Preparation equipment for new energy positive electrode material

Abstract

The application discloses a preparation equipment for new energy positive electrode materials. The equipment adopts inductive heating cylinder materials, the cylinder materials radiate and heat materials, the heating efficiency is high, and the heat is quickly removed when cooling is needed; the gas fluidization plate with micropores is arranged in the equipment, the calcined positive electrode material precursor materials are in a boiling state under the action of the gas flow, the heat and mass transfer efficiency is high, and the dynamic calcination can prevent the materials from caking; the vibration device is arranged, the materials are prevented from caking, the materials are pushed to move and transmit in the inclined direction, and the materials are continuously and stably fed and discharged; the spatial three-dimensional arrangement can be carried out, the floor area is saved, and investment is saved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of new energy materials technology, specifically to lithium iron phosphate cathode materials, and in particular, to an apparatus for preparing lithium iron phosphate carbon composite cathode materials. Background Technology

[0002] New energy cathode materials, such as lithium iron phosphate carbon composite cathode materials, have made great strides in recent years and have been widely used in energy storage, electric vehicles, power tools and handheld mobile devices.

[0003] Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) is a cathode material with good overall performance and still has great potential for future development. In actual production, the calcination process of LFP is a crucial step that determines its performance and production efficiency. According to an analysis report from the Gaogong Industry Research Institute for Lithium Batteries, this step accounts for 50-65% of the total investment in the production line.

[0004] Therefore, there is a continuous need for improved apparatus and methods for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources, such as lithium iron phosphate cathode materials. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application proposes an improved apparatus for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources, which solves the technical problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] On one hand, this application proposes a preparation device for new energy cathode materials, including a calcination section and a cooling section. Both the calcination section and the cooling section include a cylindrical body. One end of the cylindrical body has a material inlet, and the other end has a material outlet. A microporous fluidizing plate is provided inside the cylindrical body to receive material from the material inlet. A gas inlet is located on the portion of the cylindrical body located on one side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material inlet is located, and a gas outlet is located on the portion of the cylindrical body located on the other side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material outlet is located. The cylindrical body of the calcination section includes a material capable of inductively heating. An electromagnetic induction heater is provided outside the cylindrical body of the calcination section. The cylindrical bodies of both the calcination section and the cooling section are connected to corresponding support frames. A vibrator is provided on each support frame to drive the cylindrical body to vibrate, thereby moving the material from the material inlet to the material outlet. The material outlet of the calcination section is connected to the material inlet of the cooling section, and the material outlet of the calcination section is higher than the material inlet of the cooling section. The gas inlet of the calcination section is connected to the gas outlet of the cooling section.

[0007] According to the preparation equipment of this application, the arrangement of the preparation equipment utilizes the space height, thus saving floor space. This application uses a cylindrical body, thus avoiding the technical problems of easy thermal deformation and poor pressure resistance and sealing performance of the cylindrical body in the prior art. The cylindrical body of this application uses a material capable of inductive heating, so the cylindrical body itself can be inductively heated. The inductive heater can directly heat the cylindrical body to a high temperature, becoming a heat storage body to radiate heat to the lithium iron phosphate composite material and nitrogen gas inside the equipment; electromagnetic waves passing through the cylindrical body can also directly heat the lithium iron phosphate composite material, resulting in high inductive utilization efficiency. Simultaneously, the preparation equipment of this application heats materials in a fluidized state, achieving high thermal efficiency and good energy-saving effect, saving 30% to 60% more energy than a typical pusher kiln roasting device; its heating efficiency is orders of magnitude higher than that of a roller kiln, because the material inside the sagger of a roller kiln is in a relatively static state during calcination, and external heat needs to be transferred to the material through the surface of the sagger. Therefore, the specific surface area of ​​the heat transfer interface is much smaller than the heat exchange contact area of ​​the material in a fluidized state. For a unit mass of calcined material, the interfacial heat transfer area of ​​this application is many times that of a roller kiln. This application maintains the material in a fluidized state, avoiding the technical problem of material agglomeration and eliminating the additional coarse crushing process required before further demagnetization, screening, and pulverization, thus saving costs. The preparation equipment of this application uses an electromagnetic induction heater for heating, achieving rapid and efficient heating, low heat capacity upon stopping heating, easy heat removal, and short cooling time, which can shorten maintenance time. The preparation equipment of this application uses a rollerless conveyor mechanism, resulting in a low failure rate and low maintenance costs. The preparation equipment of this application combines a vibratory movement method with fluidized material, so the material layer thickness, internal movement speed, and amplitude can all be arbitrarily adjusted within the design range, offering good adjustability and wide applicability.

[0008] Preferably, the preparation equipment further includes a dehydration section, which includes a cylindrical body. One end of the cylindrical body has a material inlet, and the other end has a material outlet. A microporous fluidizing plate is disposed within the cylindrical body to receive material from the material inlet. A gas inlet is located on the portion of the cylindrical body on one side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material inlet is located, and a gas outlet is located on the portion of the cylindrical body on the other side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material outlet is located. The cylindrical body of the dehydration section comprises a material capable of inductive heating. An electromagnetic induction heater is disposed outside the cylindrical body of the dehydration section. The cylindrical body of the dehydration section is connected to a corresponding support frame, and a vibrator is disposed on the support frame to drive the cylindrical body to vibrate, thereby moving the material from the material inlet to the material outlet. The material outlet of the cylindrical body of the dehydration section is connected to the material inlet of the calcination section, and the material outlet of the dehydration section is higher than the material inlet of the calcination section.

[0009] The preparation equipment in this application includes a dehydration section, which removes free water and water from sugar molecules. This avoids the production impact caused by moisture absorption by the yellow material and also prevents the gasification reaction between water and carbon during the high-temperature stage of sugar dehydration, thus avoiding any impact on product quality. It solves the dehydration problem associated with lithium iron phosphate reaction, preventing water released from the sugar reaction from continuing to undergo a gasification reaction with the carbon formed by lithium iron phosphate coating at high temperatures, thereby affecting the carbon coating effect.

[0010] Preferably, the preparation equipment includes at least two calcination sections, with the material outlets and material inlets of the at least two calcination sections connected in series, so that material entering through the material inlet of one of the calcination sections passes through the at least two calcination sections and then enters the cooling section.

[0011] The preparation equipment of this application allows for adjustment of the length of the calcination section according to actual needs. Furthermore, each calcination section employs the same structure, thus enabling unitized production, storage, and installation, thereby reducing production, storage, and installation costs.

[0012] Preferably, the preparation equipment includes at least two dehydration sections, and the material outlets and material inlets of the at least two dehydration sections are connected in series, so that the material entering through the material inlet of one of the dehydration sections enters the roasting section after passing through the at least two dehydration sections.

[0013] The preparation equipment of this application allows for adjustment of the length of the dewatering section according to actual needs. Furthermore, each dewatering section employs the same structure, thus enabling unitized production, storage, and installation, thereby reducing production, storage, and installation costs.

[0014] Preferably, the cylindrical body of the preparation equipment includes thermal insulation material disposed outside the cylindrical body, and the electromagnetic induction heater is disposed outside the thermal insulation material.

[0015] The preparation equipment of this application avoids heat dissipation, making full use of induction heating and further improving heating efficiency.

[0016] Preferably, the microporous fluidized plate of the preparation device includes a plurality of small-sized fluidized plates, which are laid out in a fish-scale pattern to form the microporous fluidized plate.

[0017] The fluidized plate of the preparation equipment of this application adopts a small plate fish scale arrangement, which solves the problem of thermal expansion of high temperature resistant materials under large size, solves the problem of large-size fluidized plates being easily broken at high temperature, prevents fine materials from leaking to the lower side of the plate, and makes the gas distribution more uniform.

[0018] Preferably, the microporous fluidized plate of the preparation device has a fluidized plate pore size of less than 10 micrometers.

[0019] The pore size selected in this application is less than 10 micrometers, which ensures uniform gas distribution, good fluidization, low fluidization gas consumption, and low nitrogen consumption.

[0020] Preferably, the material that can sense heat in the preparation equipment includes stainless steel.

[0021] This application uses heat-resistant and high-temperature-resistant stainless steel, which makes the equipment easy to process and reduces costs.

[0022] This application also proposes a method for preparing new energy cathode materials using the above-mentioned preparation equipment, comprising the following steps: introducing the material into the material inlet of the calcination section; starting the vibrator; introducing pressurized fluidizing gas into the gas inlet of the cooling section, and maintaining the exhaust pressure of the gas outlet of the cooling section at a level higher than atmospheric pressure; and maintaining the exhaust pressure of the gas outlet of the calcination section at a level higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0023] This application employs positive pressure exhaust to prevent ambient air from leaking into the system and affecting product quality. Furthermore, this application utilizes a fanless design, solving the problem of short lifespan for high-temperature fans.

[0024] Preferably, the preparation method further includes the following step: maintaining the exhaust pressure of the gas outlet of the dehydration section at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.

[0025] This application prevents ambient air and moisture from leaking into the dehumidification section, thus affecting product quality. Furthermore, this application employs a fanless design, solving the problem of short service life for high-temperature fans.

[0026] Preferably, the preparation method includes an exhaust pressure of 1 kPa in the calcination section.

[0027] In this application, the exhaust pressure of the roasting section is set to 1 kPa, which maintains positive pressure exhaust while taking into account the energy consumption of maintaining positive pressure exhaust, thus achieving a better technical effect. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will become more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. Several exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are illustrated in the drawings in an exemplary and non-limiting manner.

[0029] Figure 1 This application shows a schematic diagram of the calcination section, dehydration section, and cooling section of the equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials.

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a device for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources according to an embodiment of this application is shown;

[0031] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the construction of an apparatus for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources according to another embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] For lithium iron phosphate production, the commonly used calcining furnace is the roller kiln. This type of kiln consists of a long tunnel and a series of saggers arranged within the tunnel, along with their conveying mechanism. To ensure heat transfer efficiency during the firing process and to guarantee the uniformity of the fired product's performance, the capacity of each sagger is usually not very large. Therefore, the capacity of a single production line is not large, typically below 10,000 tons / year. The conveying of saggers is similar to that of a train. Due to their material properties, saggers cannot be stacked. Heat transfer in the kiln is mainly through radial and conductive heat transfer. To achieve the desired firing effect, a long residence time is required, typically exceeding 20 hours. The residence time is determined by the kiln length and the conveying speed of the saggers. Common production line lengths are usually greater than 100 meters or even exceed 200 meters, resulting in a large footprint. Furthermore, the kiln section needs to operate in a heat-insulated and oxygen-free environment, leading to a significant investment in the production line. The material may clump together during the roasting process in the sagger, so it needs to be coarsely crushed before further demagnetization, screening and pulverization, which increases the number of steps and the unevenness caused by clumping affects the product quality.

[0033] Existing patents CN201811319063.8 and CN202211184296.8 both disclose an apparatus and process based on fluidized bed technology in traditional chemical plants. However, these two methods face technical challenges in lithium iron phosphate preparation, such as the difficulty in achieving high-intensity heat transfer under high-temperature conditions and the difficulty in controlling the roasting residence time. This is because the preparation of lithium iron phosphate differs from the long-duration reaction system of petroleum refining. Furthermore, achieving the desired fluidization level places high demands on the particle size of the lithium iron phosphate precursor and the control of the fluidizing gas velocity. Otherwise, it can lead to poor fluidization, material inhomogeneity, and difficulties in product quality control.

[0034] Existing patent CN211876733U discloses a roasting furnace similar to a commonly used fluidized bed drying system. Compared to the previous two fluidized bed technologies, this patented technology has a drawback: it uses a square box structure for the high-temperature system. This box structure is prone to thermal deformation, resulting in a shorter service life. Furthermore, the square box structure also suffers from poor pressure resistance and sealing performance. To overcome these problems, the existing patent uses an exhaust fan. However, the use of the exhaust fan creates a slight negative pressure inside the furnace, which can easily lead to external air leakage, disrupting the high-purity nitrogen roasting environment and affecting product quality. The heating in this patented technology uses a ceramic heating tube device with resistance wire heating. Resistance heating, compared to inductive heating, suffers from slower response and lower thermal efficiency.

[0035] The existing patent CN102148368B uses an inductive coil wound around the outer wall of a quartz tube furnace to inductively heat the lithium-ion cathode composite material. Because the quartz material in the quartz tube furnace is microwave-transparent, the magnetic field lines penetrate the quartz material and directly heat the lithium-ion cathode precursor. However, due to the poor conductivity and low induction efficiency of lithium-ion materials, and because the magnetic field lines are not uniformly distributed along the tangent of the material, uneven heating is a technical problem.

[0036] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a preparation equipment and method for new energy cathode materials. This preparation equipment and method optimizes the calcination equipment and calcination process. In the preparation equipment and method according to this application, the material to be calcined is calcined in a powdered, fluidized state. Besides radiative heat transfer, convective heat transfer plays a crucial role, thus enhancing the heat transfer process, improving calcination efficiency, and significantly shortening the calcination time. The material is dynamically calcined in a powdered state, and remains powdery after calcination, unlike the agglomeration phenomenon that occurs in roller kiln calcination. This reduces the investment and operating costs of equipment for crushing lumpy materials. Furthermore, the calcination equipment can be constructed in multiple sections, arranged linearly or spatially, saving floor space. In summary, investment is significantly reduced, achieving a highly efficient, energy-saving, land-saving, and investment-saving calcination equipment and method.

[0037] The principles of this application will now be described with reference to various exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the description of these embodiments is merely intended to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and further implement this application, and is not intended to limit the scope of this application in any way. It should be noted that similar or identical reference numerals may be used in the figures where feasible, and similar or identical reference numerals may denote similar or identical functions. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods described in this application may be employed without departing from the principles of this application as described herein.

[0038] In this application, the terms "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," "back," "high," "low," "vertical," and "horizontal" refer to the orientations shown in the accompanying drawings, not the orientations in the actual product. Different components in the actual product may have orientations different from those shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0039] The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials disclosed in this application includes a calcination section, a cooling section, and a separate dehydration section. The calcination section, cooling section, and dehydration section have the same structure, such as... Figure 1As shown schematically, however, the cooling section is not equipped with an inductive heater, and the cylinder material of the cooling section may be different from the cylinder material of the calcination section and the dehydration section. Figure 1 Includes the front view and the sectional view of section AA. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the structure includes an electromagnetic induction heater 1, a cylinder 2, a support frame 3, a vibration isolation device 4, a vibrator 5, and a microporous fluidizing plate 6.

[0040] An electromagnetic induction heater 1 is disposed on the outside of the cylinder 2. The electromagnetic induction heater 1 heats the cylinder 2 through electromagnetic induction. Preferably, the electromagnetic induction heater 1 can be disposed outside the insulation layer of the cylinder 2, so that after the cylinder 2 is heated by induction, the insulation layer can keep it warm and prevent the heat of the cylinder 2 from dissipating outward. Preferably, the electromagnetic induction heater 1 can be in the form of a coil wound around the outside of the cylinder 2 or its insulation layer.

[0041] The cylinder 2 is closed at both ends and has a circular cross-section. Although the term "circular" is used in this application to describe the cross-sectional shape of the cylinder 2, the cross-sectional shape of the cylinder 2 is not limited to a perfect circle in a mathematical sense, but also includes other non-perfect circles, such as ellipses. However, it should be clarified that the use of "circular" to describe the cross-sectional shape of the cylinder 2 is to indicate that the cross-section of the cylinder 2 is not square, that is, neither square nor rectangle nor trapezoid, nor any polygon with sharp edges.

[0042] The material of the cylinder 2 is selected as a material capable of induction heating. Induction heating materials are well known in the art and will not be described in detail here. The material of the cylinder 2 allows it to be inductively heated by the electromagnetic induction heater 1. The heated cylinder 2 then heats the material inside the cylinder 2 through radiation heating. It should be noted that, strictly speaking, any material can be electromagnetically inductively heated, as no material is 100% permeable to magnetic field lines. For example, although this application previously stated that quartz is a wave-transparent material, so magnetic field lines penetrate quartz to directly induction heat the lithium-ion cathode material precursor to be heated, quartz is still inductively heated to some extent. However, quartz or materials similar in terms of permeability to magnetic field lines are not the induction heating materials described in this application. The induction heating material in this application refers to a material that can be heated by the electromagnetic induction heater, thereby allowing the cylinder to heat the material inside to the desired temperature through radiation heating. Preferably, the cylinder material of this application should be suitable for the calcination of lithium iron phosphate carbon composite cathode material at temperatures below 800°C. Materials capable of inductive heating include metals and graphite. Preferably, the material of the cylinder 2 is stainless steel, such as Inconel 625 or SUS310 stainless steel.

[0043] The cylinder 2 is equipped with a microporous fluidizing plate 6. The fluidizing plate 6 divides the cylinder 2 into an upper part and a lower part. The upper part of the cylinder 2 is provided with a nitrogen outlet b and a material inlet c; the lower part of the cylinder 2 is provided with a material outlet a and a nitrogen inlet d. The material inlet c is located at the right end of the cylinder 2, and the material outlet a is located at the left end of the cylinder 2.

[0044] The fluidizing plate 6 is configured to receive material entering from the material inlet c, and the material leaving the fluidizing plate 6 can reach the material outlet a under the influence of gravity. The fluidizing plate 6 includes fluidizing holes for allowing gas to pass through. Preferably, the fluidizing plate 6 is a single plate structure. Preferably, the fluidizing plate 6 includes a plurality of small-sized fluidizing plates arranged in a fish-scale pattern. Preferably, the pore size of the fluidizing holes is less than 10 micrometers.

[0045] A support frame 3 is used to support the cylindrical body 2. The support frame 3 can include any suitable structure, as long as it is appropriate for supporting the cylindrical body 2. In some embodiments, the support frame 3 includes two vertical members and one horizontal member, the horizontal member being mounted between the two vertical members. The cylindrical body 2 is supported on the two vertical members. The support frame 3 is supported on the ground or a supporting structure. Preferably, a vibration isolation device 4 is also provided between the support frame 3 and the ground or supporting structure.

[0046] The vibrator 5 is mounted on the support frame 3. When the vibrator 5 is activated, it can drive the support frame 3 and the cylinder 2 to vibrate, allowing the material in the cylinder 2 to move from the right end to the left end of the cylinder 2. Preferably, the vibrator 5 is mounted on the transverse component of the support frame 3.

[0047] The movement principle of the material in the roasting section, dehydration section, and cooling section with the above-described structure is as follows: After entering the cylinder through the material inlet, the material falls onto the microporous fluidized plate. Under the vibration force of the vibrator 5 and the airflow, it is thrown forward continuously in the horizontal direction until it reaches the material outlet of the cylinder. Under the action of airflow and gravity, it leaves the material outlet and enters the material inlet or storage bin connected to the material outlet, and so on.

[0048] Figure 2 An apparatus for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources according to some embodiments of this application is shown. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the preparation equipment adopts a three-section combined design, with the length of the cylinder 2 of the calcination section being, for example, 3 meters. Of course, those skilled in the art can determine the specific lengths of the cylinders 2 of the dehydration section, calcination section, and cooling section according to actual needs.

[0049] like Figure 2As shown, the preparation equipment includes a dehydration section, a calcination section, and a cooling section. The material outlet of the dehydration section is connected to the material inlet of the calcination section, and the material outlet of the calcination section is connected to the material inlet of the cooling section. The material outlet of the dehydration section is higher than the material inlet of the calcination section, and the material outlet of the calcination section is higher than the material inlet of the cooling section. The gas outlet of the cooling section is connected to the gas inlet of the calcination section.

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the gas inlet of the cooling section is connected to a gas source, and the gas inlet of the dehydration section is also connected to a gas source. The gas, for example, is nitrogen. The gas outlet of the calcination section is connected to the tail gas treatment equipment, and the gas outlet of the dehydration section is connected to the moisture treatment equipment.

[0051] Therefore, it can be seen that, Figure 2 As shown, the embodiments of this application adopt a multi-segment three-dimensional spatial arrangement, thus saving floor space.

[0052] The following describes the use of Figure 2 The method and process for preparing cathode materials using the prepared equipment shown.

[0053] The vibrator 5 is started, and the electromagnetic induction heater 1 is turned on. A yellow material, formed by mixing and grinding iron phosphate, lithium carbonate, and glucose in a certain proportion and having an average particle size of 10-20 micrometers, is continuously added via belt weighing and metering. This material is fed into the material inlet of the dehydration section at a rate of 1 kg / min. Preheated hot nitrogen from a nitrogen source enters the cylinder of the dehydration section. The hot nitrogen is distributed evenly above the fluidized plate in the dehydration section, where it undergoes fluidized contact heating with the material (yellow material) from the material inlet. Further heating with inductive heating to 380°C removes free water and water from glucose molecules. The dehydrated material, under the vibration force of the vibrator 5 and the airflow, slowly moves towards the material outlet and enters the material inlet of the roasting section under gravity. The wet nitrogen gas leaving the dehydration section's gas outlet goes to the wet gas treatment process. The exhaust pressure of the dehydration section is controlled at 0.5 kPa, thus achieving positive pressure discharge of wet nitrogen gas.

[0054] The material entering the roasting section encounters nitrogen gas from the cooling section's gas outlet, forming a fluidized state. In this fluidized state, the material exchanges heat with the nitrogen gas and is also heated to 780°C by the high-temperature heat radiated from the roasting section's cylinder 2. Under the vibration force of the vibrator 5 and the airflow, it exits the roasting section through the material outlet after approximately 1.5 hours and enters the cooling section. The tail gas, consisting of nitrogen, decomposition gas, etc., leaving the roasting section's gas outlet, is sent to the tail gas treatment process. The exhaust pressure at the roasting section's gas outlet is controlled at 1 kPa, thus achieving positive pressure exhaust gas discharge.

[0055] The material exiting the calcination section enters the material inlet of the cooling section. Cold nitrogen gas enters the cooling section through the gas inlet. The material and cold nitrogen gas come into full contact in a fluidized state, achieving heat exchange and thus cooling the material. Under the vibration force of vibrator 5 and the airflow, after approximately 30 minutes, the material exits the material outlet of the cooling section and is temporarily stored as black material in a black material storage device or proceeds to the next process. The nitrogen gas, having gained heat from the material, exits the gas outlet of the cooling section and enters the gas inlet of the calcination section. Therefore, the heat carried by the material is recovered and utilized. The exhaust pressure of the cooling section is controlled at 1.2 kPa, thus achieving positive pressure exhaust.

[0056] In the calcination section, nitrogen gas heated in the cooling section is distributed through a fluidizing plate, fluidizing the material and exchanging its heat with the material. This means the material exchanges heat with the nitrogen gas while in a fluidized state, achieving repeated heat exchange. Simultaneously, the cylinder 2, heated by the electromagnetic induction heater 1, radiates heat to the fluidized material, ensuring uniform heating. Furthermore, a small portion of the inductive magnetic lines of force penetrate the cylinder material of cylinder 2, enabling direct inductive heating of the fluidized material. Therefore, this application achieves sufficient heating and avoids material agglomeration.

[0057] according to Figure 2 The illustrated embodiment consumes approximately 1600 kWh of electricity to process 1 ton of material, significantly lower than the current industry average. Product quality testing confirms compliance with GB / T30835 standards. Figure 2 The material inlets and outlets of the dehydration section, calcination section, and cooling section in the illustrated preparation equipment are connected end-to-end in a straight line, requiring a space length of only about 14 meters, far less than the conventional dimensions of a roller kiln. However, those skilled in the art should understand that... Figure 2 The prepared equipment shown can be arranged in a spatial, three-dimensional layout that is easily understood by general equipment engineers, with the ends connected by pipes, further saving space. It can also be connected in series or parallel at multiple stages to increase processing capacity, depending on the needs of different processes.

[0058] Figure 3 An apparatus for preparing cathode materials for new energy sources according to some embodiments of this application is shown. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the preparation equipment adopts a 6-section combined design, with the length of the cylinder 2 of the calcination section being, for example, 2.4 meters. Of course, those skilled in the art can determine the specific lengths of the cylinders 2 of the dehydration section, calcination section, and cooling section according to actual needs.

[0059] like Figure 3As shown, the preparation equipment includes one dehydration section, three calcination sections, and two cooling sections. The material outlet of the dehydration section is connected to the material inlet of calcination section 1; the material outlet of calcination section 1 is connected to the material inlet of calcination section 2; the material outlet of calcination section 2 is connected to the material inlet of calcination section 3; the material outlet of calcination section 3 is connected to the material inlet of cooling section 1; and the material outlet of cooling section 1 is connected to the material inlet of cooling section 2. The material outlet of the dehydration section is higher than the material inlet of calcination section 1, the material outlet of calcination section 1 is higher than the material inlet of calcination section 2, the material outlet of calcination section 2 is higher than the material inlet of calcination section 3, the material outlet of calcination section 3 is higher than the material inlet of cooling section 1, and the material outlet of cooling section 1 is higher than the material inlet of cooling section 2. The gas outlet of cooling section 2 is connected to the gas inlet of cooling section 1, the gas outlet of cooling section 1 is connected to the gas inlet of calcination section 3, the gas outlet of calcination section 3 is connected to the gas inlet of calcination section 2, and the gas outlet of calcination section 2 is connected to the gas inlet of calcination section 1.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, the gas inlet of cooling section 2 is connected to a gas source, and the gas inlet of dehydration section is also connected to a gas source. The gas is, for example, nitrogen. The gas outlet of calcination section 1 is connected to the tail gas treatment equipment, and the gas outlet of dehydration section is connected to the moisture treatment equipment.

[0061] Therefore, it can be seen that, Figure 3 As shown, the various sections of the preparation equipment in this application are arranged in a three-dimensional layout with connections at both ends. The elevation difference is approximately 10 meters; the total planar length is less than 6 meters. Therefore, it makes good use of the space height and saves floor space.

[0062] The following describes the use of Figure 3 The method and process for preparing cathode materials using the prepared equipment shown.

[0063] Start vibrator 5 and turn on electromagnetic induction heater 1. A yellow material with a moisture content of 2.5% and an average particle size of 20-60 micrometers, formed by continuous metering and grinding of ferric phosphate, lithium carbonate, and glucose in a certain proportion using a belt weigher, is continuously and evenly fed into the material inlet of the dehydration section at a speed of 1.25 tons / hour under the action of a feeding machine. Under the vibration force and airflow of vibrator 5, the material (i.e., the yellow material) passes through the dehydration section and is in a fluidized state, contacting nitrogen gas. Free water in the material and bound water in glucose molecules are removed in the dehydration section and then removed with nitrogen gas for the moisture treatment process. Preheated nitrogen gas enters from the gas inlet of the dehydration section and comes into countercurrent fluidized contact with the material in the dehydration section for heat exchange. Simultaneously, under the action of inductive heating, the bound water in glucose molecules is deeply removed at a temperature of 420℃, and water vapor is carried away. The dehydration time is controlled at 15 minutes. The exhaust pressure of the gas outlet of the dehydration section is controlled at 1 kPa, and the humid gas is discharged under positive pressure to the moisture treatment process for further treatment.

[0064] The material leaving the dehydration section enters the material inlet of roasting section 1, and then sequentially enters roasting sections 2 and 3. In each roasting section, it is fluidized by the counter-current roasting nitrogen gas flow. Under the influence of radiant heating and nitrogen heat transfer, the roasting temperature is controlled at 790℃. The residence time of the material in the entire roasting section is controlled at 2 hours. Under the vibration force of vibrator 5 and the airflow, the material sequentially leaves the material outlet of roasting section 1 and enters the material inlet of roasting section 2, then leaves the material outlet of roasting section 2 and enters the material inlet of roasting section 3, and finally leaves the material outlet of roasting section 3 and enters the material inlet of cooling section 1. The nitrogen gas flow from cooling section 1, heated by the heat of the material, enters the gas inlet of roasting section 3 in reverse order, leaves the gas outlet of roasting section 3 and enters the gas inlet of roasting section 2, leaves the gas outlet of roasting section 2 and enters the gas inlet of roasting section 1, and finally leaves the gas outlet of roasting section 1 and enters the tail gas treatment process. The exhaust pressure of the roasting section 1 is controlled at 1 kPa, thereby achieving positive pressure exhaust gas emission.

[0065] Material leaving calcination section 3 enters the material inlet of cooling section 1. In cooling section 1, it comes into counter-current fluidized contact with nitrogen from cooling section 2, cooling the material to the required temperature. Material leaving cooling section 1 then enters the material inlet of cooling section 2. In cooling section 2, it comes into counter-current fluidized contact with cold nitrogen from a gas source, cooling the material to the required temperature. Subsequently, under the vibration force of vibrator 5 and the airflow, the material leaves cooling section 2 and enters the black material transition storage bin.

[0066] Cold nitrogen gas from the gas source, after being metered and regulated, enters the gas inlet of cooling section 2. After being distributed by a fluidizing plate, it fluidizes the material and absorbs the heat carried by it. Heated itself, it flows out from the gas outlet of cooling section 2 and into the gas inlet of cooling section 1. Nitrogen gas entering cooling section 1, after being distributed by a fluidizing plate, fluidizes the material and absorbs the heat carried by it. Heated itself, it flows out from the gas outlet of cooling section 1, serving as the fluidizing gas and heat source for the calcination section. The exhaust pressure is controlled at 1.8 kPa, thus achieving positive pressure exhaust.

[0067] In the roasting sections 1, 2, and 3, nitrogen gas heated by cooling sections 1 and 2 is distributed through fluidizing plates to fluidize the material and exchange its heat with the material. That is, the material exchanges heat with nitrogen gas in a fluidized state to achieve repeated heat exchange. Simultaneously, the cylinder 2, heated by the electromagnetic induction heater 1, radiates heat to the fluidized material, thus achieving uniform heating. Furthermore, a small portion of the inductive magnetic lines of force penetrate the cylinder material of cylinder 2, thereby achieving direct inductive heating of the fluidized material. Therefore, this application achieves sufficient heating and avoids material agglomeration.

[0068] like Figure 3As shown, this application completes the entire process from yellow to black material in less than 3 hours. Yellow material feeds continuously, and black material exits continuously. The fluidized bed is thin, fluidization is easy, the pressure difference is small, fluidizing gas energy consumption is low, and the fluidizing gas flow is easily adjusted and controlled. Exhaust is positive pressure exhaust, requiring only the cold nitrogen entering the system to provide pressure, thus preventing the impact of air leakage into the system and reducing the inefficiency and high power consumption caused by hot air drawn by the blower. The calcination of lithium iron phosphate carbon composite material consumes 1200 kWh of electricity per ton of material, far below the current industry average. Product quality meets the requirements of GB / T30835 standard. The space required for the calcination equipment, with its inlet and outlet connected in a straight line, is only about 14 meters high and less than 6 meters long, far below the conventional dimensions of roller kilns.

[0069] The equipment for preparing cathode materials described in this application can be arranged in a spatial, three-dimensional, staggered pattern that is easily understood by general equipment engineers, with the ends connected by pipes, thus further saving space. It can also be configured with multiple stages in series or parallel to meet the needs of different processes, thereby increasing processing capacity.

[0070] Figure 2 and Figure 3 The embodiments shown all include a dewatering section. However, those skilled in the art should understand that, depending on the moisture content of the yellow material, this application may or may not include a dewatering section; this application may include one dewatering section, or it may include two or more dewatering sections. That is to say, this application includes an independent dewatering section.

[0071] The advantage of setting up a separate dehydration section is that it can remove moisture from the yellow material according to actual needs, thus avoiding the gasification reaction between water and carbon that occurs during the high-temperature stage of sugar dehydration, which would affect product quality. Specifically, a separate dehydration section can avoid the following reactions:

[0072]

[0073] C + H₂O → CO + H₂: Carbon reacts with water vapor to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

[0074] CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂: The reaction of carbon monoxide with water vapor, also known as the water-gas shift reaction.

[0075] For example, in Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, two dehydration sections may be included: dehydration section 1 and dehydration section 2. The material outlet of dehydration section 1 is connected to the material inlet of dehydration section 2, and the material outlet of dehydration section 1 is higher than the material inlet of dehydration section 2. The gas outlet of dehydration section 2 is connected to the gas inlet of dehydration section 1. The preparation method includes: starting the vibrator 5, turning on the electromagnetic induction heater 1, and continuously adding a yellow material with a moisture content of 2.5% formed by mixing and grinding iron phosphate, lithium carbonate, and glucose in a certain proportion using a belt weigher. The material has an average particle size of 20-60 micrometers and is continuously and uniformly fed into the material inlet of dehydration section 1 at a speed of 1.25 tons / hour under the action of a feeding machine. Under the action of the vibration force of the vibrator 5, airflow, and gravity, the material sequentially passes through dehydration section 1 and dehydration section 2, and is in a fluidized state in contact with nitrogen gas. Free water in the material and bound water in glucose molecules are removed in the dehydration section and then treated with nitrogen gas for dehumidification. Preheated nitrogen gas entering the gas inlet of dehydration section 2 exchanges heat with the material in a counter-current fluidized contact process. Simultaneously, under inductive heating, bound water in glucose molecules is deeply removed at 420°C, and water vapor is carried away. Nitrogen gas leaving dehydration section 2 enters the gas inlet of dehydration section 1, where it again comes into counter-current contact with the material, fluidizing it. While exchanging heat with nitrogen, the material is inductively heated to 220°C, thus dehydrating free water and some glucose. The dehydration time is controlled at 15 minutes. The exhaust pressure at the gas outlet of dehydration section 1 is controlled at 1 kPa, and the humid gas is discharged under positive pressure to the wet gas treatment process for further processing. The remaining parts of the preparation method are the same as... Figure 3 The preparation method is the same in the embodiments shown.

[0076] As described above, in the preparation equipment for new energy cathode materials according to this application, the number of dehydration sections, calcination sections, and cooling sections is related to the amount to be processed, and their arrangement can be increased or decreased as needed. Furthermore, the arrangement of the preparation equipment according to this application utilizes vertical space, thereby saving floor space.

[0077] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of this utility model, and the utility model is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of this utility model, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A preparation apparatus for new energy cathode materials, comprising a calcination section and a cooling section, characterized in that, Both the roasting section and the cooling section include a cylinder. One end of the cylinder is provided with a material inlet and the other end with a material outlet. A microporous fluidizing plate is provided inside the cylinder to receive material from the material inlet. A gas inlet is provided on the part of the cylinder located on one side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material inlet is located, and a gas outlet is provided on the part of the cylinder located on the other side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material outlet is located. The cylinder of the roasting section includes a material that can be inductively heated; An electromagnetic induction heater is provided outside the cylinder of the roasting section; The cylinders of the roasting section and the cooling section are both connected to corresponding support frames. Each support frame is equipped with a vibrator to drive the cylinder to vibrate, so as to move the material from the material inlet to the material outlet. The material outlet of the roasting section is connected to the material inlet of the cooling section, and the material outlet of the roasting section is higher than the material inlet of the cooling section; The gas inlet of the roasting section is connected to the gas outlet of the cooling section.

2. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a dewatering section, which includes a cylinder. One end of the cylinder is provided with a material inlet and the other end with a material outlet. A microporous fluidizing plate is provided inside the cylinder to receive material from the material inlet. A gas inlet is provided on the part of the cylinder located on one side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material inlet is located, and a gas outlet is provided on the part of the cylinder located on the other side of the microporous fluidizing plate where the material outlet is located. The cylinder of the dewatering section includes a material that can be induced to generate heat; An electromagnetic induction heater is provided outside the cylinder of the dewatering section; The cylinder of the dewatering section is connected to a corresponding support frame, and a vibrator is provided on the support frame to drive the cylinder to vibrate, so as to move the material from the material inlet to the material outlet. The material outlet of the cylinder of the dehydration section is connected to the material inlet of the roasting section, and the material outlet of the dehydration section is higher than the material inlet of the roasting section.

3. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It includes at least two roasting sections, with the material outlets and material inlets of the at least two roasting sections connected in series, so that material entering via the material inlet of one of the roasting sections enters the cooling section after passing through the at least two roasting sections.

4. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It includes at least two dehydration sections, with the material outlets and material inlets of the at least two dehydration sections connected in series, so that material entering through the material inlet of one of the dehydration sections enters the roasting section after passing through the at least two dehydration sections.

5. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Each cylinder includes thermal insulation material disposed outside the cylinder body, and the electromagnetic induction heater is disposed outside the thermal insulation material.

6. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The microporous fluidized plate comprises multiple small-sized fluidized plates, which are arranged in a fish-scale pattern to form the microporous fluidized plate.

7. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The microporous fluidized plate has a pore size of less than 10 micrometers.

8. The equipment for preparing new energy cathode materials as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The heat-sensitive material includes stainless steel.

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