Efficient preparation equipment for KOH electrolyte of alkaline battery

Abstract

The invention discloses efficient preparation equipment for KOH electrolyte of an alkaline battery, which comprises a stirring preparation module, a cooling module, an electrolyte storage module and an operation platform, the operation platform comprises a longitudinal aisle and a plurality of transverse aisles, and the plurality of transverse aisles are uniformly distributed at intervals along the longitudinal direction and are vertically butted with the longitudinal aisle to form a latticed channel; the two sides of the end, close to the longitudinal aisle, of each transverse aisle are each provided with a stirring and preparing module, and a plurality of electrolyte storage modules are arranged on the same side of each stirring and preparing module at intervals in the direction of the transverse aisles. And the urgent demand of the alkaline battery industry on a high-end electrolyte preparation system is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of mechanical equipment technology, specifically to a high-efficiency preparation device for alkaline battery KOH electrolyte. Background Technology

[0002] In the production of alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, the preparation of potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte is one of the key steps affecting the final electrochemical performance of the battery. Currently, the electrolyte preparation equipment and processes commonly used in the industry have significant limitations: most still rely on traditional operating modes of decentralized feeding, step-by-step mixing, and cooling, resulting in low automation, high labor intensity, and production efficiency limited by the pace of manual operation. Furthermore, the mixing and cooling processes in existing equipment are often carried out separately, leading to low heat exchange efficiency, which not only prolongs the production cycle but also increases energy consumption. During solution transfer and storage, repeated exposure to the environment or transport via non-sealed pipelines can introduce impurities, affecting the purity and consistency of the electrolyte. On the other hand, existing equipment is often difficult to flexibly adapt to the needs of multi-formulation production, posing challenges to the quality stability control of each batch of electrolyte. Therefore, developing a KOH electrolyte preparation system that can achieve fully automated, integrated, and efficient operation of the entire process of feeding, mixing, cooling, filtration, and transportation, while also meeting energy-saving and high-cleanliness requirements, has become an urgent technical need to improve the overall performance and production efficiency of alkaline batteries. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention relates to a high-efficiency preparation device for alkaline battery KOH electrolyte. This device has a simple and reliable structure, effectively solves the above-mentioned technical problems, and is suitable for widespread use. To achieve the above objectives, this invention is implemented through the following technical solution: A high-efficiency KOH electrolyte preparation device for alkaline batteries includes a stirring and preparation module, a cooling module, an electrolyte storage module, and an operating platform. The operating platform includes a longitudinal walkway and multiple transverse walkways. The multiple transverse walkways are evenly distributed along the longitudinal direction and perpendicularly connected to the longitudinal walkway to form a grid-like channel. Support brackets are provided below the longitudinal and transverse walkways, and protective railings are provided on both sides above the transverse walkways. Ladders for accessing the platform are provided at both ends of the longitudinal walkway. Each transverse aisle is equipped with a mixing and preparation module on one side of the end closest to the longitudinal aisle. On the same side of each mixing and preparation module, multiple electrolyte storage modules are arranged at intervals along the transverse aisle. The mixing and preparation module includes a mixing tank, a drive mechanism, and a mixing mechanism. The mixing tank is mounted on a base. The top of the mixing tank is provided with a cover plate, which has a feeding hole and a pressure relief port. The side walls of the mixing tank are respectively provided with an ultrapure water inlet, a cooling water inlet, and a cooling water outlet. The bottom of the mixing tank is provided with an electrolyte discharge hole. The drive mechanism includes a stirring motor inclinedly mounted on the top of a support rod, which is connected to the side wall of the mixing tank. The mixing mechanism includes a stirring shaft driven by the stirring motor, which extends through the cover plate into the tank, and stirring blades connected to the end of the shaft. The cooling module includes a cooler, an exchange water tank, and a cooling water circulation pump. The cooler is connected to the exchange water tank. An outlet pipe and a return pipe are connected to one side of the exchange water tank. The outlet pipe is connected to the cooling water circulation pump. The outlet pipe and the return pipe are connected to the circulation pipeline. The circulation pipeline is connected to the cooling water inlet and cooling water outlet of each mixing tank. The electrolyte storage module includes a bracket and an electrolyte storage tank mounted thereon. The top of the electrolyte storage tank is provided with a liquid inlet and a level gauge, and the bottom of the electrolyte storage tank is provided with a conical outlet. The liquid inlets of multiple electrolyte storage tanks in the same row are connected to the main distribution pipe through a distribution branch pipe, and the conical outlet is connected to the electrolyte discharge branch pipe.

[0004] Based on the above scheme and as a preferred embodiment of the above scheme: the ultrapure water inlet of each stirred tank is connected to the ultrapure water inlet main pipe, and the electrolyte outlet is connected to the corresponding distribution branch pipe through the distribution main pipe. The distribution main pipe is equipped with a magnetic pump and a primary filter in sequence along the fluid direction; multiple electrolyte outlet branch pipes in the same row are connected to a single electrolyte outlet main pipe, and a secondary filter is provided on the electrolyte outlet main pipe.

[0005] Based on the above scheme and as a preferred embodiment of the above scheme: the bracket has three support legs evenly distributed in the circumferential direction.

[0006] Based on the above scheme and as a preferred embodiment of the above scheme: each of the distribution branch pipes is equipped with an independent valve for controlling the liquid injection into the corresponding electrolyte storage tank.

[0007] Based on the above scheme and as a preferred embodiment of the above scheme: the feeding trolley is a gantry structure with guide rails arranged along the longitudinal walkway. A trolley that can move back and forth longitudinally is provided on the guide rails, and its travel trajectory covers the feeding holes on the top of all mixing tanks. An electric hoist is provided on the trolley.

[0008] The outstanding and beneficial technical effects of this invention compared to the prior art are as follows: the equipment, through a highly integrated automated control system, realizes fully automated operation of the entire process from ultrapure water injection, solid KOH and additive feeding, stirring and mixing, cooling and temperature reduction to solution filtration and transportation, which greatly reduces the intensity of manual operation and human error, can complete the production management of multiple batches and multiple formulas, significantly improves production efficiency and reduces labor costs.

[0009] Secondly, it innovatively adopts a specially designed preparation tank structure that integrates stirring and cooling, placing the mixing reaction and heat exchange process in the same container to carry out simultaneously, which greatly improves thermal management efficiency. Compared with traditional equipment, the preparation and cooling efficiency is more than doubled, and energy consumption is significantly reduced.

[0010] Furthermore, the equipment employs a two-stage filtration system (primary and secondary filtration) combined with closed-loop pipeline transportation, effectively ensuring the high purity and consistency of the electrolyte, thereby improving the electrochemical performance and quality stability of the final alkaline manganese battery product.

[0011] In addition, the modular layout design and independent valve control enable the equipment to flexibly adapt to the preparation and classification storage requirements of electrolytes with different formulations, enhancing the applicability and scalability of the production line.

[0012] Overall, the equipment has made substantial progress in terms of efficiency, energy consumption, automation, product quality, and production flexibility, meeting the urgent needs of the alkaline battery industry for high-end electrolyte preparation systems. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the equipment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline layout; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mixing and preparation module; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling module. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific implementation methods and embodiments described below are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0015] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the appendix. Figure 1The directions or positional relationships shown are for the purpose of describing the present invention only, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0016] In the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0017] To solve the above technical problems, such as Figure 1-4 As shown, this invention designs a high-efficiency preparation device for alkaline battery KOH electrolyte, including a stirring and preparation module 1, a cooling module 2, an electrolyte storage module 3, a feeding trolley 4, and an operating platform 5. The operating platform 5 includes a longitudinal aisle 51 and multiple transverse aisles 52. The transverse aisles 52 are evenly spaced along the longitudinal direction and perpendicularly connected to the longitudinal aisle 51 to form a grid-like channel. Supporting brackets 53 are installed below the longitudinal aisle 51 and the transverse aisles 52. Protective railings 54 are installed on both sides above the transverse aisles 52. Ladders 55 for accessing the platform are located at both ends of the longitudinal aisle 51. The grid-like layout, with a central longitudinal aisle 51 as the main axis and multiple transverse aisles 52 as branches, forms an efficient and orderly human-machine interaction space. The supporting brackets 53 ensure the stability and load-bearing capacity of the overall structure. The protective railings 54 and ladders 55 are important industrial safety features, ensuring the safety of operators working on the high-altitude platform.

[0018] Each transverse aisle 52 has a mixing and preparation module 1 on each side of the end closest to the longitudinal aisle 51. On the same side of each mixing and preparation module 1, multiple electrolyte storage modules 3 are arranged at intervals along the transverse aisle 52. This layout greatly optimizes the operation process. After entering the platform via the ladder 55, the operator can quickly reach the target transverse aisle 52 via the longitudinal aisle 51, and then operate the mixing tank 11 and storage tank in that area by traveling a short distance, which greatly reduces the operator's movement distance and time.

[0019] The mixing and preparation module 1 includes a mixing tank 11, a drive mechanism, and a mixing mechanism. The mixing tank 11 is mounted on a base. A cover plate 12 is provided on the top of the mixing tank 11, with a feeding hole 13 and a pressure relief port. An ultrapure water inlet 14, a cooling water inlet 15, and a cooling water outlet 16 are respectively provided on the side walls of the mixing tank 11. An electrolyte discharge hole 17 is provided at the bottom of the mixing tank 11. The drive mechanism includes a stirring motor 18 inclinedly mounted on the top of a support rod, which is connected to the side wall of the mixing tank 11. The mixing mechanism includes components driven by the stirring motor 18 that extend through the cover plate 12 into the tank. The stirring shaft and the stirring blades 19 connected to the end of the shaft, when the inclined stirring shaft drives the blades to rotate, will generate a combined axial and radial motion on the liquid. This not only makes the liquid in the tank form a strong radial vortex, but also generates an axial lifting force from the bottom to the top of the tank, forcing the liquid in all areas, especially the solid KOH and additives that are easy to settle at the bottom, to participate in the violent circulation motion, avoiding the generation of stirring dead zones, and placing the mixing reaction and heat exchange process in the same container to carry out synchronously, which greatly improves the thermal management efficiency. Compared with traditional equipment, the preparation and cooling efficiency is more than doubled, and the energy consumption is significantly reduced.

[0020] The cooling module 2 includes a cooler 21, an exchange water tank 22, and a cooling water circulation pump 23. The cooler 21 is connected to the exchange water tank 22. An outlet pipe 24 and a return pipe 25 are connected to one side of the exchange water tank 22. The outlet pipe 24 is connected to the cooling water circulation pump 23. The outlet pipe 24 and the return pipe 25 are connected to the circulation pipeline. The circulation pipeline is connected to the cooling water inlet 15 and cooling water outlet 16 of each mixing tank 11. This module is a centralized, closed-loop cooling system. The cooler 21 acts as a cold source, cooling the water in the exchange water tank 22 to a set temperature. The cooling water circulation pump 23 acts as the power source, pumping the low-temperature water into the circulation pipeline leading to all mixing tanks 11. Low-temperature cooling water flows into the jacket of each mixing tank 11, exchanges heat with the high-temperature electrolyte inside the tank, and then becomes return water after its temperature rises. It returns to the exchange water tank 22 to be cooled again, and so on. This design realizes centralized management and efficient allocation of cooling resources. One cooling system can provide services for multiple mixing tanks 11 at the same time. Compared with the method of equipping each mixing tank 11 with an independent cooling unit, the equipment cost and energy consumption are greatly reduced. The closed-loop circulation avoids the waste of water resources. Moreover, by precisely controlling the cooling water temperature, stable and controllable thermal management of the electrolyte cooling process can be achieved, ensuring that the cooling curve of each batch of electrolyte is consistent and guaranteeing the stability of product quality.

[0021] The electrolyte storage module 3 includes a support and an electrolyte storage tank 31 mounted thereon. The top of the electrolyte storage tank 31 is provided with a liquid inlet 32 ​​and a level gauge 33, and the bottom of the electrolyte storage tank 31 is provided with a conical outlet 34. The liquid inlets 32 of multiple electrolyte storage tanks 31 in the same row are connected to the main distribution pipe 36 through the distribution branch pipe 35. The conical outlet 34 is connected to the electrolyte discharge branch pipe 37. This module is used for the classification, static storage and on-demand supply of electrolyte. The design of the conical outlet 34 follows the principles of fluid mechanics and uses gravity to achieve a self-draining effect, ensuring that the electrolyte in the tank can be completely discharged without residue, avoiding contamination between different formulations. The level gauge 33 is used to monitor the inventory in real time. By connecting the branch pipe 35 to the main pipe, an orderly transportation from the preparation unit to the storage unit and then to the end user is realized. The modular and distributed storage method allows for the simultaneous preparation and storage of electrolytes with multiple formulations, which greatly enhances the flexibility of production. Operators can flexibly call up electrolytes in different storage tanks through the pipeline system according to the production plan, which meets the needs of modern battery production lines for multi-variety, small-batch production.

[0022] In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the ultrapure water inlet 14 of each stirred tank 11 is connected to the ultrapure water injection main pipe 10. The ultrapure water injection main pipe 10 realizes centralized and unified water supply to multiple stirred tanks 11 in a row. The electrolyte discharge port 17 is connected to the corresponding row's distribution branch pipe 35 through the distribution main pipe 36. The distribution main pipe 36 is equipped with a magnetic pump 6 and a primary filter 7 in sequence along the fluid direction. Multiple electrolyte discharge branch pipes 37 in the same row are connected to a single electrolyte discharge main pipe 38. The electrolyte discharge main pipe 38 is equipped with a secondary filter 8. After stirring, the electrolyte is forced to be transported to the distribution main pipe 36 by the magnetic pump 6. During the transportation process, the fluid passes through the primary filter 7 (to remove large particulate impurities or incompletely dissolved crystals that may be generated during mixing) and the secondary filter 8 (to perform fine filtration to ensure the ultra-high purity of the final electrolyte) and is finally transported to the point of use through the electrolyte discharge main pipe 38. Two-stage filtration ensures the purity of the electrolyte at different stages (after preparation and before use), greatly reducing the risk of inconsistent battery performance due to the introduction of impurities. This is key to improving battery performance. The entire delivery process is completed by pumps and pipelines in a closed environment, eliminating the need for manual transfer and reducing the possibility of human intervention and contamination. This achieves full automation from preparation to use. The magnetic pump 6 provides stable delivery power, making the draining, filtration and delivery processes efficient and continuous.

[0023] In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the bracket has three support feet 39 evenly distributed in the circumferential direction. The three points determine a plane, which has inherent stability. In addition, a larger and more open bottom space is formed at the bottom of the storage container, which is very convenient for cleaning, maintenance and visual inspection of the bottom of the equipment, the conical discharge port 34 and the ground.

[0024] In this embodiment, it is further preferred that each of the distribution branch pipes 35 is provided with an independent valve 9, and each valve 9 can be opened or closed by a central control system to control the liquid injection into the corresponding electrolyte storage tank 31.

[0025] In this embodiment, it is further preferred that the feeding trolley 4 is a gantry structure with guide rails arranged along the longitudinal walkway 51. A trolley that can move back and forth longitudinally is provided on the guide rails, and its travel trajectory covers the feeding holes 13 on the top of all mixing tanks 11. The trolley is equipped with an electric hoist, realizing the mechanization and automation of heavy object handling. The operator can easily and accurately move the ton bag to the top of any mixing tank 11 and slowly and controllably lower it into the feeding hole 13 by means of the electric hoist, avoiding dust and material spillage, improving the working environment and increasing the utilization rate of raw materials.

[0026] The above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes made by those skilled in the art based on the structure, shape, and principle of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-efficiency preparation device for alkaline battery KOH electrolyte, characterized in that: The operation platform comprises a longitudinal aisle and a plurality of transverse aisles, the plurality of transverse aisles are uniformly distributed along the longitudinal direction and are vertically connected with the longitudinal aisle to form a grid-shaped channel; the longitudinal aisle and the transverse aisles are provided with support brackets below, the transverse aisles are provided with protective guardrails on the upper sides, and the longitudinal aisle is provided with a ladder between the upper and lower platforms at the two ends. Each transverse aisle is provided with one stirring preparation module at each end near the longitudinal aisle, and a plurality of electrolyte storage modules are arranged on the same side of each stirring preparation module along the transverse aisle direction. The stirring preparation module comprises a stirring tank, a driving mechanism and a stirring mechanism, the stirring tank is arranged above a base, the top of the stirring tank is provided with a cover plate, the cover plate is provided with a feeding hole and a pressure relief port, the side wall of the stirring tank is respectively provided with an ultrapure water inlet, a cooling water inlet and a cooling water outlet, and the bottom of the stirring tank is provided with an electrolyte discharge hole; the driving mechanism comprises a stirring motor obliquely arranged at the top of a support rod, the support rod is connected with the side wall of the stirring tank, and the stirring mechanism comprises a stirring shaft driven by the stirring motor and extending into the tank through the cover plate and stirring blades connected to the end of the shaft. The cooling module comprises a cooling machine, an exchange water tank and a cooling water circulating pump, the cooling machine is connected with the exchange water tank, one side of the exchange water tank is connected with an outflow pipe and a return pipe, the outflow pipe is connected with the cooling water circulating pump, and the outflow pipe and the return pipe are connected to a circulating pipeline, and the circulating pipeline is connected with the cooling water inlets and outlets of the stirring tanks. The electrolyte storage module comprises a support and electrolyte storage barrels mounted thereon, the top of the electrolyte storage barrel is provided with a liquid inlet and a liquid level meter, the bottom of the electrolyte storage barrel is provided with a conical discharge port, the liquid inlets of the electrolyte storage barrels in the same row are communicated with a distribution main pipe through distribution branch pipes, and the conical discharge ports are connected to an electrolyte discharge branch pipe. The ultrapure water inlets of each stirring tank are connected to an ultrapure water injection main pipe, the electrolyte discharge holes are connected to the distribution branch pipes of the corresponding row through the distribution main pipe, and a magnetic pump and a primary filter are sequentially arranged on the distribution main pipe in the fluid direction; the electrolyte discharge branch pipes in the same row are jointly connected to an electrolyte discharge main pipe, and the electrolyte discharge main pipe is provided with a secondary filter.

2. The high-efficiency preparation device for KOH electrolyte of alkaline batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support has three support legs uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.

3. The high-efficiency preparation device for KOH electrolyte of alkaline batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: An independent valve is arranged on each distribution branch pipe for controlling the liquid injection of the corresponding electrolyte storage barrel.

4. The high-efficiency preparation device for KOH electrolyte of alkaline batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding trolley is of a gantry structure and is provided with guide rails arranged along the longitudinal aisle direction, the guide rails are provided with a trolley capable of reciprocating along the longitudinal direction, the walking track of the trolley covers all the feeding holes on the top of the stirring tanks, and the trolley is provided with an electric hoist.

5. The high-efficiency preparation device for KOH electrolyte of alkaline batteries according to claim 1, characterized in that: ​

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