Storage tank for electrode slurry

Abstract

A storage tank for storing an electrode slurry according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a tank body for storing an electrode slurry in an interior thereof; and an inflow port provided in an upper portion of the tank main body to supply the electrode slurry to the inside of the tank main body. The open end of the inflow port is directed to the inner wall of the tank body such that the electrode slurry supplied from the inflow port reaches the inner wall of the tank body and then flows downward along the inner wall of the tank body. The horizontal length of the open end of the inflow port is greater than the vertical length thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority and benefit to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0178547, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on December 11, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0003] This disclosure relates to a storage tank for electrode slurry, and more specifically, to a storage tank that reduces the temperature deviation between the electrode slurry transferred and flowing into the tank and the slurry previously stored in the tank. Background Technology

[0004] The use of mobile devices such as cellular phones, laptops, camcorders and digital cameras, as well as energy storage systems (ESS), has become commonplace in modern society, accelerating technological development in related fields. Furthermore, as a measure to address air pollution caused by existing gasoline vehicles using fossil fuels, rechargeable batteries are being used as a power source for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs), and the like. Therefore, the need for developing rechargeable batteries is increasing.

[0005] Currently, commercially available batteries include nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and lithium-ion (LiN) batteries. Among these, lithium-ion batteries have become the mainstream due to their ability to be freely recharged, low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0006] Lithium-ion batteries typically use lithium-based oxides and carbon materials as the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. A lithium-ion battery consists of an electrode assembly and an external material. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with the positive and negative electrode active materials, respectively. A separator is located between the positive and negative electrode plates. The external material is the battery casing that hermetically houses the electrode assembly together with the electrolyte.

[0007] The manufacturing process of this type of lithium-ion secondary battery can be broadly divided into electrode processing, assembly, and formation processes. The electrode processing specifically includes steps such as mixing, coating, drying, rolling, tape application, and cutting. In the mixing process, where raw materials such as electrode active materials, conductive materials, and binders are mixed to prepare a homogeneous electrode slurry, heat is generated, causing the temperature of the electrode slurry to gradually rise. During subsequent transport, the temperature of the electrode slurry is regulated to the desired temperature by cooling water as it passes through multiple tanks. The electrode slurry, transported through these tanks, is then applied to electrode current collectors in a coating machine for coating.

[0008] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electrode slurry storage tank according to the prior art is shown. The prior art storage tank 1 includes a tank body 10, a stirrer 20 disposed inside the tank body 10 for stirring the electrode slurry, and a conduit 30 for supplying the electrode slurry into the tank body 10. The conduit 30 typically has a circular cross-section, and similarly, a discharge port 40 located at the end of the conduit 30 is also manufactured to have a circular cross-section. On the other hand, since there is a temperature difference between the electrode slurry supplied to the interior of the tank body 10 through the discharge port 40 and the electrode slurry previously stored in the tank body 10, there is a need to provide a method to reduce this temperature difference. Summary of the Invention

[0009] Technical issues

[0010] The purpose of this disclosure is to reduce the temperature deviation between the electrode slurry previously stored in the tank body and the electrode slurry supplied to the interior of the tank body.

[0011] However, the technical objectives addressed by the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those disclosed above, and can be extended in various ways within the scope of the technical ideas included in this disclosure.

[0012] Technical solution

[0013] A storage tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is used to store electrode slurry. The storage tank includes: a tank body in which the electrode slurry is stored; and an inlet disposed at the upper part of the tank body and supplying the electrode slurry into the interior of the tank body, wherein the open end of the inlet points toward the inner wall of the tank body, so that the electrode slurry supplied from the inlet reaches the inner wall of the tank body and then flows downward along the inner wall of the tank body, wherein the length of the open end of the inlet in the horizontal direction is greater than its length in the vertical direction.

[0014] The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet can be greater than the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet, and the area of ​​the vertical section of the opening end of the inlet can be equal to or less than the area of ​​the vertical section of the pipe.

[0015] The circumference of the inlet opening can be equal to the circumference of the vertical section of the pipe.

[0016] The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet can be greater than 1 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet and less than or equal to 5 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe.

[0017] The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet can be more than 1.5 times and less than 3 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet.

[0018] The area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the inlet opening can be more than 38.5% and less than 100% of the area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the pipe.

[0019] The area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the inlet opening can be more than 60% and less than 92.3% of the area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the pipe.

[0020] The opening end of the inlet can be elliptical in shape.

[0021] The opening end of the inlet can be rectangular in shape.

[0022] The vertical end of the pipe can be circular.

[0023] The opening end of the inlet can be manufactured by pressing the end of the pipe using a stamping process.

[0024] The storage tank also includes a temperature control unit surrounding the tank body, wherein the electrode slurry that has reached the inner wall of the tank body can exchange heat with the temperature control unit while flowing down the inner wall of the tank body.

[0025] The temperature control unit can surround or be integrated with the outer wall of the tank body, and the coolant can flow inside the temperature control unit to exchange heat with the electrode slurry.

[0026] The storage tank may also include a stirrer, which is located inside the tank body and the blades of the stirrer rotate around a rotation axis to stir the electrode slurry.

[0027] The storage tank is connected to a mixer for preparing electrode slurry and receives the supplied electrode slurry from the mixer. The electrode slurry can be prepared by mixing electrode raw materials including electrode active materials, conductive materials and binders.

[0028] Beneficial effects

[0029] According to this disclosure, since the temperature difference between the electrode slurry previously stored in the tank and the electrode slurry supplied to the tank can be reduced due to the structural features of the storage tank's piping, the process for reducing the temperature difference between the slurries can be improved more effectively, and the quality of the produced electrodes can also be improved.

[0030] The effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand, based on the description of the appended claims, other additional effects not mentioned above. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an electrode slurry storage tank according to the prior art is shown.

[0032] Figure 2An electrode slurry storage tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 An enlarged view of the inlet of the storage tank.

[0034] Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 One embodiment of the inlet.

[0035] Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 Another embodiment of the inlet.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a graph showing the results of a test according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which shows the pressure change (pressure ratio) caused by sequentially increasing the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the inlet. Detailed Implementation

[0037] In the following description, various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, to a degree that will be readily practiced by those skilled in the art. The present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of different ways and is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0038] For clarity in describing this disclosure, descriptions of components not related to this disclosure will be omitted, and throughout the specification, the same or similar components will be indicated by the same reference numerals.

[0039] For ease of description, the dimensions and thicknesses of various components are shown arbitrarily in the accompanying drawings; therefore, this disclosure is not necessarily limited to the dimensions and thicknesses shown. The drawings depict thicknesses at an enlarged scale to clearly show different layers and regions. Furthermore, the thickness of a particular layer or region is enlarged in the drawings to facilitate its description.

[0040] When layers, films, regions, plates, etc., are disposed "on" a specific part, this description includes not only cases where layers, films, regions, plates, etc., are disposed "directly" on the specific part, but also cases where layers, films, regions, plates, etc., are disposed on the specific part via another part. When one part is disposed "directly" on another part, this means that there is no new component between the two parts. Furthermore, when a component is disposed "on" a reference part, this means that the component exists on top of or below the reference part, and does not necessarily mean that the component is disposed only on the top of the reference part opposite to the direction of gravity.

[0041] Throughout this description, when a section “includes” a component, it does not mean that the section excludes other components, but rather that the section may include other components, unless otherwise defined.

[0042] Throughout this description, the term "in a plan view" refers to an object viewed from above, and the term "in a sectional view" refers to a vertical section of an object viewed from the side.

[0043] Specific embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an electrode slurry storage tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0045] Figure 2 The electrode slurry storage tank 100 includes a tank body 110 for storing electrode slurry therein, a stirrer 120 disposed inside the tank body 110, a temperature control unit 130 surrounding the internal space of the tank body 110, an inlet 140 for supplying electrode slurry into the interior of the tank body 110, and a discharge port 150 for supplying electrode slurry from the tank body 110 to subsequent components.

[0046] According to this disclosure, an electrode slurry is provided to manufacture electrodes within electrodes and separators constituting an electrode assembly of a secondary battery. The electrode slurry refers to an electrode slurry in which raw materials (such as electrode active materials, conductive materials, and binders) are uniformly mixed in a solvent in a mixer, and the electrode slurry is disposed on an electrode current collector to produce electrodes. Electrodes refer to both positive and negative electrodes, and this disclosure is applicable to both positive electrode slurry preparation processes and negative electrode slurry preparation processes.

[0047] Storage tank 100 is connected to a upstream component (e.g., a mixer, or another storage tank directly or indirectly connected to a mixer) and receives supplied electrode slurry from the upstream component. The supplied electrode slurry is stored in the storage tank and then connected to a downstream component (e.g., a coating machine or another storage tank directly or indirectly connected to a coating machine) and supplies electrode slurry to the downstream component.

[0048] Storage tank 100 stores the electrode slurry in the empty space inside tank body 110. A stirrer 120 is also disposed inside tank body 110. The blades of stirrer 120 rotate around the central axis of stirrer 120, causing the electrode slurry to flow inside tank body 110, thereby uniformly mixing the electrode slurry stored inside tank body 110. Therefore, the overall temperature of the electrode slurry stored inside tank body 110 becomes uniform, and solidification of the electrode slurry is also prevented.

[0049] The temperature control unit 130 may surround or be integrated with the outer wall of the tank body 110, and regulate the temperature of the electrode slurry stored in the internal space of the tank body 110. The temperature control unit 130 may surround the outer wall of the tank body 110 completely or partially, and, for example, coolant (e.g., cooling water) may flow into and within the temperature control unit 130. Coolant that has exchanged heat with the interior of the tank body 110 may be discharged again to the outside of the temperature control unit 130. The temperature control unit 130 may be in the shape of a tank surrounding the outer wall of the tank body 110, or it may be in the shape of a spiral tube. There are no particular limitations on the temperature control unit, and any temperature control unit used in the electrode manufacturing process may be appropriately employed and applied depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0050] The tank body 110 may also be provided with a temperature sensor (not shown) for further measuring the temperature of the electrode slurry. There are no particular limitations on the temperature sensor, and any temperature sensor used in the electrode manufacturing process may be appropriately employed and applied depending on the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0051] Inlet 140 is located at the top of storage tank 100 and is connected to pipe 160. The shape and structure of pipe 160 are not limited to... Figure 3 The shape and structure shown are subject to various modifications and changes for the purposes of this disclosure. The pipe 160 connected to the inlet 140 may also be equipped with a switching unit, such as a valve and / or a sensing unit. Additionally, the outlet 150 is located at the lower end of the storage tank 100 and is also connected via a pipe (not shown). Similarly, the pipe connected to the outlet 150 may also be equipped with a switching unit, such as a valve and / or a sensing unit.

[0052] On the other hand, it is most preferable that the electrode slurry stored in the storage tank 100 is always kept constant at the desired temperature suitable for the process. However, if there is a deviation between the temperature of the electrode slurry flowing in through the inlet 140 and the temperature of the electrode slurry stored inside the tank body 110, it is necessary to regulate the temperature from the time the electrode slurry is supplied to the interior of the storage tank 100 through the inlet 140. A method is employed in which the electrode slurry flowing in through the inlet 140 flows downward along the inner wall of the storage tank 100 and the temperature of the electrode slurry is regulated by a temperature control unit 150 surrounding the storage tank 100. At this time, the electrode slurry flowing in through the inlet 140 needs to fully reach the inner wall of the storage tank 100 (i.e., the electrode slurry needs to be supplied at the inlet 140 with sufficient pressure so that the electrode slurry can reach the inner wall of the storage tank 100). The electrode slurry needs to reach the inner wall of the storage tank 100 and flow downward over the widest possible area. The electrode slurry storage tank 100 according to this disclosure has a structure and shape of the inlet 140 for reducing such temperature deviation.

[0053] First, the opening end of the inlet 140 points towards the inner wall of the tank body 110. Therefore, the electrode slurry flowing into the tank body 110 through the inlet 140 flows downwards along the inner wall of the tank body 110 without immediately falling into the electrode slurry stored inside. At this time, since the tank body 110 is surrounded by the temperature control unit 150, the electrode slurry that has reached the inner wall of the tank body 110 flows downwards along the inner wall of the tank body 110, and its temperature is regulated by the temperature control unit 150.

[0054] At this time, the electrode slurry flows downward in the vertical direction, which is the direction of gravity. Although the electrode slurry is supplied from the inlet 140 in the same amount, if the electrode slurry flows downward in the horizontal direction along a wider area of ​​the inner wall of the tank body 110, the electrode slurry can exchange heat with the temperature control unit 150 over that wider area. Therefore, to ensure that the electrode slurry supplied from the inlet 140 flows downward in a wider area of ​​the inner wall of the tank body 110, preferably, the open end of the inlet 140 has a shape in which the length in the horizontal direction is greater than the length in the vertical direction. In this disclosure, the horizontal direction refers to the direction parallel to the horizontal plane or bottom surface of the process equipment space, and the vertical direction refers to the direction orthogonal to the horizontal plane or bottom surface of the process equipment space (the direction of gravity).

[0055] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 An enlarged view of the inlet of the storage tank. Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 One embodiment of the inlet. Figure 5 It shows Figure 3 Another embodiment of the inlet.

[0056] first, Figure 3 The inlet 140 and the pipe 160 connected to the inlet 140 are shown. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, the direction is shown by changing the viewing angle. Figure 2 The inlet 140 is the open end of the inner wall of the storage tank 100.

[0057] As described above, the horizontal length A1 of the inlet 140 is greater than its vertical length B1. Furthermore, the horizontal length A1 of the inlet 140 is greater than the diameter of the pipe 160 or its horizontal length A2, and the vertical length B1 of the inlet 140 is less than the diameter of the pipe 160 or its vertical length B2. That is, the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 cross-section is greater than the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160 cross-section. As used herein, aspect ratio refers to the width-to-height ratio in a vertical cross-section.

[0058] For example, such as Figure 3As shown, the inlet 140 can be manufactured into an elliptical shape in which the length A1 in the horizontal direction is longer than the length B1 in the vertical direction.

[0059] Optionally, as in Figure 4 In some embodiments, when the cross-section of the pipe 160 is circular, the inlet 140 can be manufactured by pressing the open end of the pipe 160 with a circular cross-section using a pressing method. Optionally, in some cases, a mold can also be used to manufacture it. Figure 4 The inlet 140 has the shape shown. Furthermore, the conduit 160 and the inlet 140 can be integrally formed. On the other hand, this disclosure is not limited to the above, and the inlet 140 can have a generally rectangular cross-section, such as... Figure 5 As in the embodiment. In this case, the vertical section of pipe 160 can be as follows: Figure 5 The circle shown is acceptable, but it can also be a rectangle if desired. This disclosure is not limited to... Figure 5 The contents shown can be modified and changed in various ways in the embodiments. Furthermore, the pipe 160 and the inlet 160 can be manufactured separately and then assembled and joined together, or the pipe 160 and the inlet 160 can be manufactured in various shapes, structures, etc. Moreover, the same method can be applied even if the cross-section of the pipe 160 is not circular but rectangular, or has other shapes.

[0060] On the other hand, refer to again Figure 3 The flow rate of the electrode slurry at inlet 140 must be equal to or greater than the flow rate of the electrode slurry passing through the vertical section of pipe 160. The open end of inlet 140 is spaced a predetermined distance from the inner wall of tank body 110. This is because when the electrode slurry flows from inlet 140 into tank body 110, it needs to reach the inner wall of tank body 110. In other words, this is because the electrode slurry that has reached the inner wall of tank body 110 can exchange heat with temperature control unit 150. More specifically, it is necessary to prevent the flow rate of the electrode slurry at inlet 140 from decreasing to below the flow rate of the electrode slurry passing through the vertical section of pipe 160, thereby preventing the electrode slurry from reaching the inner wall of tank body 110.

[0061] Therefore, as described above, provided that the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 is greater than the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160, the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 can be equal to or less than the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160. For further details, please refer to the following description.

[0062] First, except in exceptional circumstances, such as when the electrode slurry reaches the upper limit of the storage capacity inside the storage tank 100, or when the supply of electrode slurry is interrupted due to a stop in the preceding or subsequent process of the storage tank 100, generally, when observed based on a predetermined time interval, a constant amount of electrode slurry is preferably supplied to the interior of the tank body 110 during the predetermined time interval.

[0063] That is, it is assumed that the flow rate of the electrode slurry at the inlet 140 is substantially equal to the flow rate of the electrode slurry through the vertical section of the pipe 160, and refer to the following expression (Mathematical Formula 1) relating the flow rate and velocity of the fluid.

[0064] [Mathematical Expression 1]

[0065] Flow rate (Q) = Vertical cross-sectional area (A) × Flow velocity (v)

[0066] When the flow rate of the electrode slurry at the inlet 140 is substantially equal to the flow rate of the electrode slurry passing through the vertical section of the pipe 160, in order for the flow velocity of the electrode slurry at the inlet 140 to be equal to or greater than the flow velocity of the electrode slurry passing through the vertical section of the pipe 160, the vertical section area of ​​the inlet 140 must be equal to or less than the vertical section area of ​​the pipe 160.

[0067] According to this disclosure, the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 is greater than the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160. Furthermore, the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 is equal to or less than the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160. For example, the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 may be greater than 1 times and less than 5 times the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160. Alternatively, for example, the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 may be greater than 1.5 times and less than or equal to 3 times the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160. Furthermore, for example, the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 may be greater than 50% and less than 100% of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160. Alternatively, for example, the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 may be more than 60% and less than 90% of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160.

[0068] Furthermore, according to this disclosure, in embodiments where the aspect ratio A1:B1 of the inlet 140 is greater than the aspect ratio A2:B2 of the pipe 160, but the size of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 is equal to or less than the size of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160, the perimeter of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 is equal to the perimeter of the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160. More specifically, when the perimeter of the vertical cross-sectional area is constant, if the aspect ratio increases, the vertical cross-sectional area decreases.

[0069] Figure 6 This is a graph showing the results of tests according to embodiments of the present disclosure, where pressure changes (pressure ratios) are caused by sequentially increasing the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the inlet. For reference, the case where the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the inlet is 1 is a comparative example according to the prior art and is shown together for comparison between the present disclosure and the prior art.

[0070] The X-axis represents the aspect ratio of the vertical section (open section) of inlet 140, and the Y-axis represents the pressure ratio P / P0. More specifically, the pressure ratio P / P0 on the Y-axis refers to the pressure value P measured in the vertical section of pipe 160 when the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 increases to greater than 1, divided by the pressure value P0 measured in the vertical section of pipe 160 when the aspect ratio of inlet 140 is 1. From the pressure ratio P / P0, we can know how much the pressure value increases when the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 increases as it flows into storage tank 100, compared to when the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 is 1.

[0071] As the aspect ratio of inlet 140 on the X-axis increases, the pressure value measured on the vertical section of pipe 160 on the Y-axis also tends to increase. However, if the pressure ratio P / P0 exceeds a predetermined value, it may adversely affect the performance of the pressure pump that moves the slurry in pipe 160, preventing the aspect ratio of inlet 140 from increasing indefinitely. For example, in this test, if the pressure ratio P / P0 exceeds 2, it may be necessary to replace the pressure pump so that the aspect ratio of inlet 140 can be set to be greater than 1 times and less than or equal to 3 times the aspect ratio of pipe 160. That is, when the aspect ratio of pipe 160 is 1, the aspect ratio of inlet 140 can be greater than 1 and less than or equal to 3. However, this disclosure is not limited to the foregoing, and the ratio of the aspect ratio of inlet 140 to that of pipe 160 can be adjusted in various ways depending on the specifications of the pressure pump or the environment in which this disclosure is implemented.

[0072] Figure 6The curves are summarized and shown in Tables 1 to 6 below. Here, when the vertical section of pipe 160 is circular, D represents the diameter, while when the vertical section of inlet 140 is elliptical, a represents the radius of the major axis and b represents the radius of the minor axis. For reference, in Tables 1 to 6, the units for a, b, and perimeter are in meters (m), and the unit for cross-sectional area is square meters (m²). 2 The unit of pressure is Pa. (Refer to...) Figure 3 D is equal to the values ​​of A2 and B2 respectively, a is the value obtained by dividing A1 by 2, and b corresponds to the value obtained by dividing B1 by 2.

[0073] Tables 1 to 3 below show the results of the measured pressure ratio P / P0 under the following conditions: the aspect ratio of the vertical section of pipe 160 is set to 1 and the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 is increased. Under the condition that D is 0.037 m, the flow rates of slurry at the vertical sections of pipe 160 and inlet 140 are adjusted to 25 lpm, 20 lpm and 15 lpm, respectively, and the perimeter of the vertical section of pipe 160 and the perimeter of the vertical section of inlet 140 are kept constant.

[0074] [Table 1]

[0075] [Table 2]

[0076] [Table 3]

[0077] Tables 4 to 6 below show the results of the measured pressure ratio P / P0 under the following conditions: the aspect ratio of the vertical section of pipe 160 is set to 1 and the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 is increased; with D of 0.040 m, the flow rates of the slurry at the vertical sections of pipe 160 and inlet 140 are adjusted to 25 lpm, 20 lpm and 15 lpm, respectively, and the perimeter of the vertical section of pipe 160 and the perimeter of the vertical section of inlet 140 are kept constant.

[0078] [Table 4]

[0079] [Table 5]

[0080] [Table 6]

[0081] The temperature deviations between the embodiments of this disclosure and comparative examples of the prior art will be described below.

[0082] First, in the embodiments and comparative examples, the inlet 140 (i.e., the open end of the inlet 140) points towards the inner wall of the tank body 110. Experiments were also performed under the following assumptions: the temperature of the slurry flowing into the inlet 140 was 23 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of the inner wall of the tank body 110, controlled by the temperature control unit 150, was 40 degrees Celsius.

[0083] In this embodiment, the simulation was performed with an aspect ratio of 3.0 in the vertical section of inlet 140, a pipe diameter (D) of 0.037 m, and a flow rate of 6.5 lpm. When the perimeter of pipe 160 is equal to the perimeter of inlet 140, the values ​​of a and b at inlet 140 are 0.02482 m and 0.008273 m, respectively, and the pressure is 4782 Pa. In this embodiment, the average temperature of the slurry at the endpoint of the slurry moving along the inner wall of storage tank 100 (i.e., just before the slurry flowing downwards along the inner wall of tank body 110 combines with the previously stored slurry) is 27.0 degrees Celsius. For reference, average temperature refers to surface average temperature, which is the average slurry temperature at each point on the cross-section at the end of the slurry.

[0084] On the other hand, in the comparative example, similar to the embodiment, simulations were performed with the aspect ratio of the vertical section of inlet 140 set to 1.0, the pipe diameter (D) to be 0.037 m, and the flow rate to be 6.5 lpm. When the perimeter of pipe 160 and the perimeter of inlet 140 are equal, the values ​​of a and b of inlet 140 are 0.0185 m and 0.0185 m, respectively, and the pressure is 1412 Pa. In the comparative example, the average temperature of the slurry at the endpoint of the slurry moving along the inner wall of tank body 110 is 23.7 degrees Celsius. The definition related to average temperature refers to the definition described above.

[0085] In this case, in the embodiment, the temperature deviation between the temperature set in the temperature control unit 150 and the average temperature of the slurry at the end of the slurry is 13.0 degrees Celsius. In the comparative example, the temperature deviation between the temperature set in the temperature control unit 150 and the average temperature of the slurry at the end of the slurry is 16.3 degrees Celsius. That is, it can be seen that, in the embodiment, compared with the comparative example, the temperature deviation of the electrode slurry inside the storage tank 100 can be reduced, and the temperature deviation is reduced by about 20.2%. This means that, according to the embodiments of this disclosure, compared with the prior art, the difference between the slurry temperature at the inlet 140 in the storage tank 100 and the slurry temperature at the end of the slurry can be reduced. That is, this means that the temperature deviation between the slurry temperature at the inlet 140 and the slurry temperature just before being combined with the stored slurry can be reduced, thereby making the temperature control of the slurry smoother.

[0086] In summary, in the electrode slurry storage tank 100 of this disclosure, the aspect ratio of the inlet 140 into which the electrode slurry flows into the storage tank 100 is greater than the aspect ratio of the cross-section of the pipe connected to the inlet 140. Furthermore, the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the inlet 140 is equal to or smaller than the vertical cross-sectional area of ​​the pipe 160. Therefore, the electrode slurry conveyed through the pipe 160 is supplied to the interior of the storage tank 100 at a higher pressure and reaches the inner wall of the tank body 110. That is, even with the same flow rate, the pressure (flow rate) increases as the electrode slurry flows from the inlet 140 into the storage space inside the tank body 110, allowing the electrode slurry to reach the inner wall of the tank body 110 sufficiently.

[0087] Furthermore, the electrode slurry that has reached the inner wall of the tank body 110 contacts the inner wall of the tank body 110 for a longer distance in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction. The electrode slurry flowing downwards along the inner wall of the tank body 110 by gravity can contact the inner wall of the tank body 110 over a wider area and exchange heat with the temperature control unit 160. Therefore, since the electrode slurry flows downwards along the inner wall of the tank body 110 and its temperature is adequately regulated by the temperature control unit 160, the temperature deviation between the electrode slurry flowing in from the inlet 140 and the electrode slurry previously stored inside the storage tank 100 can be reduced more effectively. Therefore, the quality of the produced electrodes can also be improved.

[0088] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and that various modifications and improvements may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0089] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0090] 100: Electrode slurry storage tank

[0091] 110: Tank body

[0092] 120: Mixer

[0093] 130: Temperature control unit

[0094] 140: Inlet

[0095] 150: Emission outlet

[0096] 160: Pipeline

Claims

1. A storage tank for storing electrode paste, the storage tank comprising: The tank body contains the electrode slurry inside the tank body; as well as An inlet is provided at the upper part of the tank body, and the inlet supplies the electrode slurry into the interior of the tank body. The inlet opening points towards the inner wall of the tank body, allowing the electrode slurry supplied from the inlet to reach the inner wall of the tank body and then flow downwards along it. Wherein, the length of the opening end of the inlet in the horizontal direction is greater than its length in the vertical direction.

2. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet is greater than the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet, and The area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the opening end of the inlet is equal to or less than the area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the pipe.

3. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The circumference of the open end of the inlet is equal to the circumference of the vertical section of the pipe.

4. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet is greater than 1 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet and less than or equal to 5 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe.

5. The storage tank according to claim 4, wherein, The aspect ratio of the opening end of the inlet is more than 1.5 times and less than 3 times the aspect ratio of the vertical section of the pipe connected to the inlet.

6. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the opening end of the inlet is more than 38.5% and less than 100% of the area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the pipe.

7. The storage tank according to claim 6, wherein, The area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the opening end of the inlet is more than 60% and less than 92.3% of the area of ​​the vertical cross-section of the pipe.

8. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The opening end of the inlet has an elliptical shape.

9. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The opening end of the inlet has a rectangular shape.

10. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The vertical end of the pipe is circular.

11. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The opening end of the inlet is manufactured by pressing the end of the pipe using a stamping process.

12. The storage tank of claim 1, further comprising a temperature control unit surrounding the tank body, in, The electrode slurry, which has reached the inner wall of the tank body, flows downward along the inner wall of the tank body while exchanging heat with the temperature control unit.

13. The storage tank according to claim 12, wherein, The temperature control unit surrounds or is integrated with the outer wall of the tank body, and The coolant flows inside the temperature control unit, thereby exchanging heat with the electrode slurry.

14. The storage tank according to claim 1, further comprising a stirrer disposed inside the tank body and the blades of the stirrer rotating about a rotation axis to stir the electrode slurry.

15. The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein, The storage tank is connected to a mixer for preparing the electrode slurry, and receives the supplied electrode slurry from the mixer. The electrode slurry is prepared by mixing electrode raw materials including electrode active materials, conductive materials and binders.

Images