Flow scanning device and system

Abstract

The invention relates to a flow scanning device and system that detects clogging of a delivery line due to material. The flow scanning system comprises a first conveying pipeline and a first scanning device; the first conveying pipeline is configured to convey a material for manufacturing the dry-method electrode from the first area to the second area; the first scanning device is mounted in the first delivery line and configured to detect blockage of the first delivery line by the material based on first data obtained by the laser beam radiated to the first delivery line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a flow scanning device and system. More specifically, it relates to a flow scanning device and system for detecting blockages in a conveying pipeline caused by materials. Background Art

[0002] Recently, the applications of rechargeable secondary batteries are expanding in various fields from small electronic devices to large energy storage systems. In particular, due to the rapid growth of the electric vehicle market, the research and development of secondary batteries are being actively carried out.

[0003] The electrodes of secondary batteries are usually manufactured by a wet process. In the wet process, a slurry is manufactured by dissolving electrode active materials, binders, and conductive materials included in the electrodes using a solvent. However, currently, the dry process has received wide attention. Compared with the wet process, the dry process can increase the energy density of the battery without the solvent required in the wet process.

[0004] In the dry process of electrodes, a mixture is prepared by mixing electrode active materials, conductive materials, and binders without any solvent, and then a film is formed by pressing or rolling to form a dry electrode film. Then, the manufacturing of the electrode can be completed by bonding the dry electrode film to a current collector.

[0005] Compared with the wet electrode manufacturing process, since no solvent is used and the thickness of the formed film can be controlled, the dry electrode manufacturing process can reduce the manufacturing time and cost, thereby enabling the obtaining of a dry electrode film with a high energy density.

[0006] Dry electrodes undergo a series of conveying processes during the manufacturing process. For example, dry electrode materials (including electrode active materials, conductive materials, and binders) stored in various tanks are conveyed to a mixing area to manufacture a dry electrode mixture. The dry electrode mixture is prepared by mixing dry electrode materials in the mixing area, and then the prepared dry electrode mixture is conveyed to a film-forming area for film formation. Since both the dry electrode materials and the dry electrode mixture have a very large angle of repose and have the characteristic of caking, the conveying pipeline is prone to blockage during the conveying process, and it is difficult to detect the blocked part of the conveying pipeline.

[0007] The above information disclosed in this background art section is only used to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and thus may include information that does not constitute the prior art known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention is dedicated to solving the above problems related to the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flow scanning device and system that can easily detect blockages in a conveying pipeline caused by materials during the manufacturing process of a dry electrode.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a flow scanning device and system that can easily identify the area where a blockage occurs in a conveying pipeline during the manufacturing process of a dry electrode.

[0010] The object to be achieved by the present invention is not limited to the above objects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other objects not mentioned herein from the following description.

[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides a flow scanning system, which includes a first conveying pipeline and a first scanning device. The first conveying pipeline is configured to convey materials for manufacturing a dry electrode from a first area to a second area; the first scanning device is installed in the first conveying pipeline and is configured to detect blockages of the materials in the first conveying pipeline based on first data obtained by irradiating a laser beam onto the first conveying pipeline.

[0012] In another aspect, the present invention provides a flow scanning device. The flow scanning device is in communication with a conveying pipeline through which materials flow and is configured to detect blockages of the conveying pipeline. The flow scanning device may include: a sensing tube connected to the conveying pipeline; a transmitter disposed on the sensing tube and configured to irradiate a laser beam in the radial direction of the sensing tube; a receiver disposed on the sensing tube and configured to detect laser data of the irradiated laser beam; a controller configured to receive the detected laser data and determine blockages of the conveying pipeline based on the laser data.

[0013] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a system for manufacturing a dry electrode, which includes: a tank for storing dry electrode materials; a mixer configured to mix the dry electrode materials supplied from the tank to produce a dry electrode mixture; a film forming device configured to receive the dry electrode mixture from the mixer and form the dry electrode mixture into a film; a conveying pipeline configured to connect the tank, the mixer, and the film forming device to enable material conveyance therebetween; a flow scanning device installed in the conveying pipeline and configured to detect blockages of the conveying pipeline, wherein the flow scanning device is configured to: irradiate a laser beam onto the conveying pipeline and determine blockages of the conveying pipeline based on changes in the laser beam passing through the conveying pipeline.

[0014] Other aspects and preferred embodiments of the present invention are discussed below. Description of the Drawings

[0015] The above and other features of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus do not limit the present invention, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram briefly showing the manufacturing process of a dry electrode;

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the conveyance of materials for manufacturing a dry electrode;

[0018] Figure 3 and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a flow scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C 、 Figure 5D 、 Figure 5E 、 Figure 5F 、 Figure 5G and Figure 5H are schematic diagrams showing the process of installing a flow scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention in a conveyance pipeline;

[0020] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a flow scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 shows Figure 6 a schematic diagram of a fixing member;

[0022] Figure 8A 、 Figure 8B and Figure 8C are schematic diagrams showing the operation of a flow scanning device according to the flow of a conveyed material;

[0023] Figure 9A shows a cross-sectional view of a flow scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention and laser data measured by respective receivers when a conveyed material is not being conveyed;

[0024] Figure 9B shows a cross-sectional view of a flow scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention and laser data measured by respective receivers when a conveyed material is being conveyed;

[0025] Figure 10A shows laser data collected by a flow scanning system according to the present invention when a conveyed material accumulates in a conveyance pipeline;

[0026] Figure 10BShows laser data collected by a flow scanning system according to the present invention when a conveying pipeline is blocked by a conveying material; and

[0027] Figure 11 Is a schematic diagram explaining problems that may occur after the conveying of a conveying material is completed in an angled conveying pipeline.

[0028] It should be understood that the accompanying drawings are not drawn to scale and are merely appropriately simplified drawings of various preferred features presented for the purpose of illustrating the basic principles of the present invention. Specific design features of the present invention disclosed herein (e.g., including specific dimensions, directions, positions, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific application and use environment.

[0029] In the figures, the same reference numerals refer to the same or equivalent components of the present invention throughout the several views of the drawings. Detailed Description

[0030] The specific structural or functional descriptions in the embodiments of the present invention set forth in the following description are given by way of example for describing the embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention may be implemented in many alternative forms. In addition, it can be understood that the present invention should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein, and the embodiments of the present invention are provided only to fully disclose the present invention and cover modifications, equivalents, or alternatives within the scope and technical scope of the present invention.

[0031] In the description of the following embodiments, terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to describe various elements, and these elements should not be construed as being limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from other elements. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first element described hereinafter may be referred to as the second element, and similarly, the second element described hereinafter may be referred to as the first element.

[0032] When an element or layer is referred to as "connected to" or "joined to" another element or layer, it may be directly connected or joined to the other element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. In contrast, when an element or layer is referred to as "directly connected to" or "directly joined to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner, for example, "between" and "directly between", "adjacent" and "directly adjacent", etc.

[0033] As much as possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar components. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms used herein may also be intended to include the plural forms. The terms "comprising," "comprised of," "including," and "having" are inclusive, and thus specify the presence of the stated features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0034] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be referred to in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described as follows.

[0035] The dry electrode can be manufactured from a dry electrode mixture M and a current collector without a solvent. The dry electrode mixture M is a mixture including an electrode active material, a conductive material, and a binder. In addition, the dry electrode mixture M can further include additives.

[0036] The dry electrode can be a cathode or can be an anode. In some embodiments, when manufacturing a cathode, the electrode active material can include a cathode active material. As a non-limiting example, the cathode active material can include LiCoO 2 (LCO), Li(Ni,Co,Mn)O 2 (NCM), Li(Ni,Co,Al)O 2 (NCA), LiMnO 4 (LMO), LiFePO 4 (LFP), or sulfur (S).

[0037] In some embodiments, when manufacturing an anode, the electrode active material can include an anode active material. As an example, the anode active material can include natural graphite, artificial graphite, mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB), or a silicon-based material.

[0038] The conductive material can include a carbon material. For example, the conductive material can include carbon black, acetylene black, carbon fiber, or carbon nanotubes.

[0039] The binder can include polymer-based chemicals, such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), etc.

[0040] As an additive, some solid polymer electrolytes such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or oxide- or sulfide-based solid electrolytes can be used.

[0041] The dry electrode mixture M may include 70 wt% to 99.9 wt% of an electrode active material, 0.1 wt% to 20 wt% of a conductive material, and 0.1 wt% to 20 wt% of a binder, as the dry electrode material. Here, an additive may be added in a proportion of 0 wt% to 20 wt%.

[0042] As Figure 1 shown, the dry electrode mixture M can be manufactured into a dry electrode film F through a series of film-forming processes applying heat and pressure. First, the dry electrode mixture M including the electrode active material, the conductive material, and the binder is mixed by a mixer 10 at a predetermined speed for a predetermined time. As a non-limiting example, the dry electrode mixture M can be manufactured by using a rotating high-shear mixer or a fluid mixer using air, and the predetermined time and speed can be adjusted by changing the rotation speed and the operation time of the mixer 10.

[0043] The dry electrode mixture M mixed by the mixer 10 can be formed into a film by a film-forming device. Specifically, the dry electrode mixture M mixed by the mixer 10 can be guided to a feeder 12 or an upstream roll press 20. The dry electrode mixture M can be mainly pressed into a film by the upstream roll press 20. The upstream roll press 20 rotates to press the dry electrode mixture M into a film while providing a pressing force to the dry electrode mixture M. The dry electrode film F mainly formed of the dry electrode mixture M can be additionally pressed by a downstream roll press 30 so that the thickness of the dry electrode film F can be adjusted by pressing. The obtained dry electrode film F is wound around a winder 40. Thereafter, a dry electrode can be manufactured by bonding the dry electrode film F to a current collector or laminating it on a current collector.

[0044] In the manufacturing process of such a dry electrode, the material forming the dry electrode or the dry electrode mixture M that has undergone a mixing process experiences a conveying process. As Figure 2 shown, the dry electrode material or the dry electrode mixture M can be conveyed by vacuum or by gravity drop.

[0045] Specifically, among the materials forming the dry electrode, respectively, the electrode active material can be stored in an active material tank 2, the conductive material can be stored in a conductive material tank 4, the binder can be stored in a binder tank 6, and the additive can be stored in an additive tank 8. These materials are conveyed to the mixer 10 for mixing. For example, these materials can be conveyed to the mixer 10 by gravity drop.

[0046] The vacuum conveyors 2a, 4a, 6a, and 8a, hoppers 2b, 4b, 6b, and 8b, and meters 2c, 4c, 6c, and 8c can be respectively installed downstream of the active material tank 2, conductive material tank 4, binder tank 6, and additive tank 8. The electrode materials stored in the corresponding tanks 2, 4, 6, and 8 are conveyed by the vacuum conveyors 2a, 4a, 6a, and 8a to the hoppers 2b, 4b, 6b, and 8b including the meters 2c, 4c, 6c, and 8c. The corresponding materials can be measured by the meters 2c, 4c, 6c, and 8c according to a predetermined electrode ratio and conveyed to the mixer 10. Known vacuum conveyor systems can be used as the vacuum conveyors 2a, 4a, 6a, and 8a.

[0047] The dry electrode mixture M that has been mixed by the mixer 10 is conveyed to a subsequent step for film formation. The vacuum conveyor 10a, hopper 10b, and meter 10c can also be installed downstream of the mixer 10. The dry electrode mixture M measured by the meter 10c can be conveyed (e.g., by gravity drop conveyance) to the roll presses 20 and 30 for film formation. Otherwise, the dry electrode mixture M can be conveyed to the roll presses 20 and 30 via a feeding system.

[0048] Since the materials for forming the dry electrode have the characteristics of caking and a large angle of repose, blockage of the conveying pipeline may occur during the above-mentioned conveying process. For example, when the conveying pipeline is blocked, a solution of replacing the entire section of the blocked conveying pipeline by measuring the pressure of the conveying pipeline can be used. However, due to the length of the conveying pipeline, the replacement cost is high, making this solution impractical. As another solution, a conveying pipeline formed of a transparent material can be used. The purpose of using a transparent conveying pipeline is to view the inside of the conveying pipeline, but in the case of electrode materials, the inside of the conveying pipeline is painted black after only one conveyance, so it is difficult to continuously observe the inside of the conveying pipeline. As another example, a sight glass can be applied. Like the transparent conveying pipeline, the sight glass is also painted black after only one conveyance of the electrode material, so it becomes difficult to observe the inside. In addition, when the conveying pipeline is not suddenly blocked, but the conveyed material gradually accumulates over time, it is difficult to detect the accumulation of the material, so there may be an error in the ratio of the materials for forming the dry electrode or an error in the weight of the materials during the conveying process.

[0049] Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide a flow scanning device that can easily detect blockage of a conveying pipeline caused by conveyed materials during the manufacturing process of a dry electrode.

[0050] Reference Figure 3, the flow scanning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be installed in the conveying pipeline 300. As will be described later, the flow scanning device 100 can be easily assembled at any position of the conveying pipeline 300.

[0051] As Figure 4 shown, the flow scanning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sensing tube 110, a transmitter 120, and a receiver 130.

[0052] The sensing tube 110 is configured to be connected to the conveying pipeline 300. The sensing tube 110 can be easily installed at a desired position of the conveying pipeline 300 through a connector 310. The sensing tube 110 is connected to the conveying pipeline 300 such that a conveying material P such as a dry electrode material or a dry electrode mixture is conveyed through the sensing tube 110. The sensing tube 110 is configured such that a laser beam for detecting blockage passes through the sensing tube 110. For this purpose, the sensing tube 110 is made of a material through which a laser beam having a specific wavelength can pass. For example, the laser beam can have a wavelength in the range of 300 nanometers to 10,000 nanometers. As the laser, a CO 2 laser or a fiber laser using infrared light, a green laser using visible light, an ultraviolet laser using ultraviolet light, etc. can be used.

[0053] The transmitter 120 is mounted on the sensing tube 110. For example, the transmitter 120 can be mounted on the outer surface of the sensing tube 110. The transmitter 120 is mounted on the sensing tube 110 and can emit a laser beam to pass through the sensing tube 110. The laser beam emitted by the transmitter 120 can pass through the sensing tube 110 in the radial direction of the sensing tube 110.

[0054] The receiver 130 is mounted on the sensing tube 110. For example, the transmitter 120 can be mounted on the outer surface of the sensing tube 110. In one embodiment, the receiver 130 can be mounted on the sensing tube 110 to face the transmitter 120. The receiver 130 can receive the laser beam emitted by the transmitter 120 and passing through the sensing tube 110, and can measure the laser data. The laser data can be the intensity or count of the laser beam received by the receiver 130 with respect to time.

[0055] The intensity of the laser beam can be determined based on the area of the laser beam received by the receiver 130. For example, the receiver 130 can include a plurality of sensors that detect the received laser beam. If there is no interference between the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 (e.g., if the conveying material P is not being conveyed), when the laser beam is radiated by the transmitter 120, substantially all of the laser beam radiated by the transmitter 120 can reach the receiver 130. On the other hand, if there is a conveying material P between the transmitter 120 and the receiver 30, only a part of the plurality of sensors of the receiver 130 can detect the laser beam radiated by the transmitter 120. That is, as the amount of the conveying material P between the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 increases, the number of sensors in the receiver 130 that detect the laser beam decreases. Therefore, the intensity of the laser beam can be measured as the ratio of the number of sensors that detect the laser beam to all the sensors included in the receiver 130.

[0056] The count of the laser beam can be defined as the number of times the receiver 130 detects the laser beam radiated by the transmitter 120 per unit time. For example, the presence or amount of the conveying material P can be estimated based on the number of times the receiver 130 detects the laser beam radiated by the transmitter 120 per second.

[0057] The flow scanning device 100 further includes a controller 200. The controller 200 can be connected to a power source to supply power to the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130. In addition, the controller 200 can collect the laser data measured by the receiver 130.

[0058] The flow scanning device 100 can further include a sleeve 140. The sleeve 140 can be arranged to surround the sensing tube 110, the transmitter 120, and the receiver 130 to protect them.

[0059] The flow scanning device 100 can further include a connector 310. The connector 310 can be joined to the corresponding ends of the sensing tube 110. The connector 310 can enable connection to the conveying pipeline 300. As a non-limiting example, the connector 310 can be made of stainless steel. As another non-limiting example, the connector 310 can be made of a metal plating or alloy material that has low reactivity with the conveying material P used during conveyance.

[0060] Reference Figure 5A 、 Figure 5B 、 Figure 5C 、 Figure 5D 、 Figure 5E 、 Figure 5G and Figure 5H According to the present invention, the flow scanning device 100 can be installed at any position of the conveying pipeline 300. For example, the flow scanning device 100 has the advantage of being applicable to an already established conveying pipeline.

[0061] As shown Figure 5A in FIG. 1, the conveying pipeline 300 is cut at a predetermined cutting position L1. As shown Figure 5B and Figure 5C in FIG. 2, the connector 310 is joined to one of the cut ends of the conveying pipeline 300. The connector 310 joined to the conveying pipeline 300 may be a pair, wherein one of the connectors 310 is joined to the corresponding end of the flow scanning device 100. As shown Figure 5D in FIG. 3, the reinforcing member 320 may be joined to the portion where the conveying pipeline 300 and the connector 310 are joined. The reinforcing member 320 may strengthen the joint between the connector 310 and the conveying pipeline 300 to prevent a gap from being formed therebetween. As a non-limiting example, the reinforcing member 320 may be a strap. The strap may be made of metal or plastic. Referring Figure 5E and Figure 5F to FIGS. 4 and 5, the flow scanning device 100 may be connected to the conveying pipeline 300 to which the connector 310 is joined. As shown Figure 5G in FIG. 6, a clamp 330 may be further fixed in the connection area between the connectors 310. The flow scanning device 100 installed in the conveying pipeline 300 may be connected to the controller 200 such that the controller 200 can monitor the blockage of the conveying pipeline 300 (refer to Figure 5H FIG. 7).

[0062] Therefore, the flow scanning device 100 according to the present invention has the advantage of being able to be installed at any position of the conveying pipeline 300 by cutting the conveying pipeline 300. In addition, in some embodiments, the positions of the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 relative to the sleeve 140 may be adjusted to adapt to the conveying pipeline 300 having different diameters, as shown Figure 6 and Figure 7 in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0063] In one embodiment, the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 are joined to the sleeve 140 by a fixing member 150. The transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 are arranged to contact the surface of the sensing tube 110. The position of the transmitter 120 or the receiver 130 relative to the sleeve 140 may be adjusted by adjusting the fixing member 150. In some embodiments, the fixing member 150 may include screws. This method can flexibly cope with different diameters of the conveying pipeline 300 by only replacing the sensing tube 110 and the connector 310. In some embodiments, the transmitter 120 and the receiver 130 may be attached to the surface of the sensing tube 110 via magnetic stickers.

[0064] The flow scanning device 100 installed in the conveying pipeline 300 can detect the situation where the conveying pipeline 300 is blocked by the conveyed material P. When the conveyed material P passes through the flow scanning device 100, the transmitter 120 emits a laser beam, and the receiver 130 receives the emitted laser beam. As shownFigure 8A As shown, before the conveying material P passes through the flow scanning device 100 or when there is no conveying material P in the sensing tube 110, the conveying pipeline 300 is empty. In this case, the laser beam emitted from the transmitter 120 is directly received by the receiver 130. In addition, the laser data measured by the receiver 130 remains unchanged. For example, the intensity of the laser beam detected by the receiver 130 can be substantially the same as the intensity of the laser beam radiated by the transmitter 120. As Figure 8B shown, when the conveying material P passes through the flow scanning device 100 or when there is conveying material P in the sensing tube 110, the laser beam emitted from the transmitter 120 collides with the conveying material P and may thus move in a direction other than a straight line. Therefore, in this case, the laser data received by the receiver 130 will be different from the emitted laser data, or its value will not be detected. Therefore, when the conveying material P is located in the conveying pipeline 300, the intensity or count of the laser beam measured by the receiver 130 will decrease or will not be measured. In addition, as Figure 8C shown, after the conveying material P passes through the flow scanning device 100, the laser beam from the transmitter 120 can travel straight in the radial direction of the conveying pipeline 300 and can be directly received by the receiver 130. Here, D1 represents the conveying direction of the conveying material P.

[0065] As Figure 9A and Figure 9B shown, the flow scanning device 100 may include a plurality of transmitters 120 and a plurality of receivers 130. In one embodiment, a plurality of pairs of transmitters 120 and receivers 130 may be arranged in one flow scanning device 100.

[0066] When each of the transmitters 120 radiates a laser beam, a corresponding one of the receivers 130 in the receiver 130 measures the laser data of the radiated laser beam. When there is no conveying material P being conveyed, as Figure 9A shown, the laser beam can reach the receiver 130 without obstruction, and the measured laser data remains unchanged. However, as Figure 9B shown, when there is conveying material P in the sensing tube 110 and the conveying material P interferes with the path through which the laser beam passes, reflection, scattering, diffraction, refraction, etc. of the laser beam occur, and the intensity or count of the laser beam reaching the receiver 130 changes. When there is a blockage in the conveying pipeline 300 upstream of the flow scanning device 100, the laser beam reaches the receiver 130 without obstruction. Therefore, the controller 200 can determine the blockage of the conveying pipeline 300 upstream of the flow scanning device 100 based on the measured laser data. In addition, because the laser data measured by the receiver 130 changes, the controller 200 can easily determine that the conveying material P gradually accumulates on the inner surface of the conveying pipeline 300. Refer to Figure 10A, when the conveying material P gradually accumulates in the conveying pipeline 300 and causes the blockage of the conveying pipeline 300, the blockage of the conveying pipeline 300 can be determined by the flow scanning system according to the present invention.

[0067] Figure 10A The conveying pipeline 300 through which the conveying material P is conveyed along the conveying direction D1 and the flow scanning device 100 are respectively arranged at points A, B, C, and D are shown. As shown, if the conveying material P accumulates between point A and point B, the laser data I measured at point A (for example, the intensity or count of the laser beam) does not change with time t. However, the amount of the conveying material P passing through each of points B, C, and D decreases. Therefore, compared with the laser data I measured at point A, the laser data I measured at points B, C, and D increases, as indicated by the arrows. The controller 200 can easily determine that a blockage has occurred in the section between point A and point B based on the collected laser data I.

[0068] Figure 10B The case where the conveying pipeline 300 is completely blocked by the conveying material P is shown. When a blockage of the conveying material P occurs between point B and point C, even if a vacuum is formed, the conveying material P will not be conveyed in the entire section. Even when vacuum conveying is performed, no laser data can be observed, and the controller 200 can determine that a blockage has occurred in the conveying pipeline 300 based on this. That is, in the case where there is no flow of the conveying material P, compared with the case where the conveying material P is conveyed at points A, B, C, and D, the intensity or count of the laser beam detected by the flow scanning device 100 increases.

[0069] Therefore, when a blockage occurs in the conveying pipeline 300, according to the present invention, it can be specifically determined at which point the blockage has occurred. To determine at which point of the conveying pipeline 300 the blockage has occurred, fine holes are formed at each of points V1, V2, and V3 of the conveying pipeline 300. When the conveying material P is injected through the hole formed at point V1 and laser data is measured at points B, C, and D, it can be determined that a blockage has occurred upstream of point V1. However, in the example shown, laser data will be measured at point B, but the flow scanning device 100 cannot measure laser data at points C and D. Therefore, it can be determined that the section between point B and point C is blocked. The holes formed to detect the position of the blockage can be filled by known methods.

[0070] According to the present invention, the vacuum time required for conveying the conveying material P can be determined. As Figure 11As shown, when the vacuum conveying is completed, the conveying material P conveyed in the conveying direction D1 should no longer exist in the conveying pipeline 300. In this regard, the laser data I indicating the presence of the conveying material P should not be detected by the flow scanning device 100 at points A and B. However, when the required vacuum time for conveying is insufficient, the conveying material P that cannot move after the vacuum formation is completed falls due to gravity. That is, the falling conveying material P flowing back can be detected by the flow scanning device 100. According to the present invention, the vacuum formation time is adjusted through such detection, thereby preventing the conveying material P from flowing back and accumulating.

[0071] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a flow scanning system in which a plurality of flow scanning devices 100 are arranged on the conveying pipeline 300 can be provided. The controller 200 can receive the laser data from the respective flow scanning devices 100, and can detect the blockage of the conveying pipeline 300 based on the received laser data. In addition, it can be determined at which point of the conveying pipeline 300 the blockage has occurred based on the detected laser data. Therefore, according to the present invention, a part of the conveying pipeline 300 can be replaced without replacing the entire section of the conveying pipeline 300.

[0072] If a part of the conveying pipeline 300 is not straight but curved or angled, the blockage can be continuously observed by the flow scanning system. A vibrator or a cooling jacket can be installed in the section where the blockage is continuously observed. The vibrator can generate vibrations in the flow scanning system to reduce caking during the conveying process. The cooling jacket can lower the temperature of the conveying pipeline 300 to inhibit the tendency of the conveying material P with caking characteristics to adhere to the conveying pipeline 300. In addition, the required vacuum time for conveying the conveying material P can be adjusted by identifying the section where the conveying material P flows back after the vacuum termination.

[0073] Although the flow scanning device 100 is described herein as being used for the manufacture of dry electrodes, this is illustrative, and the flow scanning device 100 can also be applied to the manufacture of other materials.

[0074] The flow scanning device and system according to the present invention can detect the blockage of the conveying pipeline caused by the flowing conveying material, and can determine at which part of the conveying pipeline the blockage has occurred, thereby being able to save time and cost.

[0075] In addition, the flow scanning device according to the present invention is easy to install and provides the advantage of being applicable to an already established conveying pipeline.

[0076] Finally, the flow scanning device and system according to the present invention achieve the effective operation of the dry electrode production line.

[0077] As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a flow scanning device and system that can easily detect blockages in a conveying pipeline caused by materials during the manufacturing process of a dry electrode.

[0078] In addition, the present invention provides a flow scanning device and system that can easily identify which part of the conveying pipeline is blocked during the manufacturing process of a dry electrode.

[0079] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand other effects not mentioned herein from the above description.

[0080] The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments can be changed without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims, and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A mobile scanning system, comprising: A first transport pipeline configured to transport a material for manufacturing a dry electrode from a first area to a second area; as well as The first scanning device is located in the first conveying pipeline and is configured to detect the obstruction of the first conveying pipeline by the material based on first data obtained by irradiating the laser beam to the first conveying pipeline.

2. The mobile scanning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a second conveying pipeline, which is in communication with the first conveying pipeline and is configured to convey the material from the second area to the third area; as well as The second scanning device is located in the second conveying pipeline and is configured to detect the obstruction of the second conveying pipeline by the material based on second data obtained by irradiating the laser beam to the second conveying pipeline.

3. The flow scanning system according to claim 2, further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to: collecting first data detected by the first scanning device and second data detected by the second scanning device; Blockage of the first delivery line or the second delivery line is determined based on the collected first data and second data.

4. The mobile scanning system according to claim 3, wherein: The controller is configured to determine that the first delivery pipeline or the second delivery pipeline is blocked in response to determining that a change between the first data and the second data deviates from a predetermined range.

5. The mobile scanning system according to claim 3, further comprising: a third conveying pipeline, which is in communication with the second conveying pipeline and is configured to convey the material from the third area to the fourth area; as well as a third scanning device located in the third conveying pipeline and configured to detect a blockage of the third conveying pipeline by a material based on third data obtained by irradiating the laser beam to the third conveying pipeline; The controller is configured to collect third data and determine blockage of the third delivery pipeline based on the third data.

6. The mobile scanning system according to claim 5, wherein: The controller is configured to determine that the first delivery pipeline, the second delivery pipeline, or the third delivery pipeline is blocked in response to determining that the changes among the first data, the second data, and the third data deviate from a predetermined range.

7. The mobile scanning system according to claim 6, wherein: The controller is configured to determine that the blocked section in the first, second and third conveying pipelines is an upstream section of a scanning device among the first, second and third scanning devices that first detects a change.

8. The mobile scanning system according to claim 5, wherein: Each of the first scanning device, the second scanning device and the third scanning device comprises: an emitter configured to radiate a laser beam in a radial direction of the first delivery pipeline, the second delivery pipeline, or the third delivery pipeline; and A receiver is configured to receive laser data of the laser beam radiated by the transmitter.

9. The mobile scanning system according to claim 1, wherein: The materials include active materials, conductive materials, binders and mixtures thereof.

10. The mobile scanning system according to claim 1, wherein: The material is configured to be vacuum conveyed or conveyed by gravity drop.

11. A flow scanning device, which is connected to a conveying pipeline through which a material flows and is configured to detect blockage of the conveying pipeline, the flow scanning device comprising: a sensing tube connected to the delivery pipeline; an emitter disposed on the sensing tube and configured to radiate a laser beam in a radial direction of the sensing tube; a receiver disposed on the sensing tube and configured to detect laser data of the radiated laser beam; and A controller is configured to receive the detected laser data and determine an obstruction of the delivery line based on the laser data.

12. The flow scanning device of claim 11, further comprising a sleeve surrounding the sensing tube.

13. The mobile scanning device according to claim 12, wherein: The transmitter and the receiver are configured such that the positions of the transmitter and the receiver relative to the sleeve can be adjusted.

14. The flow scanning device according to claim 11, further comprising a connector for connecting to a delivery line.

15. The mobile scanning device according to claim 11, wherein: The delivery material is a dry electrode material including an active material, a conductive material, and a binder, or a dry electrode mixture obtained by mixing dry electrode materials.

16. The mobile scanning device according to claim 11, wherein: The controller is configured to determine the blockage of the delivery line based on a change between first information of the laser beam radiated by the transmitter and second information of the laser beam received by the receiver.

17. A system for manufacturing a dry electrode, comprising: Tanks for storing dry electrode materials; a mixer configured to mix dry electrode materials supplied from a tank to produce a dry electrode mixture; a film forming device configured to receive the dry electrode mixture from the mixer and form the dry electrode mixture into a film; a transport pipeline configured to connect the tank, the mixer, and the film-forming device to each other to achieve material transport; and A flow scanning device, located in the delivery pipeline and configured to detect blockage of the delivery pipeline, wherein the flow scanning device is configured as follows: radiating a laser beam to a conveying pipeline; Blockage of the delivery line is determined based on changes in the laser beam passing through the delivery line.

18. The system for manufacturing a dry electrode according to claim 17, wherein: The mobile scanning device comprises: an emitter configured to radiate a laser beam; and a receiver configured to receive the radiated laser beam and measure the intensity of the laser beam or the number of times the laser beam is detected per unit time; The flow scanning device is configured to determine that the conveying pipeline is at least partially blocked in response to determining that a change in the intensity or frequency of the laser beam occurs during the process of conveying the material through the conveying pipeline.

19. A battery comprising a dry electrode manufactured by the system of claim 17.

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