Automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membrane

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of proton exchange membrane coating, in particular to an automatic pressure compensation feeding device for a proton exchange membrane. The problems that in the prior art, due to liquid level changes, the internal pressure of the die head fluctuates, and the coating thickness is uneven are solved. Comprising a base; the motor is arranged on the base, and the output end of the motor is connected with the lead screw; the sealing pressure tank is in threaded connection with the lead screw and is driven by the lead screw to ascend and descend; the feeding tank body is arranged in the sealed pressure tank; the feeding hole is formed in the top of the tank and is connected with the feeding tank body and an external feeding source through a feeding pipe; the discharging opening is formed in the top of the tank and is connected with the feeding tank body and the coating die head through a discharging pipe; the compressed air inlet is formed in the top of the tank and is used for introducing compressed air into the tank so as to output the coating material out of the discharge hole through the discharge pipe; and the liquid level feedback control unit is used for monitoring the liquid level state or the material output state in the feeding tank body in real time and generating a control signal to compensate pressure fluctuation caused by liquid level change.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of proton exchange membrane coating, in particular to a proton exchange membrane automatic compensation pressure feeding device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the proton exchange membrane coating industry, the pressure feeding tank is one of the core equipment to realize precise delivery of coating and ensure stable development of coating process, and its feeding stability directly determines the coating quality and performance consistency of the proton exchange membrane.

[0003] At present, the traditional pressure feeding tank used in the industry has a significant feeding instability problem in actual application, and the core problem lies in the difficulty in eliminating the pressure difference generated when the liquid level in the tank changes dynamically. Specifically, when the feeding tank continuously discharges, the pressure formed by the coating in the tank on the discharge port will decrease with the decrease of the liquid level, thereby generating a maximum pressure difference of 12 kPa. This pressure difference will directly affect the flow rate and flow stability of the coating discharge, and according to industry practice data, a pressure difference of only 10 kPa will cause the proton exchange membrane coating dry film thickness to fluctuate by 4-10 µm.

[0004] This thickness fluctuation will seriously affect the uniformity of the microstructure of the proton exchange membrane, and then adversely affect the ion conduction efficiency, electrochemical reaction activity and other key performance indicators of the subsequent hydrogen energy membrane assembly, not only increasing the product rejection rate, but also possibly leading to the decline of the operation stability and the shortening of the service life of the downstream hydrogen energy application equipment (such as fuel cell). In addition, the traditional pressure feeding tank lacks an active adjustment mechanism for liquid level changes and cannot compensate for pressure loss through its own structure or control logic, but only relies on manual intermittent feeding or adjustment of pressure parameters, which is complicated to operate and difficult to achieve real-time precise control, further limiting the automation level and large-scale production efficiency of the proton exchange membrane coating process. SUMMARY

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide a proton exchange membrane automatic compensation pressure feeding device, which solves the technical problems of internal die pressure fluctuation and uneven coating thickness caused by liquid level changes in the prior art through a closed-loop pressure compensation system, and realizes high-precision coating dry film thickness control of ±1 µm.

[0006] To achieve the above purpose, the technical scheme adopted by the present application is: The present application provides a proton exchange membrane automatic compensation pressure feeding device, comprising: a base; a motor, the motor is arranged on the base, and the output end of the motor is connected with a lead screw; a sealed pressure tank, the sealed pressure tank is threadedly connected with the lead screw and is driven to ascend and descend by the lead screw; a feed tank body arranged in the sealed pressure tank; a feed inlet arranged on the top of the sealed pressure tank and connecting the feed tank body and an external feed source through a feed pipe; a discharge outlet arranged on the top of the sealed pressure tank and connecting the feed tank body and a coating die through a discharge pipe; a compressed air inlet arranged on the top of the sealed pressure tank and introducing compressed air into the sealed pressure tank to output the coating material in the feed tank body through the discharge pipe and the discharge outlet; a liquid level feedback control unit for monitoring the liquid level state or material output state in the feed tank body in real time and generating a control signal to compensate for pressure fluctuation caused by liquid level change.

[0007] Further, a feed tank jig is arranged in the sealed pressure tank, and the feed tank body is arranged in the feed tank jig and fixedly connected with the feed tank jig.

[0008] Further, a guide frame is arranged on the base and slidably connected with the sidewall of the sealed pressure tank to provide guidance for lifting operation of the sealed pressure tank.

[0009] Further, a pressure relief port is arranged on the top of the sealed pressure tank and used for pressure relief of the sealed pressure tank.

[0010] Further, the volume of the sealed pressure tank is 20-1000 mL, and the maximum pressure bearing capacity is 0.8 Mpa.

[0011] Further, a liquid inlet valve is arranged on the feed pipe and used for controlling the feed on-off of the feed pipe.

[0012] Further, the feed tank body has a tapered structure with a wide top and a narrow bottom.

[0013] Further, a proportional pressure regulating valve is arranged at the compressed air inlet and used for adjusting the pressure in the sealed pressure tank.

[0014] Further, the liquid level feedback control unit is an ultrasonic liquid level meter arranged in the sealed pressure tank and used for monitoring the liquid level height in the feed tank body and controlling the motor operation based on the liquid level height change.

[0015] Further, the liquid level feedback control unit is a gravity sensor arranged on the guide frame, used to detect the total weight change of the supply tank body and the material inside the supply tank body to indirectly reflect the liquid level state in the supply tank body, and control the motor operation based on the weight change.

[0016] Further, the liquid level feedback control unit is an output monitor used to monitor the output rate of the coating material in the discharge pipe in real time, indirectly feedback the liquid level state in the supply tank body through the size change of the output rate, and when the output rate decreases, a signal is transmitted to the motor, and the motor drives the lead screw to drive the sealed pressure tank to rise and fall to adjust the pressure, thereby ensuring the stability of the output rate.

[0017] Due to the above technical scheme, the present application has the following advantages compared with the prior art: By monitoring the liquid level change in the supply tank body or the material output state in real time through the liquid level feedback control unit, and combining the mechanical compensation mechanism of the motor driving the lead screw to drive the sealed pressure tank to rise and fall, a closed-loop pressure regulation system is formed, which can accurately offset the pressure difference caused by the liquid level fluctuation, control the coating pressure fluctuation in a very small range, and finally realize high-precision coating dry film thickness control of ±1µm, thereby solving the problem of uneven proton exchange membrane thickness caused by unstable pressure in traditional equipment.

[0018] Further, three optional liquid level feedback control modes are provided: direct measurement by an ultrasonic liquid level meter, indirect measurement by a gravity sensor, and feedback control by an output monitor, which can be flexibly selected according to actual application scenarios and precision requirements, thereby enhancing the applicability and reliability of the device.

[0019] Further, the supply tank body adopts a tapered structure design with a wide upper part and a narrow lower part, which, in combination with the compressed air pushing mode in the sealed pressure tank, can maximize the reduction of material residue in the tank, thereby reducing material loss during production and improving material utilization.

[0020] Further, the fixation of the supply tank body by the supply tank jig and the guiding and limiting of the sealed pressure tank lifting by the guide frame can effectively prevent the device from shaking and deviating during operation, thereby ensuring the stability of the overall structure; at the same time, the setting of the pressure relief port can timely relieve the pressure in the tank when the pressure is abnormal, thereby improving the safety of the device operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Some specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are shown by way of example and are not limiting. Identical reference signs in the drawings denote identical or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front planar structural schematic view of the automatic compensation pressure supply device for proton exchange membrane provided by the present application; Fig. 2 is a side view planar structure schematic diagram of the automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membrane provided by the application; Fig. 3 is a front view planar structure split schematic diagram of the automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membrane provided by the application; Fig. 4 is a side view planar structure split schematic diagram of the automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membrane provided by the application; In the figure, the reference signs are as follows: 1, base; 2, motor; 3, screw rod; 4, sealed pressure tank; 40, pressure relief port; 5, feeding tank body; 6, feeding port; 7, feeding pipe; 70, liquid inlet valve; 8, discharging port; 9, discharging pipe; 10, compressed air inlet; 100, proportional pressure regulating valve; 11, ultrasonic liquid level instrument; 12, feeding tank fixture; 13, guide frame. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The technical solutions of the application will be described clearly and completely below. Obviously, the described embodiments are some of the embodiments of the application, but not all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work fall within the protection scope of the application.

[0023] Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 , the application provides an automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membrane. The device realizes high-precision pressure compensation and stable feeding of coating materials through the cooperation of mechanical structure and automation control, effectively solves the problem of uneven coating thickness caused by liquid level change and pressure fluctuation of traditional feeding equipment, and significantly improves the consistency of proton exchange membrane products.

[0024] The device specifically includes a base 1, a motor 2, a screw rod 3, a sealed pressure tank 4, a feeding tank body 5, a feeding port 6, a feeding pipe 7, a discharging port 8, a discharging pipe 9, a compressed air inlet 10, and a liquid level feedback control unit. The components work cooperatively to realize the function of high-precision pressure compensation feeding. The volume of the sealed pressure tank 4 in the example is 20-1000L, and the maximum pressure bearing is 0.8Mpa.

[0025] Specifically, base 1 supports the aforementioned components. Motor 2 is mounted on base 1, and its output end is connected to lead screw 3. More specifically, the output end of motor 2 is rigidly connected to lead screw 3 via a coupling. The other end of lead screw 3 forms a precision threaded engagement with a threaded hole at the bottom of the sealed pressure tank 4. When motor 2 starts operating, it can drive lead screw 3 to rotate synchronously via forward and reverse rotation, thereby causing the sealed tank 4 to rise and fall smoothly in the vertical direction. This allows for precise adjustment of the relative height of the sealed pressure tank 4 through mechanical displacement, indirectly compensating for pressure differences caused by changes in material level, and laying the foundation for the stability of subsequent pneumatic feeding.

[0026] The feeding tank body 5, used to hold the coating material, is located inside the aforementioned sealed pressure tank 4. When the sealed pressure tank 4 is raised or lowered, the feeding tank body 5 also rises or falls accordingly. In this example, the feeding tank body 5 has a tapered structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The upper diameter is slightly larger to increase storage capacity, while the lower part tapers in a cone shape, thereby effectively reducing material residue.

[0027] In addition, to ensure the feed tank body 5 is stably placed in the sealed pressure tank 4 and to prevent tipping, a feed tank fixture 12 is installed inside the sealed pressure tank 4 in this example. The feed tank body 5 is placed inside the feed tank fixture 12 and the two are fixedly connected to secure it. The feed tank fixture 12 adopts a groove-type design that matches the shape of the feed tank body 5, and the inner wall is fitted with an anti-slip rubber pad. This ensures that the feed tank body 5 does not shake or tip over during the lifting and lowering of the sealed pressure tank 4, and also buffers the vibration from interfering with the material level.

[0028] The top of the aforementioned sealed pressure tank 4 integrates multiple functional interfaces, forming a systematic material and air pressure control channel. Specifically, the top is provided with a feed inlet 6, a discharge outlet 8, a compressed air inlet 10, and a pressure relief outlet 40.

[0029] Specifically, the feed inlet 6 is connected to an external material supply source and the feed tank body 5 via the feed pipe 7, thereby allowing external coating materials to be introduced into the feed tank body 5. The feed tank 7 is equipped with a liquid inlet valve 70, which is connected to the aforementioned liquid level feedback control unit. The valve can be opened and closed according to the monitoring signal of the liquid level feedback control unit to control the feeding flow on the feed pipe 7.

[0030] The discharge port 8 is connected to the feeding tank body 5 and the coating die head through the discharge pipe 9, thereby transporting the coating material in the feeding tank body 5 to the proton exchange membrane coating operation site through the discharge pipe 9.

[0031] The delivery of coating material from the feed tank body 5 to the coating operation area is achieved through the aforementioned compressed air inlet 10. External compressed air is introduced into the sealed pressure tank 4 via the compressed air inlet 10. The pressure of the compressed air forces the material out of the feed tank body 5 through the discharge pipe 9 and delivers it to the coating die head. Furthermore, a proportional pressure regulating valve 100 is installed at the compressed air inlet 10 to adjust the pressure of the compressed air entering the sealed pressure tank 4.

[0032] For pressure relief port 40, when the pressure inside the tank exceeds the safety threshold or the equipment stops, the pressure relief port can be opened to ensure operational safety and avoid the impact of sudden pressure rise on material properties.

[0033] In addition, to improve the stability of the sealed pressure tank 4 during the lifting process, guide frames 13 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the base 1. The guide frames 13 slide in cooperation with the side wall of the sealed pressure tank 4, thereby providing guidance for the lifting operation of the sealed pressure tank 4. When the sealed pressure tank 4 is lifted and lowered under the drive of the lead screw 3, the guide frames 13 can effectively limit its horizontal deviation and avoid pressure fluctuations caused by mechanical shaking.

[0034] In this example, a liquid level feedback control unit is installed inside the sealed pressure tank 4 to achieve real-time monitoring and closed-loop control of the material level. Its function is to monitor the liquid level or material output status within the feeding tank body 5 in real time and transmit control signals to the motor 2 and the inlet valve 70, ultimately compensating for pressure fluctuations caused by changes in liquid level. Depending on the needs of different application scenarios, this unit provides three optional implementation schemes: The first solution uses an output monitor (not shown in the figure). This monitor is installed on the discharge pipe 9 and has a built-in flow sensor and velocity sensor. The flow sensor monitors the instantaneous flow rate of the material through the principle of electromagnetic induction, while the velocity sensor detects the flow rate of the material in the pipe through laser Doppler technology. The data from the two devices corroborate each other and can reflect the material output status in real time. When the output rate is detected to decrease beyond the preset value, it indicates that the liquid level in the feed tank body 5 has dropped, resulting in insufficient pressure. The output monitor immediately sends a signal to the motor 2 to drive the sealed pressure tank 4 to rise and increase the feed pressure until the output rate returns to a stable range. This solution is particularly suitable for scenarios where the material viscosity is high and direct liquid level monitoring is difficult.

[0035] The second approach uses an ultrasonic level gauge 11, which is fixed to the top inner wall of the sealed pressure tank 4 by a bracket. Its probe is positioned directly over the internal liquid surface of the feeding tank body 5. The ultrasonic level gauge 11 emits high-frequency ultrasonic waves to the liquid surface. After the ultrasonic waves are reflected by the liquid surface, they are received by the probe. By calculating the propagation time of the ultrasonic waves, the liquid level height inside the feeding tank body 5 can be directly calculated with a measurement accuracy of ±1mm. When the liquid level height is detected to drop below a preset threshold, the ultrasonic level gauge 11 immediately sends a signal to the motor 2 to drive the sealed pressure tank 4 to rise. The pressure difference is compensated by increasing the relative height of the feeding tank body 5. The height adjustment accuracy of the motor 2 for the feeding tank body 5 is also ±1mm. At the same time, the inlet valve 70 can be opened to replenish the material until the liquid level returns to the normal range.

[0036] The third scheme uses a gravity sensor (not shown in the figure). This sensor is fixed to the top support platform of the guide frame 13 by bolts, and its force-bearing surface is in contact with the bottom of the sealed pressure tank 4. It can detect the total weight change of the feeding tank body 5 and the material inside in real time. Since the material weight is linearly positively correlated with the liquid level (the material density and the cross-sectional area of ​​the tank are known), the liquid level status can be indirectly reflected by converting the weight data. When the total weight drop corresponds to a liquid level drop exceeding the threshold, the gravity sensor 14 transmits a control signal to the motor 2 to adjust the height of the sealed pressure tank 4 to achieve pressure compensation. This scheme is suitable for scenarios with high requirements for liquid level monitoring accuracy and stable material viscosity.

[0037] In addition, the inlet valve 70 on the feed pipe 7 is linked with the liquid level feedback control unit: when any liquid level monitoring scheme detects that the liquid level is lower than the minimum working liquid level, the inlet valve 70 automatically opens to replenish the material from the external material source into the feed tank body 5; when the liquid level rises back to the maximum working liquid level, the inlet valve 70 automatically closes, realizing automatic material replenishment and reducing manual intervention.

[0038] In summary, this automatic pressure-compensating proton exchange membrane feeding device, through a collaborative mechanism of "motor-driven lifting compensation + precise pressure control by proportional pressure regulating valve + real-time liquid level monitoring," controls the output pressure fluctuation of the coating material within ±0.5 kPa. Combined with the anti-residue structure of the feeding tank body 5 and the stable support design of the whole machine, it not only meets the stringent requirements of proton exchange membrane coating for material conveying accuracy (dry film thickness fluctuation can be controlled within ±1 µm), but also improves material utilization and equipment operation safety, providing reliable hardware support for the large-scale production of high-quality proton exchange membrane products.

[0039] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A proton exchange membrane automatic pressure compensation feeding device, characterized in that, include: Base (1); Motor (2), the motor (2) is mounted on the base (1), and the output end of the motor (2) is connected to the lead screw (3); A sealed pressure tank (4) is threadedly connected to the lead screw (3) and operates in a lifting and lowering manner under the drive of the lead screw (3); The feeding tank body (5) is disposed inside the sealed pressure tank (4); The inlet (6) is located at the top of the sealed pressure tank (4) and is connected to the feed tank body (5) and the external feed source via the feed pipe (7); The discharge port (8) is located at the top of the sealed pressure tank (4) and is connected to the feed tank body (5) and the coating die head through the discharge pipe (9); Compressed air inlet (10) is located at the top of the sealed pressure tank (4) to introduce compressed air into the sealed pressure tank (4) so ​​as to output the coating material in the feed tank body (5) through the discharge pipe (9) to the discharge port (8). The liquid level feedback control unit is used to monitor the liquid level or material output status in the main body (5) of the feeding tank in real time, and generate control signals to compensate for pressure fluctuations caused by changes in liquid level.

2. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a feeding tank fixture (12), which is disposed inside the sealed pressure tank (4), and the feeding tank body (5) is disposed inside the feeding tank fixture (12) and fixedly connected to the feeding tank fixture (12).

3. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A guide frame (13) is provided on the base (1), and the guide frame (13) slides with the side wall of the sealed pressure tank (4) to provide guidance for the lifting and lowering operation of the sealed pressure tank (4).

4. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the sealed pressure tank (4) is also provided with a pressure relief port (40), which is used to relieve pressure on the sealed pressure tank (4).

5. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feed pipe (7) is equipped with a liquid inlet valve (70), which is used to control the feed flow on and off of the feed pipe (7).

6. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body of the feeding tank (5) has a tapered structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

7. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, A proportional pressure regulating valve (100) is provided at the compressed air inlet (10) to regulate the pressure inside the sealed pressure tank (4).

8. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid level feedback control unit is an ultrasonic liquid level meter (11), which is installed in the sealed pressure tank (4) to monitor the liquid level height in the feed tank body (5) and control the operation of the motor (2) based on the change in liquid level height.

9. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid level feedback control unit is a gravity sensor, which is set on the guide frame (13) to detect the total weight change of the feeding tank body (5) and its internal materials to indirectly reflect the liquid level state in the feeding tank body (5) and control the operation of the motor (2) based on the weight change.

10. The automatic pressure compensation feeding device for proton exchange membranes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid level feedback control unit is an output monitor used to monitor the output rate of the coating material in the discharge pipe (9) in real time. The change in the output rate indirectly feeds back the liquid level in the feed tank body (5). When the output rate decreases, a signal is transmitted to the motor (2), and the motor (2) drives the lead screw (3) to raise and lower the sealed pressure tank (4) to adjust the pressure and ensure the output rate is stable.

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