An apparatus for mass production of high performance water electrolysis electrodes by joule heating effect

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of electrochemical material preparation technology, specifically disclosing an apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes using the Joule heating effect. The apparatus includes a frame body, an unwinding roller, a winding roller, and a conductive carrier conveyor belt transporting the materials. A spraying unit, a pre-drying unit, and a Joule heating unit are sequentially arranged along the conveyor belt's movement direction. The Joule heating unit includes a first conductive roller and a second conductive roller electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply, respectively. When the second conductive roller contacts the moving conductive carrier conveyor belt, current flows through the conveyor belt, generating Joule heat and inducing a thermochemical reaction in the precursor loaded on its surface. This apparatus achieves integrated, streamlined operation from spraying and pre-drying to high-temperature reaction. Simultaneously, the direct, instantaneous, and localized heating method based on the Joule effect significantly reduces heat loss and promotes in-situ reaction and firm bonding of the catalyst precursor on the conductive carrier surface, effectively improving the electrode's catalytic activity and long-term stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrochemical material preparation technology, and in particular to an apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes through the Joule heating effect. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, traditional methods for preparing high-performance water electrolysis electrodes (such as electrodes for alkaline water electrolysis, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis, or anion exchange membrane water electrolysis) mainly include spraying / brushing, electrodeposition, solvothermal / hydrothermal methods, and muffle furnace or tube furnace heat treatment. While these methods have applications in laboratory research and small-scale preparation, they have significant limitations and technical defects when it comes to large-scale industrial production.

[0003] Taking a typical hydrothermal method combined with subsequent high-temperature annealing as an example: First, the conductive carrier is immersed in a solution containing a metal precursor, placed in a high-pressure reactor, and held at 100-200°C for several hours for a hydrothermal reaction; then, the sample is removed, cleaned, and placed in a muffle furnace or tube furnace for high-temperature annealing for several hours under a specific atmosphere to achieve crystallization and stabilization. This process involves numerous steps and is a batch production method.

[0004] These traditional methods generally suffer from the following problems: 1. Low production efficiency and difficulty in continuous and large-scale production: Both hydrothermal reactions and high-temperature annealing require long-term heat treatment (several hours to tens of hours), resulting in long production cycles. In addition, their inherent intermittent operation mode limits the processing area per batch, making it impossible to achieve continuous assembly line operations and meet the large-area, large-scale manufacturing needs of industrial-grade electrodes.

[0005] 2. Weak catalyst-support bonding and poor electrode stability: Physical loading methods such as spraying and brushing mainly rely on van der Waals forces or mechanical interlocking to fix catalyst particles, lacking strong chemical bonding. Under the high current density operating conditions of water electrolysis, the large number of bubbles generated on the electrode surface will cause severe mechanical impact, easily leading to catalyst layer peeling, agglomeration, or dissolution, seriously affecting the long-term service life and stability of the electrode.

[0006] 3. High energy consumption and low energy efficiency: Traditional muffle furnace or tube furnace heat treatment requires overall heating and long-term heat preservation of the entire furnace cavity (including furnace wall, atmosphere and workpiece), which has problems such as large thermal inertia, slow heating and serious heat loss, resulting in low energy utilization and high energy consumption per unit product.

[0007] 4. Complex processes and reliance on binders: Many process routes are cumbersome, increasing operational complexity and the difficulty of quality control. For example, spraying methods often require the addition of polymer binders to enhance adhesion. However, these binders themselves have no catalytic activity and poor conductivity, which can cover the active sites of the catalyst and increase interfacial resistance, thereby reducing the overall electrocatalytic performance of the electrode.

[0008] 5. Low material and resource utilization: Intermittent production leads to high equipment idle rates, reducing equipment utilization. To compensate for catalyst detachment due to weak binding, excessive loading of precious metal catalysts is often required, increasing material costs. Simultaneously, the use of inactive binders also reduces the utilization efficiency of effective materials.

[0009] 6. High overall manufacturing cost: The above factors together lead to high time, energy and material costs, which restricts the economic feasibility of this type of electrode manufacturing technology in the large-scale hydrogen energy industry.

[0010] Therefore, existing technologies have shortcomings in terms of production efficiency, interface bonding strength, energy consumption, process complexity, and cost control. There is an urgent need to develop a new water electrolysis electrode manufacturing technology and device that can achieve high efficiency, continuous operation, low energy consumption, and is suitable for industrial scale-up. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes through the Joule heating effect, in order to solve the aforementioned technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following solution: an apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect, comprising a frame body, an unwinding roller and a winding roller disposed on the frame body, and a conductive carrier conveyor belt conveying between the unwinding roller and the winding roller; a spraying unit, a pre-drying unit, and a Joule heating unit arranged sequentially along the moving direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt; the Joule heating unit includes a first conductive roller and a second conductive roller, the first and second conductive rollers being arranged in parallel and used to contact the moving conductive carrier conveyor belt, the first conductive roller and the second conductive roller being electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply, respectively, to induce a thermochemical reaction in the precursor loaded on its surface through the Joule heating effect under the action of the current flowing through the conductive carrier conveyor belt.

[0013] Optionally, the first conductive roller and the second conductive roller are copper rollers, and their surfaces are silver-plated.

[0014] Optionally, the Joule heating unit further includes a first pressing roller and a second pressing roller; the first pressing roller is disposed on the belt inlet side of the first conductive roller, and the second pressing roller is disposed on the belt outlet side of the second conductive roller, for applying tension to the conductive carrier conveyor belt so that it maintains close contact with the first conductive roller and the second conductive roller.

[0015] Optionally, the spraying unit includes a precursor storage tank, a compressed air source, and at least one atomizing nozzle; the atomizing nozzle is connected to the precursor storage tank and is used to atomize the precursor solution stored in the precursor storage tank and spray it onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt; the compressed air source provides atomizing power to the atomizing nozzle.

[0016] Optionally, there are multiple atomizing nozzles, which are arranged along the width direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt.

[0017] Optionally, the spraying unit further includes a spraying controller, which is electrically connected to the compressed air source and is used to control the process parameters of atomized spraying.

[0018] Optionally, the pre-drying unit includes at least one infrared heating lamp, which is disposed below the moving path of the conductive carrier conveyor belt, and a reflector is disposed below the infrared heating lamp to focus infrared radiation onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt.

[0019] Optionally, the infrared heating lamp is a medium-wave or short-wave quartz infrared lamp.

[0020] Optionally, the pre-drying unit further includes an infrared heating controller, which is electrically connected to the infrared heating lamp and is used to adjust the heating power and temperature.

[0021] Optionally, the take-up roller is driven by a drive motor, and the drive motor is also electrically connected to a conveyor belt speed controller.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention discloses at least the following beneficial effects: This invention constructs a complete roll-to-roll automated production line by sequentially arranging a spraying unit, a pre-drying unit, and a Joule heating unit along the moving direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt. This achieves integrated continuous operation throughout the entire process, from raw material loading and intermediate processing to final thermochemical synthesis, thus completely overcoming the bottlenecks of low efficiency and difficulty in scaling up traditional intermittent production modes. Specifically, the Joule heating unit is connected to a DC power supply via a first and second conductive roller, allowing current to flow directly through the conductive carrier conveyor belt. Utilizing its own resistance, it generates Joule heat, rapidly heating the precursor loading area to the required reaction temperature within milliseconds to seconds. This directional, instantaneous heating method precisely concentrates energy in the reaction area, avoiding the significant heat loss associated with traditional furnace-wide heating and significantly reducing energy consumption. Simultaneously, the extremely short heat treatment time facilitates the formation of a fine-grained, uniformly distributed catalyst microstructure, and the in-situ thermochemical reaction enables strong chemical bonds between the catalyst and the conductive carrier, greatly improving the mechanical stability and electrochemical durability of the electrode. Furthermore, the pre-drying unit located at the front can quickly remove most of the solvent from the wet film, forming a semi-dry gel state. This effectively prevents coating damage caused by violent solvent vaporization during subsequent Joule heating, ensuring the integrity and uniformity of the catalyst layer. In summary, through structural innovation, this device simultaneously achieves continuous and large-scale production, a significant reduction in energy consumption, and a substantial improvement in the performance and stability of electrode products. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes using the Joule heating effect proposed in this invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the device for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes using the Joule heating effect proposed in this invention. Figure 2 ; Reference numerals: 11. Frame body; 12. Unwinding roller; 13. Rewinding roller; 14. Drive motor; 21. Precursor liquid storage tank; 22. Atomizing nozzle; 23. Compressed air source; 31. Infrared heating lamp; 32. Reflector; 41. Left copper roller; 42. Right copper roller; 43. Left pressure roller; 44. Right pressure roller; 51. DC power supply; 52. Infrared heating controller; 53. Spraying controller; 54. Conveyor belt speed controller; 61. Conductive carrier conveyor belt. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0027] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, this embodiment provides an apparatus for the large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes using the Joule heating effect. This apparatus is a roll-to-roll continuous production system integrating spraying, pre-drying, and Joule heating functions, designed for the efficient and large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes.

[0028] Specifically, the device includes a frame body 11, on which an unwinding roller 12 and a take-up roller 13 are mounted for carrying and unwinding the strip-shaped conductive carrier conveyor belt 61. A drive motor 14 is connected to the take-up roller 13 to provide power, traction the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 to move at a uniform speed from the unwinding roller 12 to the take-up roller 13. To achieve precise control of the conveying speed, the device also includes a conveyor belt speed controller 54, which is electrically connected to the drive motor 14.

[0029] In this embodiment, a spraying unit, an infrared heating unit, and a Joule heating unit are sequentially arranged along the moving direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61.

[0030] In the above embodiment, the spraying unit is used to uniformly load the catalyst precursor solution onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61. It mainly includes a precursor storage tank 21, an atomizing nozzle 22, and a compressed air source 23. The precursor storage tank 21 stores the prepared precursor solution, such as metal salts. The compressed air source 23 is connected to the precursor storage tank 21 and the atomizing nozzle 22 via pipelines to provide atomization power. The spraying controller 53 is electrically connected to the compressed air source 23 and is used to precisely control the pressure and flow rate of the compressed air, thereby adjusting the spraying rate and atomization effect of the precursor solution.

[0031] In one specific embodiment, the atomizing nozzle 22 is preferably an air-assisted circular nozzle, which is installed directly opposite the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 that moves downwards, with the spray direction perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt, and the spray width preferably covering the entire width of the conveyor belt to ensure uniform coating.

[0032] In one specific embodiment, the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 may be made of conductive porous materials such as carbon cloth or nickel foam.

[0033] Based on the above embodiments, multiple atomizing nozzles 22 can be provided, and the multiple atomizing nozzles 22 are arranged along the width direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 to achieve a wider or more uniform spray coverage.

[0034] In one specific embodiment, the atomizing nozzle 22 may be an air-assisted circular nozzle, such as a nozzle of model SOM-89, with a spray angle of, for example, 80°.

[0035] Based on the above embodiments, the spraying controller 53 can further be controlled by a pressure regulating valve to realize the automation and programmed control of the spraying process.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the infrared heating unit is located downstream of the spraying unit and is used to quickly pre-dry the wet film formed after spraying. This unit mainly includes an infrared heating lamp 31 and a reflector 32.

[0037] Specifically, multiple infrared heating lamps 31 are arranged in parallel to form a lamp array, which is installed below the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 to emit mid- and far-infrared radiation. A reflector 32 is disposed below the lamp array to focus the infrared radiation onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61, thereby improving energy utilization.

[0038] As a specific example, the lamp array can be composed of three 700W mid-wave quartz infrared lamps connected in parallel, with a total power of 2.1kW, and the length of the lamps covers the entire bandwidth of the conveyor belt.

[0039] Based on the above embodiments, the infrared heating controller 52 is further electrically connected to the infrared heating lamp 31 to adjust the power and temperature of infrared heating to adapt to the drying characteristics of different precursor solutions.

[0040] As a specific example, the infrared heating controller 52 is, for example, a PID temperature controller, which is connected to the infrared heating lamp 31 via a relay module to precisely adjust the heating power and temperature.

[0041] Based on the above embodiments, the infrared heating lamp 31 can be a medium-wave or short-wave quartz infrared lamp, which has a fast heating response speed and can achieve selective and rapid heating and evaporation of moisture in the wet film.

[0042] Based on the above embodiments, the reflector 32 is preferably a polished aluminum faceted reflector 32 to improve the reflection efficiency.

[0043] In the above embodiments, the Joule heating unit is the core component for in-situ catalyst synthesis in this invention, located downstream of the infrared heating unit. This Joule heating unit mainly includes a left copper roller 41, a right copper roller 42, and a DC power supply 51.

[0044] In one specific embodiment, the left copper roller 41 and the right copper roller 42 are arranged in parallel, and the distance between them can be adjusted according to the width of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 and process requirements. The positive and negative terminals of the DC power supply 51 are connected to the left copper roller 41 and the right copper roller 42 respectively through wires.

[0045] In one specific embodiment, the DC power supply 51 may be, for example, an IT6512 Type C DC power supply 51 with a maximum output voltage of 30V and a maximum output current of 15A.

[0046] When the pre-dried, semi-dry conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 simultaneously contacts the left copper roller 41 and the right copper roller 42, a closed circuit is formed in the section of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 between the two copper rollers. After the DC power supply 51 applies voltage, current flows through the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61, which has a certain resistance, utilizing the Joule effect (I0). 2 The R-heating process causes the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 to generate high temperatures (up to hundreds or even thousands of degrees Celsius) in a very short time (e.g., milliseconds to seconds), thereby driving the precursors on its surface to undergo chemical reactions such as thermal decomposition and redox reactions, generating and firmly anchoring the catalyst active material in situ.

[0047] In one specific embodiment, the surfaces of the left copper roller 41 and the right copper roller 42 are silver-plated to reduce their contact resistance with the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61, ensuring stable current flow. The two copper rollers are mounted on the frame body 11 via insulated ceramic bearings to achieve electrical insulation from the frame, ensuring operational safety and ensuring that the current path passes precisely through the conveyor belt.

[0048] Based on the above embodiments, to further ensure good and stable electrical contact between the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 and the left copper roller 41 and right copper roller 42, a left pressure roller 43 can be provided on the belt inlet side of the left copper roller 41, and a right pressure roller 44 can be provided on the belt outlet side of the right copper roller 42. The left pressure roller 43 and the right pressure roller 44 apply appropriate tension to the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61, making it tightly adhere to the surface of the copper rollers.

[0049] The working process of the device of the present invention is as follows: S1. Unwinding and Conveying: The rolled conductive carrier (such as carbon cloth, nickel foam, etc.) is mounted on the unwinding roller 12, and its end is pulled through each functional unit and then fixed on the take-up roller 13. The drive motor 14 is started, and the required running speed (e.g., 1-10 mm / s) is set through the conveyor belt speed controller 54. The conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 begins to move at a uniform speed.

[0050] S2. Spraying: When the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 passes through the spraying unit, the spraying controller 53 starts the compressed air source 23 to pump the solution in the precursor storage tank 21 to the atomizing nozzle 22 in a metered manner. The solution is atomized into micron-sized droplets and uniformly sprayed onto the surface of the moving conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 to form a wet film.

[0051] S3. Infrared Pre-drying: The conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 carrying the wet film enters the infrared heating unit. The infrared heating controller 52 activates the infrared heating lamp 31, and the emitted infrared radiation is efficiently absorbed by the moisture in the wet film, causing the moisture to evaporate rapidly. This transforms the wet film into a semi-dry gel-like film before it reaches the Joule heating unit. This step prevents splashing or coating cracking caused by the violent vaporization of moisture during subsequent Joule heating.

[0052] S4. Joule Heating Reaction: The semi-dry conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 enters the Joule heating unit. Under the action of the left and right pressure rollers 43 and 44, it ensures full contact with the left and right copper rollers 41 and 42. The DC power supply 51 outputs a set voltage (e.g., 5-30V), and a large current instantaneously passes through the section of the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 between the two copper rollers, generating extremely high Joule heat, causing the temperature in this area to rise rapidly. The high temperature promotes a rapid thermochemical reaction in the precursor, forming a well-crystallized catalyst layer in situ on the surface of the conductive carrier, and forming a strong bond with the carrier.

[0053] S5. Winding and Post-processing: The electrode material that has completed the catalytic reaction moves along the conductive carrier conveyor belt 61 and is finally collected into a roll by the winding roller 13. If necessary, the wound electrode can be simply cleaned (e.g., rinsed with deionized water) and dried to obtain the finished high-performance water electrolysis electrode.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this invention, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this invention.

[0055] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect, comprising a frame body (11), an unwinding roller (12) and a winding roller (13) disposed on the frame body (11), and a conductive carrier conveyor belt (61) transmitting between the unwinding roller (12) and the winding roller (13), characterized in that, A spraying unit, a pre-drying unit, and a Joule heating unit are sequentially arranged along the moving direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61). The Joule heating unit includes a first conductive roller and a second conductive roller. The first and second conductive rollers are arranged in parallel and are used to contact the moving conductive carrier conveyor belt (61). The first and second conductive rollers are electrically connected to the positive and negative terminals of a DC power supply (51), respectively, and are used to induce a thermochemical reaction of the precursor loaded on its surface through the Joule heating effect under the action of the current flowing through the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61).

2. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first conductive roller and the second conductive roller are copper rollers, and their surfaces are silver-plated.

3. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The Joule heating unit further includes a first pressing roller and a second pressing roller; the first pressing roller is disposed on the belt inlet side of the first conductive roller, and the second pressing roller is disposed on the belt outlet side of the second conductive roller, for applying tension to the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61) so that it maintains close contact with the first conductive roller and the second conductive roller.

4. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spraying unit includes a precursor storage tank (21), a compressed air source (23), and at least one atomizing nozzle (22); the atomizing nozzle (22) is connected to the precursor storage tank (21) and is used to atomize the precursor solution stored in the precursor storage tank (21) and spray it onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61); the compressed air source (23) provides atomizing power to the atomizing nozzle (22).

5. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 4, characterized in that, There are multiple atomizing nozzles (22), and the multiple atomizing nozzles (22) are arranged along the width direction of the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61).

6. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 4, characterized in that, The spraying unit also includes a spraying controller (53), which is electrically connected to the compressed air source (23) and is used to control the process parameters of atomized spraying.

7. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-drying unit includes at least one infrared heating lamp (31), which is located below the moving path of the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61), and a reflector (32) is provided below the infrared heating lamp (31) to focus infrared radiation onto the surface of the conductive carrier conveyor belt (61).

8. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 7, characterized in that, The infrared heating lamp (31) is a medium-wave or short-wave quartz infrared lamp.

9. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pre-drying unit also includes an infrared heating controller (52), which is electrically connected to the infrared heating lamp (31) and is used to adjust the heating power and temperature.

10. The apparatus for large-scale manufacturing of high-performance water electrolysis electrodes via the Joule heating effect according to claim 1, characterized in that, The take-up roller (13) is connected to the drive motor (14), and the drive motor (14) is also electrically connected to the conveyor belt speed controller (54).

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