Intelligent control system for feeding homogenate

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of intelligent control systems of feeding homogenate.The system includes: material processing module, for storing powder and liquid and executing discharge metering;Mixing pulp module receives material through closed pipeline and executes mixing, dispersion and defoaming treatment;Control module, including formula management module, man-machine interaction module, execution control module, metering feedback regulation module, authority management module and authorization interlock module.The application realizes the high-precision metering of lithium battery feeding homogenate process, fully-closed conveying and automatic pulp making.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automated preparation and intelligent control technology of lithium battery materials, specifically involving an intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing slurry, so as to realize high-precision metering, fully enclosed conveying and automated slurry preparation of powder and liquid materials in the process of lithium battery slurry preparation. Background Technology

[0002] In the early stages of lithium battery production, the quality of the slurry (a homogenized mixture of active materials, conductive agents, binders, and other powders with a solvent) directly determines the consistency of subsequent coating, rolling, and cell performance. Currently, the following technical challenges commonly exist in the lithium battery slurry feeding process: Low metering accuracy and poor stability: The feeding of powders (such as lithium iron phosphate cathodes and graphite anodes) and liquids (such as NMP, deionized water, and adhesives) often relies on manual weighing or single-screw feeding methods, resulting in large metering errors. Furthermore, powders are prone to bridging or sticking to the tank walls, leading to poor discharge and directly affecting the slurry's solid content and batch consistency. Existing single-screw feeding methods are typically open-loop, constant-speed feeding, whose metering accuracy is greatly affected by fluctuations in material bulk density. Real-time correction of discharge deviations is impossible after feeding, making it difficult to meet the quality control requirements of high-precision slurry formulations. This invention, however, acquires the discharge weight signal in real time and dynamically compares it with the target value, enabling continuous correction of feeding deviations during the feeding process and significantly improving metering accuracy.

[0003] The powder conveying process is prone to pollution and creates a harsh environment: Dust is easily generated during manual feeding or open conveying of powder, which not only pollutes the workshop environment but also causes the powder to absorb moisture and deteriorate, affecting its electrochemical performance. At the same time, contact between the material and the outside air poses a risk of introducing metallic foreign objects, which can lead to internal short circuits in the battery in severe cases.

[0004] Fragmented processes and low levels of informatization: Powder storage, liquid storage, metering and dosing, and mixing and pulping are handled by different workstations or subsystems, lacking a unified control platform and formula management system. Process parameters rely on manual recording, operating permissions are chaotic, and it is difficult to achieve full-process traceability and quality control.

[0005] Quality confirmation is disconnected from production execution: key operational steps (such as formula switching and raw material discharge) lack mandatory quality personnel confirmation mechanisms, resulting in a high risk of misoperation during the production process. Batch data cannot be linked to quality authorization records, making it difficult to meet the stringent quality management system requirements of the lithium battery industry.

[0006] In existing technologies, although some automated feeding systems have achieved single-machine automation, they usually control metering, conveying and pulping as isolated devices, lacking a precise metering and adjustment mechanism based on closed-loop feedback. At the same time, they neglect the sealing and anti-bridging design of the powder conveying process, and have not established an integrated management and control system covering formula management, quality authorization and operation execution.

[0007] Therefore, providing an intelligent control system that can achieve high-precision metering, fully enclosed conveying, one-click formula driving, and quality authorization interlocking during the lithium battery feeding and homogenization process is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides an intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials, overcoming the technical defects of existing technologies such as low metering accuracy, easy contamination during transportation, fragmented processes, and disconnected quality control.

[0009] This invention achieves high precision, full sealing, and intelligent operation in the material feeding and homogenization process by constructing a dual-core system architecture of "closed-loop metering feedback regulation" and "authorized interlock control." Specifically, the high-speed discharge stage is used to improve production efficiency, the medium-speed discharge stage is used to prevent overshoot caused by excessively rapid feeding, and the low-speed discharge stage is used to control the final metering accuracy.

[0010] The system adopts a modular architecture, consisting of a material handling module, a mixing and pulping module, and a control module. The control module further includes a formula management module, a human-machine interaction module, an execution control module, a metering feedback adjustment module, an access control module, and an authorization interlock module. All modules work together to form a complete closed-loop system.

[0011] Specifically, this invention uses a material handling module to store powders and liquids, and a control module to drive the discharge based on formula data. During the discharge process, a metering feedback adjustment module acquires the discharge weight signal in real time, compares it with the target weight, and dynamically adjusts the discharge speed to form a closed-loop precise metering system. Simultaneously, the system incorporates a permission management module and an authorization interlock module to implement quality confirmation authorization for formula activation and discharge operations, ensuring operational compliance. The mixing and pulping module receives materials through a closed pipeline, performs mixing, dispersion, and degassing treatments, and forms a homogenized slurry. Vacuuming and nitrogen injection are used to prevent materials from contacting air; the vacuum is first evacuated to the process set value before nitrogen injection.

[0012] Thus, this invention achieves a complete closed loop from formula setting to material metering to pulping completion, significantly improving the metering accuracy, production efficiency and quality control level of the lithium battery feeding and homogenization process.

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a smart control system for feeding and homogenizing slurry is provided, comprising: The material handling module is used to store powder and liquid, and to perform discharge metering operations on the powder and liquid respectively; The mixing and pulping module is connected to the material processing module through a closed pipeline. It is used to receive the powder and liquid output according to the target weight, and to perform mixing, dispersion and degassing treatment on the received materials to form a homogenized product. The control module, which is signal-connected to both the material handling module and the mixing and pulping module, includes: The formula management module is used to store several preset formula data. Each formula data includes at least the target output weight of the powder, the target output weight of the liquid, and the process parameters for mixing and pulping. The human-computer interaction module is used to allow users to select a set of target formula data from the plurality of preset formula data; The execution control module is used to receive externally input operation instructions and, in response to the operation instructions, send sequence control signals to the material handling module and the mixing and pulping module according to the target formula data selected by the human-machine interaction module, so as to execute material discharge, metering addition and mixing and pulping according to the preset process. The metering feedback adjustment module is used to continuously acquire the real-time discharge weight signal of the material processing module during the material discharge process, compare the real-time discharge weight signal with the target discharge weight of the corresponding material, and dynamically adjust the discharge speed of the material processing module according to the comparison result until the real-time discharge weight reaches the target discharge weight and then the discharge stops.

[0014] Furthermore, the control module also includes: The permission management module is used to preset multiple operation permission levels in the system and define the scope of operations allowed to be performed at each of the operation permission levels; among them, the operator group performs basic production operations, the process engineer group performs formula modification and saving, the technical group performs parameter settings, and the administrator group has full operation permissions. The authorization interlock module is used to obtain the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user when the target operation is triggered, and to receive a confirmation authorization signal input from the authorized user. If the scope of operations allowed by the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user includes the target operation and the confirmation authorization signal is a valid authorization signal, then the execution control module is allowed to execute the target operation; otherwise, the target operation is locked. The target operation is either the activation operation of the target formula data or the discharge metering operation of the material processing module.

[0015] Furthermore, the activation operation of the target formula data includes formula download operation and formula running operation; the discharge metering operation of the material processing module includes powder discharge metering operation and liquid discharge metering operation.

[0016] Furthermore, the operation permission hierarchy preset by the permission management module includes administrator group, technical group, quality group, process engineer group and operator group; the authorized user is a user with the permission of the quality group, and the authorized user and the currently logged-in user are logged into the system respectively.

[0017] Furthermore, the material handling module includes: A powder processing submodule is used to store the powder, feed the powder into the powder processing submodule, and perform discharge metering on the powder. The powder processing submodule includes a powder storage tank, a negative pressure feeder, and a powder discharge metering device. The powder storage tank is used to store the powder, the negative pressure feeder is used to feed the powder into the powder storage tank, and the powder discharge metering device is used to perform discharge metering on the powder. A liquid processing submodule is used to store the liquid and perform discharge metering on the liquid. The liquid processing submodule includes a liquid storage tank and a liquid discharge metering device. The liquid storage tank is used to store the liquid, and the liquid discharge metering device is used to perform discharge metering on the liquid.

[0018] Furthermore, the powder discharge metering device is a precision screw feeder, and the metering feedback adjustment module adjusts the powder discharge speed by controlling the servo speed of the precision screw feeder.

[0019] Furthermore, the metering feedback adjustment module divides the powder discharge process into a high-speed discharge stage, a medium-speed discharge stage, and a low-speed discharge stage. Each of the high-speed discharge stage, the medium-speed discharge stage, and the low-speed discharge stage has a corresponding set servo speed. The set servo speed of the high-speed discharge stage is greater than that of the medium-speed discharge stage, and the set servo speed of the medium-speed discharge stage is greater than that of the low-speed discharge stage. The metering feedback adjustment module obtains the real-time discharge weight value based on the real-time discharge weight signal, calculates the current difference between the target discharge weight of the powder and the real-time discharge weight value, compares the current difference with a preset switching threshold, and switches from the current speed stage to the next lower speed stage when the current difference decreases to the preset switching threshold, until the real-time discharge weight value reaches the target discharge weight of the powder in the low-speed discharge stage and the discharge stops.

[0020] Furthermore, the mixing and pulping module includes mixing and pulping equipment, which is used to mix, stir, and shear disperse the received powder and liquid. The mixing and pulping equipment is equipped with dispersing blades, a wall scraping device, a vacuum interface, and a cooling jacket. The dispersing blades are used to shear and disperse the material, the wall scraping device is used to scrape off the material adhering to the tank wall, the vacuum interface is used to connect a vacuum pump to degas the material in the tank, and the cooling jacket is used to introduce circulating cooling medium to control the temperature of the material in the tank.

[0021] Furthermore, the process parameters include stirring time, stirring speed, dispersion speed, and mutually exclusive selection parameters for vacuum operation and nitrogen operation. The stirring time is the stirring duration of the mixing and pulping equipment, the stirring speed is the stirring speed of the mixing and pulping equipment, the dispersion speed is the rotation speed of the dispersion blades, and the mutually exclusive selection parameters are used to set the current pulping process to select either vacuum operation or nitrogen operation.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: Significantly improved metering accuracy: Through a closed-loop feedback adjustment mechanism of "real-time discharge weight signal acquisition → comparison with target value → dynamic adjustment of discharge speed", the problem of large metering error in traditional open-loop feeding method is solved. Combined with the three-stage speed segmented adjustment of precision screw feeder, high-precision feeding is achieved.

[0023] Fully enclosed conveying system prevents pollution: Powder is conveyed to the powder storage tank through a negative pressure feeder and a closed pipeline. Liquid is also conveyed through a closed pipeline. The entire feeding process is isolated from the outside air, avoiding dust pollution and material deterioration due to moisture absorption. At the same time, it effectively prevents the introduction of metal foreign objects.

[0024] Formula-driven one-click production: Material ratios and pulping process parameters are uniformly incorporated into the formula management system. After the operator selects the formula, the system automatically drives the entire process of material discharge, metering and pulping in sequence, realizing the simplification and standardization of complex processes.

[0025] Quality authorization and operation interlock: The activation of formula and material discharge are linked to the independent authorization of quality personnel, ensuring that critical operations can only be executed after quality confirmation. This achieves the integration of production execution and quality control, meeting the stringent quality traceability requirements of the lithium battery industry. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall architecture of the intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing provided in this embodiment of the invention, showing the material handling module, the mixing and pulping module, and the control module (including the formula management module, the human-machine interaction module, the execution control module, the metering feedback adjustment module, the access control module, and the authorization interlock module) and their interrelationships. Figure 2 The flowchart of the intelligent control method for feeding and homogenizing provided in the embodiments of the present invention illustrates the complete process from formula storage, formula selection, instruction reception, sequential execution, metering feedback adjustment to mixing and pulping. Figure 3 The control timing diagram for the powder feeding process provided in this embodiment of the invention shows the alternating action sequence and delay coordination relationship of the feed valve, air inlet valve and cleaning valve after the feeding is started. Detailed Implementation

[0028] 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.

[0029] The embodiments of this invention are written in a progressive manner.

[0030] To facilitate understanding of the technical solution of this invention, some technical terms appearing in the specification are explained as follows: Powder: refers to the solid powdered raw materials required for the preparation of lithium battery slurry, including positive electrode active materials (such as lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide, ternary materials), negative electrode active materials (such as graphite, silicon carbide), conductive agents (such as carbon black, carbon nanotubes) and binders (such as polyvinylidene fluoride, styrene-butadiene rubber), etc.

[0031] Liquid: refers to the liquid raw materials required for the preparation of lithium battery slurry, including organic solvents (such as N-methylpyrrolidone), deionized water, and prepared adhesive solutions.

[0032] Negative pressure feeder: This device uses a blower to generate negative pressure as a power source. By controlling the positive and negative pressure inside the cavity, it draws powder into the storage silo through a closed conveying pipeline. It is equipped with a high-efficiency filter element to achieve powder-air separation and a back-blowing device for self-cleaning of the filter element.

[0033] Precision screw feeder: It adopts a double screw rotating in the same direction propulsion structure and uses a servo motor to control the screw propulsion speed to achieve high-precision metering and feeding of powder. It is equipped with an arch breaker to prevent material bridging.

[0034] Three-speed adjustment: During the material feeding process, the metering feedback adjustment module divides the material feeding process into three speed stages: high speed, medium speed, and low speed. Based on the comparison result between the remaining material to be fed (the difference between the target value and the real-time cumulative value) and the preset switching threshold, the speed is switched from high speed to low speed step by step, so as to balance the control strategy of material feeding efficiency and final accuracy.

[0035] Quality authorization: refers to the control mechanism that requires a user with quality group permissions (independent of the current operator) to log in to the system and enter a confirmation authorization signal before the system can perform critical operations (such as formula download, formula execution, powder discharge, liquid discharge).

[0036] Mutually exclusive selection parameters: These are parameters in the recipe parameters used to set whether the current pulping process is operated under vacuum or nitrogen. Both cannot be selected simultaneously in the same recipe row.

[0037] The terms used above are only for explaining specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that other existing technologies with the same or similar functions can be employed without departing from the concept of the present invention.

[0038] Example 1: System Architecture like Figure 1 As shown, this invention provides an intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing lithium batteries. Its core lies in achieving high precision, full sealing, and intelligence in the lithium battery feeding and homogenizing process through a dual-core mechanism of "closed-loop metering feedback adjustment" and "authorized interlock control." The system adopts a modular architecture, consisting of three main modules: a material handling module, a mixing and slurry preparation module, and a control module. The control module further includes a formula management module, a human-machine interaction module, an execution control module, a metering feedback adjustment module, a permission management module, and an authorized interlock module. These modules work collaboratively to form a complete closed loop from formula setting to material metering and slurry preparation completion.

[0039] Specifically, the system includes the following functional modules: The material handling module stores powder and liquid, and performs discharge metering operations on the powder and liquid respectively. The material handling module further includes a powder handling submodule and a liquid handling submodule. The powder handling submodule stores powder, feeds powder into the powder handling submodule, and performs discharge metering on the powder. It includes a powder storage tank, a negative pressure feeder, and a powder discharge metering device. The powder storage tank stores powder, the negative pressure feeder feeds powder into the powder storage tank, and the powder discharge metering device performs discharge metering on the powder. The liquid handling submodule stores liquid and performs discharge metering on the liquid. It includes a liquid storage tank stores liquid, and the liquid discharge metering device performs discharge metering on the liquid. The powder discharge metering device is a precision screw feeder.

[0040] During powder feeding, a negative pressure feeder draws the powder into the powder storage tank through a closed pipeline. After the negative pressure feeder starts, a high negative pressure quickly forms within the chamber, drawing the powder into the storage silo via a powder-air flow through the conveying pipeline. A high-efficiency filter element installed in the storage silo separates the powder and air, and a backflushing device alternately cleans the filter element. During powder discharge, a precision screw feeder, driven by a servo motor, rotates two screws in the same direction to propel the material. An arch breaker prevents material bridging, and a discharge valve controls the discharge flow. Liquid materials are pumped into the liquid storage tank through a closed pipeline, and metering is performed during discharge using a liquid discharge metering device (such as a metering pump or weighing module).

[0041] The mixing and pulping module, connected to the material processing module via a closed pipeline, receives the powder and liquid output according to a target weight and performs mixing, dispersion, and degassing treatments on the received materials to form a homogenized slurry. The mixing and pulping module includes mixing and pulping equipment, which mixes, stirs, and shears the received powder and liquid. The mixing and pulping equipment is equipped with dispersing blades, a wall scraping device, a vacuum interface, and a cooling jacket. The dispersing blades are used for shearing and dispersing the materials, and high-speed rotation driven by a motor ensures rapid and effective solid-liquid mixing. The wall scraping device removes material adhering to the tank wall, using a high-wear-resistant polytetrafluoroethylene scraper to clean difficult-to-dissolve materials around the tank wall. The vacuum interface connects to a vacuum pump to degas the material inside the tank. The cooling jacket circulates a cooling medium to control the temperature of the material inside the tank.

[0042] The control module, which is signal-connected to both the material handling module and the mixing and pulping module, includes: The formula management module stores several preset formula data sets. Each formula data set includes at least the target output weight of the powder, the target output weight of the liquid, and the process parameters for mixing and pulping. The process parameters include stirring time, stirring speed, dispersion speed, and a mutually exclusive selection parameter for vacuum operation versus nitrogen operation. The stirring time is the running time of the mixing and pulping equipment; the stirring speed is the stirring rate of the mixing and pulping equipment; the dispersion speed is the rotation speed of the dispersion blades; and the mutually exclusive selection parameter is used to set whether the current pulping process selects vacuum operation or nitrogen operation.

[0043] The human-computer interaction module allows users to select a target formula from a set of preset formula data. Users can browse the formula list and select the target formula required for current production through the human-computer interaction interface.

[0044] The execution control module is used to receive externally input operation instructions and, in response to the operation instructions, send sequence control signals to the material processing module and the mixing and pulping module according to the target formula data selected by the human-machine interaction module, so as to execute material discharge, metering addition and mixing and pulping according to the preset process.

[0045] The metering feedback adjustment module is used to continuously acquire the real-time discharge weight signal of the material processing module during the material discharge process, compare the real-time discharge weight signal with the target discharge weight of the corresponding material, and dynamically adjust the discharge speed of the material processing module according to the comparison result until the real-time discharge weight reaches the target discharge weight and then the discharge stops.

[0046] During the powder discharge process, the metering feedback adjustment module divides the discharge process into three stages: high-speed discharge, medium-speed discharge, and low-speed discharge. Each stage has a corresponding set servo speed, with the set servo speed for the high-speed discharge stage being higher than that for the medium-speed discharge stage, and vice versa. The metering feedback adjustment module obtains the real-time discharge weight value based on the real-time discharge weight signal, calculates the current difference between the target discharge weight and the real-time discharge weight, and compares this difference with a preset switching threshold. When the current difference decreases to the preset switching threshold, the system switches from the current speed stage to the next lower speed stage. The set servo speed and the preset switching threshold are preset and adjustable according to material characteristics and equipment operating conditions until the real-time discharge weight reaches the target discharge weight in the low-speed discharge stage, at which point discharge stops.

[0047] The access control module is used to preset multiple operation permission levels in the system and define the scope of operations allowed at each level. The operation permission levels include administrator, technical, quality, process engineer, and operator groups. The administrator group has the highest operation permissions and can edit user information and assign permissions; the technical group can switch to manual mode for equipment debugging and parameter modification; the quality group can set usernames and passwords for quality authorization and confirm authorization for critical operations; the process engineer group can set formula data; and the operator group can perform routine operations such as feeding, discharging, and formula execution.

[0048] The authorization interlock module is used to obtain the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user when a target operation is triggered, and to receive a confirmation authorization signal input from an external authorized user. If the scope of operations allowed by the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user includes the target operation, and the confirmation authorization signal is a valid authorization signal, then the execution control module is allowed to execute the target operation; otherwise, the target operation is locked. The target operation is either the activation operation of the target formula data or the discharge metering operation of the material processing module. The activation operation of the target formula data includes formula download and formula run operations; the discharge metering operation of the material processing module includes powder discharge metering and liquid discharge metering operations. The authorized user is a user with quality group permissions, and the authorized user and the currently logged-in user log in to the system separately; that is, the authorized user must log in to the quality authorization interface independently of the current operator to complete the authorization.

[0049] The aforementioned functional modules work together to form a complete closed-loop system. Before system operation, process engineers log in to the system to set formula data, which is then confirmed and saved by quality personnel. During production, operators log in to the system, select the target formula through the human-machine interface module, and trigger the operation. The execution control module sends sequential control signals to the material handling and mixing / pulping modules based on the formula data. During material discharge, the metering feedback adjustment module monitors the discharge weight in real time and adjusts the discharge speed in a closed loop, stopping once the target value is reached. Critical operations (formula activation, discharge) require independent authorization from quality personnel before execution. All modules communicate via signal connections to ensure system coordination and stability.

[0050] Example 2: General Process like Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides an intelligent control method for feeding and homogenizing slurry, comprising the following steps S1 to S6: S1: Several preset formula data are stored in the formula management module. Each formula data includes at least the target output weight of the powder, the target output weight of the liquid, and the process parameters for mixing and pulping. The process parameters include stirring time, stirring speed, dispersion speed, and mutually exclusive selection parameters for vacuum operation and nitrogen operation.

[0051] This step is performed by the process engineer after logging in. After logging into the system, the process engineer clicks on the corresponding mixing and pulping equipment to bring up the formula operation window, then clicks on formula selection to bring up the formula settings screen, where they enter the formula data. It is important to note that both vacuum operation and nitrogen operation cannot be selected in the same formula row (these are mutually exclusive selections). After the data entry is complete, the quality personnel confirm its accuracy and authorize it. The process engineer then clicks "Save Formula" to complete the storage.

[0052] S2: The human-computer interaction module allows the user to select a set of target formula data from the several preset formula data.

[0053] After logging into the system, the operator clicks on the corresponding mixing and pulping equipment to bring up the formula operation window, clicks the formula selection button to bring up the formula settings screen, and selects the formula to be run in this production from the formula list.

[0054] S3: Receives operation commands from external input through the execution control module.

[0055] After the operator confirms that the selected formula and running sequence are correct in the formula running window, they click the run button, and the execution control module receives the operation instruction.

[0056] S4: In response to the operation command, according to the target formula data, send a sequence control signal to the material processing module and the mixing and pulping module to control the material processing module to perform the discharge metering operation of the powder and the liquid according to the preset process, and control the mixing and pulping module to receive the powder and the liquid output according to the target weight.

[0057] The execution control module sequentially drives the powder and liquid discharge according to the process sequence in the formula data. Taking powder discharge as an example, the execution control module controls the discharge valve of the precision screw feeder to open, the servo motor to start, and the powder to be added to the mixing and pulping module. During liquid discharge, the execution control module controls the liquid discharge metering device to start, adding liquid to the mixing and pulping module.

[0058] S5: During the material discharge process, continuously acquire the real-time discharge weight signal, compare the real-time discharge weight signal with the target discharge weight of the corresponding material, and dynamically adjust the discharge speed according to the comparison result until the real-time discharge weight reaches the target discharge weight and then stop the discharge.

[0059] Taking powder discharge as an example, the metering feedback adjustment module divides the powder discharge process into high-speed, medium-speed, and low-speed stages. Discharge starts at the high-speed stage, with the servo speed at its highest. The metering feedback adjustment module obtains the real-time discharge weight value based on the real-time discharge weight signal and calculates the current difference between the target discharge weight and the real-time discharge weight value (i.e., the remaining amount to be discharged). When the difference decreases to a preset high-speed switching threshold, the system switches from the high-speed stage to the medium-speed stage; when the difference continues to decrease to a preset medium-speed switching threshold, the system switches from the medium-speed stage to the low-speed stage. In the low-speed stage, discharge stops and the discharge valve closes when the real-time discharge weight value reaches the target discharge weight.

[0060] S6: The received powder and liquid are mixed, dispersed and degassed by the mixing and slurry preparation module to form a homogenized product.

[0061] After all materials have been added, the mixing and pulping equipment operates according to the mixing time, mixing speed, and dispersion speed set in the formula. The high-speed rotating dispersion blades shear and disperse the materials, while the wall scraper removes material adhering to the tank wall. If defoaming is required, a vacuum pump is connected via the vacuum interface to defoam the materials inside the tank; if nitrogen protection is required, nitrogen is introduced via the vacuum interface. Vacuum operation and nitrogen operation are selected based on the mutually exclusive selection parameters in the formula. After pulping, a homogenized product is obtained for use in the next process.

[0062] Example 3: Powder feeding and discharging metering process Taking the preparation of lithium battery cathode slurry as an example, the feeding and discharging metering process of powder (such as lithium iron phosphate) is as follows: Powder feeding process: The operator sets the feed weight in the system (which can be set to a value greater than the actual requirement) and confirms the feeding conditions: the powder hopper is not discharging, the negative pressure fan is idle, and there are no equipment malfunctions in the powder hopper. Once the conditions are met, the operator clicks the "Feed Operation" button on the powder operation interface, and the on-site feeding indicator light flashes. The operator then briefly presses the feeding button in the feeding room, and the system begins feeding.

[0063] like Figure 3 As shown, after feeding begins, the feeding indicator light remains on, and feeding valves A and B open simultaneously. After a 15-second delay (parameter adjustable), air valve A closes. After a 1-second delay, the A-zone cleaning valve begins operation, cycling between 0.6 seconds (parameter adjustable) and 0.8 seconds (parameter adjustable), repeating this cycle twice (parameter adjustable). After a 2-second delay (parameter adjustable), air valve A opens again, followed by a 1-second delay. Subsequently, air valve B closes, and after a 1-second delay, the B-zone cleaning valve begins operation, cycling between 0.6 seconds (parameter adjustable) and 0.8 seconds (parameter adjustable), repeating this cycle twice (parameter adjustable). After a 2-second delay (parameter adjustable), air valve B opens again.

[0064] Powder discharge metering process: The operator sets the discharge weight in the system and confirms the discharge conditions: the powder hopper is not feeding, the weight of the material in the powder hopper is greater than the sum of the set discharge weight and the minimum discharge weight, and there is no equipment malfunction in the powder hopper.

[0065] Quality personnel log in to the quality authorization interface, confirm the output weight is correct, and then input a confirmation authorization signal. Operators click the "Feed and Run" button on the operation interface to begin outputting material.

[0066] After the discharge cycle begins, the discharge valve of the precision screw feeder opens, the servo motor starts, and the double screws rotate in the same direction to propel the powder. The arch breaker is a mechanical stirring device that works continuously during the feeding process, continuously feeding material into the discharge port. Simultaneously, vibratory and pneumatic arch breakers are configured. If the system calculates that the discharge weight over a set time is less than the set weight indicating poor discharge, it is judged as bridging or material shortage. At this time, the vibratory and pneumatic arch breakers automatically work until the discharge speed returns to normal or enters the next judgment cycle. The significance of the minimum weight setting for the powder tank is that material residue in the corners of the equipment cannot be completely discharged, affecting production; or, if the bottom of the liquid tank is elliptical and the liquid level at the bottom is low, air may be drawn into the liquid pipeline due to the pump's suction, resulting in inaccurate metering. In this case, a minimum weight setting is necessary. The minimum weight setting is adjusted according to different materials and equipment conditions, combined with actual production. Simultaneously, the metering feedback adjustment module continuously acquires the real-time discharge weight signal from the electronic scale below the precision screw feeder. The servo speed is adjustable in three segments: high speed (difference greater than the high-speed switching threshold), medium speed (difference between the high-speed and medium-speed switching thresholds), and low speed (difference less than the medium-speed switching threshold). The high-speed segment has the highest speed and is used for rapid feeding. As the real-time accumulated weight approaches the target value, the speed switches to medium speed when the difference decreases to the high-speed switching threshold; when the difference continues to decrease to the medium-speed switching threshold, the speed switches to low speed. In the low-speed segment, when the real-time output weight reaches the target output weight, the discharge valve closes, the servo motor stops, and the feeding process ends.

[0067] After the material discharge is completed, the system generates a discharge record report containing the set value, actual value, and error.

[0068] If flowcharts are used in this application, they are used to illustrate the operations performed by the system according to embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed in exact order. Instead, the steps can be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, other operations can be added to these flows, or one or more steps can be removed from these flows.

[0069] The above provides a detailed description of an intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials provided in this application. The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A smart control system for feeding and homogenizing slurry, characterized in that, include: The material handling module is used to store powder and liquid, and to perform discharge metering operations on the powder and liquid respectively; The mixing and pulping module is connected to the material processing module through a closed pipeline. It is used to receive the powder and liquid output according to the target weight, and to perform mixing, dispersion and degassing treatment on the received materials to form a homogenized product. The control module, which is signal-connected to both the material handling module and the mixing and pulping module, includes: The formula management module is used to store several preset formula data. Each formula data includes at least the target output weight of the powder, the target output weight of the liquid, and the process parameters for mixing and pulping. The human-computer interaction module is used to allow users to select a set of target formula data from the plurality of preset formula data; The execution control module is used to receive externally input operation instructions and, in response to the operation instructions, send sequence control signals to the material handling module and the mixing and pulping module according to the target formula data selected by the human-machine interaction module, so as to execute material discharge, metering addition and mixing and pulping according to the preset process. The metering feedback adjustment module is used to continuously acquire the real-time discharge weight signal of the material processing module during the material discharge process, compare the real-time discharge weight signal with the target discharge weight of the corresponding material, and dynamically adjust the discharge speed of the material processing module according to the comparison result until the real-time discharge weight reaches the target discharge weight and then the discharge stops.

2. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control module also includes: The permission management module is used to preset multiple operation permission levels in the system and define the scope of operations allowed to be performed at each of the operation permission levels; The authorization interlock module is used to obtain the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user when the target operation is triggered, and to receive a confirmation authorization signal input from the authorized user. If the scope of operations allowed by the operation permission level of the currently logged-in user includes the target operation and the confirmation authorization signal is a valid authorization signal, then the execution control module is allowed to execute the target operation; otherwise, the target operation is locked. The target operation is either the activation operation of the target formula data or the discharge metering operation of the material processing module.

3. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 2, characterized in that, The activation operation for the target formula data includes formula download operation and formula run operation; The material handling module's discharge metering operation includes powder discharge metering operation and liquid discharge metering operation.

4. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preset operation permission levels of the permission management module include administrator group, technical group, quality group, process engineer group and operator group; The authorized user is a user with the permissions of the quality group, and the authorized user and the currently logged-in user are respectively logged into the system.

5. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material handling module includes: A powder processing submodule is used to store the powder, feed the powder into the powder processing submodule, and perform discharge metering on the powder. The powder processing submodule includes a powder storage tank, a negative pressure feeder, and a powder discharge metering device. The powder storage tank is used to store the powder, the negative pressure feeder is used to feed the powder into the powder storage tank, and the powder discharge metering device is used to perform discharge metering on the powder. A liquid processing submodule is used to store the liquid and perform discharge metering on the liquid. The liquid processing submodule includes a liquid storage tank and a liquid discharge metering device. The liquid storage tank is used to store the liquid, and the liquid discharge metering device is used to perform discharge metering on the liquid.

6. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 5, characterized in that, The powder discharge metering device is a precision screw feeder, and the metering feedback adjustment module adjusts the powder discharge speed by controlling the servo speed of the precision screw feeder.

7. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 6, characterized in that, The metering feedback adjustment module divides the powder discharge process into a high-speed discharge stage, a medium-speed discharge stage, and a low-speed discharge stage. Each of the high-speed discharge stage, the medium-speed discharge stage, and the low-speed discharge stage has a corresponding set servo speed. The set servo speed of the high-speed discharge stage is greater than that of the medium-speed discharge stage, and the set servo speed of the medium-speed discharge stage is greater than that of the low-speed discharge stage. The metering feedback adjustment module obtains the real-time discharge weight value based on the real-time discharge weight signal, calculates the current difference between the target discharge weight of the powder and the real-time discharge weight value, compares the current difference with a preset switching threshold, and switches from the current speed stage to the next lower speed stage when the current difference decreases to the preset switching threshold, until the real-time discharge weight value reaches the target discharge weight of the powder in the low-speed discharge stage and the discharge stops.

8. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing and pulping module includes a mixing and pulping device, which is used to mix, stir, and shear disperse the received powder and liquid. The mixing and pulping equipment is equipped with dispersing blades, a wall scraping device, a vacuum interface, and a cooling jacket. The dispersing blades are used to shear and disperse the material, the wall scraping device is used to scrape off the material adhering to the tank wall, the vacuum interface is used to connect a vacuum pump to degas the material in the tank, and the cooling jacket is used to introduce circulating cooling medium to control the temperature of the material in the tank.

9. The intelligent control system for feeding and homogenizing materials according to claim 8, characterized in that, The process parameters include stirring time, stirring speed, dispersion speed, and mutually exclusive selection parameters for vacuum operation and nitrogen operation. The stirring time is the stirring duration of the mixing and pulping equipment, the stirring speed is the stirring speed of the mixing and pulping equipment, the dispersion speed is the rotation speed of the dispersion blades, and the mutually exclusive selection parameters are used to set the current pulping process to select either vacuum operation or nitrogen operation.

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