Process management apparatus and process management method

Abstract

According to some embodiments disclosed in the present document, this process management apparatus comprises: a sensor configured to measure a concentration of a gaseous solvent from each of a plurality of drying zones in which the gaseous solvent is formed by drying an electrode slurry, to generate a plurality of concentration values; and a controller configured to determine a progress state of the drying process for the electrode slurry on the basis of the plurality of concentration values, and adjust a drying parameter related to the plurality of drying zones on the basis of the progress state.

Description

Process management device and process management method

[0001] Cross-citation with related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2023-0114049, filed August 29, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] Technology field

[0004] The embodiments disclosed in this document relate to a process management device and a process management method.

[0005] Recently, active research and development has been conducted on secondary batteries. The term "secondary battery" refers to a rechargeable battery, encompassing both conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries, as well as recent lithium-ion batteries. Among secondary batteries, lithium-ion batteries can boast higher energy densities than conventional Ni / Cd and Ni / MH batteries. They can be manufactured in small and lightweight designs, making them highly versatile power sources for mobile devices. Recently, their use has expanded to include power sources for electric vehicles, attracting attention as a next-generation energy storage medium.

[0006] The manufacturing process of a secondary battery may include a cathode manufacturing process, and a key quality item of a secondary battery cathode may include an adhesive strength item. A secondary battery cathode may be formed by applying a slurry containing an active material, a conductive material, a binder, etc., to an electrode sheet and then drying the same. The adhesive strength of the cathode may be determined by the quality of the drying process for the slurry. For example, if the electrode slurry is excessively or insufficiently dried, the adhesive strength of the cathode may deteriorate.

[0007] One purpose of the embodiments disclosed in this document is to provide a process management device and process management method capable of automatically adjusting parameters of a drying process for an electrode slurry to prevent a decrease in anode adhesion.

[0008] The technical objectives of the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the technical tasks mentioned above, and other technical tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the descriptions below.

[0009] According to some embodiments disclosed herein, a process management device includes a sensor configured to measure a concentration of a gaseous solvent from each of a plurality of drying zones that dry an electrode slurry to form a gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values; and a controller configured to determine a progress status of a drying process for the electrode slurry based on the plurality of concentration values, and to adjust a drying parameter associated with the plurality of drying zones based on the progress status.

[0010] According to some embodiments, each of the plurality of drying zones is provided with a temperature control device configured to maintain a drying temperature of the electrode slurry and a ventilation device configured to operate at a rotational speed to form an air flow passing through the electrode slurry, wherein the drying parameters include the drying temperature and the rotational speed.

[0011] According to some embodiments, the controller is configured to perform at least one first correction for adjusting the rotational speed based on the plurality of concentration values, and to perform at least one second correction for adjusting the rotational speed based on a variation in the plurality of concentration values ​​due to the at least one first correction.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the controller is configured to adjust the drying parameter by performing at least one calibration cycle comprising a plurality of the first calibrations and one second calibration as one calibration cycle.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the controller is configured to compare the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in a target drying zone among the plurality of drying zones with a reference concentration value to determine whether adjustment of the drying parameter is completed.

[0014] According to some embodiments, the electrode slurry is dried through preheating drying zones, constant-rate drying zones, and decelerating-rate drying zones constituting the plurality of drying zones, and the target drying zone is defined as the last drying zone among the constant-rate drying zones.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the at least one first correction comprises correction of the rotation speed for the preheat drying zones and correction of the rotation speed for the constant rate drying zones, and the at least one second correction comprises correction of the drying temperature for the constant rate drying zones.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the first correction parameter of the at least one first correction comprises an amount of change in the rotational speed, a duration of change in the rotational speed, and a delay time between corrections of the rotational speed, and the controller is configured to adjust the first correction parameter based on a difference between a progress state of the drying process and a standard state.

[0017] According to some embodiments disclosed in the present document, a process management method includes the steps of: measuring a concentration of a gaseous solvent from each of a plurality of drying zones that dry an electrode slurry to form a gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values; determining a progress status of a drying process for the electrode slurry based on the plurality of concentration values; and adjusting a drying parameter associated with the plurality of drying zones based on the progress status.

[0018] According to some embodiments, each of the plurality of drying zones is provided with a temperature control device configured to maintain a drying temperature of the electrode slurry and a ventilation device configured to operate at a rotational speed to form an air flow passing through the electrode slurry, wherein the drying parameters include the drying temperature and the rotational speed.

[0019] In some embodiments, the step of adjusting the drying parameter includes: performing at least one first correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on the plurality of concentration values; and performing at least one second correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on a variation in the plurality of concentration values ​​due to the at least one first correction.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the step of adjusting the drying parameter comprises the step of adjusting the drying parameter by performing at least one calibration cycle comprising a plurality of the first calibrations and one second calibration as one calibration cycle.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the step of adjusting the drying parameter includes the step of comparing a concentration value of the gaseous solvent in a target drying zone among the plurality of drying zones with a reference concentration value to determine whether the adjustment of the drying parameter is completed.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the electrode slurry is dried through preheating drying zones, constant-rate drying zones, and decelerating-rate drying zones constituting the plurality of drying zones, and the target drying zone is defined as the last drying zone among the constant-rate drying zones.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the at least one first correction comprises correction of the rotation speed for the preheat drying zones and correction of the rotation speed for the constant rate drying zones, and the at least one second correction comprises correction of the drying temperature for the constant rate drying zones.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the first correction parameter of the at least one first correction comprises an amount of change in the rotational speed, a duration of change in the rotational speed, and a delay time between corrections of the rotational speed, and the step of adjusting the drying parameter comprises a step of adjusting the first correction parameter based on a difference between a progress state of the drying process and a standard state.

[0025] According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, a process management device and a process management method can be provided that can automatically adjust parameters of a drying process for an electrode slurry to prevent a decrease in anode adhesion.

[0026] The technical effects according to the embodiments disclosed in this document are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art according to the disclosure of this document.

[0027] FIG. 1 may illustrate elements constituting a process management system according to some embodiments.

[0028] FIG. 2 may illustrate elements constituting a process management device according to some embodiments.

[0029] FIG. 3 can illustrate a process in which a process management device according to some embodiments operates.

[0030] FIG. 4 may illustrate concentration values ​​of a gaseous solvent measured from multiple drying zones according to some embodiments.

[0031] FIG. 5 may illustrate a method of performing first and second corrections to adjust the rotation speed and drying temperature of multiple drying zones according to some embodiments.

[0032] FIG. 6 may illustrate a process of adjusting the rotation speed of multiple drying zones according to a first correction according to some embodiments.

[0033] FIG. 7 can illustrate the effect of electrode adhesion enhancement provided by a process management device according to some embodiments.

[0034] FIG. 8 may illustrate steps that constitute a process management method according to some embodiments.

[0035] Hereinafter, embodiments described in this document are described with reference to the attached drawings. However, this is not intended to limit the disclosure of this document to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that various modifications, equivalents, and / or alternatives of the embodiments described in this document are included.

[0036] The embodiments and terminology used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to a specific embodiment, but should be understood to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives of the embodiment. In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related components. The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the item, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0037] In this document, the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. Terms such as "first", "second", "first", "second", "A", "B", "(a)", or "(b)" may be used merely to distinguish the corresponding component from other corresponding components, and do not limit the corresponding components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order) unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0038] In this document, when a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “connected,” “coupled,” or “connected,” with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” or “coupled” or “connected,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired or wirelessly), or indirectly (e.g., via a third component).

[0039] The methods according to various embodiments disclosed in this document may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a commodity between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., compact disc read-only memory, CD-ROM), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) through an application store or directly between two user devices. In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated in a machine-readable storage medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0040] According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, each component (e.g., a module or a program) of the above-described components may include one or more entities, and some of the entities may be separated and placed in other components. According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, one or more components or operations of the aforementioned components may be omitted, or one or more other components or operations may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components (e.g., a module or a program) may be integrated into a single component. In this case, the integrated component may perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components identically or similarly to those performed by the corresponding component among the plurality of components prior to the integration. According to the embodiments disclosed in this document, the operations performed by a module, program, or other component may be executed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically, or one or more of the operations may be executed in a different order, omitted, or one or more other operations may be added.

[0041] FIG. 1 may illustrate elements constituting a process management system according to some embodiments.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, in a process management system (100), a plurality of drying zones (140) can dry electrode slurry (110) to form a battery electrode (130), and a process management device (120) can manage a drying process for the electrode slurry (110). According to an embodiment, the battery electrode (130) can include a secondary battery positive electrode.

[0043] The process management system (100) may refer to a system for managing the state of a drying process during a process of performing a drying process on an electrode slurry (110) to evaporate a liquid solvent of the electrode slurry (110) and form a battery electrode (130). According to an embodiment, a liquid electrode slurry (110) may be coated on an electrode sheet, and when a drying process is performed thereon, a battery electrode (130) may be formed as the liquid solvent of the electrode slurry (110) evaporates.

[0044] The electrode slurry (110) is a mixture coated on an electrode sheet and may include an electrode active material, a conductive material, a binder, a solvent, etc. According to an embodiment, the solvent of the electrode slurry (110) may include N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). For example, liquid N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) may be evaporated by a plurality of drying zones (140), and as a result of the drying, the remaining material of the electrode slurry (110) and the electrode sheet may form a battery electrode (130).

[0045] A plurality of drying zones (140) may be configured to dry the electrode slurry (110). According to an embodiment, the plurality of drying zones (140) may include a transport means for transporting the electrode slurry (110) coated on the electrode sheet along a predetermined track and a drying means for drying the electrode slurry (110) transported along the track.

[0046] Each of the plurality of drying zones (140) may include an oven device for drying the coated electrode in an oven manner. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of drying zones (140) may include a drying oven zone, an external air supply section, an internal exhaust section, a heat source, etc. The electrode slurry (110) applied to the electrode sheet may sequentially pass through the plurality of drying zones (140). In an embodiment, the plurality of drying zones (140) may include 11 drying zones that are sequentially connected.

[0047] The battery electrode (130) can be formed by drying the electrode slurry (110) applied to the electrode sheet. According to an embodiment, the battery electrode (130) including the active material and the conductive material, etc., which are bonded through drying of the electrode slurry (110), can be wound to manufacture a cylindrical battery.

[0048] The adhesive strength of the battery electrode (130) may be determined depending on how appropriately the drying process for the electrode slurry (110) is performed. For example, if the drying process is performed excessively and the electrode slurry (110) is overdried, or if the drying process is performed insufficiently and the electrode slurry (110) is insufficiently dried, the adhesive strength of the battery electrode (130) may be reduced.

[0049] In order to prevent the adhesive strength of the battery electrode (130) from deteriorating, a method has been conventionally utilized in which workers manually adjust the process parameters of the drying process for the electrode slurry (110). According to an embodiment, in order to automate such conventional manual adjustment, the process management device (120) can measure the concentration of a gaseous solvent generated during the drying process of the electrode slurry (110) to determine the progress of the drying process, and automatically adjust the process parameters of the drying process based on this.

[0050] FIG. 2 may illustrate elements constituting a process management device according to some embodiments.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2, the process management device (120) may include a sensor (121) and a controller (122). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and some components may be omitted from the process management device (120), or other general-purpose components may be further included in the process management device (120).

[0052] According to an embodiment, the sensor (121) and the controller (122) in the process management device (120) may be electrically connected to each other through a device-to-device communication method. The device-to-device communication method may include a bus, a general purpose input and output (GPIO), a serial peripheral interface (SPI), a mobile industry processor interface (MIPI), etc.

[0053] The sensor (121) may include a plurality of sensors installed in a plurality of drying zones (140). The plurality of sensors may include a gas concentration sensor for measuring the concentration of a gaseous solvent discharged from the plurality of drying zones (140). As the drying of the electrode slurry (110) progresses, the concentration of the gaseous solvent may decrease. According to an embodiment, the sensor (121) may measure the concentration of the gaseous solvent in units of lower explosive level (LEL%).

[0054] The controller (122) may have a structure for executing commands that implement the operations of the process management device (120). The controller (122) may be implemented as an array of multiple logic gates for processing various operations or as a general-purpose microprocessor, and may be composed of a single processor or multiple processors. For example, the controller (122) may be implemented in the form of at least one of a microprocessor, a CPU, a GPU, and an AP.

[0055] The controller (122) can operate with a memory configured to store various data, commands, mobile applications, computer programs, etc. The memory can be configured separately from or integrally with the controller (122). The controller (122) can process various operations by executing commands stored in the memory. For example, the memory can be implemented as a non-volatile device such as a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a flash memory, a PRAM, an MRAM, an RRAM, an FRAM, etc., or a volatile device such as a DRAM, an SRAM, an SDRAM, a PRAM, etc., and can be implemented in the form of an HDD, an SSD, an SD, a Micro-SD, etc., or a combination thereof.

[0056] A plurality of drying zones (140) may be configured to transport the electrode slurry (110) to evaporate the solvent of the electrode slurry (110) to form a gaseous solvent. The plurality of drying zones (140) may include a ventilation means and a heating means, through which the liquid solvent of the electrode slurry (110) may be vaporized.

[0057] The sensor (121) may be configured to measure the concentration of the gaseous solvent from each of the plurality of drying zones (140) that dry the electrode slurry (110) to form a gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values. The sensor (121) may include a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of drying zones (140). According to an embodiment, the concentration of the gaseous solvent may vary depending on the degree of drying of the electrode slurry (110). For example, a high gaseous solvent concentration may be measured in the first half of the plurality of drying zones (140) corresponding to the first half of the drying process, and a low gaseous solvent concentration may be measured in the second half of the plurality of drying zones (140) corresponding to the second half of the drying process.

[0058] The controller (122) may be configured to determine the progress status of the drying process for the electrode slurry (110) based on a plurality of concentration values. For example, it may be desirable for a gaseous solvent concentration of 2 LEL% or more and 9 LEL% or less to be measured in the 7th drying zone among 11 drying zones, and if a concentration of less than 2 LEL% is measured in the 7th drying zone, the progress status of the drying process may be an overdrying state. According to an embodiment, the reference values ​​for determining the progress status may be set to different values ​​in consideration of material properties, etc. during the process design process.

[0059] The controller (122) may be configured to adjust drying parameters associated with the plurality of drying zones (140) based on the progress status. For example, if a gaseous solvent concentration of less than 2 LEL% is measured in the seventh drying zone among the 11 drying zones, the progress status of the drying process may be determined to be an overdrying state, and the drying parameters of the plurality of drying zones (140) may be adjusted to reduce the drying speed of the electrode slurry (110) to compensate for this.

[0060] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of drying zones (140) includes a temperature control device configured to maintain a drying temperature of the electrode slurry (110) and a ventilation device configured to operate at a rotation speed to form an air flow past the electrode slurry (110), and the drying parameters may include the drying temperature and the rotation speed. For example, the temperature control device of each drying zone may include a temperature sensor and a heater, and the ventilation device of each drying zone may include an air circulation fan. In an embodiment, as a default value, the drying temperature may be maintained at 50°C and the rotation speed may be maintained at 500 RPM. When the drying speed is to be lowered in an overdrying state, the drying parameters may be adjusted by lowering the drying temperature by 1°C and the rotation speed by 10 RPM. In an embodiment, in addition to the drying temperature and the rotation speed, the duration of the parameter adjustment may be adjusted, and the amount of correction for the drying temperature and the rotation speed may also vary depending on the design.

[0061] In an embodiment, the controller (122) may be configured to perform at least one first correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on a plurality of concentration values, and at least one second correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on a variation in the plurality of concentration values ​​due to the at least one first correction. In an embodiment, in adjusting the drying speed of the electrode slurry (110), the effect of the first correction for adjusting the rotation speed may be greater than the effect of the second correction for adjusting the drying temperature. Therefore, a method may be utilized in which the first correction having a large variation range is first performed, and the second correction enabling fine adjustment is then performed later.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the controller (122) may be configured to adjust the drying parameters by performing at least one calibration cycle comprising three first calibrations and one second calibration as one calibration cycle. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of first and second calibrations constituting one calibration cycle may be set differently depending on the design. After performing one calibration cycle, if the plurality of concentration values ​​and thus the drying speed of the electrode slurry (110) are not corrected as desired, an additional calibration cycle may be performed.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the controller (122) may be configured to compare the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in a target drying zone among the plurality of drying zones (140) with a reference concentration value to determine whether the adjustment of the drying parameter is completed. For example, the plurality of drying zones (140) may include 11 drying zones, and the target drying zone may be set as the 7th drying zone among the 11 drying zones. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of drying zones may vary depending on the design, and a drying zone at a different location may be set as the target drying zone. When the adjustment of the drying parameter is completed as the plurality of concentration values ​​return to a normal range, the first correction or the second correction may no longer be performed.

[0064] In an embodiment, the plurality of drying zones (140) may include preheat drying zones, constant rate drying zones, and decelerating rate drying zones, and the target drying zone may be the last drying zone among the constant rate drying zones. For example, the plurality of drying zones (140) may include 11 drying zones, and the 11 drying zones may include 3 preheat drying zones, 4 constant rate drying zones, and 3 decelerating rate drying zones, and the target drying zone may be the 7th drying zone among the 11 drying zones. In an embodiment, the drying of the electrode slurry (110) may be performed such that the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in the target drying zone falls within a preset range. For example, the drying process may be performed such that the gaseous solvent concentration in the 7th drying zone among the 11 drying zones is 2 LEL% or more and 9 LEL% or less. Meanwhile, the target drying zone and the preset range may be determined to different values ​​depending on the process design.

[0065] In an embodiment, at least one first correction may include a correction of rotation speed for the preheat drying zones and a correction of rotation speed for the constant rate drying zones, and at least one second correction may include a correction of drying temperature for the constant rate drying zones. For example, considering that the target drying zone is the last drying zone among the constant rate drying zones, the first correction regarding rotation speed and the second correction regarding drying temperature may be performed for the preheat drying zones and the constant rate drying zones. In an embodiment, the first correction and the second correction may also be performed for the decreasing rate drying zones located at the last among the plurality of drying zones (140).

[0066] In an embodiment, the first correction parameter of at least one first correction includes a change amount of rotation speed, a duration of change in rotation speed, and a delay time between corrections of rotation speed, and the controller (122) may be configured to adjust the first correction parameter based on a difference between a progress state of the drying process and a standard state. For example, with respect to the first correction parameter regarding rotation speed, the change amount of rotation speed may be ±10 RPM, the duration of change in rotation speed may be 20 seconds, and the delay time between corrections of rotation speed may be 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 90 seconds, etc. In an embodiment, the standard state may mean a state in which the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in the target drying zone falls within a preset range, and the greater the degree of deviation from the preset range, the more the first correction parameter may be adjusted. For example, if the gaseous solvent concentration in the target drying zone is excessively low and outside the preset range, it can be interpreted that overdrying has occurred, and the change in rotation speed can be adjusted to -30 RPM, and the duration of the change in rotation speed can be adjusted to 10 seconds.

[0067] FIG. 3 can illustrate a process in which a process management device according to some embodiments operates.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 3, the operation process (300) of the process management device (120) may include steps (310) to (370). The operation process (300) may indicate a case in which the drying process for the electrode slurry (110) is excessively performed, resulting in overdrying. The automatic correction process of the operation process (300) may be linked to an alarm for the gaseous solvent concentration (LEL%), which may be manually turned on / off.

[0069] In step (310), a target drying zone may be set among a plurality of drying zones (140). According to an embodiment, the target drying zone may be the last drying zone among the constant-rate drying zones.

[0070] In step (320), the gaseous solvent concentration in the target drying zone can be compared with a preset range. For example, in the case of overdrying, it can be determined whether the gaseous solvent concentration is less than or equal to X LEL%, where X can be 2. If the gaseous solvent concentration is not less than or equal to X LEL%, i.e., if it is determined that overdrying is not occurring, the automatic correction process of the process management device (120) can be completed, as in step (370).

[0071] Steps (330) to (360) may represent a first correction for the rotation speed and a second correction for the drying temperature. In step (330), a first correction may be performed once, and the rotation speed may be lowered accordingly. In step (340), it may be determined whether the gas solvent concentration in the target drying zone is Y LEL% or less, where Y may be 8. For example, if the gas solvent concentration is 9 or more, this may indicate that the drying process, which was in an overdrying state, has returned to a normal state. If the gas solvent concentration is not Y LEL% or less, the automatic correction process may be completed, and if the gas solvent concentration is Y LEL% or less, the first correction for the rotation speed may be repeatedly performed. In an embodiment, the first correction for the rotation speed may be performed up to three times.

[0072] In step (350), a second correction regarding the drying temperature may be performed as the fourth correction process. For example, in case of overdrying, the drying temperature may be changed from the existing 50°C to 49°C through the second correction. When the first correction is performed three times and the second correction is performed once, one correction cycle is completed, and in step (360), it is determined whether the gaseous solvent concentration in the target drying zone has recovered to Y LEL% or more. If recovered (N), the automatic correction process may be completed, and if not recovered (Y), the correction cycle may be performed again.

[0073] FIG. 4 may illustrate concentration values ​​of a gaseous solvent measured from multiple drying zones according to some embodiments.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 4, the interface screen (400) of the process management device (120) can display concentration values ​​(410) of gaseous solvent measured from a plurality of drying zones (140) and drying parameters (420). For example, the concentration values ​​(410) of gaseous solvent can be displayed in units of LEL% for 11 drying zones, and the drying parameters (420) can include the RPM value of a ventilation device and the temperature value of a temperature control device.

[0075] The concentration values ​​(410) may represent the concentration of the gaseous solvent measured by the sensor (121) in units of LEL%. According to an embodiment, the gaseous solvent may include N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) gas. In the concentration values ​​(410), since the concentration value of the target drying zone, the 7th drying zone, is 0, it can be determined that the current electrode slurry (110) is in an overdried state. Meanwhile, considering that the concentration of the 6th zone is 2 LEL% or less as indicated in the drying completion zone (430), the 6th zone can be determined to be a drying completion zone, and since this is ahead of the normal range of the 7th to 10th zones, it can be confirmed that the current state is an overdried state.

[0076] The drying parameters (420) can display the RPM value of the ventilation device currently operating in 11 drying zones and the drying temperature value of the temperature control device. 500 RPM and 50°C can be set as default values, and the current correction values ​​can both be 0, after which the rotation speed and drying temperature can be corrected according to an automatic correction process.

[0077] FIG. 5 may illustrate a method of performing first and second corrections to adjust the rotation speed and drying temperature of multiple drying zones according to some embodiments.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 5, the interface screen (500) of the process management device (120) can display the first first correction (510), the second first correction (520), the third first correction (530), and the fourth second correction (540).

[0079] The first first correction (510) can set a rotation speed correction of -10 RPM for the constant rate drying zones (No. 4 to 7), the second first correction (520) can set a rotation speed correction of -10 RPM for the preheat drying zones (No. 1 to 3), the third first correction (530) can set a rotation speed correction of -10 RPM for the constant rate drying zones (No. 4 to 7), and the fourth second correction (540) can set a drying temperature correction of -1℃ for the constant rate drying zones (No. 4 to 7). However, this is not limited thereto, and the correction zone and correction amount may vary depending on the process design.

[0080] The rotation speed compensation of the first compensation (510, 520, 530) can significantly change the drying state of the electrode slurry (110), while the drying temperature compensation of the second compensation (540) can precisely change the drying state of the electrode slurry (110). For example, according to the first compensation (510, 520, 530), the speed of the state change is fast, but the large fluctuation range may cause the state of over-drying to be converted into the state of under-drying. On the other hand, according to the second compensation (540), the speed of the state change is slow, but fine adjustment may be possible. That is, the first compensation (510, 520, 530) may mean coarse compensation, and the second compensation (540) may mean fine compensation. When combining these correction methods, setting three first corrections (510, 520, 530) and one second correction (540) as one cycle may be suitable for maintaining balance, and other combinations of times may also be utilized.

[0081] FIG. 6 may illustrate a process of adjusting the rotation speed of multiple drying zones according to a first correction according to some embodiments.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 6, the interface screen (600) of the process management device (120) can display a primary first correction (610), a secondary first correction (620), and a correction status window (630, 640).

[0083] As in the first first correction (610), for the overdrying condition, the rotation speed of the ventilation device of the constant-rate drying zones (No. 4 to 7) can be adjusted from 500 RPM to 490 RPM, in which case the duration of the RPM correction can be 20 seconds, and the completion of the RPM adjustment can be displayed in the correction status window (630). In addition, as in the second first correction (620), for the overdrying condition, the rotation speed of the ventilation device of the preheating drying zones (No. 1 to 3) can be adjusted from 500 RPM to 490 RPM, and the current RPM adjustment in progress can be displayed in the correction status window (640).

[0084] FIG. 7 can illustrate the effect of electrode adhesion enhancement provided by a process management device according to some embodiments.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 7, a graph (700) may be illustrated showing the effect of improving the electrode adhesion of a battery electrode (130) provided by a process management device (120). The graph (700) may display the adhesion of the battery electrode (130) in units of gf / 20 mm for cases where an automatic correction process by the process management device (120) is applied and cases where it is not applied.

[0086] As shown in the graph (700), it can be confirmed that in the control group (710, 730) to which the automatic correction process by the process management device (120) was not applied, a relatively low adhesive strength was measured, whereas in the experimental group (720) to which the automatic correction process by the process management device (120) was applied, a relatively high adhesive strength was measured. Specifically, according to the automatic correction process by the process management device (120), the adhesive strength of the battery electrode (130) can be improved by about 12%, and the adhesive strength process capability can be improved by about 7% (based on M50F).

[0087] FIG. 8 may illustrate steps that constitute a process management method according to some embodiments.

[0088] Referring to FIG. 8, the process management method (800) may include steps (810) to (830). However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and some steps may be omitted or other general steps may be added, and the steps of the process management method (800) may be executed in a different order than the illustrated order.

[0089] The process management method (800) may be composed of steps that are processed in a time-series manner in the process management device (120). Therefore, even if the content is omitted below, the content described above for the process management device (120) may be equally applied to the process management method (800).

[0090] Steps (810) to (830) of the process management method (800) can be performed by the sensor (121) and controller (122) of the process management device (120).

[0091] In step (810), the process management device (120) can measure the concentration of the gaseous solvent from each of the plurality of drying zones that dry the electrode slurry to form the gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values.

[0092] In step (820), the process management device (120) can determine the progress status of the drying process for the electrode slurry based on a plurality of concentration values.

[0093] In step (830), the process management device (120) can adjust drying parameters associated with multiple drying zones based on the progress status.

[0094] According to an embodiment, the process management method (800) may be implemented in the form of a computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium. That is, the computer program may include instructions for implementing the process management method (800), and the instructions of the program may be stored on the computer-readable storage medium. The computer program may include a mobile application.

[0095] According to an embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium may include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute computer program instructions such as ROMs, RAMs, flash memories, and the like. The computer program instructions may include machine language codes generated by a compiler and high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0096] The terms "include," "comprise," or "have" used herein, unless otherwise specifically stated, imply that the corresponding component may be included, and therefore should be interpreted to include other components rather than to exclude other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document pertain, unless otherwise defined. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in dictionaries, should be interpreted to be consistent with their contextual meaning in the relevant art, and shall not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in this document.

[0097] The above description is merely an illustrative description of the technical idea disclosed in this document, and those skilled in the art to which the embodiments disclosed in this document pertain may make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the embodiments disclosed in this document. Therefore, the embodiments disclosed in this document are not intended to limit the technical idea of ​​the embodiments disclosed in this document, but to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea disclosed in this document is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the technical idea disclosed in this document should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this document.

[0098] [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 100: Process control system 110: Electrode slurry

[0100] 120: Process control device 121: Sensor

[0101] 122: Controller 130: Battery electrode

[0102] 140: Multiple dry zones

Claims

1. A sensor configured to measure the concentration of the gaseous solvent from each of a plurality of drying zones that dry the electrode slurry to form a gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values; and A process management device comprising a controller configured to determine the progress status of a drying process for the electrode slurry based on the plurality of concentration values, and to adjust drying parameters associated with the plurality of drying zones based on the progress status.

2. In paragraph 1, Each of the plurality of drying zones is provided with a temperature control device configured to maintain a drying temperature of the electrode slurry and a ventilation device configured to operate at a rotational speed to form an air flow passing through the electrode slurry. A process management device wherein the drying parameters include the drying temperature and the rotation speed.

3. In paragraph 2, The controller performs at least one first correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on the plurality of concentration values, A process management device configured to perform at least one second correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on the amount of variation in the plurality of concentration values ​​by the at least one first correction.

4. In paragraph 3, A process management device, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the drying parameter by performing at least one correction cycle comprising a plurality of the first corrections and one second correction as one correction cycle.

5. In paragraph 3, A process management device wherein the controller is configured to compare the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in a target drying zone among the plurality of drying zones with a reference concentration value to determine whether the adjustment of the drying parameter is completed.

6. In paragraph 4, The above electrode slurry is dried through preheating drying zones, constant-rate drying zones, and decelerating-rate drying zones constituting the plurality of drying zones, A process control device, wherein the above target drying zone is defined as the last drying zone among the above constant rate drying zones.

7. In paragraph 6, wherein said at least one first correction comprises correction of said rotation speed for said preheat drying zones and correction of said rotation speed for said constant rate drying zones, A process management device, wherein said at least one second correction comprises a correction of said drying temperature for said constant rate drying zones.

8. In paragraph 3, The first correction parameter of the at least one first correction includes the amount of change in the rotational speed, the duration of change in the rotational speed, and the delay time between corrections of the rotational speed, A process management device, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the first correction parameter based on the difference between the progress state of the drying process and the standard state.

9. A step of measuring the concentration of the gaseous solvent from each of a plurality of drying zones that dry the electrode slurry to form a gaseous solvent, thereby generating a plurality of concentration values; A step of determining the progress of the drying process for the electrode slurry based on the plurality of concentration values; and A process management method comprising a step of adjusting drying parameters associated with the plurality of drying zones based on the progress status.

10. In paragraph 9, Each of the plurality of drying zones is provided with a temperature control device configured to maintain a drying temperature of the electrode slurry and a ventilation device configured to operate at a rotational speed to form an air flow passing through the electrode slurry. A process management method wherein the drying parameters include the drying temperature and the rotation speed.

11. In paragraph 10, The step of adjusting the above drying parameters is: A step of performing at least one first correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on the plurality of concentration values; and A process management method comprising the step of performing at least one second correction for adjusting the rotation speed based on the amount of variation in the plurality of concentration values ​​by the at least one first correction.

12. In paragraph 11, The step of adjusting the above drying parameters is: A process management method comprising a step of adjusting the drying parameters by performing at least one correction cycle comprising multiple first corrections and one second correction as one correction cycle.

13. In paragraph 11, The step of adjusting the above drying parameters is: A process management method comprising a step of comparing the concentration value of the gaseous solvent in a target drying zone among the plurality of drying zones with a reference concentration value to determine whether the adjustment of the drying parameter is completed.

14. In paragraph 12, The above electrode slurry is dried through preheating drying zones, constant-rate drying zones, and decelerating-rate drying zones constituting the plurality of drying zones, A process control method, wherein the target drying zone is defined as the last drying zone among the constant rate drying zones.

15. In paragraph 14, wherein said at least one first correction comprises correction of said rotation speed for said preheat drying zones and correction of said rotation speed for said constant rate drying zones, A process management method, wherein said at least one second correction comprises a correction of said drying temperature for said constant rate drying zones.

16. In paragraph 11, The first correction parameter of the at least one first correction includes the amount of change in the rotational speed, the duration of change in the rotational speed, and the delay time between corrections of the rotational speed, A process management method, wherein the step of adjusting the drying parameter includes a step of adjusting the first correction parameter based on a difference between the progress state of the drying process and a standard state.

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