Spray drying spray gun

Abstract

The spray drying spray gun internally comprises an outer ring channel and an inner channel which are isolated from each other, the inner channel penetrates through the outer ring channel and upwards extends out of the outer ring channel, and the upper end of the inner channel is connected with a feeding hole and an air inlet hole; the outer ring channel is connected with an outer ring air inlet hole; an outer ring air outlet is formed in the lower end of the outer ring channel, and an included angle a inclined outwards is formed between the outer ring air outlet and the central axis; an arc-shaped convex face is arranged at the lower end of the inner channel, an air outlet hole is formed in the arc-shaped convex face, an included angle b inclining outwards is formed between the air outlet hole and the central axis, and the included angle a and the included angle b are both larger than 0 degree and smaller than 90 degrees.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electronic cigarette technology, and more particularly to a spray drying gun. Background Technology

[0002] Lithium-ion batteries are a type of battery system that uses lithium metal or lithium compounds as the positive electrode material and achieves charging and discharging through the migration of lithium ions between the positive and negative electrodes. Their development can be traced back to the 1970s, when scientists began exploring the potential of lithium as a battery material. Lithium is the lightest metal in nature and possesses extremely high electrochemical activity, with a theoretical energy density far exceeding that of traditional battery materials (such as lead-acid and nickel-cadmium). With continuous technological advancements and the development of the times, lithium-ion batteries are becoming increasingly common in everyday electronic products, electric vehicles, and energy storage devices.

[0003] Lithium-ion batteries typically consist of five main parts: a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an electrolyte, a separator, and a casing. During charging, lithium ions are released from the positive electrode, pass through the electrolyte and the separator, and embed themselves into the negative electrode; the process is reversed during discharging. The separator is usually made of polyolefin materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene. The separator needs to separate the positive and negative electrodes to prevent short circuits and overheating, while allowing lithium ions to pass freely through the separator to ensure the battery's charge and discharge performance. Therefore, lithium-ion battery separators must possess excellent properties such as sufficient mechanical strength, suitable porosity, high chemical stability, good electrolyte wetting ability, high ionic conductivity, and high thermal stability. However, polyolefin-based separators have some significant drawbacks. For example, their porosity is not ideal, limiting ion transport efficiency; their thermal stability is poor, making them prone to shrinkage and deformation at high temperatures, potentially leading to internal short circuits and safety accidents; and their poor wettability to polar liquid electrolytes can cause increased resistance and reduced energy density in lithium-ion batteries.

[0004] To address the various problems associated with polyolefin-based membranes, polymer-coated separator technology has emerged. This involves coating a base membrane with a polymer coating to improve its inherent performance. Traditional coatings typically use PVDF and PMMA materials. The material is applied to the separator using processes such as roller coating or spraying, and then the moisture or oily solvents are dried by heating to obtain a separator with a polymer coating. The separator then needs to be wound together with the positive and negative electrode sheets of the battery, and subjected to specific pressure, temperature, and time to ensure the separator and electrodes are firmly pressed together and fixed in place.

[0005] The preparation of the diaphragm coating involves mixing specially formulated emulsions and colloids to form a slurry, which is then atomized into powder with controllable particle size and moisture content using spray drying equipment. Specific atomization methods include pressure nozzles, rotary atomizers, and airflow atomizers. After heating within the spray drying chamber, the atomized droplets evaporate moisture and become powder. Through exhaust from the motor and the negative pressure created within the drying tower, the powder is pumped through pipes to a collection tower for collection.

[0006] Therefore, in the spray process, the morphology, particle size, moisture content, and other parameters of the powder formed are crucial for the preparation of the separator coating slurry. If the particle size is too large, after coating the separator, the positive and negative electrode separators may be damaged during the battery manufacturing process after being wound and subjected to a certain pressure, leading to battery short circuits and other faults.

[0007] Currently, the powder obtained by spray drying technology does not meet the requirements of customers for direct use in terms of D10, D50, and D90 parameters. It is necessary to further crush or grind the powder to reduce the particle size, which makes the production process more complicated and the productivity lower. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of the above situation, it is necessary to propose a spray drying gun that reduces the spray particle size.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a spray drying gun, which includes an outer ring channel and an inner channel that are isolated from each other. The inner channel penetrates the outer ring channel and extends upward beyond the outer ring channel. The upper end of the inner channel is connected to a feed hole and an air inlet. The outer ring channel is connected to an outer ring air inlet. The lower end of the outer ring channel is provided with an outer ring air outlet, which has an outwardly inclined angle α with the central axis. The lower end of the inner channel has an arc-shaped convex surface, on which an air outlet is provided. The air outlet has an outwardly inclined angle b with the central axis. Both angle α and angle b are greater than 0 and less than 90 degrees.

[0010] Furthermore, the inner channel extends from the upper end of the outer ring channel and is provided with the feed hole, and the side is connected to the air inlet hole; the side of the cavity is connected to the outer ring air inlet hole.

[0011] Furthermore, it includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, an upper cap, and a nut sleeve. The inner cylinder forms the inner channel and is disposed inside the outer cylinder. The upper end of the outer cylinder is connected to the upper cap, and the lower end is connected to the nut sleeve. The inner cylinder extends upward beyond the upper cap and has an arc-shaped convex surface protruding downward beyond the nut sleeve. The outer ring air inlet is formed on the side wall of the outer cylinder.

[0012] Furthermore, the nut sleeve is sealed to the outer cylinder, and a sealing ring is provided between the nut sleeve and the outer cylinder.

[0013] Furthermore, the lower end of the outer cylinder is provided with an inner groove, the inner wall of the inner groove is provided with an internal thread, and the nut sleeve is provided with an external thread portion, which mates with the internal thread.

[0014] Furthermore, the included angle α and the included angle β are equal.

[0015] Furthermore, both the included angle α and the included angle β are 20-45 degrees.

[0016] Furthermore, both the outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole are arranged in a ring array with at least one ring.

[0017] Furthermore, the diameter of both the outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole is 0.5-2mm.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the lower end of the outer ring channel is provided with an outer ring air outlet, and the lower end of the inner channel is provided with an air outlet hole. Air is discharged through multiple channels inside and outside. Moreover, the outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole are both inclined outward. By changing the air discharge direction, the spray cross section is increased, the slurry droplets are sprayed further and wider, the slurry spray is more dispersed, the degree of dispersion is increased, and the spray particle size is smaller. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a spray drying gun according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of a spray drying gun according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the layout structure of the outer ring air outlet and air outlet hole of a spray drying gun according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a chart of particle size measurements for vertical spraying using existing technology; Figure 5 These are SEM images of vertical jetting using existing technology; Figure 6 This is a particle size measurement chart of a spray drying gun according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a SEM image of a spray drying gun according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the following detailed description of a spray drying gun according to the present invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments, is provided. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0021] Please refer to Figures 1-3 A spray drying gun includes an outer ring channel 110 and an inner channel 210 that are isolated from each other. The inner channel 210 passes through the outer ring channel 110 and extends upward beyond the outer ring channel 110. The upper end of the inner channel 210 is connected to a feed port 211 and an air inlet 212. The outer ring channel 110 is connected to an outer ring air inlet 212111. The lower end of the outer ring channel 110 is provided with an outer ring air outlet 410, which has an outwardly inclined angle α with the central axis. The lower end of the inner channel 210 has an arc-shaped convex surface 220, on which an air outlet 221 is provided. The air outlet 221 has an outwardly inclined angle β with the central axis, and both angles α and β are greater than 0 and less than 90 degrees.

[0022] The lower end of the outer ring channel 110 is provided with an outer ring air outlet 410, and the lower end of the inner channel 210 is provided with an air outlet 221. Air is discharged through multiple channels inside and outside. Both the outer ring air outlet 410 and the air outlet 221 are inclined outward. By changing the air discharge direction, the spray cross section is increased, the slurry droplets are sprayed further and wider, the slurry spray is more dispersed, the degree of dispersion is increased, and the spray particle size is smaller.

[0023] Please refer to Figure 1 The inner channel 210 extends above the outer ring channel 110 and is provided with a feed hole 211 and an air inlet 212 connected to its side; the side of the cavity is connected to the outer ring air inlet 212. It is understood that both the air inlet 212 and the feed hole 211 are connected to the inner channel 210, allowing the slurry within the inner channel 210 to be fed under air pressure. It is understood that the feed hole 211 uses peristalsis or a diaphragm for feeding; the air inlet 212 is connected to an air compressor.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 It includes an outer cylinder 100, an inner cylinder 200, an upper cover 300, and a nut sleeve 400. The inner cylinder 200 forms an inner channel 210 and is disposed inside the outer cylinder 100. The upper end of the outer cylinder 100 is connected to the upper cover 300 and the lower end is connected to the nut sleeve 400. The inner cylinder 200 extends upward beyond the upper cover 300 and has an arc-shaped convex surface 220 protruding downward beyond the nut sleeve 400. An outer ring air inlet 212111 is formed on the side wall of the outer cylinder 100.

[0025] Please refer to Figure 1 The nut sleeve 400 is sealed to the outer cylinder 100, and a sealing ring 500 is provided between the nut sleeve 400 and the outer cylinder 100.

[0026] Preferably, the lower end of the outer cylinder 100 is provided with an inner groove, the inner wall of the inner groove is provided with an internal thread, and the nut sleeve 400 is provided with an external thread portion, which mates with the internal thread.

[0027] Preferably, the included angles a and b are equal.

[0028] Preferably, both included angles a and b are 20-45 degrees. 30 degrees is particularly preferred.

[0029] Please refer to Figure 3 The outer ring air outlet 410 and the air outlet 221 are arranged in a ring array with at least one ring.

[0030] Preferably, the diameters of the outer ring air outlet 410 and the air outlet 221 are both 0.5-2 mm, preferably 1 mm. Generally, the diameter of the feed hole 211 is 10-15 mm, preferably 12 mm; the diameter of the air inlet 212 is 10-15 mm, preferably 8-12 mm; and the diameter of the outer ring air inlet is 14-20 mm, preferably 16 mm.

[0031] Understandably, the nut sleeve 400 and the inner cylinder 200 can be sealed as needed. The sealing can be achieved by welding, sealing ring 500, or sealant.

[0032] The usage steps are as follows: 1. Connect the prepared slurry to the air pump using a rubber hose, insert it into the feed inlet of the spray gun, and set the appropriate flow rate; 2. Connect the air hose to the air compressor, insert it into the air inlet of the spray gun, and set the appropriate air pressure; 3. Set the appropriate temperature for powder drying through the control cabinet. After the temperature in the spray drying chamber rises, use pure water for transition. After the temperature stabilizes, spray the slurry. Test the particle size after receiving the powder.

[0033] By changing the direction of the 221 air outlets on the outer ring, the original direct, vertical spray from the nozzle cross-section is transformed into a spray at several angles. Changing the spray angle increases the spray cross-section, allowing the slurry droplets to be sprayed further and wider, increasing the dispersion and reducing the particle size.

[0034] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The particle size is that of the existing technology, namely vertical spraying. Before the modification, the spray particle sizes D10 / D50 / D90 were 0.464 / 8.865 / 22.94um, respectively.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 ,and Figure 4 and Figure 5 With the same slurry and consistent spraying parameters, using the spray drying gun of this application, the D10 / D50 / D90 are 0.371 / 6.648 / 18.45um respectively.

[0036] Based on SEM images and particle size analysis, the particle size of the powder was reduced to a certain extent after the spray angle of the spray gun head was modified, and the particles were more dispersed and had better sphericity.

[0037] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0038] Furthermore, if the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature.

[0039] In summary, the spray drying gun provided by this invention has an outer ring air outlet at the lower end of the outer ring channel and an air outlet hole at the lower end of the inner channel, resulting in multiple air outlets both inside and outside. Furthermore, both the outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole are inclined outwards. By changing the air outlet direction, the spray cross-section is increased, allowing the slurry droplets to be sprayed further and wider, resulting in more dispersed slurry spray, increased dispersion, and smaller spray particle size. The powder particle size is reduced to a certain extent, and the particles are more dispersed with better sphericity, achieving one-time molding and reducing subsequent crushing or grinding processes. This saves energy, reduces consumption, and improves enterprise productivity and competitiveness.

[0040] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A spray drying gun, characterized in that, Its interior includes an isolated outer ring channel and an inner channel. The inner channel passes through the outer ring channel and extends upward beyond the outer ring channel. The upper end of the inner channel is connected to a feed port and an air inlet. The outer ring channel is connected to an outer ring air inlet. The lower end of the outer ring channel is provided with an outer ring air outlet, which has an outwardly inclined angle α with the central axis. The lower end of the inner channel has an arc-shaped convex surface, on which an air outlet is provided. The air outlet has an outwardly inclined angle b with the central axis. Both angle α and angle b are greater than 0 and less than 90 degrees.

2. The spray drying gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner channel extends from the upper end of the outer ring channel and is provided with the feed hole and the side is connected to the air inlet; the side of the cavity is connected to the outer ring air inlet.

3. A spray drying gun according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The device includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder, an upper cap, and a nut sleeve. The inner cylinder forms the inner channel and is disposed inside the outer cylinder. The upper end of the outer cylinder is connected to the upper cap, and the lower end is connected to the nut sleeve. The inner cylinder extends upward beyond the upper cap and has an arc-shaped convex surface protruding downward beyond the nut sleeve. The outer ring air inlet is formed on the side wall of the outer cylinder.

4. A spray drying gun according to claim 3, characterized in that, The nut sleeve is sealed to the outer cylinder, and a sealing ring is provided between the nut sleeve and the outer cylinder.

5. A spray drying gun according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower end of the outer cylinder is provided with an inner groove, the inner wall of the inner groove is provided with an internal thread, and the nut sleeve is provided with an external thread portion, which mates with the internal thread.

6. A spray drying gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The included angle a and the included angle b are equal.

7. A spray drying gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the included angle α and the included angle β are 20-45 degrees.

8. A spray drying gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole are arranged in a ring array with at least one ring.

9. A spray drying gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of both the outer ring air outlet and the air outlet hole is 0.5-2mm.

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