Electrode material sintering system

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrode material sintering system. The electrode material sintering system according to the present invention comprises: an electrode material sintering device for sintering an electrode material; and an electrode material supply device for supplying an electrode material to the electrode material sintering device, in which the electrode material supply device comprises: a supply pipe having an internal space in which the electrode material is accommodated and moved; a cooling member for cooling an inner space of the supply pipe; and a heating means for heating the outside of the supply pipe.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0070534, filed on June 10, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The invention relates to an electrode material sintering system. Background Art

[0004] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are rechargeable and have a high probability of being compact in size and large in capacity. Therefore, many studies on secondary batteries are being conducted recently. With the development of technology and the increase in demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing.

[0005] Rechargeable batteries are classified into coin-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries according to the shape of the battery case. In such secondary batteries, an electrode assembly mounted in a battery case is a chargeable and dischargeable power generating device having a structure in which electrodes and separators are stacked.

[0006] Secondary batteries have attracted attention as energy sources for power equipment such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and for mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and notebook computers.

[0007] In lithium secondary batteries, lithium transition metal oxides are used as positive electrode active materials. That is, lithium cobalt oxide with high operating voltage and excellent capacity characteristics, lithium nickel oxide with high reversible capacity of about 200 mAh / g and easy to realize large-capacity batteries, lithium nickel cobalt oxide in which part of nickel is replaced by cobalt, lithium nickel cobalt metal oxide in which part of nickel is replaced by manganese, cobalt or aluminum, low-cost lithium manganese oxide with excellent thermal stability, lithium iron phosphate with excellent stability, etc. are used as positive electrode active materials.

[0008] The positive electrode active material is prepared by mixing a precursor for producing the positive electrode active material with a lithium raw material, and then putting the mixture into an electrode material sintering system to perform sintering at a high temperature.

[0009] In a conventional electrode material sintering system in which a raw material for an electrode material is sintered by applying heat, an electrode material supply device that supplies the electrode material has a simple structure consisting of a screw propeller and a supply pipe as a shell surrounding the screw propeller to move the raw material for the electrode material. In addition, the electrode material sintering system is constructed as a structure in which one end of the supply pipe is placed in a main pipe (which heats and sinters the raw material) to supply the raw material for the electrode material into the main pipe.

[0010] However, there is a problem in that the input raw material is heated from a part of the end of the supply pipe by heat conduction from the inside of the main pipe.

[0011] As a result, the raw material containing moisture generated by thermal decomposition generates stress inside the supply pipe, thereby causing a problem of deterioration in durability of the equipment.

[0012] Furthermore, as a result, there is a problem that an error occurs in the quantitative input of the raw material, which is one of the important process conditions, due to the change in the powder properties (density, viscosity, flow rate, etc.) of the raw material caused by the moisture.

[0013] Furthermore, as a result, there is a problem that an error occurs in process control due to the generation of intermediate products by thermal reactions, which are not controlled in regions other than the reaction region in terms of process design. Summary of the invention

[0014] Technical issues

[0015] One aspect of the present invention is to provide an electrode material sintering system capable of preventing an undesirable additional thermal reaction from occurring.

[0016] Technical Solution

[0017] An electrode material sintering system according to the present invention may include: an electrode material sintering device, which is configured to sinter raw materials for electrode materials; and an electrode material supplying device, which is configured to supply raw materials for electrode materials to the electrode material sintering device, wherein the electrode material supplying device includes: a supply pipe, in which an internal space is defined, and the raw materials for electrode materials are accommodated in the internal space for movement; a cooling component, which is configured to cool the internal space of the supply pipe; and a heating component, which is configured to heat the outside of the supply pipe.

[0018] Beneficial effects

[0019] According to the present invention, in an electrode material sintering system for sintering a raw material for an electrode material, a cooling part may be provided, which cools the inner space of a supply pipe through which the raw material for an electrode material moves to prevent an undesired additional heat reaction from occurring. Therefore, the following effects may be achieved: preventing the durability of the equipment from being deteriorated, preventing the occurrence of a problem of quantitative input of the raw material, and preventing the generation of undesired intermediate products to prevent the occurrence of errors in process control.

[0020] Furthermore, a heating member for heating the outside of the supply pipe may be provided to prevent steam generated by the thermal reaction from condensing at the outside of the supply pipe and then mixing with the raw material again, or to prevent feed interruption due to blocking of the outlet of the supply pipe.

[0021] Furthermore, a heat insulating member may be interposed between the cooling member and the heating member to block heat transfer between the cooling member and the heating member, and thus, the respective functions of the cooling member and the heating member may be effectively performed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode material sintering system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode material sintering system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The purpose, specific advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent through the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in this specification, the figure numerals are added to the parts in the accompanying drawings with the same numbers as much as possible, even if they are shown in other drawings. In addition, the present invention can be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of the related art that may unnecessarily obscure the main points of the present invention will be omitted.

[0025] [Electrode Material Sintering System According to First Embodiment]

[0026] Figure 1 : is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode material sintering system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Here, for ease of description, Figure 1 The rotating member 230 is shown without being cut away.

[0027] Reference Figure 1The electrode material sintering system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode material sintering device 200 for sintering a raw material M for an electrode material and an electrode material supply device 100 for supplying the raw material M for an electrode material to the electrode material sintering device 200. In addition, the electrode material sintering system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further include a chamber 300 for collecting gas and water vapor exhausted from the heating pipe 210.

[0028] In addition, the electrode material supply device 100 may include a supply pipe 110 through which a raw material M for an electrode material moves, a cooling part 120 , a heating part 140 , a heat insulating part 130 , a screw propeller 150 , a blocking part 170 , and a supply hopper 180 .

[0029] In addition, the electrode material sintering device 200 may include a heating pipe 210 through which a raw material for an electrode material moves from the supply pipe 110 , a heater 220 , a rotating member 230 , and a baffle 240 .

[0030] In more detail, in the electrode material supply device 100 of the electrode material sintering system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the supply pipe 110 may have an internal space 110a in which the raw material M for the electrode material is accommodated to move. Here, the raw material M for the electrode material may be, for example, a raw material for a positive electrode material.

[0031] The supply pipe 110 may be provided in a tubular shape. Here, the supply pipe 110 may be provided in a cylindrical tubular shape, for example.

[0032] The supply pipe 110 may include a first portion 111 disposed outside the heating pipe 210 and a second portion 112 disposed inside the heating pipe 210 .

[0033] Here, the heating member 140 and the cooling member 120 may be installed at the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the supply pipe 110. That is, the heating member 140 and the cooling member 120 may be installed at portions disposed inside and outside the heating pipe 210 in the supply pipe 110.

[0034] The cooling member 120 may cool the inner space 110 a of the supply pipe 110 .

[0035] The cooling part 120 may include a cooling line 121 through which a coolant fluid moves and the surroundings of the cooling line 121 are maintained below a specific temperature.

[0036] Here, the raw material M for the electrode material may include lithium hydroxide, and the cooling part 120 may cool the inner space 110a of the supply pipe 110, for example, so that the temperature of the raw material M for the electrode material becomes 10°C to 80°C. Here, the cooling part 120 may particularly cool the inner space 110a of the supply pipe 110, for example, so that the temperature of the raw material M for the electrode material becomes 10°C to 60°C. Therefore, the cooling part 120 may cool the inner space 110a of the supply pipe 110 so that the temperature of the raw material M for the electrode material becomes 60°C or less, so as to prevent an undesirable and uncontrolled additional thermal reaction from occurring on an area other than the reaction area in the process design, thereby preventing the generation of intermediate products, thereby preventing the occurrence of errors in process control. As a result, it is possible to prevent the durability of the equipment from being deteriorated due to the raw material containing moisture generated by pyrolysis possibly generating stress in the supply pipe 110, and it effectively prevents the occurrence of errors in the quantitative input of the raw material due to changes in the powder properties (density, viscosity, flow rate, etc.) of the raw material caused by moisture, which is one of the important process conditions.

[0037] In addition, the cooling member 120 may cool the inner space 110 a of the supply pipe 110 so that the temperature of the raw material M for the electrode material becomes 10° C. or higher to prevent an additional thermal reaction or deterioration of the raw material.

[0038] The cooling line 121 may include a coolant inlet 121 a through which the coolant fluid flows and a coolant outlet 121 b through which the coolant fluid is discharged.

[0039] The cooling member 120 may be disposed along an inner surface of the heat insulating member 130 .

[0040] The heating member 140 may heat the outside of the supply pipe 110 .

[0041] The heating member 140 may heat the outside of the supply pipe 110 to a temperature of 100° C. to 150° C. Therefore, when the heating member 140 heats the outside of the supply pipe 110 to a temperature of 100° C. or higher, there is an effect of suppressing the steam generated by the thermal reaction in the heating pipe 210 from condensing on the outside of the supply pipe 110 and then mixing with the raw material again, or there is an effect of preventing the feed from being interrupted due to blocking the outlet of the supply pipe. In addition, when the heating member 140 heats the outside of the supply pipe 110 to a temperature of 150° C. or lower, the higher the heating temperature, the lower the cooling efficiency for increasing the temperature of the raw material. Therefore, there is an effect of injecting the raw material while keeping the raw material within a predetermined temperature range.

[0042] The heating member 140 may be disposed along the inner surface of the supply pipe 110 to heat the supply pipe 110 and the outside of the supply pipe 110 .

[0043] The heat insulating member 130 may be disposed between the cooling member 120 and the heating member 140 to block heat transfer between the cooling member 120 and the heating member 140. Thus, the function of each of the cooling member 120 and the heating member 140 may be fully exhibited.

[0044] The heat insulating member 130 may be disposed along an inner surface of the heating member 140 .

[0045] The screw propeller 150 may be disposed in the inner space 110 a of the supply pipe 110 to allow the raw material M for the electrode material to move.

[0046] The screw propeller 150 may have, for example, a rotation shaft and a spiral wing shape along an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft.

[0047] An end of the screw propeller 150 may be connected to the screw propeller motor 151 to be rotated by the screw propeller motor 151 , and the raw material M for the electrode material disposed in the inner space 110 a of the supply pipe 110 may move toward the heating pipe 210 .

[0048] The blocking member 170 may be disposed on the outer surface of the supply pipe 110 , and may prevent the condensed steam disposed on the outer surface of the supply pipe 110 from moving along the outer surface of the supply pipe 110 to the inside of the electrode material sintering device 200 .

[0049] The blocking member 170 may be provided as a metal plate provided along the outer circumference of the supply pipe 110 .

[0050] The blocking member 170 may be provided in a circular plate shape having a hole defined at a central portion thereof, and the hole defined at the central portion may be inserted into an outer surface of the supply pipe 110 .

[0051] The supply hopper 180 may supply the raw material M for the electrode material to the supply pipe 110 .

[0052] Here, the supply hopper 180 may be connected to one side of the supply pipe 110 , and the other side of the supply pipe 110 may be disposed inside the heating pipe 210 .

[0053] In the electrode material sintering device 200 , the heating pipe 210 may define an accommodation space 210 a into which the raw material M for the electrode material moves from the supply pipe 110 to be accommodated.

[0054] The heating pipe 210 may be provided in a tubular shape. Here, the heating pipe 210 may be provided in a cylindrical tubular shape, for example. In addition, the heating pipe 210 may be provided in a shape having a larger diameter than the supply pipe 110 .

[0055] The heater 220 may heat the heating tube 210 to heat the raw material M for the electrode material placed in the accommodation space 210 a of the heating tube 210 .

[0056] The heating pipe 210 may be rotated by the rotating member 230 .

[0057] The rotating member 230 may include a driving gear 231 providing a rotating force and a driven gear 232 receiving the rotating force from the driving gear 231 .

[0058] The driving gear member may be disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the driving gear 231 , and the driving gear 231 may rotate as the rotation shaft of the driving motor rotates.

[0059] The driven gear 232 is disposed along the outer surface of the heating pipe 210 , and a driven gear part meshing with a driving gear part of the driving gear 231 may be disposed on the outer circumferential surface.

[0060] The baffle 240 may be disposed inside the heating tube 210 to cause agitation of the raw material M for the electrode material contained in the heating tube 210 when the heating tube 210 rotates.

[0061] The baffle 240 may be installed inside the heating tube 210. The baffle 240 may include a horizontal bar disposed at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the heating tube 210. The horizontal bar may extend along the longitudinal direction of the heating tube 210. Here, the horizontal bar may extend in a direction parallel to the traveling direction G of the raw material M for the electrode material, for example.

[0062] The chamber 300 may have a space to accommodate the first portion 111 of the supply pipe 110. Here, the chamber 300 may include a cylindrical chamber cover 310 and a chamber hopper 320 disposed under the chamber cover 310.

[0063] The chamber 300 may collect gas and steam exhausted from the first portion 111 of the heating tube 210 .

[0064] Here, gas and steam exhausted from the outside of the heating pipe 210 may be collected into the chamber hopper 320 by the chamber cover 310 .

[0065] [Electrode Material Sintering System According to Second Embodiment]

[0066] Hereinafter, an electrode material sintering system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0067] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrode material sintering system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] Reference Figure 2 The electrode material sintering system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode material sintering device 200 for sintering a raw material M for an electrode material and an electrode material supply device 1100 for supplying the raw material M for an electrode material to the electrode material sintering device 200. In addition, the electrode material sintering system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include a chamber 300 for collecting gas and water vapor exhausted from the heating pipe 210.

[0069] In addition, the electrode material supply device 1100 may include a supply pipe 1110 through which a raw material M for an electrode material moves, a cooling part 1120 , a heating part 1140 , a heat insulating part 1130 , a screw propeller 150 , a blocking part 170 , and a supply hopper 180 .

[0070] In addition, the electrode material sintering device 200 may include a heating pipe 210 through which a raw material for an electrode material moves from a supply pipe 1110 , a heater 220 , a rotating member 230 , and a baffle 240 .

[0071] When compared with the electrode material sintering system according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the battery material sintering system according to the second embodiment of the present invention is different in that the heating part 1140 and the cooling part 1120 are installed only at the first part 1111. Therefore, in the embodiment of the electrode material sintering system 20 according to the second embodiment, the overlapping contents with the electrode material sintering system according to the first embodiment will be omitted or briefly described, and the differences therebetween will be mainly described.

[0072] In more detail, in the electrode material supply device 1100 of the electrode material sintering system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the supply pipe 1110 may have an inner space 1110 a in which the raw material M for the electrode material is accommodated to move.

[0073] The supply pipe 1110 may be provided in a tubular shape. Here, the supply pipe 1110 may be provided in a cylindrical tubular shape, for example.

[0074] The supply pipe 1110 may include a first portion 1111 disposed outside the heating pipe 210 and a second portion 1112 disposed inside the heating pipe 210 .

[0075] Here, the heating member 1140 and the cooling member 1120 may be installed at the first portion 1111 of the supply pipe 1110. That is, the heating member 1140 and the cooling member 1120 may be installed at a portion of the supply pipe 1110 disposed outside the heating pipe 210. Therefore, the heating member 1140 and the cooling member 1120 may not be installed at the second portion 1112 of the supply pipe 1110 disposed inside the heating pipe 210 to prevent the heating temperature inside the heating pipe 210 from being lowered, thereby facilitating its manufacture.

[0076] The cooling member 1120 may cool the inner space 1110 a of the supply pipe 1110 .

[0077] The cooling part 1120 may include a cooling line 1121 through which a coolant fluid moves and the surroundings of the cooling line 1121 are maintained below a specific temperature.

[0078] Here, the raw material M for the electrode material may include lithium hydroxide, and the cooling part 1120 may cool the inner space 1110a of the supply pipe 1110 so that the temperature of the raw material M for the electrode material becomes 10°C to 60°C.

[0079] The cooling line 1121 may include a coolant inlet 1121 a through which the coolant fluid flows and a coolant outlet 1121 b through which the coolant fluid is discharged.

[0080] The cooling member 1120 may be disposed along an inner surface of the heat insulating member 1130 .

[0081] The heating member 1140 may heat the outside of the supply pipe 1110 .

[0082] The heating member 1140 may heat the exterior of the supply pipe 1110 to a temperature of 100° C. to 150° C.

[0083] The heating member 1140 may be disposed along the inner surface of the supply pipe 1110 to heat the supply pipe 1110 and the outside of the supply pipe 1110 .

[0084] The heat insulating member 1130 may be disposed between the cooling member 1120 and the heating member 1140 to block heat transfer between the cooling member 1120 and the heating member 1140 .

[0085] The heat insulating member 1130 may be disposed along an inner surface of the heating member 1140 .

[0086] The screw propeller 150 may be disposed in the inner space 1110 a of the supply pipe 1110 to allow the raw material M for the electrode material to move.

[0087] Although the present invention has been specifically shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0088] Furthermore, the protective scope of the present invention will be set forth by the accompanying claims.

[0089] [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 10, 20: Electrode material sintering system

[0091] 100, 1100: Electrode material supply device

[0092] 110, 1110: Supply pipe

[0093] 110a, 1110a: Internal space

[0094] 111, 1111: Part 1

[0095] 112, 1112: Part 2

[0096] 120, 1120: Cooling components

[0097] 121, 1121: Cooling line

[0098] 121a, 1121a: Coolant inlet

[0099] 121b, 1121b: Coolant outlet

[0100] 130, 1130: Thermal insulation components

[0101] 140, 1140: Heating components

[0102] 150: Screw propeller

[0103] 151: Propeller motor

[0104] 170: Blocking parts

[0105] 180: Supply hopper

[0106] 200: Electrode material sintering device

[0107] 210: Heating tube

[0108] 210a: Accommodation Space

[0109] 220: Heater

[0110] 230: Rotating parts

[0111] 231: Driving gear

[0112] 232: Driven gear

[0113] 240: Baffle

[0114] 300: Chamber

[0115] 300a: Space

[0116] 310: Chamber cover

[0117] 320: Chamber Hopper

[0118] G: Direction of travel

[0119] M: Raw materials used for electrode materials

Claims

1. An electrode material sintering system, comprising: an electrode material sintering device configured to sinter a raw material for an electrode material; and an electrode material supply device configured to supply the raw material for electrode material to the electrode material sintering device, The electrode material supply device comprises: a supply pipe defining an inner space therein, wherein the raw material for an electrode material is accommodated in the inner space to move; a cooling member configured to cool the inner space of the supply pipe; and A heating component is configured to heat an exterior of the supply tube. 2 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling part comprises a cooling line through which a coolant fluid moves to maintain a surrounding of the cooling line at a temperature lower than a specific temperature.

3. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 2, wherein the raw material for the electrode material comprises lithium hydroxide, and The cooling member cools the inner space of the supply pipe so that the temperature of the raw material for an electrode material becomes 10°C to 60°C.

4. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 2, wherein the cooling line comprises: a coolant inlet into which the coolant fluid is introduced; and A coolant outlet through which the coolant fluid is discharged. 5 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode material supply device further comprises a screw propeller disposed in the inner space of the supply pipe to allow the raw material for the electrode material to move. 6 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating member is configured to heat the exterior of the supply pipe to a temperature of 100° C. to 150° C. 7 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat insulating member disposed between the cooling member and the heating member to block heat transfer between the cooling member and the heating member.

8. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 7, wherein the supply pipe is configured in a tubular shape. The heating member is disposed along the inner surface of the supply pipe to heat the supply pipe and the outside of the supply pipe, The heat insulating member is disposed along the inner surface of the heating member, and The cooling member is disposed along an inner surface of the heat insulating member.

9. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the electrode material supply device further comprises a blocking component, which is arranged on the outer surface of the supply pipe to prevent the steam condensed on the outer surface of the supply pipe from moving along the outer surface of the supply pipe into the electrode material sintering device. 10 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 9 , wherein the blocking member is provided as a metal plate provided along a periphery of an outer surface of the supply pipe.

11. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 1, wherein the electrode material sintering device comprises: a heating pipe defining a receiving space therein, wherein the raw material for an electrode material is moved from the supply pipe to the receiving space so as to be received; and A heater is configured to heat the heating tube so as to heat the raw material for an electrode material placed in the accommodation space of the heating tube.

12. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 11, wherein the supply pipe comprises: a first portion, the first portion being disposed outside the heating tube; and The second part is disposed inside the heating tube. 13 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 12 , wherein the heating part and the cooling part are installed at the first portion of the supply pipe. 14 . The electrode material sintering system according to claim 12 , wherein the heating part and the cooling part are installed at the first portion and the second portion of the supply pipe.

15. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 12, further comprising a chamber in which a space in which the first portion of the supply pipe is accommodated is defined, The chamber is configured to collect gas and steam exhausted from the first portion of the heating tube.

16. The electrode material sintering system according to claim 11, wherein the electrode material sintering device comprises: a rotating member configured to allow the heating tube to rotate; and A baffle is provided inside the heating tube to cause agitation of the raw material for an electrode material contained in the heating tube when the heating tube rotates.

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