Continuous production equipment and preparation process of continuous coated plates for batteries

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of electrode preparation technology, and specifically provides a continuous production equipment and process for continuous coating of battery electrode plates. The preparation process is based on the production equipment, which includes a coating machine, a treatment chamber, and a roll cutter arranged sequentially along the electrode plate processing direction. It also includes a conveying mechanism that runs through the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter to carry and transport the electrode plates. Simultaneously, the conveying mechanism connects the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter into a single structure. The treatment chamber is used to cure and dry the wet electrode plates. Using this solution, the production equipment eliminates the need to place the wet electrode plates in a surface drying kiln or roll cut them during electrode plate preparation, simplifying the production process. It also avoids the problem of damage to soft, wet electrode plates during the stacking and collection of small sheets. Furthermore, by using a conveying mechanism instead of a curing rack, continuous, automated, and segmented precise curing and drying of the electrode plates is achieved, resulting in advantages such as high production efficiency, low energy consumption, and high electrode plate yield.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrode preparation technology, and particularly relates to a continuous production equipment for continuous coating of battery electrode plates and a continuous coating electrode plate preparation process. Background Technology

[0002] Lead-acid batteries, as an important reversible DC power source, are widely used in electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and communication base stations due to their advantages such as low cost, high reliability, and large capacity. With the acceleration of urbanization and the continuous expansion of urban areas, the demand for lead-acid batteries from various terminal devices is constantly increasing, which in turn puts forward higher requirements for their production efficiency, product quality, and energy consumption levels.

[0003] As the core component of lead-acid batteries, the manufacturing quality of the plates directly determines the battery's lifespan, charge-discharge performance, and cycle durability. The curing process is a crucial step in determining plate quality, directly affecting key indicators such as the conversion of free lead in the plates and the bonding strength between the grid and the active material. The core of the curing process is to achieve the oxidation of free lead and the evaporation of moisture, while simultaneously promoting the directional growth of basic lead sulfate crystals, laying the foundation for subsequent formation processes, ensuring that the active material can stably adhere to the grid surface, and avoiding problems such as active material shedding and plate softening during use. However, traditional lead-acid battery plate manufacturing and curing processes have many technical defects that urgently need to be addressed, severely restricting the industry's development.

[0004] Currently, the curing processes in lead-acid battery manufacturing are mainly divided into two types: high-temperature high-pressure curing and atmospheric pressure curing. While high-temperature high-pressure curing can effectively increase the thickness of the corrosion layer on the grid surface, thereby enhancing the adhesion between the lead paste and the grid and improving the quality of the plates, this process requires a dedicated pressure curing chamber system. The equipment investment is high and the operation is complex, which greatly limits its application and makes it difficult to popularize in small and medium-sized production enterprises. On the other hand, atmospheric pressure curing, as a more widely used process, is usually carried out in an environment below 76°C. The entire curing process takes more than 50 hours to complete, which not only results in low production efficiency but also has problems such as high energy consumption and poor plate quality consistency. The cured plates are prone to defects such as loose active material structure and insufficient bonding force, which affect the cycle life and performance of the battery.

[0005] In addition to the inherent defects of the curing process, the traditional electrode production process and curing rack turnover method further exacerbate the problems of low production efficiency and high electrode damage rate. In the traditional production process, after the wet electrode is coated, it needs to be cut into small pieces by a roll cutting process, and then manually or mechanically stacked and collected. After that, the stacked wet electrode 51 is loaded into the curing rack. Because the wet electrode contains a lot of moisture and the lead paste is relatively soft, it is very easy to deform, lose paste, stick to the plate and suffer other damages during the roll cutting, stacking and handling process. This not only reduces the product qualification rate, but also significantly affects the production efficiency. More importantly, the turnover steps of the curing rack in the traditional process are cumbersome, requiring multiple transfer, furnace entry and exit processes: wet electrode → cutting → surface drying kiln → curing rack → transfer → curing chamber → transfer → drying kiln → unloading. Multiple transfers and entry and exit from the kiln not only increase the production time, but also aggravate the mechanical wear of the curing rack, shorten the service life of the equipment, and increase the risk of secondary damage to the electrode during the transfer process.

[0006] Furthermore, in existing curing processes, multiple plates are stacked and placed into a curing rack for curing, resulting in poor ventilation between the plates and uneven temperature and humidity distribution. This not only further prolongs the curing time and increases energy consumption, but also leads to inconsistent curing and drying effects of the plates. Some plates may experience problems such as incomplete conversion of free lead and weak bonding of active materials. Insufficient bonding between the grid and the active materials can directly cause active materials to fall off and plates to soften during charge and discharge cycles, significantly shortening battery life and reducing battery performance stability. This is one of the core problems that current traditional processes cannot fundamentally solve.

[0007] Therefore, based on the above analysis, designing a continuous production equipment and process for continuous coating electrode plates with fewer turnover steps and better curing performance is the technical problem that this application needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a continuous production equipment and process for continuous coating of battery plates. This solution uses a conveying mechanism to replace the curing rack in the traditional process. On the one hand, it realizes continuous and automated production of plates in the preparation process, eliminating the need for multiple turnovers and reducing plate damage. On the other hand, it simplifies the continuous coating process and improves production efficiency.

[0009] This solution provides a continuous production equipment for battery electrode plates: The device includes a coating machine, a treatment chamber, and a roll cutter arranged sequentially along the electrode plate processing direction. It also includes a conveying mechanism that runs through the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter to carry and transport the electrode plates. At the same time, the conveying mechanism connects the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter into a single structure. The treatment chamber is used to cure and dry the wet electrode plates.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the treatment chamber includes an independent high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, a low-temperature curing chamber, and a drying chamber connected in series by a conveying mechanism. The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber is located near one end of the coating machine and is equipped with a temperature and humidity control device. The low-temperature curing chamber is equipped with a temperature and humidity regulating device and a ventilation device. The drying chamber is equipped with a temperature and humidity management device and a negative pressure vacuum device.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are each stacked vertically and continuously provided with multi-layer conveying mechanisms to extend the residence time of the wet electrode plate in the corresponding chamber and the length of a single treatment.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment, the conveying mechanism includes a guide belt and a conveying roller. The guide belt is used to convey and / or support the wet electrode plate. At least one end of the conveying roller is provided with a gear that directly meshes with the outer frame of the wet electrode plate to drive the wet electrode plate to run along the processing direction.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the multi-layered conveying mechanism is formed by connecting multiple conveying units end to end. Each conveying unit includes an arc-shaped guide and a horizontal conveying part. The arc-shaped guide is located at the end of the horizontal conveying part to connect with the horizontal conveying part of the adjacent conveying unit, thereby forming the wet electrode plate switching guide channel.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are each provided with horizontally arranged partitions. These partitions divide the inner chambers of each chamber into multiple treatment chambers in the vertical direction. Each treatment chamber is provided with at least one layer of conveying mechanism, and the control parameters in each treatment chamber are different, so as to realize the multi-level treatment of the wet electrode plate in each chamber.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the conveying mechanism located at the outlet end of the treatment chamber is linked with the roller cutter, and the two work together to achieve uniform feeding of the electrode plates.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are separated from each other by baffles, and the baffles are provided with openings through which the conveying mechanism can pass.

[0017] This solution also provides a continuous coating plate preparation process, based on the aforementioned continuous production equipment for battery continuous coating plates, including the following steps: Step S1: Prepare the lead strip to be coated. At the same time, start the conveyor mechanism, coating machine and processing chamber. Step S2: The lead strip to be coated passes through the coating machine to form connected wet electrode plates; Step S3: The wet electrode plate is conveyed to the treatment chamber via a conveying mechanism for curing and drying to form a mature electrode plate; Step S4: The cooked electrode plate is cut by a roll cutter to obtain a single small electrode plate.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment: the treatment chamber includes a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, a low-temperature curing chamber, and a drying chamber; furthermore, step S3 includes: Step S31: The wet electrode plate is conveyed to the high temperature and high humidity curing chamber by the conveying mechanism for high temperature and high humidity curing, so as to form an corrosion layer and skeleton structure between the grid and the lead paste of the wet electrode plate, thereby increasing the bonding strength between the grid and the lead paste. Step S32: The wet electrode plate after high temperature and high humidity curing is transported to the low temperature curing chamber through a conveying mechanism for low temperature curing to improve the activity of the electrode plate; Step S33: The wet electrode plate after low-temperature curing is transported to the drying chamber through a conveying mechanism. The method of combining vacuum negative pressure and high-temperature drying is used to enhance the evaporation of moisture and thus achieve the purpose of drying.

[0019] Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this application are: (1) This solution improves the existing electrode continuous coating technology, so that wet lead paste is directly attached to the mesh belt to form connected wet electrode plates. The surface drying kiln in the traditional process is eliminated, as are the roll cutting and small-piece stacking of wet electrode plates. This greatly simplifies the production process and significantly improves production efficiency. At the same time, it avoids the problem of damage to the soft wet electrode plate 51 during the small-piece stacking process, and significantly improves the appearance and internal quality yield of the electrode plates.

[0020] (2) This solution uses a conveyor mechanism to replace the curing rack in the traditional process, and the treatment chamber integrates a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, a low-temperature curing chamber, and a drying chamber. These three chambers are independent and connected by a conveyor system. The series-connected conveyor mechanism enables continuous, automated, and segmented precise curing and drying of the electrode plates. It has advantages such as high production efficiency, stable process, compact structure, low energy consumption, and high electrode plate yield, effectively solving problems such as low curing efficiency, large temperature and humidity interference, and easy damage to the electrode plates in traditional rack-type curing.

[0021] (3) The high temperature and high humidity curing chamber, the low temperature curing chamber and the drying chamber are integrated into one unit, and each chamber is independent and does not interfere with each other. This not only improves the overall compactness of the equipment structure and reduces the footprint, but also allows for independent control of process parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed, avoiding cross-influence of temperature and humidity between different processes and improving curing quality. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the continuous production equipment for battery coated plates provided by the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the continuous production equipment for battery coated plates provided by the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the multi-layer conveying mechanism provided by the present invention in a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the multi-layer conveying mechanism provided by the present invention in a low-temperature curing chamber.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the multi-layer conveying mechanism provided by the present invention in a drying chamber.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of two adjacent conveying mechanisms in each compartment provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a process route diagram for preparing the battery continuous coating plates provided by the present invention.

[0029] Figure 8 The battery cycle life curves prepared by the existing and present methods are provided for this invention.

[0030] Figure Labels 10-Coating machine; 20-Treatment chamber; 21-High temperature and high humidity curing chamber; 22-Low temperature curing chamber; 221-Through hole; 23-Drying chamber; 24-Partition; 25-Baffle; 251-Opening; 30-Roller cutter; 40-Conveying mechanism; 41-Arc-shaped guide; 42-Horizontal conveyor; 43-Guide belt; 44-Conveying roller; 45-Gear; 46-Support frame; 50-Lead strip; 51-Wet electrode plate; 52-Outer frame. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope and application of the present invention.

[0032] Example 1:

[0033] This embodiment provides a continuous production equipment for battery coated plates, including a coating machine 10, a treatment chamber 20, and a roll cutter 30 arranged sequentially along the plate processing direction, and also includes a conveying mechanism 40 that passes through the coating machine 10, the treatment chamber 20, and the roll cutter 30 to carry and transport the plates. At the same time, the conveying mechanism 40 connects the coating machine 10, the treatment chamber 20, and the roll cutter 30 into a single structure. The treatment chamber 20 is used to cure and dry the wet plates 51.

[0034] like Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the continuous production equipment for battery coated plates provided in this embodiment. As can be seen from the figure, in this equipment, the conveying mechanism 40 passes through the inlet of the coating machine 10 and enters the treatment chamber 20. After continuously extending in the treatment chamber 20, it connects to the roll cutter 30. The conveying mechanism 40 can drive or move the plates through the processes of coating with lead paste, curing, drying and slicing in sequence automatically and continuously. Compared with the existing processing equipment and processes, this embodiment does not require the setting of a surface drying kiln, nor does it require frequent transfer of plates through the curing rack, which saves and simplifies the production process and significantly improves production efficiency. In addition, this embodiment slices the plates after completing the coating, curing and drying processes, avoiding the drawback of cutting them into small pieces immediately after coating in the prior art. It also solves the problem that the soft and wet plates 51 are easily damaged during the stacking and collection of small pieces, which significantly improves the appearance and internal quality yield of the plates.

[0035] In this embodiment, the coating machine 10 and the roll cutter 30 are respectively located at the beginning and end of the equipment. The coating machine 10 is used to coat lead paste on the lead strip 50 to form a continuously coated wet electrode plate 51, and the roll cutter 30 is used to cut the cured electrode plate into small pieces after the coating, curing and drying processes are completed. In this embodiment, it is preferable that the coating machine 10 and the roll cutter 30 are existing structures.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the treatment chamber 20 includes an independent high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, a low-temperature curing chamber 22, and a drying chamber 23 connected in series via a conveying mechanism 40. The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 is located near the coating machine 10; that is, the wet, soft electrode plates after coating first enter the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 for preliminary curing. The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 is equipped with a temperature and humidity control device. This device is used to adjust the temperature and humidity within the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 to the desired values. Preferably, the temperature needs to be controlled between 45-65°C, and the humidity needs to be controlled between 98%-100%. The main purpose is to form a corrosion barrier between the electrode plate grid and the lead paste. The etching layer and skeleton structure increase the bonding strength between the grid and the lead paste, preventing irreversible problems such as paste loss, cracking, or deformation of the electrode plate during subsequent transfer. In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity control device preferably forms a closed-loop temperature and humidity control structure through a temperature and humidity sensor and a steam humidification and heating device, eliminating the need for manual intervention. The main purpose of the low-temperature curing chamber 22 is to utilize the low-temperature and humidity-controlled environment to fully oxidize the free lead in the lead paste and allow the basic lead sulfate to recrystallize, further enhancing the bonding strength between the lead paste and the grid plate. To achieve temperature and humidity control and oxygen supply, this embodiment includes a temperature and humidity regulating device and a ventilation device in the low-temperature curing chamber 22. The temperature and humidity inside the low-temperature curing chamber 22 are regulated to the required values ​​by a temperature and humidity control device. Preferably, the temperature is regulated to 50-55℃ and the humidity to 65-85%. In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity control device preferably consists of a closed-loop control structure composed of a temperature and humidity sensor and a heating element. The required oxygen is supplied to the low-temperature curing chamber 22 through a ventilation device. In this embodiment, the ventilation device is preferably a fresh air fan, which is located near the bottom of the drying chamber and adopts a bottom-up air supply mode. The function of the drying chamber 23 is to completely remove residual moisture inside the electrode plate, so that the lead paste is completely cured and the structural strength of the electrode plate is improved. For this purpose, this embodiment has a temperature and humidity management device built into the drying chamber 23. The device includes a negative pressure vacuum unit, which manages the temperature and humidity inside the drying chamber 23 via a temperature and humidity management device. In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity management device is preferably a closed-loop control structure consisting of a temperature and humidity sensor and a heating tube. The negative pressure vacuum unit is used to vacuum the drying chamber 23, with the vacuum level set to 350-400 mba. In this embodiment, the drying chamber 23 is subjected to vacuum-coordinated heating treatment. On the one hand, this is to lower the boiling point of water in the electrode plates and accelerate the rapid removal of deep water inside the electrode plates. On the other hand, since the drying chamber 23 is not a completely sealed structure, the negative pressure can ensure that the airflow inside the drying chamber 23 remains stable. At the same time, it is also used to extract steam from the drying chamber 23.

[0037] In this embodiment, the temperature and humidity control device, temperature and humidity adjustment device, temperature and humidity management device, and negative pressure vacuum device are respectively installed on the cavity wall of the corresponding chamber. The specific installation position and installation method are determined according to actual needs or according to existing conventional methods. This embodiment does not make specific limitations here.

[0038] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, the low-temperature curing chamber 22 and the drying chamber 23 are divided into independent chambers by baffles 25. The baffles 25 are provided with openings 251 through which the conveying mechanism 40 can pass. It is understood that the openings 251 should allow the conveying mechanism 40 and the wet electrode plate 51 to pass through while minimizing the interference with the temperature and humidity of the adjacent chambers.

[0039] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, the low-temperature curing chamber 22, and the drying chamber 23 are each vertically stacked and continuously arranged with multiple layers of conveying mechanisms 40. These multiple conveying mechanisms 40 are fixed within their respective chambers by support frames 46, thereby extending the residence time of the wet electrode plate 51 within the corresponding chamber and the length of a single treatment. Figure 2-5 As shown.

[0040] Specifically, the multi-layer conveying mechanism 40 is arranged vertically in the corresponding chamber, and adjacent chambers are connected by a lifting conveying mechanism 40 (the lifting conveying mechanism 40 enters the adjacent chamber through the opening 251). The multi-layer conveying mechanism 40 and the lifting conveying mechanism 40 are continuously connected to form an uninterrupted conveying channel. It can be understood that the continuous connection mentioned in this embodiment is mainly used to express the continuity of the conveying channel, without interruption, rather than the physical connection between the multi-layer conveying mechanism 40 and between it and the lifting conveying mechanism 40. In use, the wet electrode plate 51 enters the high temperature and high humidity chambers one after another under the drive of the conveying mechanism 40. The curing chamber 21, low-temperature curing chamber 22, and drying chamber 23 are connected and move smoothly layer by layer along the multi-layer conveyor mechanism 40 within each chamber. The continuous coating speed is 8-12 m / min. This not only allows the wet electrode plate 51 to stay in the corresponding chamber for a longer time, improving the fullness of the reaction of the wet electrode plate 51 in each chamber, but also extends the curing length of a single wet electrode plate 51, reducing the cumbersome process of batch conveying and batch curing of wet electrode plates 51, improving production efficiency and product consistency. Compared with the traditional method of stacking and curing after slicing, single-layer wet electrode plates 51 can better ensure the uniform curing effect of each electrode plate, further improving the stability of product quality.

[0041] Understandably, the transmission mechanism and length in each chamber can be adjusted up to 40 levels, depending on actual needs.

[0042] As a preferred embodiment, the conveying mechanism 40 includes a guide belt 43 and a conveying roller 44. The guide belt 43 is used to convey and / or support the wet electrode plate 51. The end of the conveying roller 44 is provided with a gear 45, which directly meshes with the outer frame 52 of the wet electrode plate 51 to drive the wet electrode plate 51 to run along the processing direction by pushing or pulling.

[0043] like Figure 6As shown, the conveyor roller 44 is disposed at the end of the guide belt 43 to unfold the guide belt 43. The gear 45 is disposed at at least one end of the conveyor roller 44. The gear 45 directly meshes with the outer frame 52 of the wet electrode plate 51. The conveyor roller 44 drives the gear 45 to rotate, and the gear 45 can drive the wet electrode plate 51 to move forward. In this embodiment, the guide belt 43 is a fixed belt or a moving belt. When it is a fixed belt, it is mainly used to support the wet electrode plate 51. When it is a moving belt, in addition to supporting the wet electrode plate 51, it is also used for smooth transportation. The specific choice depends on the actual needs. In this embodiment, in order to reduce the friction between the wet electrode plate 51 and the guide belt 43, the guide belt 43 is preferably a moving belt, which reciprocates with the conveyor roller.

[0044] It is understood that in this embodiment, multiple drive mechanisms should be provided, each including a drive motor and a transmission chain, through which multiple gears 45 can share the same drive motor.

[0045] As a preferred embodiment, the conveying mechanism 40 located at the outlet end of the treatment chamber 20, that is, at the outlet end of the drying chamber 23, is linked with the roller cutter 30. The two work together to achieve uniform feeding of the electrode plate, which can reduce the impact and pulling on the electrode plate during the cutting process, thereby avoiding problems such as the electrode plate breaking, corner chipping or shifting after drying during the cutting process, and improving the slice yield and appearance quality.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the multi-layer conveying mechanism 40 is formed by connecting multiple conveying units. Each conveying unit includes an arc-shaped guide portion 41 and a horizontal conveying portion 42. The arc-shaped guide portion 41 is located at the end of the horizontal conveying portion 42 to connect with the horizontal conveying portion 42 of the adjacent conveying unit, thereby forming a reversing guide channel for the wet electrode plate 51. This reversing guide channel is located inside the arc-shaped guide portion 41 to limit the position of the wet electrode plate 51. Figure 3 As shown; in this structure, for ease of setup, the guide belt 43 can be a fixed belt, and the conveyor rollers 44 are mounted on both ends of the guide belt 43 via bearings. Of course, for wear considerations, it can also be set as a moving belt.

[0047] In this embodiment, the transmission units are independent of each other, connected only by alignment, not by physical connection. Figure 3-5It can be seen that the wet electrode plate 51 first enters the upper conveying unit and is located on the upper end face of the horizontal conveying section 42. The conveying roller 44 on the horizontal conveying section 42 rotates, and then the gear 45 on it pushes the wet electrode plate 51 forward. When the wet electrode plate 51 moves to the arc-shaped guide section 41, it enters the reversing guide channel. The conveying roller 44 of the arc-shaped guide section 41 rotates in the opposite direction. The gear 45 on it and the outer frame 52 of the wet electrode plate coordinate with each other to pull the wet electrode plate 51 forward and into the next layer of conveying unit. This cycle repeats. It can be understood that in this embodiment, when the end of the wet electrode plate 51 first enters each chamber or the reversing guide channel, it can be manually assisted to avoid conveying deviation and conveying failure.

[0048] As a preferred embodiment, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, the low-temperature curing chamber 22, and the drying chamber 23 are each equipped with horizontally arranged partitions 24. These partitions 24 vertically divide the interior of each chamber into multiple processing chambers. Each processing chamber is equipped with at least one layer of conveying mechanism 40 to realize multi-stage processing of the wet electrode plate 51 within each chamber. Figure 3-6 As shown.

[0049] In this embodiment, one end of the partition 24 is fixed to the inner wall of each chamber, and the other end extends horizontally into the chamber. Preferably, two sets of partitions 24 are provided, which divide the corresponding chamber into upper, middle and lower treatment chambers. In order to achieve better curing and drying, it is preferred that the temperature and humidity of the upper, middle and lower chambers are different. This can be achieved by a separate temperature and humidity control device or by adjusting the installation position of the temperature and humidity control device.

[0050] The humidity in the three-stage treatment chamber of the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 is constant, and the temperature increases sequentially from the upper stage to the lower stage; the temperature in the three-stage treatment chamber of the low-temperature curing chamber 22 is constant, and the humidity decreases sequentially from the upper stage to the lower stage; the temperature in the three-stage treatment chamber of the drying chamber 23 increases sequentially from the upper stage to the lower stage, and the humidity decreases sequentially.

[0051] Specifically: For the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, the preferred temperature control for the upper-level treatment chamber is 43-48℃, and the humidity control is 99%; the preferred temperature control for the middle-level treatment chamber is 63-68℃, and the humidity control is 99%; and the preferred temperature control for the lower-level treatment chamber is 57-63℃, and the humidity control is 95%. The wet electrode plate 51 moves smoothly from the upper level to the lower level. In addition, in this embodiment, the preferred residence time of the same wet electrode plate 51 in each level is 2 hours, ensuring that the total high-temperature and high-humidity curing time is 6 hours. The above are the preferred control parameters in this embodiment, and the main purpose is to avoid the wet electrode plate 51 from cracking due to rapid temperature rise and rapid humidity drop.

[0052] For the low-temperature curing chamber 22, the temperature of the upper treatment chamber is preferably controlled at 53-58℃ and the humidity at 83-88%, the temperature of the middle treatment chamber is controlled at 53-58℃ and the humidity at 72-78%, and the temperature of the lower treatment chamber is controlled at 53-58℃ and the humidity at 62-68%. At the same time, each stage adopts bottom oxygen supplementation, and air is sprayed upward through the through holes 221 on the partition 24 to improve the oxidation effect of the wet electrode plate 51. In this embodiment, the residence time of the same wet electrode plate 51 in each stage is preferably 2 hours to ensure that the total time of high temperature and high humidity curing is 6 hours.

[0053] For the drying chamber 23, a negative pressure vacuum is first activated. Since there is a conveyor belt between the upper, middle, and lower layers, absolute isolation between each layer is not possible. Therefore, a negative pressure vacuum operation is performed on the entire drying chamber 23, with the vacuum level set to 350-400 mba to improve the stability of the airflow within the drying chamber 23. In this embodiment, to avoid the electrode plates from cracking due to rapid heating and rapid dehumidification inside the drying chamber, it is preferable to control the temperature of the upper treatment chamber to 62-68°C and the humidity to 8-10%, the temperature of the middle treatment chamber to 68-72°C and the humidity to 0°C, and the temperature of the lower treatment chamber to 72-78°C and the humidity to 0°C. At the same time, it is ensured that the same wet electrode plate 51 stays in each layer for 2 hours, with a total time of 6 hours in the curing chamber.

[0054] In this embodiment, the cured electrode plates from the drying chamber 23 are cut into single small electrode plates by the roll cutter 30, and then the single small electrode plates are sent to the wrapping machine by the conveying mechanism 40, so that the electrode plates can be directly wrapped and assembled, saving the process of manually or robotically transporting the cured and dried electrode plates to the curing rack and then transferring them in the existing production process.

[0055] In summary, this solution uses a conveyor mechanism 40 to replace the curing rack in the traditional process. On the one hand, it realizes continuous and automated production of the electrode plates in the preparation process, eliminating the need for multiple turnovers and reducing electrode plate damage. On the other hand, it simplifies the electrode plate production process and improves production efficiency. In addition, this solution integrates the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, the low-temperature curing chamber 22, and the drying chamber 23 into one unit. This not only improves the overall compactness of the equipment structure and reduces the footprint, but also allows for independent control of process parameters such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed, avoiding cross-influence of temperature and humidity between different processes and improving curing quality.

[0056] In addition, each chamber in this embodiment adopts a multi-stage treatment mode, so that the wet electrode plate 51 only needs to stay in each chamber for about 6 hours, and the entire treatment chamber takes about 18 hours. Compared with the existing 50-hour treatment time, this significantly improves the curing and drying efficiency, while also reducing energy consumption.

[0057] Example 2:

[0058] This embodiment provides a process for preparing battery continuous coated plates. This process is based on the continuous production equipment for battery continuous coated plates described in Embodiment 1 above, and specifically includes the following steps: Figure 7 As shown: Step S1: Prepare the lead strip 50 to be coated. At the same time, start the conveyor mechanism 40, the coating machine 10 and the treatment chamber 20. In this embodiment, starting the treatment chamber 20 means starting to regulate the temperature, humidity, oxygen content, and other parameters within the treatment chamber 20. The treatment chamber 20 includes a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, a low-temperature curing chamber 22, and a drying chamber 23 arranged sequentially. Preferably, during the first start-up, since the wet electrode plate 51 has not yet reached the low-temperature curing chamber 22 and the drying chamber 23, the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 can be started first, that is, the steam humidification and heating device can be started to make the humidity in the high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21 reach more than 99% and the temperature between 45-65°C. The low-temperature curing chamber 22 and the drying chamber 23 are started sequentially after a specified interval. The regulation of the temperature, humidity, and other parameters in each chamber is the same as in the above embodiment 1, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] Step S2: The lead strip 50 to be coated passes through the coating machine 10 to form connected wet electrode plates 51.

[0060] Specifically, the lead strip 50 is fed into the coating machine 10 after passing through the screen. The coating machine 10 continuously coats the wet lead paste onto the screen to form connected wet electrode plates 51.

[0061] Step S3: The wet electrode plate 51 is conveyed to the treatment chamber 20 by the conveying mechanism 40 for curing and drying to form a mature electrode plate.

[0062] Since the treatment chamber 20 includes a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber 21, a low-temperature curing chamber 22, and a drying chamber 23, this step specifically includes: Step S31: The wet electrode plate 51 is conveyed to the high temperature and humidity curing chamber 21 by the conveying mechanism 40 for high temperature and humidity curing. The inner cavity of the high temperature and humidity curing chamber 21 is divided into three levels by the partition 24, which are separated from each other. The temperature and humidity of the upper level are set to 45℃ and 99%, the temperature and humidity of the middle level are set to 65℃ and 99%, and the temperature and humidity of the lower level are set to 60℃ and 95%. The wet electrode plate 51 moves slowly with the multi-layer conveying unit, and the same electrode plate stays on each conveying unit for about 2 hours. The total time in the high temperature and humidity curing chamber 21 is not less than 6 hours, so as to ensure that an corrosion layer and skeleton structure are formed between the grid of the electrode plate and the lead paste, and increase the bonding strength between the grid and the lead paste. Step S32: The wet electrode plate 51, after high-temperature and high-humidity curing, is conveyed to the low-temperature curing chamber 22 via the conveying mechanism 40 for low-temperature curing. The inner cavity of the low-temperature curing chamber 22 is also divided into three levels (upper, middle, and lower) by partitions 24, which are separated from each other. The temperature and humidity of the upper level are controlled at 55°C and 85%, the temperature and humidity of the middle level are controlled at 55°C and 75%, and the temperature and humidity of the lower level are controlled at 55°C and 65%. Oxygen is supplied from below by spraying pure oxygen or air from bottom to top through the through holes 221 on the partitions 24 to improve the oxidation effect of the wet electrode plate 51. The wet electrode plate 51 moves slowly on the multi-layer conveying unit, and the same electrode plate stays on each conveying unit for 2 hours, ensuring that the total time is not less than 6 hours. The low-temperature curing chamber 22 mainly produces more 3BS in the lead paste, which oxidizes the free lead and improves the activity of the electrode plate.

[0063] Step S33: The low-temperature cured wet electrode plate 51 is conveyed to the drying chamber 23 through the conveying mechanism 40. In this embodiment, before use, the drying chamber 23 is not only regulated in terms of temperature and humidity, but also vacuumed to ensure the stability of the environment inside the drying chamber 23. The vacuum degree is set to 350-400 mba. In order to avoid the electrode plate from cracking due to rapid temperature rise and rapid humidity drop, the electrode plate adopts a control mode of gradually increasing temperature and gradually decreasing humidity from top to bottom. Specifically, the temperature and humidity of the upper level are controlled at 65°C and 10%, the temperature and humidity of the middle level are controlled at 70°C and 0%, and the temperature and humidity of the middle level are controlled at 75°C and 0%. At the same time, the same electrode plate is ensured to stay on each layer of conveying unit for 2 hours, ensuring that the total time is not less than 6 hours. The combination of vacuum negative pressure and high temperature drying in the drying chamber 23 can enhance the evaporation of moisture and thus achieve the purpose of drying.

[0064] Step S4: The cooked electrode plate is cut by a 30-roll cutter to obtain a single small electrode plate.

[0065] In this embodiment, the conveying mechanism 40 located at the outlet of the drying chamber 23 is preferably linked with the roller cutter 30 by a servo linkage. The two work together to achieve uniform feeding of the electrode plate, which can reduce the impact and pulling on the cooked electrode plate during the cutting process, thereby avoiding problems such as easy breakage, corner chipping or displacement of the dried electrode plate after cutting, and improving the slice yield and appearance quality.

[0066] After being cut, the single small electrode plates are fed into the plate wrapping machine through the conveyor mechanism 40, and the plate wrapping and assembly can be carried out directly. This saves the process in the existing production process where the plate plates after curing and drying need to be manually or robotically moved to the curing rack and then transferred.

[0067] To verify the performance of the preparation process in this embodiment, 1000 mature electrode plates (hereinafter referred to as electrode plates) were randomly sampled from the electrode plates produced by the existing production process and the preparation process in this embodiment. 100 plates from each process were used to test moisture, free lead, drop strength, grid adhesion, and electrode plate porosity to compare and judge the curing effect of lead paste and the strength of the electrode plates. The remaining electrode plates were assembled into batteries for subsequent cycle life testing.

[0068] The detailed data analysis of 100 samples tested for moisture, free lead, drop strength, grid adhesion, and electrode porosity is shown in Table 1-5:

[0069] Table 1 As shown in Table 1, the moisture content is divided into three levels. Among the 100 electrode plates prepared using the existing process, 53% fall into the level of moisture content less than or equal to 0.1%, 41% fall into the level of 0.1%-0.2%, and 6% fall into the level of 0.2%-0.3%. In contrast, among the 100 electrode plates produced using the preparation process of this embodiment, 100% fall into the level of 0.1%, 0 fall into the level of 0.1%-0.2%, and 0 fall into the level of 0.2%-0.3%. The comparison shows that the electrode plates prepared using the preparation process of this embodiment have a lower moisture content.

[0070]

[0071] Table 2 As shown in Table 2, when the free lead content is divided into four levels, among 100 electrode plates prepared using the existing process, 26% fall into the level of free lead content less than or equal to 3.5%, 48% fall into the level of 3.5%-4.5%, 22% fall into the level of 4.5%-5.5%, and 4% fall into the level of 5.5%-6.5%. In contrast, among 100 electrode plates produced using the preparation process of this embodiment, 45% fall into the level of free lead content less than or equal to 3.5%, 55% fall into the level of 3.5%-4.5%, 0% fall into the level of 4.5%-5.5%, and 0% fall into the level of 5.5%-6.5%. The comparison shows that the electrode plates prepared using the preparation process of this embodiment have the largest proportion of free lead content falling within the optimal range.

[0072]

[0073] Table 3 As shown in Table 3, the drop strength is divided into three levels. Among the 100 electrode plates prepared using the existing process, 9% fall into the highest level of 0-0.5%, and most fall into the middle level of 0.5%-1%. In contrast, among the 100 electrode plates prepared using the process of this embodiment, 46% fall into the highest level of 0-0.5%, 54% fall into the middle level of 0.5%-1%, and the lowest level is 0. Therefore, it can be seen that the electrode plates obtained using the process of this embodiment have better drop strength.

[0074]

[0075] Table 4 As shown in Table 4, when the adhesion amount is divided into three levels, among the 100 electrode plates obtained using the existing preparation process, 80% of the electrode plates have adhesion amounts distributed in the medium-level region, and even 15% are distributed in the low-level region. However, among the 100 electrode plates obtained using the preparation process of this embodiment, the proportion of the adhesion amount in the low-level region is 0, and the adhesion amount is mainly distributed in the medium-level and high-level regions. It can be seen that the electrode plates obtained using the preparation process of this embodiment have higher quality active materials.

[0076]

[0077] Table 5 As shown in Table 5, when the porosity is divided into three levels, among the 100 electrode plates prepared using the existing process, the proportion of those with excessively high porosity (45%-50%) is 5%, and the proportion of those with optimal porosity (40%-45%) is 64%. However, among the 100 electrode plates obtained using the preparation process of this embodiment, the porosity is mainly concentrated in the optimal range (40%-45%) and the high porosity range (35%-40%). This indicates that the new preparation process of this embodiment can make the internal structure of the electrode plate more uniform, the density more reasonable, and the electrochemical performance more stable.

[0078] In summary, by comparing the data on electrode moisture, free lead, drop strength, grid adhesion, and electrode porosity, the preparation process in this embodiment yields electrode with better consistency, more uniform curing, and higher strength.

[0079] Furthermore, this embodiment also verifies the cycle life curves of batteries prepared using both existing and present embodiment processes. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 8 It can be seen that the battery assembled from the electrode plates prepared by the process described in this embodiment has a cycle life that is 80 times higher than that of the existing process, which is 24% higher, and greatly extends the battery's service life.

[0080] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of the present invention, and common knowledge regarding specific structures and characteristics in the solutions has not been elaborated upon here. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications without departing from the present invention, and these modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention. These modifications will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of the present invention or the practicality of the patent. The scope of protection claimed in this application should be determined by the content of the claims, and the specific embodiments described in the specification can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A continuous production equipment for coated battery plates, characterized in that: The device includes a coating machine, a treatment chamber, and a roll cutter arranged sequentially along the electrode plate processing direction. It also includes a conveying mechanism that runs through the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter to carry and transport the electrode plates. At the same time, the conveying mechanism connects the coating machine, treatment chamber, and roll cutter into a single structure. The treatment chamber is used to cure and dry the wet electrode plates.

2. The continuous production equipment for battery continuously coated plates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The treatment chamber includes an independent high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, a low-temperature curing chamber, and a drying chamber connected in series by a conveying mechanism. The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber is located near one end of the coating machine and is equipped with a temperature and humidity control device. The low-temperature curing chamber is equipped with a temperature and humidity regulating device and a ventilation device. The drying chamber is equipped with a temperature and humidity management device and a negative pressure vacuum device.

3. The continuous production equipment for battery plate coating according to claim 2, characterized in that: The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are each stacked vertically and continuously equipped with multi-layer conveying mechanisms to extend the residence time of the wet electrode plates in the corresponding chambers and the length of a single treatment.

4. The continuous production equipment for coated battery plates according to claim 3, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism includes a guide belt and a conveying roller. The guide belt is used to convey and / or support the wet electrode plate. At least one end of the conveying roller is provided with a gear that directly meshes with the outer frame of the wet electrode plate to drive the wet electrode plate to run in the processing direction.

5. The continuous production equipment for battery continuously coated plates according to claim 4, characterized in that: The multi-layered conveying mechanism is formed by connecting multiple conveying units end to end. Each conveying unit includes an arc-shaped guide and a horizontal conveying part. The arc-shaped guide is located at the end of the horizontal conveying part to connect with the horizontal conveying part of the adjacent conveying unit, thereby forming the wet electrode plate switching guide channel.

6. The continuous production equipment for coated battery plates according to claim 3, characterized in that: The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are each equipped with horizontally arranged partitions. These partitions vertically divide the inner cavity of each chamber into multiple treatment chambers. Each treatment chamber is equipped with at least one layer of conveying mechanism, and the control parameters in each treatment chamber are different, so as to realize the multi-stage treatment of the wet electrode plate in each chamber.

7. The continuous production equipment for battery continuously coated plates according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying mechanism located at the outlet end of the treatment chamber is linked with the roller cutter, and the two work together to achieve uniform feeding of the electrode plates.

8. The continuous production equipment for coated battery plates according to claim 2, characterized in that: The high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, the low-temperature curing chamber, and the drying chamber are separated from each other by baffles, and the baffles have openings through which the conveying mechanism can pass.

9. A continuous coating electrode preparation process, characterized in that, The continuous production equipment for battery coated plates according to any one of claims 1-9 includes the following steps: Step S1: Prepare the lead strip to be coated. At the same time, start the conveyor mechanism, coating machine and processing chamber. Step S2: The lead strip to be coated passes through the coating machine to form connected wet electrode plates; Step S3: The wet electrode plate is conveyed to the treatment chamber via a conveying mechanism for curing and drying to form a mature electrode plate; Step S4: The cooked electrode plate is cut by a roll cutter to obtain a single small electrode plate.

10. The continuous coating electrode preparation process as described in claim 9, characterized in that: The treatment chamber includes a high-temperature and high-humidity curing chamber, a low-temperature curing chamber, and a drying chamber. Step S3 further includes: Step S31: The wet electrode plate is conveyed to the high temperature and high humidity curing chamber by the conveying mechanism for high temperature and high humidity curing, so as to form an corrosion layer and skeleton structure between the grid and the lead paste of the wet electrode plate, thereby increasing the bonding strength between the grid and the lead paste. Step S32: The wet electrode plate after high temperature and high humidity curing is transported to the low temperature curing chamber through a conveying mechanism for low temperature curing to improve the activity of the electrode plate; Step S33: The wet electrode plate after low-temperature curing is transported to the drying chamber through a conveying mechanism. The method of combining vacuum negative pressure and high-temperature drying is used to enhance the evaporation of moisture and thus achieve the purpose of drying.

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