Electrode material baking system

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrode material firing system. The electrode material firing system according to the present invention includes an electrode material firing device for firing an electrode material raw material substance, and an electrode material supply device for supplying the electrode material raw material substance to the electrode material firing device. The electrode material supply device includes a supply tube in which an internal space for accommodating and moving the electrode material raw material substance is formed, a cooling unit for cooling the internal space of the supply tube, and a heating unit for heating the outside of the supply tube.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0070534, filed June 10, 2022, and all contents disclosed in the documents of this Korean patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present invention relates to an electrode material baking system. [Background technology]

[0003] Unlike primary batteries, secondary batteries are rechargeable and have the potential to be small and have large capacities. Due to this, secondary batteries have been the subject of much research and development in recent years. With the increasing technological development and demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing.

[0004] Secondary batteries are classified into coin-type batteries, cylindrical batteries, prismatic batteries, and pouch-type batteries depending on the shape of the battery case. In secondary batteries, the electrode assembly attached inside the battery case is a power generating element that can be charged and discharged and consists of a laminated structure of electrodes and separators.

[0005] Secondary batteries are attracting much attention not only for use in mobile devices such as mobile phones, digital cameras, and laptop computers, but also as an energy source for power plants such as electric bicycles, electric vehicles, and hybrid electric vehicles.

[0006] On the other hand, the lithium secondary batteries use lithium transition metal oxides as the positive electrode active material, such as lithium cobalt oxide, which has a high working voltage and excellent capacity characteristics, lithium nickel oxide, which has a high reversible capacity of about 200 mAh / g and is easy to realize a large-capacity battery, lithium nickel cobalt oxide, in which nickel is partially substituted with cobalt, lithium nickel cobalt metal oxide, in which nickel is partially substituted with manganese, cobalt, or aluminum, lithium manganese oxide, which is excellent in thermal stability and inexpensive, and lithium iron phosphate, which is excellent in stability.

[0007] The positive electrode active material is prepared by mixing a precursor for preparing the positive electrode active material with a lithium source material, and then introducing the mixture into an electrode material calcination system and calcining the mixture at a high temperature.

[0008] In a conventional electrode material firing system that applies heat to electrode material raw materials and fires them, an electrode material supply device that supplies electrode material raw materials has a simple structure consisting of a screw for moving the electrode material raw materials and a supply tube that is a case surrounding the screw. In addition, the end of the supply tube is located inside a main tube that applies heat to the electrode material raw materials and fires them, and the electrode material raw materials are supplied into the main tube.

[0009] However, there was a problem in that the raw material being fed was heated in a certain area at the tip of the feed tube due to heat conduction from inside the main tube.

[0010] This caused the raw material containing moisture produced by thermal decomposition to generate stress inside the supply tube, resulting in a problem of reduced durability of the equipment.

[0011] This also caused problems such as errors in the quantitative addition of raw materials, which is one of the important process conditions, due to changes in the powder properties of the raw materials (density, viscosity, flow, etc.) caused by moisture.

[0012] Furthermore, this has led to problems in process control due to the generation of intermediate products caused by thermal reactions that could not be controlled in areas other than the reaction zone in terms of process design. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0013] An object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide an electrode material baking system that can prevent undesired additional thermal reactions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] An electrode material firing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode material firing device that fires an electrode material raw material, and an electrode material supplying device that supplies the electrode material raw material to the electrode material firing device, and the electrode material supplying device may include a supplying tube having an internal space in which the electrode material raw material is accommodated and moved, a cooling unit that cools the internal space of the supplying tube, and a heating unit that heats the outside of the supplying tube. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, in an electrode material firing system for firing an electrode material raw material, a cooling unit for cooling an inner space of a supply tube through which the electrode material raw material is transported is provided, thereby preventing undesired additional thermal reactions, thereby preventing a decrease in the durability of the equipment, preventing problems with the fixed amount of raw material being fed, and preventing the generation of unnecessary intermediate products, thereby preventing errors in process control.

[0016] In addition, by providing a heating unit that heats the outside of the supply tube, it is possible to prevent water vapor generated by a thermal reaction from condensing outside the supply tube and further mixing with the raw material, or from clogging the outlet of the supply tube and interfering with feeding.

[0017] Furthermore, by positioning the insulating section between the cooling section and the heating section, heat transfer between the cooling section and the heating section can be blocked, thereby allowing the cooling section and the heating section to effectively perform their respective functions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an electrode material firing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an electrode material firing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The objectives, particular advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. When referring to components in the drawings, it should be noted that the same components will have the same numbers as much as possible, even if they appear in different drawings. Furthermore, the present invention can be realized in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of related publicly known technologies that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

[0020] Electrode material baking system according to the first embodiment 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an electrode material firing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the rotating unit 230 shown in FIG.

[0021] 1, the electrode material firing system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode material firing apparatus 200 that fires an electrode material raw material M, and an electrode material supply apparatus 100 that supplies the electrode material raw material M to the electrode material firing apparatus 200. In addition, the electrode material firing system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may further include a chamber 300 that collects gas and water vapor discharged from the heating tube 210.

[0022] The electrode material supply device 100 may also include a supply tube 110 through which the electrode material raw material M is transported, a cooling unit 120, a heating unit 140, an insulating unit 130, a screw 150, a blocking unit 170, and a supply hopper 180.

[0023] The electrode material firing device 200 may include a heating tube 210 in which the electrode material raw material M is transferred from the supply tube 110 and accommodated, a heater 220, a rotating unit 230, and a baffle 240.

[0024] More specifically, in the electrode material supply device 100 of the electrode material firing system 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the supply tube 110 may have an internal space 110a in which the electrode material raw material M is accommodated and moved. Here, the electrode material raw material M may be, for example, a cathode material raw material.

[0025] The supply tube 110 may be formed in the form of a cylindrical tube. In this case, the supply tube 110 may be formed in the form of a cylindrical tube, for example.

[0026] The supply tube 110 can include a first portion 111 located outside the heating tube 210 and a second portion 112 located inside the heating tube 210 .

[0027] In this case, the heating unit 140 and the cooling unit 120 may be provided in the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the supply tube 110. That is, the heating unit 140 and the cooling unit 120 may be provided in portions of the supply tube 110 located inside and outside the heating tube 210.

[0028] The cooling unit 120 can cool the internal space 110 a of the supply tube 110 .

[0029] The cooling unit 120 may include a cooling line 121 through which a refrigerant fluid flows to maintain the surroundings at a certain temperature or below.

[0030] In this case, the electrode material raw material M includes lithium hydroxide, and the cooling unit 120 can cool the inner space 110a of the supply tube 110 so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material M is, for example, 10 to 80°C. Specifically, the cooling unit 120 can cool the inner space 110a of the supply tube 110 so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material M is 10 to 60°C. Therefore, by cooling the inner space 110a of the supply tube 110 so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material M is 60°C or less, the cooling unit 120 can prevent undesired additional thermal reactions that could not be controlled in areas other than the reaction zone in the process design, and prevent the generation of intermediate products, thereby preventing errors in process control. As a result, it is possible to prevent stress generated inside the supply tube 110 by the raw material containing moisture generated by thermal decomposition, which would reduce the durability of the equipment, and to prevent errors in the quantitative feeding of raw material, one of the important process conditions, due to changes in the powder properties (density, viscosity, flow, etc.) of the raw material caused by moisture.

[0031] The cooling unit 120 cools the inner space 110a of the supply tube 110 so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material M is 10° C. or higher, thereby preventing additional thermal reactions or deterioration of the raw material.

[0032] The cooling line 121 may include a refrigerant inlet 121a into which the refrigerant fluid is introduced and a refrigerant outlet 121b from which the refrigerant fluid is discharged.

[0033] The cooling section 120 may be provided along the inner surface of the heat insulating section 130 .

[0034] The heating unit 140 can heat the outside of the supply tube 110 .

[0035] The heating unit 140 can heat the outside of the supply tube 110 at a temperature of 100 to 150°C. Therefore, by heating the outside of the supply tube 110 at a temperature of 100°C or higher, the heating unit 140 can prevent water vapor generated by a thermal reaction in the heating tube 210 from condensing outside the supply tube 110 and further mixing with the raw material, or from clogging the outlet of the supply tube 110 and interfering with feeding. Furthermore, by heating the outside of the supply tube 110 at a temperature of 150°C or lower, the cooling efficiency decreases and the temperature of the raw material may increase as the heating temperature increases. Therefore, by limiting this temperature, the raw material can be introduced while maintaining a temperature within a certain range.

[0036] The heating section 140 is provided along the inner surface of the supply tube 110 and is capable of heating the supply tube 110 and the exterior of the supply tube 110 .

[0037] The heat insulating unit 130 is located between the cooling unit 120 and the heating unit 140, and can block heat transfer between the cooling unit 120 and the heating unit 140. This allows the cooling unit 120 and the heating unit 140 to fully perform their respective functions.

[0038] The heat insulating section 130 may be provided along the inner surface of the heating section 140 .

[0039] The screw 150 is located in the inner space 110a of the supply tube 110 and can move the electrode material raw material M.

[0040] The screw 150 may be, for example, a rotating shaft having spiral blades along the outer periphery of the rotating shaft.

[0041] The end of the screw 150 is connected to a screw motor 151 and is rotated by the screw motor 151 to move the electrode material M located in the inner space 110 a of the supply tube 110 toward the heating tube 210 .

[0042] The blocking portion 170 is provided on the outer surface of the supply tube 110 and can block condensed water vapor located on the outer surface of the supply tube 110 from moving along the outer surface of the supply tube 110 to the inside of the electrode material baking device 200.

[0043] The blocking portion 170 may be made of a metal plate provided along the outer surface of the supply tube 110 .

[0044] The blocking portion 170 is formed in the form of a disk with a hole formed in the center, and the outer surface of the supply tube 110 can be inserted into the hole formed in the center.

[0045] The supply hopper 180 can supply the electrode material raw material M to the supply tube 110 .

[0046] In this case, the supply hopper 180 may be connected to one side of the supply tube 110 , and the other side of the supply tube 110 may be located inside the heating tube 210 .

[0047] In the electrode material firing apparatus 200, the heating tube 210 may have a receiving space 210a formed therein, into which the electrode material raw material M is transferred from the supply tube 110 and received.

[0048] The heating tube 210 may be formed in the form of a cylindrical tube, for example, and may have a larger diameter than the supply tube 110.

[0049] The heater 220 heats the heating tube 210, thereby heating the electrode material raw material M located in the accommodation space 210a of the heating tube 210.

[0050] The rotating part 230 can rotate the heating tube 210 .

[0051] The rotating part 230 may include a driving gear 231 that provides a rotational force, and a driven gear 232 that receives the rotational force transmitted from the driving gear 231 .

[0052] The driving gear 231 has a driving gear portion formed on its outer circumferential surface, and can be rotated as the rotary shaft of the driving motor rotates.

[0053] The driven gear 232 is formed along the outer surface of the heating tube 210, and may have a driven gear portion formed on the outer circumferential surface thereof that meshes with the driving gear portion of the driving gear 231 by gear coupling.

[0054] The baffle 240 is provided inside the heating tube 210 and can induce stirring of the electrode material raw material M contained in the heating tube 210 when the heating tube 210 is rotated.

[0055] The baffle 240 may be provided on the inner side of the heating tube 210. The baffle 240 may include a horizontal bar provided at a predetermined distance from the inner surface of the heating tube 210. The horizontal bar may extend along the length of the heating tube 210. In this case, the horizontal bar may extend in a direction parallel to the traveling direction G of the electrode material raw material M, for example.

[0056] The chamber 300 may have a space for accommodating the first portion 111 of the supply tube 110. In this case, the chamber 300 may include a cylindrical chamber cover 310 and a chamber hopper 320 located below the chamber cover 310.

[0057] The chamber 300 can collect gases and water vapor exiting the first portion 111 of the heating tube 210 .

[0058] Here, gas and water vapor discharged from the outside of the heating tube 210 can be collected in the chamber hopper 320 by the chamber cover 310 .

[0059] Electrode material baking system according to the second embodiment An electrode material firing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0060] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an electrode material firing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] 2, the electrode material firing system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may include an electrode material firing apparatus 200 that fires an electrode material raw material M, and an electrode material supply apparatus 1100 that supplies the electrode material raw material M to the electrode material firing apparatus 200. In addition, the electrode material firing system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include a chamber 300 that collects gas and water vapor discharged from the heating tube 210.

[0062] The electrode material supply device 1100 may also include a supply tube 1110 through which the electrode material raw material M is transported, a cooling section 1120, a heating section 1140, an insulating section 1130, a screw 150, a blocking section 170, and a supply hopper 180.

[0063] The electrode material firing device 200 may include a heating tube 210 in which the electrode material raw material M is transferred from the supply tube 1110 and accommodated, a heater 220 , a rotating unit 230 , and a baffle 240 .

[0064] The electrode material baking system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the electrode material baking system according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above in that the heating unit 1140 and the cooling unit 1120 are provided only in the first portion 1111 of the supply tube 1110. Therefore, the electrode material baking system 20 according to the second embodiment will be described mainly with the differences and with the electrode material baking system according to the first embodiment described above being omitted or simply described.

[0065] More specifically, in the electrode material supply device 1100 of the electrode material firing system 20 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the supply tube 1110 may be formed with an internal space 1110a in which the electrode material raw material M is accommodated and moved.

[0066] The supply tube 1110 may be formed in the form of a cylindrical tube. In this case, the supply tube 1110 may be formed in the form of a cylindrical tube, for example.

[0067] The supply tube 1110 can include a first portion 1111 located outside the heating tube 210 and a second portion 1112 located inside the heating tube 210 .

[0068] In this case, the heating unit 1140 and the cooling unit 1120 may be provided in the first portion 1111 of the supply tube 1110. That is, the heating unit 1140 and the cooling unit 1120 may be provided only in the portion of the supply tube 1110 that is located outside the heating tube 210. As a result, the heating unit 1140 and the cooling unit 1120 are not provided in the second portion 1112 of the supply tube 1110 that is located inside the heating tube 210, which prevents the heating temperature inside the heating tube 210 from decreasing and facilitates manufacturing.

[0069] The cooling unit 1120 can cool the internal space 1110 a of the supply tube 1110 .

[0070] The cooling unit 1120 may include a cooling line 1121 through which a refrigerant fluid is moved to maintain the surroundings at a certain temperature or below.

[0071] At this time, the electrode material raw material M contains lithium hydroxide, and the cooling unit 1120 can cool the internal space 1110a of the supply tube 1110 so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material M becomes 10 to 60°C.

[0072] The cooling line 1121 may include a refrigerant inlet 1121a into which the refrigerant fluid is introduced and a refrigerant outlet 1121b from which the refrigerant fluid is discharged.

[0073] The cooling section 1120 may be provided along the inner surface of the insulating section 1130 .

[0074] The heating element 1140 can heat the outside of the supply tube 1110 .

[0075] The heating unit 1140 can heat the outside of the supply tube 1110 to a temperature of 100 to 150°C.

[0076] The heating section 1140 is provided along the inner surface of the supply tube 1110 and is capable of heating the supply tube 1110 and the exterior of the supply tube 1110 .

[0077] The heat insulating part 1130 is located between the cooling part 1120 and the heating part 1140 and can block heat transfer between the cooling part 1120 and the heating part 1140 .

[0078] The heat insulating section 1130 may be provided along the inner surface of the heating section 1140 .

[0079] The screw 150 is located in the inner space 1110a of the supply tube 1110 and can move the electrode material raw material M.

[0080] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to specific embodiments, these are merely for the purpose of specifically explaining the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. It is possible for a person skilled in the art to carry out various modifications within the technical concept of the present invention.

[0081] The specific scope of protection of the invention will be defined by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10, 20 Electrode material baking system 100, 1100 Electrode material supply device 110, 1110 supply tube 110a, 1110a interior space 111, 1111 Part 1 112, 1112 2nd part 120, 1120 Cooling section 121, 1121 Cooling line 121a, 1121a Refrigerant inlet 121b, 1121b Refrigerant discharge section 130, 1130 Insulation section 140, 1140 heating section 150 screw 151 Screw motor 170 Breaker 180 supply hopper 200 Electrode material baking equipment 210 Heating Tube 210a Containment Space 220 Heater 230 Rotating part 231 Drive gear 232 driven gear 240 Baffle 300 Chamber 300a space 310 Chamber Cover 320 Chamber Hopper G Direction of travel M Electrode material raw material

Claims

1. an electrode material firing device for firing the electrode material raw material; an electrode material supplying device that supplies the electrode material raw material to the electrode material firing device, The electrode material supply device is a supply tube having an internal space in which the electrode material raw material is accommodated and transferred; a cooling unit that cools the internal space of the supply tube; a heating unit that heats the outside of the supply tube.

2. The cooling unit is 2. The electrode material baking system according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling line through which a coolant fluid is transferred to maintain the surroundings at or below a certain temperature.

3. the electrode material raw material includes lithium hydroxide, 3. The electrode material firing system according to claim 2, wherein the cooling unit cools the inner space of the supply tube so that the temperature of the electrode material raw material is 10 to 60°C.

4. The cooling line a refrigerant inlet into which the refrigerant fluid flows; The electrode material baking system according to claim 2 , further comprising: a coolant discharge portion through which the coolant fluid is discharged.

5. The electrode material firing system according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode material supply device further comprises a screw located in an inner space of the supply tube to move the electrode material raw material.

6. The electrode material baking system according to claim 1 , wherein the heating unit heats the outside of the supply tube at a temperature of 100 to 150° C.

7. The electrode material baking system according to claim 1 , further comprising a heat insulating unit positioned between the cooling unit and the heating unit to block heat transfer between the cooling unit and the heating unit.

8. the supply tube is formed in the form of a cylindrical tube; the heating section is provided along an inner surface of the supply tube and heats the supply tube and an exterior of the supply tube; The heat insulating portion is provided along an inner surface of the heating portion, The electrode material baking system according to claim 7 , wherein the cooling section is provided along an inner surface of the heat insulating section.

9. 2. The electrode material baking system according to claim 1, wherein the electrode material supply device further comprises a blocking portion provided on an outer surface of the supply tube and configured to block condensed water vapor located on the outer surface of the supply tube from moving along the outer surface of the supply tube into the electrode material baking device.

10. The electrode material baking system according to claim 9 , wherein the blocking portion is made of a metal plate provided along the periphery of the supply tube.

11. The electrode material baking device is a heating tube having a receiving space formed therein into which the electrode material raw material is transferred from the supply tube and received; The electrode material firing system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a heater that heats the heating tube, thereby heating the electrode material raw material located in the accommodation space of the heating tube.

12. The supply tube a first portion located outside the heating tube; and a second portion located inside the heating tube.

13. The electrode material baking system according to claim 12 , wherein the heating section and the cooling section are provided in a first portion of the supply tube.

14. The electrode material baking system according to claim 12 , wherein the heating section and the cooling section are provided in the first and second sections of the supply tube.

15. a chamber having a space formed therein to accommodate a first portion of the supply tube; The electrode material baking system of claim 12 , wherein the chamber collects gases and water vapor exhausted from the first portion of the heating tube.

16. The electrode material baking device is a rotating unit that rotates the heating tube; 12. The electrode material firing system according to claim 11, further comprising: a baffle provided inside the heating tube and configured to induce agitation of the electrode material raw material contained in the heating tube when the heating tube is rotated.

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