials evenly. The third air inlet valve 33 and the third air outlet valve 35 open simultaneously, allowing inert protective gas to be introduced through the third air inlet valve 33 to expel the air from the buffer chamber 31. The empty cassette 2 is fed into the replacement chamber 62 by the conveyor roller 64. The first chamber door 65 of the replacement chamber 62 is closed, making the replacement chamber 62 completely sealed. The second air outlet valve 621 and the second air inlet valve 22 are opened, allowing inert gas to be introduced. After the protective gas empties the air from the replacement chamber 62 and seals it, the air in the feeding chamber 61 is simultaneously emptied, and the second chamber door 68 is opened. The empty casket 2 enters the feeding chamber 61 under the action of the conveyor roller 64. The lifting device 5 lifts the empty casket 2, and the material is fed into the empty casket 2 by the screw feeder 41. When the weighing sensor 53 on the lifting device 5 detects that the casket 2 is full, the screw feeder 41 stops feeding. The full casket 2 moves downwards onto the conveyor roller 64, which then feeds the casket 2 into the firing equipment, completing the material firing process.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] See Figure 5This embodiment also discloses a continuous high-temperature material loading invention, including the following steps:

[0053] S1. Feeding: High-temperature material enters the buffer chamber 31 from the outside. After the material is loaded, the buffer chamber 31 is sealed. Inert gas is introduced through the third air inlet valve 33 on the buffer chamber 31, and the air in the buffer chamber 31 is discharged to the outside through the third exhaust valve 35 on the buffer chamber 31. An inert gas-protected closed space is formed in the buffer chamber 31 to prevent the material at high temperature from being damaged by the gas, which would cause a decrease in the performance of the sintered material.

[0054] S2, Feeding: The material is conveyed from the feeder 4 below the buffer bin 31 to the top of the replacement bin 62;

[0055] S3, Feeding the sagger: The sagger 2 is fed into the displacement chamber 62 from the buffer chamber 31. After the displacement chamber 62 is closed, the displacement chamber 62 and the loading chamber 61 adjacent to the displacement chamber 62 are vented by inert gas. The sagger 2 enters the loading chamber 61 from the displacement chamber 62.

[0056] S4. Loading: The sagger 2 moves upward to the top of the feeding bin 61. The material is released from the buffer bin 31 into the sagger 2. After the sagger 2 is filled with sufficient material, it descends to the bottom of the feeding bin 61 and is then transported to the external material firing equipment.

[0057] S5. Repeat steps S1-S4 to complete the continuous loading of materials into the pot. By directly loading high-temperature materials into the pot, the secondary firing of high-temperature materials can be directly transferred, reducing the energy consumption of reheating materials and shortening the process of battery material firing.

[0058] Example 3

[0059] like Figure 6 As shown, this embodiment also discloses a high-temperature material continuous loading device. A weighing chamber 7 is provided between the feeder 4 and the feeding hopper 61 below the feeding assembly 3. A feed valve 72 is provided above the weighing chamber 7 to control the incoming material. A second vibrator 71 is provided on the side wall of the weighing chamber 7 to vibrate the incoming material evenly. A second material level sensor 73 is used to measure the amount of incoming material. The weighing chamber 7 can homogenize the material, so that the material is heated evenly in the subsequent sintering and improves the sintering quality of the material.

[0060] Preferably, the weighing chamber 7 is equipped with a valve for filling and discharging protective gas, which is used to replace the air in the weighing chamber 7.

[0061] More preferably, a feeder 4 is also provided below the weighing bin 7. The feeder 4 is used to transport materials, which can make the transport more stable and controllable and expand the transfer range of materials.

[0062] Example 4

[0063] like Figure 7 As shown in the second embodiment, this embodiment also discloses a high-temperature material continuous loading device. A first stirrer 38 is provided in the buffer chamber 31 and a second stirrer 74 is provided in the weighing chamber 7. This is used to further make the material temperature in the buffer chamber 31 and the weighing chamber 7 uniform, improve the uniformity of material heating, and ensure the reliable quality of sintered material. The two stirrers can break the bridging phenomenon when the agglomerated material moves, and facilitate the sequential falling of powder.

[0064] Based on the disclosure and teachings of the foregoing specification, those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications to the above embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and described above, and any modifications and changes to the present invention should also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention. Furthermore, although some specific terms are used in this specification, these terms are only for convenience of explanation and do not constitute any limitation on the present invention.

Claims

1. A continuous high-temperature material loading device, comprising a frame (1), a feeding assembly (3), and a loading assembly (6), wherein the loading assembly (6) is disposed on the frame (1), and the feeding assembly (3) is disposed on the loading assembly (6), characterized in that: The loading assembly (6) includes a loading bin (61), a replacement bin (62) and a conveying roller (64). The loading bin (61) is located below the loading assembly (3). The loading bin (61) and the replacement bin (62) are connected. The conveying roller (64) passes through the loading bin (61) and the replacement bin (62) to convey the sagger (2). The feeding hopper (61) includes a first exhaust valve (66) and a first intake valve (67). The first exhaust valve (66) is disposed on the top wall of the feeding hopper (61), and the first intake valve (67) is disposed on the side wall of the replacement hopper (62). The replacement hopper (62) includes a second exhaust valve (621) and a second intake valve (622). The second exhaust valve (621) is disposed on the top of the replacement hopper (62), and the second intake valve (622) is disposed on the side wall of the replacement hopper (62). It also includes a feeder (4), which is disposed between the feeding assembly (3) and the loading assembly (6). The feeder (4) includes a screw feeder (41) and a seal (42). The screw feeder (41) is disposed in a horizontal direction, and the seal (42) is disposed between the screw feeder (41) and the loading assembly (6). The feeding assembly (3) includes a buffer chamber (31), a first vibrator (34), an automatic valve (37), a third air inlet valve (33), and a third exhaust valve (35). The buffer chamber (31) is located above the feeding assembly (6). The automatic valve (37) is located on the buffer chamber (31). The third air inlet valve (33) and the third exhaust valve (35) are both located on the outer wall of the buffer chamber (31). The first vibrator (34) is located on the side wall of the buffer chamber (31). It also includes a leak-proof component (36), which is located between the automatic valve (37) and the buffer chamber (31).

2. The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding assembly (3) also includes a first door (65) and a second door (68). The first door (65) is located on one side wall of the replacement chamber (62), and the second door (68) is located between the replacement chamber (62) and the feeding chamber (61).

3. The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The loading assembly (6) also includes a lifting device (5), which is located in the replacement chamber (62). The lifting device (5) drives the sagger (2) to move up and down in the replacement chamber (62).

4. The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The lifting device (5) includes a driver (51), a guide rod (52) and a lifting platform (54). The driver (51) is located on the top of the feeding bin (61) and is connected to the lifting platform (54). The guide rod (52) penetrates the feeding bin (61) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying roller (64). The lifting platform (54) is slidably connected to the guide rod (52).

5. The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding assembly (3) also includes a first level sensor (32), which is disposed on the inner wall of the buffer chamber (31).

6. The high-temperature material continuous loading equipment according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that: A weighing chamber (7) is provided between the feeding assembly (3) and the feeding bin (61).

7. A method for continuous loading of high-temperature materials into bowls, characterized in that, The continuous high-temperature material loading equipment according to any one of claims 1-6 includes the following steps: S1, Feeding: High-temperature material enters the buffer chamber (31) from the outside. The buffer chamber (31) is sealed after the material is loaded. Inert gas is introduced through the third air inlet valve (33) on the buffer chamber (31). The air in the buffer chamber (31) is discharged to the outside through the third exhaust valve (35) on the buffer chamber (31). S2, feeding: The material is conveyed from the feeder (4) below the buffer bin (31) to the top of the replacement bin (62); S3, Feeding the sagger: The sagger (2) is fed into the displacement chamber (62) from the buffer chamber (31). After the displacement chamber (62) is closed, the displacement chamber (62) and the loading chamber (61) adjacent to the displacement chamber (62) are vented by inert gas. The sagger (2) enters the loading chamber (61) from the displacement chamber (62). S4, Loading: The sagger (2) moves upward to the top of the feeding bin (61), and the material is released from the buffer bin (31) into the sagger (2). After the sagger (2) is filled with sufficient material, it descends to the bottom of the feeding bin (61) and is then transported to the external material firing equipment. S5. Repeat steps S1-S4 to complete the continuous filling of materials into bowls.

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