A material preparation device and control method thereof, and battery production equipment

Abstract

The present application relates to a material preparation device and a control method thereof, and battery production equipment. The material preparation device includes: a metering component, having an inner cavity and a discharge port and a feed port respectively connected to the inner cavity; a stirring component; and a circulation pipeline, having an input end and an output end, the output end extending into the inner cavity through the feed port, and the distance between the end of the output end and the bottom wall of the inner cavity is less than the lowest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity; wherein a connection port connected to the stirring component is also provided on the circulation pipeline. The circulation pipeline has a horizontal section and a vertical section connected to each other, and the horizontal section is inclined at an upward slope along the flow direction of the solvent. The present application can reduce the influence of gas on the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent, improve the accuracy, and because the end of the output end is located below the liquid level of the solvent, it will not impact the cavity wall of the inner cavity or the liquid level of the solvent when the solvent refluxes, reducing the influence of the impact force on the metering result, and can further improve the metering accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of battery technology, and in particular to a material preparation device and a control method thereof, and battery production equipment. Background Art

[0002] A battery is usually composed of battery cells, and the battery cells include electrode assemblies, shells and electrolytes. The electrode assemblies include positive electrode materials, negative electrode materials and separators. The positive electrode materials and negative electrode materials are usually in powder form. The powdered positive electrode materials and negative electrode materials need to be stirred with a solvent to form a slurry and then coated on the current collector.

[0003] Therefore, in the process of stirring and mixing the powdered positive electrode material and negative electrode material with the solvent, the amount of each solvent needs to be accurately measured. However, during the measurement process, the presence of gas in the pipeline and the device will affect the measurement result and measurement accuracy of the solvent. Summary of the invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a material preparation device and its control method, and battery production equipment to address the problem that the gas in the pipeline and the device affects the measurement result and measurement accuracy of the solvent during the current solvent measurement process.

[0005] In the first aspect, the present application provides a material preparation device, including a metering component, a stirring component and a circulation pipeline, wherein the metering component has an inner cavity for storing a solvent and an outlet and an inlet respectively connected to the inner cavity; the stirring component is used to receive and stir the solvent from the metering component; the circulation pipeline has an input end and an output end, the input end is connected to the outlet, the output end extends into the inner cavity through the inlet, and the distance between the end of the output end and the bottom wall of the inner cavity is less than the lowest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity; wherein a connection port connected to the stirring component is also provided on the circulation pipeline. The circulation pipeline has a horizontal section and a vertical section connected to each other, and the horizontal section is inclined with an upward slope along the flow direction of the solvent.

[0006] Through the above structure, not only can the solvent circulate in the circulation pipeline, thereby achieving exhaust in the circulation pipeline and reducing the influence of gas on the metering result and metering accuracy, but also the impact of the solvent on the inner cavity wall or the solvent liquid surface during the solvent reflux process can be improved, thereby reducing the influence of the impact force on the metering result and further improving the metering accuracy.

[0007] Furthermore, the gas in the circulation pipeline can be better discharged, so that the solvent fills the circulation pipeline and the metering accuracy is improved.

[0008] In some embodiments, the slope of the horizontal section ranges from 3‰ to 7‰. Therefore, setting the slope of the horizontal section to the above range can not only improve the exhaust effect of the solvent, but also adapt to the setting of the circulation pipeline in the actual production scene and minimize the occupied space of the circulation pipeline.

[0009] In some embodiments, a curved section is connected between the highest point of the horizontal section and the vertical section, and the curvature of the curved section is four times the diameter of the circulation pipeline.

[0010] Therefore, by providing the curved section, the impact of the solvent on the circulation pipeline can be reduced, so that the solvent can flow smoothly in the circulation pipeline.

[0011] In some embodiments, a connecting hole is provided on a section of the tube wall at the output end in the inner cavity, and the distance between the connecting hole and the bottom wall of the inner cavity is greater than the highest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity.

[0012] Therefore, by setting the connecting hole, not only can the gas in the circulation pipeline be discharged smoothly, but also the pressure balance in the inner cavity and the circulation pipeline can be maintained, so that the solvent in the circulation pipeline can flow back to the inner cavity more thoroughly, reducing the residual solvent in the circulation pipeline.

[0013] In some embodiments, the material preparation device also includes a stopper and a flow guide, the stopper cover is arranged on the connecting hole, and the flow guide is connected between the stopper and the outer wall of the circulation pipeline.

[0014] By providing the stopper and the guide member, the probability of the solvent splashing at the connecting hole can be reduced, thereby reducing the probability of the solvent impacting the solvent liquid surface in the inner cavity and improving the metering accuracy.

[0015] In some embodiments, the end of the output terminal is bent and extended in a direction toward the center of the bottom wall of the inner cavity.

[0016] Through the above structure, the solvent can change its flow direction from vertical to horizontal at the end of the output end when it refluxes in the circulation pipeline, further reducing the downward impact force of the solvent reflux on the solvent in the inner cavity and improving the metering accuracy.

[0017] In some embodiments, the metering component includes a metering tank, an inner cavity is arranged inside the metering tank, a discharge port is opened at the bottom of the metering tank, and an inlet is opened at the top of the metering tank.

[0018] Through the above structure, the solvent flows out from the bottom and enters the circulation pipeline, and then flows back to the inner cavity from the top after circulating in the circulation pipeline for one cycle, which can reduce the residual solvent in the circulation pipeline and make the gas in the circulation pipeline discharged more thoroughly.

[0019] In some embodiments, the metering component further includes a weighing sensor, the metering tank is disposed on the weighing sensor, and the weighing sensor is used to detect the weight of the solvent in the inner cavity.

[0020] Through the above structure, the change in the amount of solvent in the metering tank can be obtained quickly and accurately, thereby obtaining the amount of solvent added to the stirring component.

[0021] In some embodiments, the material preparation device further comprises a power pump disposed on the circulation pipeline, whereby the power pump can provide a circulation driving force for the solvent in the circulation pipeline, so that the solvent flows smoothly in the circulation pipeline and is smoothly transported to the stirring assembly or smoothly flows back into the inner cavity.

[0022] In some embodiments, the material preparation device also includes at least two connecting branches, the stirring assembly includes at least two stirrers, at least two connecting ports are opened on the circulation pipeline, and each connecting branch is connected between the corresponding connecting port and the stirrer; wherein, the material preparation device also includes a pulsation damper arranged on each connecting branch.

[0023] Therefore, the pulsation damper can suppress the fluctuation of the pipeline, making the flow of the solvent more stable and improving the metering accuracy.

[0024] In some embodiments, each connecting branch pipe is provided with a mass flow meter and a back pressure valve, and the pulsation damper is arranged upstream of the mass flow meter and the back pressure valve along the flow direction of the solvent.

[0025] Therefore, the pulsation damper is set upstream of the mass flow meter and the back pressure valve along the flow direction of the solvent. While the pulsation damper suppresses pipeline fluctuations, it can greatly improve the detection stability and metering accuracy of the mass flow meter in cooperation with the mass flow meter and the back pressure valve.

[0026] In some embodiments, each connecting branch is further provided with a shut-off valve, which is used to control the on-off of the corresponding connecting branch. The shut-off valve can be used to control the on-off of each connecting branch, thereby better controlling the amount of solvent added to each mixer.

[0027] In a second aspect, the present application also provides a battery production device, including the material preparation device as described above.

[0028] In a third aspect, the present application further provides a control method for a material preparation device, which is applied to the material preparation device as described above, and the control method comprises the following steps:

[0029] Connect the input end to the discharge port, and extend the output end from the input port into the inner cavity, so that the end of the output end is below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity;

[0030] Connect the connection port to the stirring assembly;

[0031] Control the solvent in the inner cavity to enter the circulation pipeline from the input end and circulate to the output end and return to the inner cavity;

[0032] The solvent is controlled to circulate continuously for a preset time so that the gas in the circulation pipeline can be exhausted.

[0033] In some embodiments, after the step of controlling the solvent in the inner cavity to circulate from the input end into the circulation pipeline to the output end and then return to the inner cavity, the step further includes:

[0034] The weight of the measuring tank is detected by a weighing sensor until the weight of the measuring tank stops decreasing.

[0035] In some embodiments, after the step of controlling the solvent to circulate continuously for a preset time so that the gas in the circulation pipeline is exhausted, the method further includes the following steps:

[0036] Open the shut-off valves on each connecting branch pipe, start the power pump on the circulation pipeline, and control the mass flow meters on each connecting branch pipe to detect the amount of solvent added to each mixer;

[0037] When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers reaches 90% to 95% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump is controlled to drop to a first flow rate value, wherein the first flow rate value is less than the initial flow rate;

[0038] When the amount of solvent added to one of the mixers reaches a preset value, the shut-off valve on the corresponding connecting branch pipe of the mixer is closed;

[0039] When the amount of solvent added to the second mixer reaches 90% to 95% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump is controlled to drop to a second flow rate value, wherein the second flow rate value is less than the first flow rate value;

[0040] When the amount of solvent added to the second mixer reaches a preset value, the shut-off valve on the corresponding connecting branch pipe of the mixer is closed, and so on, until the shut-off valves on all connecting branch pipes are closed;

[0041] Turn off the power pump.

[0042] The above-mentioned material preparation device and its control method, and battery production equipment use a metering component to calculate the amount of solvent used, and then transport the solvent to the stirring component through the circulation pipeline according to the calculated ratio. In addition, before transporting the solvent, since the output end of the circulation pipeline is located below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity, the solvent can circulate in the circulation pipeline, enter the circulation pipeline from the input end, and then flow back to the inner cavity from the output end. During the circulation process, the circulation pipeline can be exhausted, reducing the influence of gas on the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent, thereby improving the accuracy. Moreover, since the end of the output end is located below the liquid level of the solvent, the solvent will not impact the cavity wall of the inner cavity or the liquid level of the solvent when it refluxes, thereby reducing the influence of the impact force on the metering result, and can further improve the metering accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0044] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a metering component in a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0045] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a stopper and a guide member in a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0046] Figure 4 It is a partial enlarged view of the output end of the material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0047] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a stirring assembly in a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0048] Figure 6 The figure is a flow chart of a control method of a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0049] Figure 7 The figure is a flow chart of a control method of a material preparation device according to one or more embodiments.

[0050] Explanation of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings: 100, material preparation device; 10, metering component; 20, stirring component; 30, circulation pipeline; 40, stopper; 50, guide member; 60, power pump; 70, connecting branch pipe; 80, pulsation damper; 11, inner cavity; 12, metering tank; 13, weighing sensor; 21, mixer; 22, mass flow meter; 23, back pressure valve; 24, cut-off valve; 31, input end; 32, output end; 33, horizontal section; 34, vertical section; 35, curved section; 36, connecting hole; a, flow direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and advantages of the present application more obvious and easy to understand, the specific implementation methods of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the connotation of the present application, so the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0052] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0053] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, the meaning of "plurality" is at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0054] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like appear, these terms should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integrated connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise clearly defined. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0055] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, if there is a description that a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, etc., or similar descriptions appear, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "above" and "above" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. The first feature being "below", "below" and "below" the second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0056] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be a central element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be a central element at the same time. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only implementation method.

[0057] At present, from the perspective of market development, the application of power batteries is becoming more and more extensive. Power batteries are not only used in energy storage power systems such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power and solar power stations, but also widely used in electric vehicles such as electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, electric cars and other fields. With the continuous expansion of the application field of power batteries, the market demand is also constantly expanding.

[0058] A battery cell is the smallest unit that makes up a battery. For the structure of a battery cell, an electrode assembly is usually placed in a shell, and the shell is filled with electrolyte to ensure sufficient contact between the electrode assembly and the electrolyte. The electrode assembly includes positive electrode materials, negative electrode materials, and a separator. The positive electrode materials and negative electrode materials are usually in powder form. The powdered positive electrode materials and negative electrode materials need to be stirred with a solvent to form a slurry and then coated on the current collector.

[0059] Therefore, in the process of stirring and mixing the powdered positive electrode material and negative electrode material with the solvent, the weight of different solvents needs to be calculated so that the different solvents can be mixed and stirred according to a preset ratio. However, during the metering process, there is usually a large amount of gas in the pipeline and the device, which will affect the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent.

[0060] Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problem that the gas in the pipeline and the device affects the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent in the current solvent metering process, one or more embodiments of the present application provide a preparation device, which uses a metering component to calculate the amount of solvent, and then transports the solvent to the stirring component through a circulation pipeline according to the calculated ratio. In addition, before transporting the solvent, since the output end of the circulation pipeline is located below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity, the solvent can circulate in the circulation pipeline, enter the circulation pipeline from the input end, and then flow back to the inner cavity from the output end. During the circulation process, the circulation pipeline can be exhausted to reduce the influence of the gas on the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent, thereby improving the accuracy. Moreover, since the end of the output end is located below the liquid level of the solvent, the solvent will not impact the cavity wall of the inner cavity or the liquid level of the solvent when it refluxes, thereby reducing the influence of the impact force on the metering result, and can further improve the metering accuracy.

[0061] Please also read Figure 1 and Figure 2 , an embodiment of the present application provides a material preparation device 100, comprising a metering component 10, a stirring component 20 and a circulation pipeline 30, wherein the metering component 10 has an inner cavity 11 for storing a solvent and an outlet (not shown in the figure) and an inlet (not shown in the figure) respectively connected to the inner cavity 11, and the stirring component 20 is used to receive and stir the solvent from the metering component 10. The circulation pipeline 30 has an input end 31 and an output end 32, wherein the input end 31 is connected to the outlet, and the output end 32 extends into the inner cavity 11 through the inlet, and the distance between the end of the output end 32 and the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 is less than the lowest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11. Among them, the circulation pipeline 30 is also provided with a connection port (not shown in the figure) connected to the stirring component 20.

[0062] It should be noted that the metering component 10 refers to a structure that can detect the weight of the solvent in the inner cavity 11. When the solvent is stored in the inner cavity 11 and the solvent is added to the inner cavity 11 or discharged from the inner cavity 11, the actual weight of the solvent added or discharged can be known based on the change in weight detected by the metering component 10.

[0063] The stirring assembly 20 is a structure capable of receiving the solvent from the metering assembly 10 and mixing the received solvent. The stirring assembly 20 is connected to the metering assembly 10 through the circulation pipeline 30. Specifically, the input end 31 of the circulation pipeline 30 is connected to the discharge port, the output end 32 extends from the input port into the inner cavity 11, and the stirring assembly 20 is connected to the connection port on the circulation pipeline 30.

[0064] Thus, the solvent can be transported and transferred through the circulation pipeline 30, and the solvent in the inner cavity 11 is sent into the circulation pipeline 30 through the input end 31. When the solvent flows to the connection port position, it can enter the stirring component 20 from the connection port, so that the solvent can be mixed and stirred in the stirring component 20.

[0065] In the above process, the metering component 10 can detect the weight change of the solvent in the inner cavity 11, thereby obtaining the amount of solvent added to the stirring component 20, thereby controlling the ratio of the solvent added to the stirring component 20.

[0066] However, there are usually some gases in the circulation pipeline 30. During the process of transporting the solvent, these gases will affect the detection result of the solvent weight by the metering component 10, thereby affecting the metering result and metering accuracy of the solvent, resulting in a low ratio accuracy of the solvent in the stirring component 20.

[0067] Based on this, the present application extends the output end 32 of the circulation pipeline 30 into the inner cavity 11 through the feed port, and makes the distance between the end of the output end 32 and the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 smaller than the lowest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11. In other words, the end of the output end 32 is located below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11.

[0068] In this way, the solvent can smoothly enter the circulation pipeline 30 from the input end 31, circulate in the circulation pipeline 30 for one cycle, and finally flow back to the inner cavity 11 from the output end 32. It can be understood that in order to allow the solvent to circulate smoothly in the circulation pipeline 30, the connection between the stirring assembly 20 and the circulation pipeline 30 can be cut off first, for example, by controlling with a valve.

[0069] During the process of the solvent circulating in the circulation pipeline 30 , the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 can be discharged so that the circulation pipeline 30 is filled with the solvent, thereby avoiding the influence of the gas on the metering result and metering accuracy.

[0070] Furthermore, since the output end 32 is located below the liquid level of the solvent, when the solvent flows back to the inner cavity 11 in the circulation pipeline 30, the solvent is directly discharged into the solvent without causing impact or vibration to the cavity wall of the inner cavity 11 or the liquid level of the solvent. Thus, the impact force of the solvent flowing back and falling can be avoided to affect the metering result and metering accuracy.

[0071] Therefore, through the above structure, not only can the circulation flow of the solvent in the circulation pipeline 30 be realized, thereby realizing the exhaust in the circulation pipeline 30 and reducing the influence of the gas on the metering result and metering accuracy, but also the impact of the solvent on the cavity wall of the inner cavity 11 or the solvent liquid surface during the solvent reflux process can be improved, thereby reducing the influence of the impact force on the metering result and further improving the metering accuracy.

[0072] In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline has a horizontal section 33 and a vertical section 34 connected to each other, and the horizontal section 33 is inclined at an upward slope along the flow direction a of the solvent.

[0073] Specifically, the circulation pipeline 30 can be arranged according to a preset trajectory through the connection between the horizontal section 33 and the vertical section 34, so that the solvent can circulate smoothly in the circulation pipeline 30 and flow back into the inner cavity 11, and the solvent can also enter the stirring assembly 20 through the connecting port.

[0074] The specific number of the horizontal segments 33 and the vertical segments 34 can be adjusted according to actual applications to suit the application environment, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0075] Among them, the horizontal section 33 is inclined along the flow direction a of the solvent with an upward slope, that is, when the solvent flows in the horizontal section 33, the solvent is in a state of climbing upward, which can better push the gas in the circulation pipeline to move along with it, and finally discharge the gas in the circulation pipeline from a specific position to achieve exhaust.

[0076] Through the above structure, the gas in the circulation pipeline can be better discharged, the solvent can fill the circulation pipeline, and the metering accuracy can be improved.

[0077] In some embodiments, the slope of the horizontal section 33 ranges from 3‰ to 7‰.

[0078] Specifically, setting the slope of the horizontal section 33 to the above range can not only improve the exhaust effect of the solvent, but also adapt to the setting of the circulation pipeline in the actual production scene and reduce the occupied space of the circulation pipeline as much as possible.

[0079] As a preferred embodiment, the slope of the horizontal section 33 can be set to 5‰, so that the solvent can better squeeze out the gas during the upward flow along the flow direction a.

[0080] In some embodiments, a curved section 35 is connected between the highest point of the horizontal section 33 and the vertical section 34 , and the curvature of the curved section 35 is four times the diameter of the circulation pipeline 30 .

[0081] Specifically, when the horizontal section 33 is set to the highest point along the slope, it is connected to the vertical section 34 through the curved section 35. When the solvent in the circulation pipeline 30 flows to the highest point, the flow direction a is changed in the curved section 35 to flow downward, and the solvent will impact the circulation pipeline 30.

[0082] Based on this, the curvature of the curved section 35 is set to four times the diameter of the circulation pipeline 30, which can reduce the impact of the solvent on the curved section 35 as much as possible, so that the solvent can smoothly enter the vertical section 34 and continue to flow.

[0083] It is understandable that other positions of the horizontal segment 33 can also be connected to the vertical segment 34 through other curved segments 35 to achieve a buffer that facilitates direction change between the horizontal segment 33 and the vertical segment 34, which will not be elaborated here.

[0084] Therefore, by providing the curved section 35 , the impact of the solvent on the circulation pipeline 30 can be reduced, so that the solvent can flow smoothly in the circulation pipeline 30 .

[0085] Please also see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, a connecting hole 36 is provided on a section of the tube wall located in the inner cavity 11 at the output end 32 , and a distance between the connecting hole 36 and the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 is greater than the highest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11 .

[0086] Specifically, the connecting hole 36 is opened in a section of the circulation pipeline 30 located in the inner cavity 11, and the connecting hole 36 is located above the liquid level of the solvent. Therefore, when the solvent circulates in the circulation pipeline 30 for one cycle and flows back into the inner cavity 11, the solvent can squeeze the gas out of the circulation pipeline 30 from the position of the connecting hole 36, thereby realizing the exhaust process of the circulation pipeline 30.

[0087] In addition, after the exhaust is completed, in the process of delivering the solvent to the stirring assembly 20, in order to allow the solvent to enter the stirring assembly 20 more smoothly, it is necessary to control the closing of the feed port of the metering assembly 10 through a valve, for example, a control valve is set at the output end 32 of the circulation pipeline 30. At this time, the setting of the connecting hole 36 can maintain the pressure balance in the inner cavity 11 and the circulation pipeline, so that the solvent in a section of the circulation pipeline 30 below the control valve can be quickly discharged and flow back to the inner cavity 11.

[0088] Therefore, by setting the connecting hole 36, not only can the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 be discharged smoothly, but also the pressure balance in the inner cavity 11 and the circulation pipeline can be maintained, so that the solvent in the circulation pipeline 30 can flow back to the inner cavity 11 more thoroughly, reducing the residual solvent in the circulation pipeline 30.

[0089] In some embodiments, the material preparation device 100 further includes a stopper 40 and a flow guide 50 . The stopper 40 is covered on the connecting hole 36 , and the flow guide 50 is connected between the stopper 40 and the outer wall of the circulation pipeline 30 .

[0090] Specifically, the stopper 40 can be configured as a cover, and the cover is disposed on the communicating hole 36. In this way, when the solvent passes through the communicating hole 36, the probability of the solvent splashing out of the communicating hole 36 can be reduced, and the probability of the solvent splashing and thus impacting the solvent liquid surface in the inner cavity 11 can be reduced.

[0091] Furthermore, the guide member 50 can be configured as a guide rod. One end of the guide member 50 is connected to the stopper 40, and the other end is connected to the outer wall of the circulation pipeline 30. In this way, even if some solvent remains on the stopper 40, this part of the solvent can flow downward along the outer wall of the circulation pipeline 30 under the guidance of the guide member 50, thereby reducing the probability of splashing.

[0092] By providing the stopper 40 and the guide member 50 , the probability of the solvent splashing at the connecting hole 36 can be reduced, thereby reducing the probability of the solvent impacting the solvent liquid surface in the inner cavity 11 and improving the metering accuracy.

[0093] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the end of the output end 32 is bent and extended in a direction toward the center of the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 .

[0094] Specifically, the output end 32 extends vertically downward into the inner cavity 11 and extends below the solvent liquid surface. The end of the output end 32 is bent horizontally and its opening faces the center of the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11.

[0095] The bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 is usually arranged as a concave structure with high sides and low center, that is, the end opening of the output end 32 is arranged toward the lowest point of the bottom wall of the inner cavity 11 .

[0096] Therefore, through the above structure, the solvent can change its flow direction from vertical to horizontal at the end of the output end 32 when it refluxes in the circulation pipeline, further reducing the downward impact force of the solvent reflux on the solvent in the inner cavity 11 and improving the metering accuracy.

[0097] In some embodiments, the metering component 10 includes a metering tank 12 , the inner cavity 11 is disposed inside the metering tank 12 , the discharge port is opened at the bottom of the metering tank 12 , and the feed port is opened at the top of the metering tank 12 .

[0098] Specifically, the inner cavity 11 is opened inside the metering tank 12, and the metering tank 12 can store the solvent. In addition, the discharge port is opened at the bottom of the metering tank 12, and the feed port is opened at the top of the metering tank 12, so that the solvent flows out from the bottom and enters the circulation pipeline, and then flows back to the inner cavity 11 from the top after circulating in the circulation pipeline for one cycle, which can reduce the residual solvent in the circulation pipeline and make the gas in the circulation pipeline more thoroughly discharged.

[0099] In some embodiments, the metering component 10 further includes a weighing sensor 13 , the metering tank 12 is disposed on the weighing sensor 13 , and the weighing sensor 13 is used to detect the weight of the solvent in the inner cavity 11 .

[0100] Specifically, the metering tank 12 is disposed on the weighing sensor 13. When the solvent in the metering tank 12 increases or decreases, the weighing sensor 13 can detect the change in the solvent, so that the amount of solvent added to the stirring assembly 20 can be obtained according to the change.

[0101] Through the above structure, the change in the amount of solvent in the metering tank 12 can be quickly and accurately obtained, thereby obtaining the amount of solvent added to the stirring assembly 20.

[0102] In some embodiments, the material preparation device 100 further includes a power pump 60 disposed on the circulation pipeline 30 .

[0103] Specifically, the power pump 60 can provide a circulation driving force for the solvent in the circulation pipeline 30 , so that the solvent can flow smoothly in the circulation pipeline 30 and be smoothly transported to the stirring assembly 20 or smoothly flow back to the inner cavity 11 .

[0104] Please also see Figure 1 and Figure 5 In some embodiments, the material preparation device 100 further includes at least two connecting branches 70, the stirring assembly 20 includes at least two stirrers 21, and at least two connecting ports are provided on the circulation pipeline 30, and each connecting branch 70 is connected between the corresponding connecting port and the stirrer 21. The material preparation device 100 further includes a pulsation damper 80 disposed on each connecting branch 70.

[0105] Specifically, the stirring assembly 20 may include at least two stirrers 21 . The specific number of the stirrers 21 may be adjusted according to actual applications, which will not be elaborated herein.

[0106] Each agitator 21 is connected to a connection port on the circulation pipeline 30 via a connecting branch pipe 70. When delivering the solvent, the solvent can be delivered to multiple agitators 21 at the same time, or the solvent can be delivered to each agitator 21 in sequence.

[0107] Wherein, a pulsation damper 80 is provided on each connecting branch pipe 70. When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers 21 reaches a preset value, the solvent delivery of the stirrer 21 needs to be stopped, and the connecting branch pipe 70 corresponding to the stirrer 21 can be cut off at this time. However, at the same time, since the delivery amount of the solvent in the circulation pipeline 30 is instantly reduced, the solvent will cause an instantaneous water hammer to the entire circulation pipeline 30.

[0108] Therefore, the pulsation damper 80 can suppress the fluctuation of the pipeline, making the flow of the solvent more stable and improving the metering accuracy.

[0109] In some embodiments, each connecting branch pipe 70 is provided with a mass flow meter 22 and a back pressure valve 23 , and a pulsation damper 80 is disposed upstream of the mass flow meter 22 and the back pressure valve 23 along the flow direction a of the solvent.

[0110] Specifically, the mass flow meter 22 can detect the flow rate of the solvent on each corresponding connecting branch pipe 70 , thereby more accurately detecting the amount of solvent added into each mixer 21 .

[0111] However, when the connecting branch pipe 70 of one of the mixers 21 is disconnected, the solvent causes water hammer on the circulation pipeline 30, which may cause instantaneous failure of the mass flow meter 22. If multiple connecting branch pipes 70 are disconnected at the same time, the impact force of the solvent will cause the detection errors of each mass flow meter 22 to accumulate, exceeding the error requirements of production.

[0112] Therefore, the pulsation damper 80 is set upstream of the mass flow meter 22 and the back pressure valve 23 along the flow direction a of the solvent. While the pulsation damper 80 suppresses pipeline fluctuations, it cooperates with the mass flow meter 22 and the back pressure valve 23 to greatly improve the detection stability and metering accuracy of the mass flow meter 22.

[0113] In some embodiments, each connecting branch pipe 70 is further provided with a shut-off valve 24 , and the shut-off valve 24 is used to control the opening and closing of the corresponding connecting branch pipe 70 .

[0114] Specifically, the shut-off valve 24 can be used to control the on-off of each connecting branch pipe 70 , so as to better control the amount of solvent added to each mixer 21 .

[0115] The number of the cut-off valves 24 on each connecting branch pipe 70 can be one or more. For example, two cut-off valves 24 are provided on each connecting branch pipe 70, and the two cut-off valves 24 are respectively provided on opposite sides of the pulsation damper 80, the mass flow meter 22 and the back pressure valve 23 along the flow direction a of the solvent. Thus, if any of the pulsation damper 80, the mass flow meter 22 and the back pressure valve 23 fails, the connecting branch pipe 70 can be conveniently cut off for maintenance.

[0116] Based on the same concept as the above-mentioned material preparation device 100 , the present application also provides a battery production equipment, including the above-mentioned material preparation device 100 .

[0117] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, based on the same concept as the above-mentioned material preparation device 100, the present application also provides a control method of the material preparation device 100, which is applied to the above-mentioned material preparation device 100, and the control method includes the following steps:

[0118] S10: connecting the input end 31 with the discharge port, and extending the output end 32 from the input port into the inner cavity 11 , so that the end of the output end 32 is located below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11 .

[0119] S20: Connect the connection port to the stirring assembly 20.

[0120] S30 : Control the solvent in the inner cavity 11 to enter the circulation pipeline 30 from the input end 31 and circulate to the output end 32 and return to the inner cavity 11 .

[0121] S40: Control the solvent to circulate continuously for a preset time so that the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 is exhausted.

[0122] It should be noted that before delivering the solvent to each agitator 21 , the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 needs to be exhausted to prevent the gas from affecting the measurement accuracy of the mass flow meter 22 .

[0123] Therefore, firstly, the circulation pipeline 30 is connected between the inlet and outlet of the inner cavity 11, and the end of the output end 32 is extended below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity 11. The valve on the circulation pipeline 30 is opened, and the power pump 60 is turned on to allow the solvent to enter the circulation pipeline 30 from the input end 31, and after a cycle, it flows back to the inner cavity 11 from the output end 32.

[0124] Among them, since the horizontal section 33 of the circulation pipeline 30 is inclined at an upward slope along the flow direction a of the solvent, the solvent can squeeze out the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 during the climbing process of the horizontal section 33. When the solvent flows to the position of the connecting hole 36, the gas can be discharged through the connecting hole 36 to realize the exhaust process of the circulation pipeline 30.

[0125] Further, after the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 is exhausted, the shut-off valve 24 on each connecting branch pipe 70 is opened, so that each mixer 21 is connected to the circulation pipeline 30 through the connecting port. At this time, a part of the gas in each connecting branch pipe 70 will float into the circulation pipeline 30 under the action of buoyancy, so as to achieve the exhaust of each connecting branch pipe 70.

[0126] Through the above steps, the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 and each connecting branch pipe 70 can be completely exhausted to facilitate the transportation of the solvent.

[0127] In addition, it should be noted that, in actual use, when the device is under maintenance or shut down for a long time, an exhaust operation is required to ensure that the circulating pipeline 30 is filled with liquid. After exhausting once, the solvent can usually be added to each connecting branch pipe 70 multiple times, without exhausting before each solvent addition.

[0128] In some embodiments, after step S30, the method further includes the following steps:

[0129] S31: Detect the weight of the measuring tank 12 using the weighing sensor 13 until the weight of the measuring tank 12 stops decreasing.

[0130] During the exhaust process, the weighing sensor 13 can detect the change in the amount of solvent in the metering tank 12 in real time. When the weight of the metering tank 12 no longer decreases, the circulation is continued for 5 minutes to 10 minutes to exhaust the gas in the circulation pipeline 30 and each connecting branch pipe 70.

[0131] In some embodiments, after step S40, the method further includes the following steps:

[0132] S50: Open the cut-off valve 24 on each connecting branch pipe 70 , start the power pump 60 on the circulation pipeline 30 , and control the mass flow meter 22 on each connecting branch pipe 70 to detect the amount of solvent added into each mixer 21 .

[0133] S60: When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers 21 reaches 90%-95% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is controlled to drop to a first flow rate value, wherein the first flow rate value is smaller than the initial flow rate.

[0134] S70: When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers 21 reaches a preset value, the shut-off valve 24 on the connecting branch pipe 70 corresponding to the stirrer 21 is closed.

[0135] S80: When the amount of solvent added to the second mixer 21 reaches 90% to 95% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is controlled to drop to a second flow rate value, wherein the second flow rate value is smaller than the first flow rate value.

[0136] S90: When the amount of solvent added to the second mixer 21 reaches a preset value, the shut-off valve 24 on the connecting branch pipe 70 corresponding to the mixer 21 is closed, and so on, until the shut-off valves 24 on all the connecting branch pipes 70 are closed.

[0137] S100: Turn off the power pump 60.

[0138] It should be noted that, in a specific embodiment, the first flow value can be set to 60% to 90% of the initial flow, for example, the first flow value is set to 90% of the initial flow. The second flow value can be set to 40% to 70% of the initial flow, for example, the second flow value is set to 70% of the initial flow.

[0139] Specifically, after the exhaust process is completed, the measurement and delivery process of the solvent begins. First, the two shut-off valves 24 on each connecting branch pipe 70 are opened, and the power pump 60 is turned on. At this time, the mass flow meter 22 on each connecting branch pipe 70 begins to measure the amount of solvent added to the corresponding mixer 21.

[0140] When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers 21 reaches 90% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is reduced to 90% of the initial flow rate. When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers 21 reaches 100% of the preset value, it means that the solvent in the stirrer 21 is full. At this time, the two shut-off valves 24 on the connecting branch pipe 70 are closed in sequence, and the closing time interval between the two shut-off valves 24 is 3 seconds to 5 seconds, so that the solvent between the back pressure valve 23 and the shut-off valve 24 can be completely discharged.

[0141] Further, when the amount of solvent added to the second mixer 21 reaches 90% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is reduced to 70% of the initial flow rate. When the amount of solvent added to the second mixer 21 reaches 100% of the preset value, the two shut-off valves 24 on the connecting branch pipe 70 are also closed in sequence, and the closing time interval between the two shut-off valves 24 is 3 seconds to 5 seconds. This is repeated by analogy until the last mixer 21 is filled, and the power pump 60 is closed to complete the entire measurement and delivery process of the solvent.

[0142] In addition, it should be noted that in the process of controlling the flow rate of the power pump 60, it can be specifically achieved by controlling the rotation speed of the power pump 60. That is, when the amount of solvent added to one of the mixers 21 reaches 90% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is reduced by controlling the rotation speed of the power pump 60, and the flow rate is reduced to 90% of the initial flow rate. Similarly, when the amount of solvent added to the second mixer 21 reaches 90% of the preset value, the flow rate of the power pump 60 is reduced by controlling the rotation speed of the power pump 60, and the flow rate is reduced to 80% of the initial flow rate. In this way, the control and regulation of the flow rate on each connecting branch pipe 70 is achieved.

[0143] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0144] The above-described embodiments only express several implementation methods of the present application, and the descriptions thereof are relatively specific and detailed, but they cannot be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be pointed out that, for a person of ordinary skill in the art, several variations and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent application shall be subject to the attached claims.

Claims

1. A material preparation device, characterized in that: include: A metering component, comprising an inner cavity for storing a solvent and an outlet and an inlet respectively connected to the inner cavity; a stirring component, used for receiving and stirring the solvent from the metering component; and A circulation pipeline having an input end and an output end, wherein the input end is connected to the discharge port, the output end extends into the inner cavity through the feed port, and the distance between the end of the output end and the bottom wall of the inner cavity is less than the lowest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity; Wherein, the circulation pipeline is also provided with a connection port which is in communication with the stirring assembly; The circulation pipeline comprises a horizontal section and a vertical section connected to each other, and the horizontal section is arranged with an upward slope along the flow direction of the solvent; The material preparation device also includes at least two connecting branches, the stirring assembly includes at least two stirrers, at least two connecting ports are opened on the circulation pipeline, and each connecting branch is connected between the corresponding connecting port and the stirrer; the material preparation device also includes a pulsation damper arranged on each connecting branch.

2. The material preparation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slope of the horizontal section ranges from 3‰ to 7‰.

3. The material preparation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A curved section is connected between the highest point of the horizontal section and the vertical section, and the curvature of the curved section is four times the diameter of the circulation pipeline.

4. The material preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A connecting hole is provided on a section of the tube wall in the inner cavity where the output end is located, and a distance between the connecting hole and the bottom wall of the inner cavity is greater than the highest liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity.

5. The material preparation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The material preparation device further comprises a stopper and a flow guide, wherein the stopper cover is arranged on the communicating hole, and the flow guide is connected between the stopper and the outer wall of the circulation pipeline.

6. The material preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The end of the output end is bent and extended in a direction toward the center position of the bottom wall of the inner cavity.

7. The material preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The metering component comprises a metering tank, the inner cavity is arranged inside the metering tank, the discharge port is opened at the bottom of the metering tank, and the inlet port is opened at the top of the metering tank.

8. The material preparation device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The metering component further comprises a weighing sensor, the metering tank is arranged on the weighing sensor, and the weighing sensor is used to detect the weight of the solvent in the inner cavity.

9. The material preparation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material preparation device also includes a power pump arranged on the circulation pipeline.

10. The material preparation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the connecting branch pipes is provided with a mass flow meter and a back pressure valve, and the pulsation damper is arranged upstream of the mass flow meter and the back pressure valve along the flow direction of the solvent.

11. The material preparation device according to claim 1 or 10, characterized in that: Each of the connecting branch pipes is also provided with a cut-off valve, and the cut-off valve is used to control the on-off of the corresponding connecting branch pipe.

12. A battery production device, characterized in that: It comprises a material preparation device as described in any one of claims 1-11.

13. A control method for a material preparation device, characterized in that: Applied to the material preparation device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the control method comprises the following steps: Connecting the input end to the discharge port, and extending the output end from the input port into the inner cavity, so that the end of the output end is located below the liquid level of the solvent in the inner cavity; Connecting the connection port to the stirring assembly; Control the solvent in the inner cavity to enter the circulation pipeline from the input end and circulate to the output end and return to the inner cavity; The solvent is controlled to circulate continuously for a preset time so that the gas in the circulation pipeline is exhausted.

14. The control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: After the step of controlling the solvent in the inner cavity to enter the circulation pipeline from the input end and circulate to the output end and return to the inner cavity, the step further includes: The weight of the measuring tank is detected by using a weighing sensor until the weight of the measuring tank stops decreasing.

15. The control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: After the step of controlling the solvent to circulate continuously for a preset time so that the gas in the circulation pipeline is exhausted, the step further includes: Open the cut-off valve on each connecting branch pipe, start the power pump on the circulation pipeline, and control the mass flow meter on each connecting branch pipe to detect the amount of solvent added to each mixer; When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers reaches 90% to 95% of a preset value, controlling the flow rate of the power pump to drop to a first flow rate value, wherein the first flow rate value is less than an initial flow rate; When the amount of solvent added to one of the stirrers reaches a preset value, closing the cut-off valve on the connecting branch pipe corresponding to the stirrer; When the amount of solvent added to the second agitator reaches 90% to 95% of the preset value, controlling the flow rate of the power pump to drop to a second flow rate value, wherein the second flow rate value is less than the first flow rate value; When the amount of solvent added to the second agitator reaches a preset value, the shut-off valve on the connecting branch pipe corresponding to the agitator is closed, and so on, until the shut-off valves on all the connecting branch pipes are closed; Turn off the power pump.

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