New energy electrode coating steam humidification system

Abstract

The utility model provides a new energy electrode coating steam humidifying system which is applied to an existing drying oven, is provided with a PLC control system, communicates with the drying oven and controls the humidifying system, and comprises a steam generator and a steam spraying rod, the steam generator generates saturated steam and sends the saturated steam into the steam spraying rod, and the steam spraying rod sprays the saturated steam into the drying oven. The steam spraying rod is arranged in an air inlet pipe preset on a drying oven circulating air pipe, the steam sending-out direction of the steam spraying rod is opposite to the airflow flowing direction of the drying oven circulating air pipe, and a steam-water separator and a proportional valve are sequentially arranged on a pipeline between the steam generator and the steam spraying rod. According to the invention, saturated steam is adopted to meet the humidifying requirement of the oven.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of battery production equipment technology, and in particular to a steam humidification system for coating negative electrodes in new energy applications. Background Technology

[0002] In battery production, electrode coating is a critical step, and its quality directly affects battery performance. During the drying process of the coating, humidity control is paramount. Precise control of humidity within the drying environment can effectively prevent problems such as coating cracking, edge curling, crack detachment, and reduced production capacity, thereby ensuring the quality of the negative electrode material.

[0003] When the existing drying oven is in operation, the stable operating temperature inside the oven is approximately 180℃, and the humidity range is 20–50 g / m³. 3 (Due to variations in product models), and the humidity increase inside the oven relies on the moisture evaporated during the drying of the negative electrode material itself. During this process, if the magnetic filter is not coated, changed, replaced, or repaired for an extended period, the humidity inside the oven will drop sharply. When the electrode material is first placed inside the oven, due to the high temperature and low humidity, the humidity level is not within the stable operating range, causing the newly introduced negative electrode material to dry too quickly, resulting in defects such as coating cracking, edge curling, and peeling. Figure 2 As shown, the humidity inside the oven only meets the drying process requirements after running for 10 minutes (the time varies depending on the anode material and drying process). Furthermore, the oven operation is batch-based, resulting in significant waste of anode material. Reducing this waste could increase a company's competitiveness.

[0004] Pre-increasing humidity in the oven is a major industry approach to reduce material waste. For example, spraying atomized water into the oven or circulating air duct, as in Chinese patent "A Lithium Battery Aqueous Negative Electrode Coating Drying System" (application number "202311318622.4"), employs this method. However, in practical applications, firstly, the atomized water is still liquid and requires time to vaporize after entering the oven, absorbing heat during vaporization and causing uneven temperatures before and after entering the oven. Secondly, liquid water that cannot vaporize quickly accumulates and drips onto the electrode material, causing damage. Therefore, this method cannot quickly achieve the required stable humidity level. Another approach is to add steam humidification, as in Chinese patent "An Oven Humidification Structure" (application number "202420783868.2"). This method does not clearly define the effect of surface humidification. Furthermore, this patent includes a drainage structure, indicating that condensation will still occur after steam is applied, posing a risk of damage to the electrode material. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention discloses a new energy electrode coating steam humidification system, applicable to existing ovens. It incorporates a PLC control system that communicates with the oven and controls the humidification system. The system includes a steam generator and a steam spray bar. The steam generator produces saturated steam, which is fed into the steam spray bar. The steam spray bar is positioned inside a pre-installed air inlet pipe on the oven's circulating air duct, with the steam output direction of the spray bar opposite to the airflow direction of the oven's circulating air duct. The saturated steam allows for rapid diffusion and provides pure vaporized moisture without residual water stains, thus meeting the requirement for uniform humidification within the oven. In contrast, conventional humidification methods, such as atomization humidification, involve spraying water mist. Since water mist vaporization requires temperature and time, some unvaporized water mist enters the oven and condenses into droplets, dripping onto the negative electrode material and causing it to become unusable.

[0006] A steam-water separator and a proportional valve are sequentially installed on the pipeline between the steam generator and the steam nozzle. The steam-water separator dries the steam, and the PLC control system regulates the opening and closing degree of the proportional valve to control the amount of saturated steam delivered.

[0007] Preferably, the humidification system also includes a pure water tank, which supplies pure water to the steam generator. The pure water is deionized water, which avoids introducing contamination into the drying oven and ensures the quality of the negative electrode material.

[0008] Preferably, multiple steam generators are provided, and the output ends of the multiple steam generators are connected to a steam distribution cylinder, which is connected to the input end of a steam-water separator. The multiple steam generators are configured to meet the humidification requirements of the oven.

[0009] Preferably, the humidification system also includes a wastewater tank to collect the condensate generated by the humidification system. Furthermore, a steam trap is installed on the steam delivery pipeline to collect the condensate generated on the steam pipeline and send it to the wastewater tank, where the collected condensate awaits further treatment.

[0010] Preferably, a magnetic filter is installed on the pipeline between the steam generator and the pure water tank. This filter uses magnetic attraction to adsorb any metallic substances that may be present in the pure water, ensuring the purity of the water entering the steam generator. This is because metallic substances have a significant impact on the quality of the negative electrode material, and in severe cases, can cause short circuits in the produced battery cells.

[0011] Preferably, the air inlet and outlet pipes of the oven's circulating air duct are each equipped with a temperature and humidity sensor, with the temperature and humidity sensor on the air inlet pipe installed downstream of the steam spray bar. That is, two sets of temperature and humidity sensors are used to detect parameter changes before and after humidification and feed them back to the PLC control system.

[0012] Preferably, the maximum working pressure of the steam generator is 0.7 MPa, the pressure inside the steam spray bar 6 is 0.2 MPa-0.3 MPa, and the temperature of the saturated steam during pipeline transportation is slightly lower than the temperature inside the oven. Therefore, after the saturated steam is sent into the oven, its main function is humidification, and its impact on the temperature is small.

[0013] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0014] 1. Saturated steam is introduced into the circulating air duct of the oven. First, the temperature of the saturated steam is slightly lower than the temperature inside the oven, meaning that the saturated steam will not liquefy and accumulate to form water droplets, thus not affecting the negative electrode material. Second, the saturated steam can diffuse quickly and provide pure vaporized water, with no residual water stains, which can meet the requirements for uniform humidification inside the oven.

[0015] 2. The direction of the saturated steam delivered by the steam nozzle is opposite to the airflow direction of the oven's circulating air duct, forming turbulence, which makes the saturated steam evenly distributed.

[0016] 3. The humidification system is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors and a proportional valve. Before the oven is turned on, the PLC control system of the humidification system receives a signal instruction and the steam generator achieves rapid heating according to the predetermined parameter settings. After the humidification demand is met, the PLC control system adjusts the opening and closing degree of the proportional valve to achieve precise control of the humidity value inside the oven.

[0017] 4. The humidification system has a standby function. During the operation of the oven, it can start at any time according to the signal value of the temperature and humidity sensor read by the PLC control system, so it can supply saturated steam in a quantitative manner at any time to meet the humidification needs of production.

[0018] 5. In summary, the application of the humidification system of this invention can significantly reduce the defect rate, save raw material costs, and enhance the market competitiveness and customer satisfaction of enterprises. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 A graph showing the change in humidity inside the oven over time before applying this solution;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a graph showing the change in humidity inside the oven over time after applying this solution.

[0022] List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0023] 1. Steam generator; 2. Magnetic filter; 3. Wastewater tank; 4. Pure water tank; 5. Oven circulating air duct; 6. Steam spray bar; 7. Proportional valve; 8. Steam-water separator; 9. Steam distribution cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the following specific embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, and the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, a new energy electrode coating steam humidification system is applied to an existing oven and is equipped with a PLC control system that communicates with the oven. Specifically, the system sends an operation command to the PLC control system at least 15 minutes before the oven starts operation and controls the humidification system. Upon receiving the signal command, the PLC control system controls the humidification system to generate steam and controls the steam temperature, pressure, and delivery rate. The humidification system includes a steam generator 1 and a steam spray bar 6. The steam generator 1 includes a boiler with heat preservation capabilities, an electric heating element, and a steam outlet. Furthermore, a level gauge, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor are installed on the boiler to monitor the operation of the steam generator 1 in real time. After the steam generator 1 finishes operation, it enters a heat preservation standby state, maintaining stable temperature and pressure values. When steam is needed, it can immediately deliver steam and meet the humidity requirements of the oven within 3 minutes. Steam generator 1 generates saturated steam and sends it into steam nozzle 6. Steam nozzle 6 is equipped with a nozzle to send out the saturated steam. Steam nozzle 6 is located inside the pre-set air inlet pipe on the oven circulation duct 5. That is, the saturated steam humidifies the oven. The steam sending direction of steam nozzle 6 is opposite to the airflow direction of oven circulation duct 5. The purpose is that after the saturated steam is sent out, it convects with the airflow of oven circulation duct 5 and generates turbulence, so that the saturated steam and the original airflow are mixed evenly.

[0026] A steam-water separator 8 and a proportional valve 7 are sequentially installed on the pipeline between the steam generator 1 and the steam nozzle 6. That is, after the steam passes through the steam-water separator 8, the dryness of the steam is increased, and the PLC control system controls the opening and closing degree of the proportional valve 7, thereby realizing the steam delivery rate.

[0027] The humidification system also includes a pure water tank 4, which supplies pure water to the steam generator 1. A level gauge is installed on the pure water tank 4; when the pure water level in the tank is insufficient, an external pure water pipeline automatically replenishes the tank. A water pump is also provided, which pumps the pure water from the tank 4 into the steam generator 1.

[0028] Multiple steam generators 1 are provided to meet the humidification requirements inside the oven. The output ends of the multiple steam generators 1 are connected to the steam distribution cylinder 9, which is connected to the input end of the steam-water separator 8. The steam distribution cylinder 9 is used to collect the steam generated by all the steam generators 1.

[0029] The humidification system also includes a wastewater tank 3, which collects the condensate generated by the humidification system, temporarily stores the condensate, and facilitates centralized treatment. In addition, a steam trap is installed on the steam delivery pipeline to collect the condensate generated in the pipeline and send it into the wastewater tank 3 through the pipeline.

[0030] A magnetic filter 2 is installed on the pipeline between the steam generator 1 and the pure water tank 4. The magnetic filter 2 is used to remove any metal substances that may be present in the pipeline, ensuring the quality of the pure water and acting as a safeguard for the subsequent operation of the system. In addition, the magnetic filter 2 needs to be cleaned and inspected regularly.

[0031] Temperature and humidity sensors are installed in both the inlet and outlet ducts of the oven's circulating air duct 5. The temperature and humidity sensors are model DMP5, brand VAISALA, and the sensor in the inlet duct is installed downstream of the steam spray bar 6. The temperature and humidity sensors monitor the temperature and humidity inside the oven before and after humidification, and then feed this information back to the PLC control system. The PLC control system then precisely regulates the proportional valve 7.

[0032] The maximum working pressure of the steam generator 1 is 0.7 MPa, and the working pressure inside the steam spray bar 6 is 0.2 MPa-0.3 MPa.

[0033] In practical applications, during the batch replacement process of an oven in a certain negative electrode material drying production line, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the humidity inside the oven drops sharply, reaching 3 g / m³ in about 5 minutes. As the negative electrode material is reintroduced into the oven, the humidity reaches the required value of 20 g / m³ and stabilizes after about 10 minutes, thanks to the moisture in the slurry itself.

[0034] After applying the technical solution of this type of oven, once the humidity inside the oven falls below the required set value (e.g., 20g / m³), the humidification system PLC system of this solution regulates proportional valve 7 to immediately input saturated steam, and within 3 minutes, the required humidification value of 20g / m³ inside the oven is reached. Figure 3 As shown, ensure that the humidity level inside the oven meets the operational requirements when the negative electrode material is reintroduced.

[0035] According to statistics, the average batch change frequency of the aforementioned negative electrode material drying oven production line is approximately 7.2 times per day, with a defective quantity of 35 meters per batch. The material unit price is 16.97 yuan per meter, resulting in a defect cost of 4276.44 yuan per day. However, after applying this solution, the defective quantity is reduced to 15 meters per batch, and the defect cost is 1832.76 yuan per day. Therefore, the application of the humidification system in this solution can significantly reduce the defect rate, save raw material costs, and enhance the company's market competitiveness and customer satisfaction.

[0036] The technical means disclosed in this invention are not limited to those disclosed in the above embodiments, but also include technical solutions composed of any combination of the above technical features.

Claims

1. A new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system, applied to an existing oven, and provided with a PLC control system, in communication with the oven and controlling the humidification system, characterized in that, Includes a steam generator (1) and a steam spray bar (6). The steam generator (1) generates saturated steam and sends it into the steam spray bar (6). The steam spray bar (6) is set inside the air inlet pipe of the oven circulation duct (5). The steam delivery direction of the steam spray bar (6) is opposite to the airflow direction of the oven circulation duct (5). A steam-water separator (8) and a proportional valve (7) are sequentially installed on the pipeline between the steam generator (1) and the steam nozzle (6).

2. The new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The humidification system also includes a pure water tank (4), which supplies pure water to the steam generator (1).

3. The new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steam generator (1) is provided in multiple ways, and the output end of the multiple steam generators (1) is connected to the steam distribution cylinder (9), which is connected to the input end of the steam-water separator (8).

4. The new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The humidification system also includes a wastewater tank (3) to collect the condensate generated by the humidification system.

5. The new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A magnetic filter (2) is installed on the pipeline between the steam generator (1) and the pure water tank (4).

6. The new energy electrode coating vapor humidification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The oven circulating air duct (5) is equipped with temperature and humidity sensors in both the inlet and outlet pipes, and the temperature and humidity sensor in the inlet pipe is installed downstream of the steam spray bar (6).

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