An expansion mechanism, a conveying system, and its working method for lithium battery anode powder.

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of conveying technology, specifically relating to an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system and its working method. The system includes: two rising bends arranged side-by-side to form a dual-channel pipeline, each rising bend being equipped with an expansion mechanism; and a control module for controlling the opening and closing of each rising bend, allowing lithium battery negative electrode powder to be conveyed from one rising bend in the dual-channel pipeline. When that rising bend is blocked, the system controls the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be conveyed from the other rising bend, and controls the corresponding expansion mechanism to unblock the blocked rising bend, causing the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder to collapse and be blown away by airflow after the rising bend is reopened. During lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying, the control module controls one rising bend in the dual-channel pipeline to open for conveying the lithium battery negative electrode powder, while the other rising bend remains closed. When the data difference detected by the two flow sensors exceeds a threshold, it indicates that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is stacked.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application. The original application number is 202211177064.X, the application date is September 26, 2022, and the invention title is: Online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system and its working method. Technical Field

[0002] This invention belongs to the field of conveying technology, specifically relating to an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system and its working method. Background Technology

[0003] Pneumatic conveying is a common method for conveying lithium battery anode powder. It can be used for both filling and feeding after the lithium battery anode powder is produced. Pneumatic conveying of lithium battery anode powder relies on various pipelines. When an ascending bend is used, the flowability of the lithium battery anode powder is greatly reduced when passing through the ascending bend, especially the portion of lithium battery anode powder with a weight higher than average. When this portion enters the ascending bend from the straight pipe, if it comes into contact with the inner wall of the ascending bend, especially if it impacts the inner wall, it will lose speed and be unable to leave the ascending bend. It will first accumulate at the ascending bend, and after piling up, it will block the normal weight of lithium battery anode powder. The accumulation gradually grows from bottom to top, causing the flow space in the ascending bend to become smaller and smaller.

[0004] Existing devices exist for clearing bends blocked by lithium battery negative electrode powder. For example, by striking with a pneumatic hammer, the accumulated lithium battery negative electrode powder can be gradually dispersed, clearing the bend. However, this can easily lead to pipe cracking over time. For instance, a powder conveying pipe with an automatic clearing function is provided in application number 202111286795.3. However, clearing this requires shutting down the conveying system. In the absence of a backup conveying pipeline, this may also require shutting down the upstream powder-making equipment or related downstream equipment, effectively causing the production line to still stop due to bend blockage.

[0005] Therefore, based on the above problems, it is necessary to design an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system and its working method, which is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system and its working method.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system, comprising:

[0008] Two rising bends are arranged side-by-side to form a dual-channel pipeline, and each rising bend is equipped with an expansion mechanism; and

[0009] The control module is used to control the opening and closing of each rising bend, so that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is transported from one of the rising bends in the dual-channel pipeline, and when the rising bend is blocked, it controls the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be transported from the other rising bend, and controls the corresponding expansion mechanism to clear the blocked rising bend, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder collapses and is blown up by the airflow after the rising bend is reopened.

[0010] Secondly, the present invention also provides a method for operating the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system as described above, characterized in that it includes:

[0011] By setting two rising bends, the two rising bends are arranged side by side to form a dual-channel pipeline, and an expansion mechanism is set on each rising bend.

[0012] The control module controls the opening and closing of each rising bend, allowing lithium battery negative electrode powder to be transported from one rising bend in the dual-channel pipeline. When the rising bend is blocked, the lithium battery negative electrode powder is controlled to be transported from the other rising bend, while the expansion mechanism is controlled to clear the blockage in the rising bend, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder falls and follows the airflow into the other rising bend for transport.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are that the outlets of the two rising bends converge to form the outlet of the dual-channel pipeline, and the inlets of the two rising bends converge to form the inlet of the dual-channel pipeline. That is, the dual-channel pipeline has only one inlet and one outlet, but two pathways exist in between. When conveying lithium battery negative electrode powder, the control module controls one of the rising bends in the dual-channel pipeline to open for conveying the lithium battery negative electrode powder, while the other rising bend remains closed. Flow sensors are installed at both the outlet and inlet of the dual-channel pipeline. When the difference in data detected by the two flow sensors exceeds [a certain value], [the flow sensor will automatically open the pipeline]. When the threshold is reached, it indicates that lithium battery negative electrode powder has accumulated in the rising bend, causing blockage and affecting the delivery of the lithium battery negative electrode powder. At this time, the control module cuts off the blocked rising bend and opens another rising bend, allowing the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be delivered from the other rising bend. It also controls the corresponding expansion mechanism to clean and unblock the blocked rising bend, causing the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder to collapse. This system can unblock the pipeline without stopping the machine, without the need for additional recycling, preventing contamination of the lithium battery negative electrode powder in the pipe during recycling.

[0014] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention are realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description and the drawings.

[0015] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, preferred embodiments are described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the dual-channel pipeline structure of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the rising bend of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the expansion component of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the inner tube of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system of the present invention.

[0022] In the picture:

[0023] Dual-channel pipeline 1, rising bend 11, inner pipe 12, steel ring 121, elastic sleeve 122, annular groove 123, outer pipe 13, return spring 14, shut-off valve group 15, expansion mechanism 2, expansion assembly 21, upper airbag 211, lower airbag 212, air pipe 22, inflation pump 23, electric valve 24, vacuum pump 25, rising direction of inner pipe F. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] like Figure 1As shown, this embodiment provides an online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system, which includes: two rising bends 11 arranged side by side to form a dual-channel pipeline 1, and each of the rising bends 11 is provided with an expansion mechanism 2; and a control module, used to control the opening and closing of each rising bend 11, so that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is conveyed from one of the rising bends 11 in the dual-channel pipeline 1, and when the rising bend 11 is blocked, the lithium battery negative electrode powder is controlled to be conveyed from the other rising bend 11, and the corresponding expansion mechanism 2 is controlled to unblock the blocked rising bend 11, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder collapses and is blown up by airflow after the rising bend 11 is reopened.

[0026] In this embodiment, specifically, the outlets of the two rising bends 11 converge to form the outlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1, and the inlets of the two rising bends 11 converge to form the inlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1. That is, the dual-channel pipeline 1 has only one inlet and one outlet, but there are two passages in between. When conveying lithium battery negative electrode powder, the control module controls one of the rising bends 11 in the dual-channel pipeline 1 to open for conveying lithium battery negative electrode powder, while the other rising bend 11 remains closed. Flow sensors are installed at both the outlet and inlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1. When the difference in data detected by the two flow sensors exceeds a threshold... When the value is specified, it indicates that lithium battery negative electrode powder has accumulated inside the rising bend 11, causing blockage and affecting the delivery of lithium battery negative electrode powder. At this time, the control module cuts off the blocked rising bend 11 and opens another rising bend 11, allowing the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be delivered from the other rising bend 11. The corresponding expansion mechanism 2 is controlled to clean and unblock the blocked rising bend 11, causing the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder to collapse. This system can unblock the pipeline without stopping the machine, without the need for additional recycling, preventing contamination of the lithium battery negative electrode powder inside the pipe during recycling.

[0027] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, each of the rising bends 11 includes an inner tube 12 formed by connecting several steel rings 121 with elastic sleeves 122; the expansion mechanism 2 includes several expansion components 21, each of which is respectively disposed on a pair of steel rings 121; when blocked, the control module controls the corresponding expansion component 21 to expand, causing each pair of steel rings 121 to move out of position and cause the lithium battery negative electrode powder accumulated in the inner tube 12 to collapse.

[0028] In this embodiment, annular grooves 123 are provided on both ends of the steel ring 121; the two ends of the elastic sleeve 122 are respectively disposed in the annular grooves 123 of the adjacent steel ring 121.

[0029] In this embodiment, specifically, the two ends of the elastic sleeve 122 are engaged in the corresponding annular groove 123. When the adjacent steel rings 121 move out of alignment, the elastic sleeve 122 is stretched by force, providing space for the adjacent steel rings 121 to move out of alignment.

[0030] In this embodiment, the control module sequentially controls the expansion components 21 to expand along the upward direction of the inner tube 12, so that after the expansion components 21 expand, they drive the corresponding steel rings 121 to move in a staggered manner along the upward direction F of the inner tube 12.

[0031] In this embodiment, specifically, the corresponding steel ring 121 moves in a staggered manner along the upward direction F of the inner tube 12, that is, it moves in a staggered manner from bottom to top so that the accumulated lithium battery negative electrode powder collapses in segments from bottom to top, so that the upper lithium battery negative electrode powder can slide smoothly after collapsing.

[0032] In this embodiment, each of the rising bends 11 further includes an outer tube 13; wherein the inner tube 12 is disposed inside the outer tube 13, each of the expansion components 21 is disposed on the outer tube 13, and a plurality of return springs 14 connected to the corresponding steel rings 121 are also disposed on the inner wall of the outer tube 13.

[0033] In this embodiment, specifically, the return spring 14 serves to reset the steel ring 121 after it has moved.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, each of the outer pipes 13 is provided with a shut-off valve group 15 at its upper end; when blocked, the control module controls the shut-off valve group 15 on the corresponding outer pipe 13 to close, and at the same time controls the shut-off valve group 15 on the other outer pipe 13 to open.

[0035] In this embodiment, specifically, the shut-off valve assembly 15 includes two shut-off valves, respectively located at the upper and lower ends of the outer tube 13. When the inner tube 12 in use becomes blocked, the control module controls the shut-off valve assembly 15 to cut off the upper and lower ends of the outer tube 13, so that no more powder can enter the inner tube 12 that needs to be cleaned. After the inner tube 12 is cleaned, it can wait for the next use. When it is used again, the control module controls the shut-off valve assembly 15 to open. Since the opening of the pipeline is gradually opened, the gas flow rate entering the inner tube 12 is very high at the beginning. At this time, the lithium battery negative electrode powder that has been cleaned in the inner tube 12 can be lifted.

[0036] like Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, one end of each expansion component 21 is connected to the air pump 23 via an air pipe 22; each air pipe 22 is equipped with an independent electric valve 24; when blocked, the control module controls the air pump 23 to work and sequentially controls the corresponding electric valve 24 to open and close along the upward direction of the inner pipe 12.

[0037] In this embodiment, specifically, the air pump 23 is used to inflate the expansion assembly 21 with air, causing the corresponding steel ring 121 to move out of position; the air pump 25 is used to remove the gas from the expansion assembly 21, and through cooperation with the return spring 14, reset the misaligned steel ring 121.

[0038] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, each of the expansion components 21 includes: an upper airbag 211 and a lower airbag 212 disposed on the inner wall of the outer tube 13; wherein the upper airbag 211 and the lower airbag 212 are respectively connected to the adjacent steel ring 121 and are connected to the corresponding air tube 22, so that when blocked, they expand under force and drive the corresponding steel ring 121 to move out of position.

[0039] This embodiment also provides a working method for the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system as described above, which includes: setting two rising bends 11, so that the two rising bends 11 are arranged side by side to form a dual-channel pipeline 1, and setting an expansion mechanism 2 on each rising bend 11; controlling the opening and closing of each rising bend 11 by a control module, so that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is conveyed from one rising bend 11 in the dual-channel pipeline 1, and when the rising bend 11 is blocked, while controlling the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be conveyed from the other rising bend 11, the expansion mechanism 2 is controlled to unblock the blocked rising bend 11, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder falls and follows the airflow into the other rising bend 11 for conveying.

[0040] For the specific structure and implementation process of the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system, please refer to the relevant discussion in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0041] In summary, the outlets of the two rising bends 11 of this invention converge to form the outlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1, and the inlets of the two rising bends 11 converge to form the inlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1. That is, the dual-channel pipeline 1 has only one inlet and one outlet, but two pathways exist in between. When conveying lithium battery negative electrode powder, the control module controls one of the rising bends 11 in the dual-channel pipeline 1 to open for conveying the lithium battery negative electrode powder, while the other rising bend 11 remains closed. Flow sensors are installed at both the outlet and inlet of the dual-channel pipeline 1. When the difference in data detected by the two flow sensors exceeds a threshold... This indicates that lithium battery negative electrode powder has accumulated inside the ascending bend 11, causing blockage and affecting the transport of the lithium battery negative electrode powder. At this time, the control module cuts off the blocked ascending bend 11 and opens another ascending bend 11, allowing the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be transported from the other ascending bend 11. The corresponding expansion mechanism 2 is controlled to clean and unblock the blocked ascending bend 11, causing the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder to collapse. This system can unblock the pipeline without stopping the machine, without the need for additional recycling, preventing contamination of the lithium battery negative electrode powder inside the pipe during recycling.

[0042] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0044] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An expansion mechanism, characterized in that, Applications include lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying systems with rising bends; The expansion mechanism includes: a plurality of expansion components, each of which is respectively disposed on a pair of steel rings on the rising bend; and Control module; among which When a blockage occurs, the control module controls the corresponding expansion components to expand, causing the pairs of steel rings to move out of place and causing the lithium battery negative electrode powder accumulated inside the inner tube of the rising bend to collapse. Each of the rising bends includes an inner tube formed by connecting several steel rings with an elastic sleeve. The expansion mechanism includes a plurality of expansion components, each of which is respectively disposed on a pair of steel rings; When a blockage occurs, the control module controls the corresponding expansion components to expand, causing each pair of steel rings to move out of place and causing the lithium battery negative electrode powder accumulated inside the inner tube to collapse. Both ends of the steel ring are provided with annular grooves; The two ends of the elastic sleeve are respectively disposed in the annular grooves of adjacent steel rings; wherein The two ends of the elastic sleeve are engaged in the corresponding annular grooves. When the adjacent steel rings move out of place, the elastic sleeve is stretched by force, providing space for the adjacent steel rings to move out of place.

2. The expansion mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The control module controls the expansion components to expand sequentially along the upward direction of the inner tube, so that the expansion components drive the corresponding steel rings to move in a staggered manner along the upward direction of the inner tube.

3. The expansion mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, One end of each of the aforementioned expansion components is connected to an air pump via an air pipe; Each of the aforementioned air pipes is equipped with an independent electric valve; When a blockage occurs, the control module controls the air pump to operate and sequentially controls the opening and closing of the corresponding electric valves along the upward direction of the inner tube.

4. The expansion mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned expansion components includes: an upper airbag and a lower airbag disposed on the inner wall of the outer tube; wherein The upper airbag and the lower airbag are respectively connected to the adjacent steel rings and are both connected to the corresponding air tubes so that they expand under force when blocked, causing the corresponding steel rings to move out of place.

5. An online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system, characterized in that, include: Two rising bends are arranged side-by-side to form a dual-channel pipeline, and each rising bend is equipped with the expansion mechanism as described in claim 1; wherein The control module is adapted to control the opening and closing of each rising bend, so that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is transported from one of the rising bends in the dual-channel pipeline, and when the rising bend is blocked, it controls the lithium battery negative electrode powder to be transported from the other rising bend, and controls the corresponding expansion mechanism to clear the blocked rising bend, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder collapses and is blown up by the airflow after the rising bend is reopened.

6. A method for operating the online unblocking lithium battery negative electrode powder conveying system as described in claim 5, characterized in that, include: By setting two rising bends, the two rising bends are arranged side by side to form a dual-channel pipeline, and an expansion mechanism is set on each rising bend. The control module controls the opening and closing of each rising bend, so that the lithium battery negative electrode powder is transported from one of the rising bends in the dual-channel pipeline. When the rising bend is blocked, the lithium battery negative electrode powder is controlled to be transported from the other rising bend. At the same time, the expansion mechanism is controlled to clear the blockage of the rising bend, so that the blocked lithium battery negative electrode powder falls and follows the airflow into the other rising bend for transport.

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