Lithium battery material drying equipment

Abstract

The lithium battery material drying equipment comprises a shell and two sets of heat exchange systems, the two sets of heat exchange systems are installed in the shell in an up-down parallel mode, each heat exchange system comprises a fresh air channel and an air return channel, the fresh air channels and the air return channels are distributed in a crossed mode, and sensible heat exchangers are arranged at the crossed positions; one end of the fresh air channel is connected with an air outlet, one end of the air return channel is connected with an air outlet, a first micro-channel heat exchanger is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the air outlet, and an evaporator is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the air outlet. An electric heater is further arranged between the first micro-channel heat exchanger and the air outlet. The first micro-channel heat exchanger is adopted as the condenser, the production cost is reduced, and electric shock accidents are avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of household appliances, and particularly to a drying device for lithium battery materials. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, as a core component of new energy vehicles, lithium batteries have a crucial impact on the performance of new energy vehicles. Therefore, the drying treatment of lithium battery materials has become an important link in improving the performance and quality of lithium batteries. As a result, the demand for lithium battery material drying equipment is increasing continuously. With the continuous progress and innovation of technology, the performance and quality of lithium battery material drying equipment are also improving continuously, providing strong support for the development of the lithium battery industry. However, at present, finned heat exchangers are mostly used for evaporators and condensers in drying equipment. Since finned heat exchangers are made of copper materials, they not only have high costs but also have strong electrical conductivity, posing safety hazards such as electric shock. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] The purpose of the embodiments of this application is to provide a drying device for lithium battery materials, which uses a first microchannel heat exchanger as a condenser to reduce production costs and avoid the occurrence of electric shock accidents.

[0004] To achieve the above object, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] On the one hand, a drying device for lithium battery materials is provided, including: a housing and two sets of heat exchange systems. The two sets of heat exchange systems are installed parallel to each other up and down inside the housing. The heat exchange system includes a fresh air channel and a return air channel. The fresh air channel and the return air channel are cross-distributed, and a sensible heat exchanger is arranged at the cross position. One end of the fresh air channel is connected to an air outlet, and one end of the return air channel is connected to an air discharge port. A first microchannel heat exchanger is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the air outlet, and an evaporator is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the air discharge port. An electric heater is also arranged between the first microchannel heat exchanger and the air outlet.

[0006] Further, the other end of the return air channel is connected to a return air inlet, and a return air valve is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the return air inlet. When the return air valve is opened, the air introduced from the return air inlet can enter the channel between the sensible heat exchanger and the air outlet.

[0007] Further, the first microchannel heat exchanger includes two heat exchange bodies arranged side by side. A refrigerant inlet is arranged on one heat exchange body, and a refrigerant outlet is arranged on the other heat exchange body. A refrigerant delivery pipe is connected between the two heat exchange bodies.

[0008] Further, the heat exchanger includes two circular headers arranged at intervals, and a plurality of flat tubes connected between the two circular headers. A plurality of microchannels are arranged inside the flat tubes.

[0009] Further, the production materials of the circular header, the flat tube, and the microchannel are all aluminum alloy.

[0010] Further, the other end of the fresh air passage is connected to a fresh air inlet, and the fresh air inlet is arranged at the top of the housing.

[0011] Further, the evaporator is a second microchannel heat exchanger.

[0012] Further, the air outlet is arranged on the side surface of the housing.

[0013] Further, the exhaust outlet is arranged at the top of the housing.

[0014] Further, the electric heater includes a plurality of heating rods, and each heating rod is evenly installed at intervals at the air outlet.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the present application are as follows: Two heat exchange systems are arranged inside the equipment. These two systems are installed in parallel up and down and respectively include a fresh air passage and a return air passage. The fresh air passage is used to introduce fresh and relatively cold air, while the return air passage is used to circulate the internally heated air. A sensible heat exchanger is arranged at the crossing position of the fresh air passage and the return air passage. Through the sensible heat exchanger, the fresh air and the return air exchange heat, so that the fresh air is preheated before entering the lithium battery material drying area, and the return air is cooled before being discharged, thereby improving the energy utilization efficiency. A first microchannel heat exchanger is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the air outlet. The first microchannel heat exchanger uses a microchannel structure to enable the cold and hot fluids to fully contact and exchange heat within a very short distance, thereby realizing further heating or cooling of the air. Due to the structural characteristics of the first microchannel heat exchanger, it can achieve efficient heat exchange and uses non-conductive materials, thus avoiding safety hazards such as electric shock caused by copper materials. An evaporator is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger and the exhaust outlet. The evaporator is used to evaporate the liquid refrigerant into a gas and absorb the heat in the air, thereby achieving a cooling effect. An electric heater is also arranged between the first microchannel heat exchanger and the air outlet, which is used to provide additional heat when needed to meet different drying requirements. Using the first microchannel heat exchanger to replace the traditional fin heat exchanger not only reduces the material cost, but also reduces the complexity and maintenance cost of the equipment. Since the first microchannel heat exchanger is made of non-conductive materials, it avoids safety hazards such as electric shock caused by copper materials and improves the safety performance of the equipment. At the same time, the first microchannel heat exchanger has high heat exchange performance and can quickly transfer heat to the air or absorb heat from the air, thereby improving the overall performance of the drying equipment. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] The following further describes the present application in detail with reference to the drawings and embodiments.

[0017] Figure 1 It is a perspective view of the drying equipment for lithium battery materials according to the embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the first microchannel heat exchanger according to the embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the heat exchange system according to the embodiment of the present application.

[0020] In the figure: 1, housing; 2, heat exchange system; 201, fresh air duct; 202, return air duct; 3, air outlet; 4, air return port; 5, fresh air inlet; 6, exhaust port; 7, electric heater; 8, first microchannel heat exchanger; 801, heat exchange body; 802, refrigerant inlet; 803, refrigerant outlet; 804, refrigerant delivery pipe; 8011, circular header; 8012, flat tube; 9, sensible heat exchanger; 10, evaporator; 11, return air valve. Detailed Embodiments

[0021] To make the technical problems solved by the present application, the technical solutions adopted and the achieved technical effects clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application are further described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application.

[0022] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the internal communication of two components or the interaction relationship between two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to specific situations.

[0023] In this application, unless otherwise clearly defined and limited, the first feature being "on" or "under" the second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but in contact through additional features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being "above", "over" and "on top of" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a higher horizontal height than the second feature. The first feature being "under", "beneath" and "underneath" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or merely indicating that the first feature has a lower horizontal height than the second feature.

[0024] As Figures 1 - 3 As shown, this embodiment provides a drying device for lithium battery materials, comprising: a housing 1 and two sets of heat exchange systems 2. The two sets of the heat exchange systems 2 are installed in parallel up and down inside the housing 1. The heat exchange system 2 includes a fresh air passage 201 and a return air passage 202. The fresh air passage 201 and the return air passage 202 are cross-distributed, and a sensible heat exchanger 9 is arranged at the cross position. One end of the fresh air passage 201 is connected to an air outlet 3, and one end of the return air passage 202 is connected to an air exhaust port 6. A first microchannel heat exchanger 8 is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air outlet 3, and an evaporator 10 is arranged between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air exhaust port 6. An electric heater 7 is further arranged between the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 and the air outlet 3.

[0025] Based on the above solution, two heat exchange systems 2 are installed inside the device. These two systems are installed parallel to each other vertically and respectively include a fresh air channel 201 and a return air channel 202. The fresh air channel 201 is used to introduce fresh and relatively cold air, while the return air channel 202 is used to circulate the already heated air inside. A sensible heat exchanger 9 is provided at the intersection of the fresh air channel 201 and the return air channel 202. Through the sensible heat exchanger 9, heat exchange occurs between the fresh air and the return air, enabling the fresh air to be preheated before entering the lithium battery material drying area, and the return air to be cooled before being discharged, thereby improving the energy utilization efficiency. A first microchannel heat exchanger 8 is provided between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air outlet 3. The first microchannel heat exchanger 8 utilizes a microchannel structure to enable the hot and cold fluids to fully contact and exchange heat within a very short distance, thereby achieving further heating or cooling of the air. Due to the structural characteristics of the first microchannel heat exchanger 8, it can achieve efficient heat exchange and uses non-conductive materials, thus avoiding safety hazards such as electric shock caused by copper materials. An evaporator 10 is provided between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air exhaust port 6. The evaporator 10 is used to evaporate the liquid refrigerant into a gas and absorb the heat in the air, thereby achieving a cooling effect. An electric heater 7 is also provided between the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 and the air outlet 3, which is used to provide additional heat when needed to meet different drying requirements. Using the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 to replace the traditional fin heat exchanger not only reduces the material cost but also reduces the complexity and maintenance cost of the device. Since the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 is made of non-conductive materials, it avoids safety hazards such as electric shock caused by copper materials and improves the safety performance of the device. At the same time, the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 has high-efficiency heat exchange performance and can quickly transfer heat to the air or absorb heat from the air, thereby improving the overall performance of the drying device.

[0026] In some embodiments, the other end of the return air duct 202 is connected to a return air outlet 4, and a return air valve 11 is disposed between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the return air outlet 4. When the return air valve 11 is opened, the air introduced from the return air outlet 4 can enter the channel between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air outlet 3. The other end of the return air duct 202 is connected to the return air outlet 4, and the return air valve 11 is disposed between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the return air outlet 4. This design allows the device to control the air flow rate entering from the return air outlet 4 by adjusting the opening and closing of the return air valve 11 under specific working conditions. In the normal drying mode, the return air valve 11 is closed, and the air in the return air duct 202 is mainly cooled by the evaporator 10 and discharged through the exhaust outlet 6. At the same time, the fresh air in the fresh air duct 201 is heated by the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 and then enters the drying area of the lithium battery material through the air outlet 3. In some cases, to improve the drying efficiency or save energy, the device can be switched to the return air mode. In the return air mode, the return air valve 11 is opened, allowing the air entering from the return air outlet 4 to directly enter the channel between the sensible heat exchanger 9 and the air outlet 3. This part of the air no longer passes through the sensible heat exchanger 9, increasing the air volume and making full use of the return air with residual heat, and finally entering the drying area through the air outlet 3. By providing the return air valve 11 and the return air duct 202, the device can flexibly switch the working mode according to different drying requirements or environmental conditions, improving the adaptability and flexibility of the device.

[0027] Further, the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 includes two heat exchange bodies 801 arranged side by side. A refrigerant inlet 802 is provided on one heat exchange body 801, and a refrigerant outlet 803 is provided on the other heat exchange body 801. A refrigerant delivery pipe 804 is connected between the two heat exchange bodies 801. The heat exchange body 801 includes two circular headers 8011 arranged at intervals and a plurality of flat tubes 8012 connected between the two circular headers 8011. A plurality of microchannels are provided in the flat tubes 8012. The first microchannel heat exchanger 8 is composed of two heat exchange bodies 801 arranged side by side. Such a design can increase the heat exchange area and improve the heat exchange efficiency. A refrigerant inlet 802 is provided on one heat exchange body 801 for introducing a cooling medium, such as a refrigerant; a refrigerant outlet 803 is provided on the other heat exchange body 801 for discharging the cooling medium after heat exchange. The two heat exchange bodies 801 are connected by a refrigerant delivery pipe 804 to ensure the circulation of the cooling medium between the two heat exchange bodies 801 and realize the transfer of heat. Each heat exchange body 801 is composed of two circular headers 8011 arranged at intervals and a plurality of flat tubes 8012 connected between the two circular headers 8011. A plurality of microchannels are provided inside the flat tubes 8012. The equivalent diameter of these microchannels is usually between 10 - 1000 μm. Such a microchannel structure can greatly improve the heat transfer efficiency. Due to the small size and large surface area of the microchannels, the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 has excellent heat transfer and mass transfer performance. Compared with traditional heat exchangers, the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 can achieve higher heat exchange efficiency, lower energy consumption, and smaller volume and weight. In addition, since it is made of non-conductive materials, such as stainless steel or aluminum alloy, etc., potential safety hazards such as electric shock are avoided, and the safety of the equipment is improved.

[0028] Specifically, the circular headers 8011, the flat tubes 8012, and the microchannels are all made of aluminum alloy. Aluminum alloy becomes an ideal material for manufacturing the first microchannel heat exchanger 8 due to its excellent properties, such as good thermal conductivity, high strength, corrosion resistance, and good workability. Commonly used aluminum alloy materials include 6061 aluminum, 3003 aluminum, etc. These aluminum alloy materials not only have the above excellent properties but also can select suitable aluminum alloy models according to specific requirements in different application scenarios. Aluminum alloy has excellent thermal conductivity and can quickly transfer heat from the microchannels to the flat tubes 8012 and the circular headers 8011, thus realizing efficient heat exchange; it also has high strength and corrosion resistance and can maintain stable performance in various complex working environments; at the same time, aluminum alloy materials have good workability and can manufacture microchannel structures through various methods such as machining, chemical etching, and electrochemical machining to meet different design requirements.

[0029] It is worth mentioning that the drying equipment for lithium battery materials is an important application field of the first microchannel heat exchanger 8. The first microchannel heat exchanger 8 made of aluminum alloy materials can not only reduce production costs and improve safety, but also improve the heat exchange efficiency, meeting the strict control requirements of environmental parameters such as temperature and humidity during the drying process of lithium battery materials.

[0030] Optionally, the other end of the fresh air channel 201 is connected to a fresh air inlet 5, and the fresh air inlet 5 is arranged at the top of the housing 1. Setting the fresh air inlet 5 at the top of the housing 1 can utilize the principle of hot air rising, enabling the newly introduced cold air to mix and exchange more naturally with the internal hot air, thereby optimizing the air circulation inside the drying equipment. Since the fresh air inlet 5 is located at the top of the housing 1, compared with the bottom or side, it is less likely to be affected by ground dust and pollutants, which helps to maintain the cleanliness of the air entering the drying equipment, and thus protects the lithium battery materials from being contaminated. In addition, setting the fresh air inlet 5 at the top of the housing 1 facilitates the installation, inspection and cleaning work of the staff. Moreover, if it is necessary to add an air filtration device or equipment for adjusting the air volume, the fresh air inlet 5 set at the top is also easier to connect and integrate with them.

[0031] Generally speaking, the evaporator 10 preferably selects the second microchannel heat exchanger. By increasing the heat transfer area and enhancing the heat exchange effect, the second microchannel heat exchanger can achieve a higher heat transfer efficiency in the same space. Compared with traditional heat exchangers, the heat utilization rate of the second microchannel heat exchanger can be increased by more than 50%. Moreover, the second microchannel heat exchanger is small in volume, which can not only save the installation space, but also help to reduce the system load and improve the system operation efficiency. The second microchannel heat exchanger is more suitable for use as the evaporator 10 in terms of design and performance. Its high-efficiency heat exchange ability and small size characteristics enable it to meet the requirements of the evaporator 10 for refrigeration effect and system integration. In addition, selecting the microchannel heat exchanger as the evaporator 10 helps to improve the overall energy-saving performance of the equipment, reduce the operation cost, and meet the current requirements for environmental protection and sustainable development.

[0032] In some embodiments, the air outlet 3 is arranged on the side of the housing 1, and the exhaust outlet 6 is arranged at the top of the housing 1. Setting the air outlet 3 on the side of the housing 1 can ensure a more uniform air flow distribution of the drying air in the lithium battery material area. This layout helps to achieve more efficient heat exchange and a more uniform drying effect; setting the exhaust outlet 6 at the top of the housing 1 can utilize the natural phenomenon of hot air rising, enabling the hot air to be discharged more smoothly outside the equipment, reducing the retention of heat inside the equipment, and thus improving the drying efficiency. At the same time, the design of the side air outlet 3 can reduce the collision of the air flow with the housing 1 or other components, thereby reducing the noise level.

[0033] Preferably, the electric heater 7 includes a plurality of heating rods, and each of the heating rods is evenly installed at intervals in the air outlet 3. By evenly installing the heating rods at intervals in the air outlet 3, it can ensure that the drying air is evenly heated when passing through the air outlet 3. This uniform heating helps to achieve temperature consistency on the surface of the lithium battery material, avoiding local overheating or insufficient temperature, thereby improving the drying effect and product quality. The evenly distributed heating rods can utilize electric energy more effectively, reduce energy loss, help reduce the energy consumption of the drying equipment, improve energy utilization efficiency, and meet the requirements of energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0034] In the description of this article, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationships such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", etc. are only for the convenience of description and simplifying the operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation to this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0035] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to terms such as "one embodiment", "example", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0036] In addition, it should be understood that although this specification is described according to the embodiments, not each embodiment only includes an independent technical solution. This narrative way of the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0037] The technical principle of this application has been described above in combination with specific embodiments. These descriptions are only for explaining the principle of this application and cannot be interpreted in any way as a limitation to the protection scope of this application. Based on the explanations here, those skilled in the art can think of other specific implementation manners of this application without creative labor, and these manners will all fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A lithium battery material drying equipment, characterized in that: include: A shell (1) and two sets of heat exchange systems (2), the two sets of heat exchange systems (2) being installed in parallel up and down inside the shell (1), the heat exchange system (2) comprising a fresh air channel (201) and a return air channel (202), the fresh air channel (201) and the return air channel (202) being cross-distributed, and a sensible heat exchanger (9) being arranged at the cross position, one end of the fresh air channel (201) being connected to an air outlet (3), one end of the return air channel (202) being connected to an exhaust port (6), a first microchannel heat exchanger (8) being arranged between the sensible heat exchanger (9) and the air outlet (3), an evaporator (10) being arranged between the sensible heat exchanger (9) and the exhaust port (6), and an electric heater (7) being arranged between the first microchannel heat exchanger (8) and the air outlet (3).

2. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The other end of the return air channel (202) is connected to a return air port (4), and a return air valve (11) is provided between the sensible heat exchanger (9) and the return air port (4). When the return air valve (11) is opened, the air entering from the return air port (4) can enter the channel between the sensible heat exchanger (9) and the air outlet (3).

3. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first microchannel heat exchanger (8) includes two heat exchange bodies (801) arranged side by side, one of the heat exchange bodies (801) is provided with a refrigerant inlet (802), the other heat exchange body (801) is provided with a refrigerant outlet (803), and a refrigerant delivery pipe (804) is connected between the two heat exchange bodies (801).

4. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The heat exchanger (801) comprises two circular headers (8011) arranged at intervals, and a plurality of flat tubes (8012) connected between the two circular headers (8011), wherein a plurality of microchannels are arranged in the flat tubes (8012).

5. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The circular manifold (8011), the flat tube (8012) and the microchannel are all made of aluminum alloy.

6. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The other end of the fresh air passage (201) is connected to a fresh air outlet (5), and the fresh air outlet (5) is arranged at the top of the shell (1).

7. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The evaporator (10) is a second microchannel heat exchanger.

8. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The air outlet (3) is arranged on a side surface of the housing (1).

9. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The air outlet (6) is arranged at the top of the shell (1).

10. The lithium battery material drying equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The electric heater (7) comprises a plurality of heating rods, each of which is evenly spaced and installed at the air outlet (3).

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