High solids, viscous slurry deaeration device

Abstract

The utility model belongs to lithium ion battery technical field, concretely relates to a kind of high solid content, viscosity slurry defoaming device, comprising: buffer tank, shunt disc being arranged in the buffer tank, slurry scraper, driving mechanism, screw pump and vacuum system;The shunt disc is arranged in the upper portion of buffer tank interior, and is transmission connection with driving mechanism;The slurry scraper is arranged below buffer tank top cover, and is oppositely arranged with the upper surface of shunt disc;The inlet of the screw pump is communicated with the bottom of buffer tank, and outlet is communicated with the upper region of shunt disc;The vacuum system is connected with the upper portion of buffer tank.The utility model realizes the dynamic thin layer processing of high viscosity slurry under vacuum environment by the synergistic effect of screw pump forced circulation and terrace type shunt disc, adjustable scraper, significantly shorten bubble escape path, overcome the problem of low defoaming efficiency caused by high solid content slurry due to large viscosity, bubble slow natural rising.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of lithium-ion battery technology, specifically relating to a degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry. Background Technology

[0002] The slurry preparation process is a crucial step in lithium battery manufacturing, as the quality of the slurry directly affects the battery's electrochemical performance and safety. During slurry preparation, a large amount of air is often incorporated into the mixture of liquid solvents, additives, and powder materials, forming bubbles. If these bubbles are not effectively removed before coating, defects will appear on the electrode surface, thus affecting the battery's consistency, energy density, and safety performance.

[0003] As lithium battery manufacturing processes evolve towards higher solids content, lower solvent usage, and higher-speed coating, the viscosity of positive and negative electrode slurries has significantly increased, posing a major challenge to traditional degassing technologies. Currently, the industry commonly employs vacuum static degassing, which involves low-speed stirring and vacuuming of the slurry in a vacuum buffer tank, relying on the natural rise and collapse of air bubbles. However, in high-solids-content, high-viscosity slurries, the upward resistance of air bubbles is significant, and their escape paths are long, leading to prolonged degassing time, low efficiency, and difficulty in completely eliminating micron-sized bubbles. This has become a bottleneck restricting production efficiency and product quality improvement.

[0004] To improve degassing efficiency, existing technologies have proposed various improvement schemes. For example, Chinese patent CN202322271733.6 discloses a multi-layer film-forming plate type degassing device, which shortens the escape distance of bubbles by spreading the slurry into a thin layer on a layer-by-layer film-forming plate. However, this structure is complex, the slurry has poor fluidity, and its applicability is limited, especially for high-viscosity slurries. CN202223162273.5 uses an ultrasonic vibrator installed in the feeding pipeline to pre-break bubbles, but ultrasonic waves can easily cause local temperature rise and changes in slurry properties, and the equipment cost is high. Another patent CN201220216544.8 proposes a centrifugal degassing device, which disperses the slurry through a high-speed rotating mesh-filled degassing cylinder, but this method has a narrow range of adaptability to slurry viscosity and suffers from problems such as high power consumption and easy structural wear.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a high-efficiency degassing device suitable for high-solids-content and high-viscosity slurries, which can achieve rapid and uniform degassing of slurries in a vacuum environment, and has the advantages of reasonable structure, flexible control and wide applicability, so as to make up for the shortcomings of existing technologies. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a defoaming device for high solids content and high viscosity slurry, so as to solve the problems of long defoaming time and poor effect in the prior art, and improve defoaming efficiency and electrode quality.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: This utility model provides a degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry, including: a buffer tank, a distribution plate disposed in the buffer tank, a slurry scraper, a drive mechanism, a screw pump, and a vacuum system; The diversion plate is located inside the buffer tank and is connected to the drive mechanism via transmission. The slurry scraper is located below the top cover of the buffer tank and is arranged opposite to the upper surface of the diversion plate. The screw pump's inlet is connected to the bottom of the buffer tank, and its outlet is connected to the area above the distribution plate; The vacuum system is connected to the upper part of the buffer tank.

[0008] Preferably, the diverter plate has a terraced or stepped structure with a bent portion at its edge and a porous structure on the bent portion.

[0009] Preferably, the slurry scraper is connected to the top cover of the buffer tank via adjusting bolts, which are used to adjust the height and angle of the slurry scraper.

[0010] Preferably, the drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a reducer, the drive motor is connected to the rotating shaft through the reducer, and the upper part of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the distributor plate.

[0011] Preferably, the diverter plate is connected to the rotating shaft by fasteners, and a gap is left between the fasteners and the rotating shaft.

[0012] Preferably, the buffer tank is further provided with a stirring paddle, which has an anchor structure and is connected to the lower part of the rotating shaft.

[0013] Preferably, the vacuum system includes a vacuum ball valve and a vacuum pressure gauge, the vacuum ball valve being connected to the upper part of the buffer tank, and the vacuum pressure gauge being installed on the end cover of the buffer tank.

[0014] Preferably, the screw pump is equipped with a slurry ball valve on its inlet pipe to control the slurry flow direction.

[0015] Preferably, the buffer tank is provided with a discharge ball valve at the bottom and a feed ball valve at the top.

[0016] Preferably, the diversion plate and the slurry scraper are made of wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant stainless steel or have a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coating on their surface.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: through the synergistic effect of the screw pump forced circulation, the terraced distribution plate, and the adjustable scraper, this utility model achieves dynamic thin-layer treatment of high-viscosity slurry in a vacuum environment, significantly shortens the bubble escape path, and overcomes the problem of low degassing efficiency caused by high solids content slurry due to high viscosity and slow natural bubble rise.

[0018] This device utilizes the shearing effect generated by the porous structure at the edge of the distribution plate and the tank wall to further break up residual bubbles. Combined with anchor stirring to prevent sedimentation, it improves the degassing rate while ensuring the uniformity and thoroughness of the treatment effect, effectively avoiding surface defects on coated electrodes and improving the overall efficiency and product quality consistency of lithium battery production. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model.

[0020] The attached diagram is described below: In the diagram: 001, drive motor; 002, reducer; 003, feed ball valve; 004, fastener; 005, slurry scraper; 006, distributor plate; 007, buffer tank; 008, agitator; 009, discharge ball valve; 010, slurry ball valve; 011, slurry ball valve; 012, screw pump; 013, vacuum pressure gauge; 014, vacuum ball valve; 015, rotating shaft; 016, adjusting bolt. Detailed Implementation

[0021] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this utility model can be combined with each other.

[0022] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixed connection," and "fixed connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] The specific embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0025] A specific embodiment of the high solids content and viscosity slurry degassing device of this utility model is as follows: (Refer to...) Figure 1 The device mainly includes a buffer tank 007, a drive mechanism, a distribution plate 006, a slurry scraper 005, a screw pump 012, and a vacuum system. The buffer tank 007 serves as the main container, with its top flange sealed to the top cover by fastening bolts to ensure the tank's airtightness. The drive motor 001 is preferably a variable frequency motor, with its output shaft connected to a reducer 002. The output end of the reducer 002 is connected to the upper end of a vertically arranged rotating shaft 015 via a coupling, thereby achieving power transmission and precise speed control. The rotating shaft 015 is supported on the top and bottom covers of the buffer tank 007 by bearing seats at both ends.

[0026] The diversion plate 006 is fixedly installed on the upper part of the rotating shaft 015 by fasteners 004 (such as bolts). It has a terraced or stepped structure with a high center and low edges, and is made of wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant stainless steel (such as 316L). The edge of the diversion plate 006 has an upwardly bent edge, and multiple through holes are evenly distributed on this bent edge to form a shear gap with the inner wall of the buffer tank 007. The slurry scraper 005 is installed below the top cover of the buffer tank 007 by a set of adjusting bolts 016. Its scraping edge maintains a small gap or slight contact with the upper surface of the diversion plate 006. By rotating the adjusting bolts 016, the angle and height of the scraper relative to the diversion plate 006 can be precisely adjusted, thereby controlling the thickness of the slurry spread on it (usually controlled at 10-15mm). The inlet of the screw pump 012 is connected to the outlet at the bottom of the buffer tank 007 via a pipe, and its outlet pipe extends into the interior of the buffer tank 007, with its opening directly above the center of the distribution plate 006. Slurry ball valves 010 and 011 are connected in series on the inlet pipe of the screw pump 012 to control the start and stop of slurry circulation and the switching of flow direction.

[0027] The vacuum system consists of a vacuum ball valve 014 and a vacuum pressure gauge 013 connected by pipes. The inlet of the vacuum ball valve 014 is connected to a vacuum generator (not shown in the figure, such as a vacuum pump), and the outlet is connected to the top cover of the buffer tank 007. The vacuum pressure gauge 013 is also installed on the top cover to monitor the vacuum level inside the tank in real time, maintaining it between -0.085MPa and -0.09MPa during operation. In addition, a feed ball valve 003 is provided at the top of the buffer tank 007 for the initial addition of slurry; a discharge ball valve 009 is provided at the bottom for discharging the slurry after degassing. An anchor-type stirring paddle 008 is also installed at the lower part of the rotating shaft 015, the blade profile of which matches the curvature of the bottom of the buffer tank 007, to slowly stir the slurry during degassing and prevent high-solids content materials from settling.

[0028] The working process of this utility model is as follows: First, close the discharge ball valve 009 and open the inlet ball valve 003 to pump the high-viscosity slurry to be processed into the buffer tank 007. Then, close all valves, start the vacuum system, and use the vacuum ball valve 014 to evacuate the buffer tank 007 to the predetermined vacuum level. Next, start the drive motor 001 and the screw pump 012. The screw pump 012 continuously draws and pumps the slurry from the bottom of the buffer tank 007 to the center of the rotating distribution plate 006. The slurry flows radially outward on the distribution plate 006, and is scraped into a thin film of uniform thickness by the slurry scraper 005. This process significantly increases the surface area of ​​the slurry, and internal air bubbles rapidly escape to the surface under vacuum and are broken by the scraper action. When the slurry flows to the edge of the distribution plate 006, the residual air bubbles are further broken by the rotational shearing action through its porous structure, and finally flow back to the upper layer of the slurry along the inner wall of the buffer tank 007. After this cycle continues for a certain period of time, the air bubbles in the slurry are completely eliminated. At this point, the screw pump 012 and drive motor 001 are turned off, the vacuum is broken, and the discharge ball valve 009 is opened to deliver the high-quality, bubble-free slurry to the next process.

[0029] For those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry, characterized in that, include: The buffer tank (007), the distribution plate (006) disposed in the buffer tank (007), the slurry scraper (005), the drive mechanism, the screw pump (012), and the vacuum system; The diversion plate (006) is located inside the buffer tank (007) and is connected to the drive mechanism for transmission. The slurry scraper (005) is located below the top cover of the buffer tank (007) and is arranged opposite to the upper surface of the diversion plate (006); The inlet of the screw pump (012) is connected to the bottom of the buffer tank (007), and the outlet is connected to the area above the diverter plate (006); The vacuum system is connected to the upper part of the buffer tank (007).

2. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diversion plate (006) has a terraced or stepped structure with a bent portion on its edge and a porous structure on the bent portion.

3. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The slurry scraper (005) is connected to the top cover of the buffer tank (007) by an adjusting bolt (016), which is used to adjust the height and angle of the slurry scraper (005).

4. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive mechanism includes a drive motor (001) and a reducer (002). The drive motor (001) is connected to the rotating shaft (015) through the reducer (002). The upper part of the rotating shaft (015) is fixedly connected to the distributor plate (006).

5. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 4, characterized in that: The diverter plate (006) is connected to the rotating shaft (015) by a fastener (004), and a gap is left between the fastener (004) and the rotating shaft (015).

6. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer tank (007) is also equipped with a stirring paddle (008), which is an anchor structure and is connected to the lower part of the rotating shaft (015).

7. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The vacuum system includes a vacuum ball valve (014) and a vacuum pressure gauge (013). The vacuum ball valve (014) is connected to the upper part of the buffer tank (007), and the vacuum pressure gauge (013) is installed on the end cap of the buffer tank (007).

8. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The screw pump (012) is equipped with a slurry ball valve (010, 011) on its inlet pipe to control the slurry flow direction.

9. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The buffer tank (007) is equipped with a discharge ball valve (009) at the bottom and a feed ball valve (003) at the top.

10. The degassing device for high solids content and viscosity slurry according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diversion plate (006) and the slurry scraper (005) are made of wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant stainless steel or have a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coating on their surface.

Images