Aging rack and aging system including same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an aging rack in which a secondary battery is accommodated and an aging process is performed, and an aging system including same, and more particularly, to an aging rack capable of providing temperature uniformity regardless of the position of a secondary battery, and an aging system including same. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack and an aging system including same may be provided, the aging rack comprising a blower for forcibly supplying air from the rear to the front of a tray accommodation part through a plurality of perforated nozzles.

Description

Aging rack and aging system including same

[0001] The present invention relates to an aging rack in which a secondary battery is accommodated and an aging process is performed, and to an aging system including the same, and to an aging rack capable of providing temperature uniformity regardless of the position of the secondary battery, and to an aging system including the same.

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2023-0170663, dated November 30, 2023, and Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2024-0176412, dated December 2, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] In modern society, the widespread use of portable devices like cell phones, laptops, camcorders, and digital cameras has fueled active development of technologies related to these devices. Furthermore, rechargeable secondary batteries are increasingly being used as power sources for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (P-HEVs) to address air pollution issues caused by conventional gasoline-powered vehicles. This has heightened the need for expanded development of secondary batteries.

[0004] Currently commercialized secondary batteries include nickel-cadmium batteries, nickel-hydrogen batteries, nickel-zinc batteries, and lithium secondary batteries. Among these, lithium secondary batteries are receiving the most attention due to their advantages of free charging and discharging, low self-discharge rate, and high energy density.

[0005] Secondary batteries can be provided in pouch, square, and cylindrical shapes depending on the type and shape of the battery case.

[0006] Lithium secondary batteries are manufactured in the following order: an electrode process for manufacturing electrodes, an assembly process for manufacturing an electrode assembly by interposing the electrodes and a separator, and then embedding the electrode assembly together with an electrolyte in a secondary battery case to manufacture a secondary battery, and an activation process for shipping the manufactured secondary battery.

[0007] The activation process is subdivided into room-temperature aging, high-temperature aging, and charge / discharge. Each sub-process can be performed in separate temperature zones to accommodate different temperature conditions. In particular, room-temperature aging and high-temperature aging can be performed in separate aging chambers.

[0008] Figure 1 illustrates an example of a conventional aging system, which may be an aging system in which room temperature aging or high temperature aging is performed.

[0009] High-temperature and room-temperature aging is a process in which secondary batteries are stored under constant temperature conditions for an extended period of time using a rack (3). Secondary batteries are first accommodated in trays formed in a grid shape. Multiple trays are stacked to form a tray set, which can then be accommodated in the rack (3) in the form of a tray set. Additionally, the rack (3) itself may be formed with a grid-shaped tray receiving portion.

[0010] For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the rack (3) can be formed with tray receiving portions in 4 rows and 2 columns, and each tray receiving portion can receive a tray set in which 6 trays are stacked.

[0011] These tray structures and tray sets may be suitable for storing and transporting cylindrical secondary batteries. Each tray receiving compartment has an open front and closed top, bottom, and back, allowing the tray set to be inserted and removed through the front.

[0012] For example, as shown in Fig. 1, the racks (3) may be arranged to face each other, and a stacker crane (4) for inserting and retrieving tray sets may be arranged between the racks (3).

[0013] That is, the left rack (3A) and the right rack (3B) face each other, and tray sets can be loaded or retrieved from the left rack (3A) and the right rack (3B) through the stacker crane (4) located in the center. In other words, the open front of the left rack and the open front of the right rack face each other.

[0014] Likewise, the left rack (3C) and the right rack (3B) face each other, and a separate stacker crane (4) may be provided in the center.

[0015] The aging room (1) may be a very large indoor space, and a plurality of racks (3) may be provided inside the aging room (1). The temperature inside the aging room (1) is controlled through an air conditioning system (2). That is, the aging process can be performed by controlling the temperature inside the aging room (1) to a certain temperature condition through the air conditioning system (2).

[0016] The air conditioning system (2) may include a filter (2a), a heater (2b), a blower fan (2c), and a duct (4). In the case of high-temperature aging, the temperature condition may be approximately 60 degrees Celsius, and the temperature control may be performed so that the temperature deviation is within approximately 3 degrees Celsius. For this purpose, the air conditioning system (2) may include a temperature sensor (5). The temperature sensor (5) may be installed in the intake side duct or the exhaust side duct, or may be installed inside the aging room.

[0017] Because the aging process is performed over a long period of time, it can be performed simultaneously on a large number of secondary batteries in a very spacious aging room (1). Therefore, ensuring temperature uniformity for each of the large number of secondary batteries is crucial. If temperature uniformity is not achieved for a specific secondary battery, consistent product performance becomes difficult to achieve.

[0018] In particular, in the case of racks with tray receiving sections that are open only at the front, airflow may not be smooth at the location where the secondary batteries are housed. Consequently, the temperature uniformity required for the aging process may not be ensured.

[0019] That is, even within a specific tray receptacle, temperature variations may occur depending on where the secondary battery is located. For example, a secondary battery located in the center of the tray may experience excessively high temperatures due to less efficient heat circulation compared to a secondary battery located on the periphery of the tray.

[0020] Additionally, temperature variations may occur within a specific rack depending on which tray compartment the secondary battery is located in. For example, in a rack with four tiers of tray compartments, an aging temperature difference may occur between the secondary batteries located on the first and fourth tiers.

[0021] Meanwhile, in the case of conventional aging racks and aging systems, the aging temperature is controlled through air conditioning of the entire aging room space, so it is not easy to respond flexibly when a temperature deviation occurs in some area of ​​the aging room or some area of ​​the aging rack.

[0022] In addition, in the conventional case, the high-temperature aging process and the room-temperature aging process are performed in different aging rooms, which inevitably causes cell movement between the high-temperature aging room and the low-temperature aging room, which increases the time required for the entire activation process.

[0023] The present invention aims to solve the problems of conventional aging racks and aging systems.

[0024] Through one embodiment of the present invention, it is intended to provide an aging rack and an aging system capable of providing uniform temperature conditions regardless of location by providing a uniform air flow to an aging rack having an open front.

[0025] Through one embodiment of the present invention, it is intended to provide an aging rack and an aging system capable of performing high-temperature aging and room-temperature aging in the same aging rack and the same aging room.

[0026] Through one embodiment of the present invention, it is intended to provide an aging rack and aging system capable of immediately correcting deviations from a set aging temperature and precisely controlling and maintaining an aging temperature range.

[0027] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack including a blower forcibly supplying air from the rear to the front of a tray receiving portion through a plurality of perforated nozzles and an aging system including the same can be provided.

[0028] The rear of the above aging rack is closed by a rear wall, and the front can be opened. A tray containing multiple cells can be inserted and removed through the open front. In other words, the tray receiving portion can have an open front and a closed rear. However, the rear of the tray receiving portion can be connected to the outside through a plurality of perforated nozzles.

[0029] Specifically, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack including a cabinet having an exterior and an open front; a tray receiving portion provided inside the tray cabinet, the tray set being formed by stacking a plurality of trays each containing a plurality of cells in multiple stages; a perforated plate provided with a plurality of perforated nozzles for supplying air into the tray receiving portion from the rear of the tray cabinet; and a blower connected to the rear of the cabinet forcibly supplying air through the entirety of the plurality of perforated nozzles, and an aging system including the same can be provided.

[0030] The perforated plate may be part of the rear wall of the cabinet, and the perforated plate may be configured to be mounted on the rear wall of an open cabinet.

[0031] The perforated plate may be formed to form a portion of the rear surface of the tray receiving portion and face the rear surface of the tray set to be received. It is also preferable that the position of the perforated plate correspond to the rear surface of the tray set.

[0032] The above tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, each divided vertically, and it is preferable that the perforated plates are provided in multiple numbers corresponding to each of the above tray receiving portions.

[0033] The cabinet may include an upper wall, a rear wall, a lower wall, and side walls, and may have a plurality of partitions provided inside the cabinet to form a plurality of tray receiving portions. The partitions may include horizontal partitions that divide the upper and lower tray receiving portions, and may also include vertical partitions that divide the left and right tray receiving portions.

[0034] It is preferable that the above blower be tightly coupled to the perforated plate in an area surrounding the entirety of the plurality of perforated nozzles. That is, air forcibly supplied through the blower can be supplied entirely into the tray receiving portion through the plurality of perforated nozzles without leaking to the outside.

[0035] Accordingly, an air flow flowing from the rear to the front can be generated inside the tray receiving portion through the perforated nozzles. A plurality of such air flows can be formed corresponding to the number of perforated nozzles.

[0036] The blower may include a blower fan, and is preferably a component of the aging rack. The blower may be mounted at the rear of the aging rack. Here, a stacker crane for moving the tray set is not provided at the rear of the aging rack. That is, a free space may be formed at the rear of the aging rack. For this reason, it is possible to mount the blower as a component of the aging rack at the rear of the aging rack.

[0037] The above blower device may be provided corresponding to each of the tray receiving portions.

[0038] The above-mentioned blower may include a main duct and a transfer duct branching from the main duct and connected to each of the perforated plates. Air introduced into the main duct may be divided and supplied to a plurality of transfer ducts within the main duct. Air introduced into the transfer duct may pass through the corresponding perforated plate and be introduced into the corresponding tray receiving portion.

[0039] It is preferable that the above-mentioned transport duct be provided so that its cross-sectional area increases in the direction of air blowing.

[0040] The above blower device may include a blower fan that forcibly draws outside air into the main duct. The blower fan may be mounted on the main duct to forcibly draw outside air into the main duct.

[0041] The above main duct is provided vertically and elongated at the rear of the cabinet, and the blower fan may be a single blower fan provided at the upper and lower central portions of the main duct. Air sucked in through the single blower fan may be supplied by branching from the main duct to multiple transfer ducts.

[0042] The above tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, each partitioned left and right, and the main duct can be provided as a left main duct and a right main duct.

[0043] The left main duct corresponds to the upper and lower tray receiving portions on the left, and the right main duct corresponds to the upper and lower tray receiving portions on the right. A single blower fan may be installed in the left main duct, and a single blower fan may also be installed in the right main duct.

[0044] Of course, a single blower fan can be installed between the left main duct and the right main duct. That is, outside air sucked in through the single blower fan can be introduced into the left and right main ducts. Therefore, it is preferable that the single blower fan be installed in the upper and lower central portions of the left and right main ducts.

[0045] The above blower may include a heat exchanger for heating or cooling the intake air. The heat exchanger may include a heater, and the heat exchange capacity may be controlled.

[0046] The above tray is preferably formed in a grid shape with cells arranged in each grid and having multiple air passages penetrating from the rear to the front between each cell.

[0047] For example, a grid bulkhead is provided within the outer bulkhead of the tray, and the height of the grid bulkhead may be lower than that of the outer bulkhead. It is preferable that through holes be formed in the rear bulkhead and the front bulkhead among the outer bulkheads. Accordingly, an air flow path can be formed between the through hole of the rear bulkhead and the through hole of the front bulkhead.

[0048] An aging rack characterized in that the plurality of perforated nozzles are formed to correspond one-to-one at the same height as the plurality of air paths.

[0049] The specifications of the tray and the specifications of the cells mounted on the tray are constant, and therefore the specifications of the tray set formed by stacking the trays in multiple stages are also constant. In other words, the positions and heights at which the tray set is accommodated in the tray receiving portion may also be constant. In other words, the positions of the plurality of tray penetration holes may be constant, and it is preferable that a plurality of perforation nozzles are formed to correspond to these positions.

[0050] Therefore, air flow can be formed horizontally and continuously through the tray from the perforated nozzle.

[0051] The above punching nozzle can be formed into a circular or elongated oval shape.

[0052] In order to achieve the above-described purpose, according to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging system may be provided, including: a plurality of aging racks each having a tray receiving portion, the plurality of aging racks having front openings facing each other inside an aging room; a stacker crane provided between the aging racks and configured to input and retrieve tray sets in both directions; and a blower device provided in the aging rack forcibly supplying air to each of the interiors of the plurality of tray receiving portions in which the tray sets are received.

[0053] A stacker crane may be installed between two aging racks, rather than facing each other. Tray sets can be loaded into both aging racks via a single stacker crane.

[0054] The aging rack preferably includes a perforated plate having a plurality of perforated nozzles for supplying air into the tray receiving portion from the rear, and the blower is preferably connected to the rear of the aging rack and includes a blower for forcibly supplying air through all of the plurality of perforated nozzles.

[0055] It is desirable that the above-mentioned perforated plate and blower be manufactured in bulk, handled in bulk, and installed in bulk as part of the aging rack.

[0056] The above tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, partitioned vertically and horizontally inside the aging rack, and it is preferable that the perforated plates are provided in multiple numbers corresponding to each of the tray receiving portions.

[0057] The above tray set is formed by stacking multiple trays in multiple layers.

[0058] It is preferable that the above tray be formed in a grid shape with cells arranged in each grid and having multiple air passages penetrating from the rear to the front between each cell.

[0059] It is preferable that through holes forming the inlet and outlet of the air passage are formed in the outer rear wall and front wall of the tray, respectively. The outer wall surrounding the tray may include a rear wall, a front wall, and left and right side walls.

[0060] A plurality of partition walls are provided within the outer wall, and a plurality of grid zones are formed through the partition walls, and cells can be installed in each grid zone. It is preferable that the height of the outer wall is higher than the height of the partition walls. Accordingly, the air passage can be formed above the partition walls.

[0061] It is preferable that the above plurality of perforation nozzles are formed to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of air paths formed in the tray set.

[0062] The above perforation nozzle may be formed in a circular or elongated oval shape. In addition, the through hole may be formed in a circular or elongated oval shape corresponding to the shape of the perforation nozzle.

[0063] Meanwhile, the height deviation at the location where the tray set is received and installed may be very small. Conversely, the left-right deviation at the location where the tray set is installed may be relatively large. In this case, the alignment between the punching nozzle and the through hole may be misaligned. To address this issue, it may be preferable for the punching nozzle and the through hole to be rectangular or oval, rather than circular.

[0064] It is preferable that the above blower device include a blower fan that sucks in outside air and a heat exchanger that heats or cools the sucked outside air.

[0065] An air conditioning device that performs air conditioning for the entire space inside the aging room may be provided separately from the blower device.

[0066] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack and an aging system can be provided that provide uniform air flow to an aging rack having an open front, thereby providing uniform temperature conditions regardless of location.

[0067] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack and aging system capable of performing high-temperature aging and room-temperature aging in the same aging rack and room-temperature aging chamber can be provided. This eliminates the need for cell transfer between high-temperature aging and room-temperature aging.

[0068] Through one embodiment of the present invention, an aging rack and aging system can be provided that can immediately correct deviations from a set aging temperature and precisely control and maintain an aging temperature range.

[0069] Through one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to expect improvements in cell capacity and low-voltage selection capability through improvements in aging temperature deviation, and it is possible to expect reductions in process time through temperature matching.

[0070] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional aging rack and aging system.

[0071] Figure 2 illustrates an example of an aging rack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Figure 3 illustrates the positional relationship between the tray receiving portion and the tray set.

[0073] Figure 4 illustrates the rear of the aging rack and the mounting of the blower device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] Figure 5 illustrates the rear of the aging rack and the mounting of the blower according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 6 shows the flow of air supplied to the tray receiving portion as seen from above.

[0076] Figure 7 shows a side view of the air flow supplied to the tray receiving portion.

[0077] Hereinafter, an aging rack and an aging system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0078] Figure 2 illustrates an example of an aging rack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] The aging rack has an exterior formed through a cabinet (30), and a tray receiving portion for receiving a tray or tray set is formed inside the cabinet.

[0080] The cabinet (30) may be formed by including an upper wall (31), a lower wall (32), both side walls (33, 34), and a rear wall (35). A plurality of tray receiving portions may be formed inside the cabinet, each of which is partitioned off from the other by a partition wall (36).

[0081] Here, the cabinet (30) and tray receiving portion may be configured to be open only at the front, with the top, bottom, left, right, and rear sides closed. For example, this may be to prevent fire from spreading to the surrounding tray receiving portion (30a) in the event of a fire occurring in a secondary battery or cell undergoing an aging process. Cylindrical cells are enclosed in a sealed can and may have the characteristic of rapidly spreading fire to the surrounding area in the event of a fire. For this reason, it is common for only the front portion to be open.

[0082] Due to the structure of this tray receiving portion (30a), airflow is not smooth at the location where the cells are received. In other words, if only the temperature within the aging room where the aging rack is located is controlled, the required temperature uniformity may not be very good at the location where the cells are received. This significantly affects product performance, such as product quality and selectivity, and manufacturing performance.

[0083] The general shape and structure of the aging rack according to this embodiment may be identical or similar to conventional aging racks. Therefore, this specification focuses on the differences between this embodiment and conventional aging racks. These differences will enable smooth, targeted airflow, increasing temperature uniformity and improving product quality.

[0084] The aging rack (20) according to the present embodiment may include a cabinet (30) and a blower (40). A plurality of aging racks (20) may be provided in an aging room, and each aging rack (20) may individually include a blower (40). Therefore, the aging racks (20) having blower devices (40) can be manufactured, handled, and installed in batches.

[0085] The aging rack (20) may include a perforated plate (37), and a plurality of perforated holes or perforated nozzles (38) may be formed in the perforated plate (37). The perforated plate (37) may be a part of the rear wall of the cabinet and may be configured to be mounted on the rear wall.

[0086] A plurality of perforation nozzles (38) can be regularly arranged on the perforation plate (37), and the number and positions of the perforation nozzles can be set to form a straight line with the through holes (53) formed in the tray (51), as described later. For example, the perforation nozzles (38) can be formed eight horizontally and six vertically. This means that eight through holes can be formed horizontally in the tray (51), and six trays can be stacked to form a tray set (50).

[0087] As illustrated, the rear of the tray receiving portion (30a) is blocked by a rear wall, but can be communicated with the outside only through a perforated nozzle (38). External air can be forcibly introduced into the tray receiving portion through the entire perforated nozzle (38). An opening (30b) is formed in the front of the tray receiving portion (30a), and trays are introduced and removed through the opening. In addition, air forcibly introduced into the tray receiving portion is also discharged to the outside through the opening (30b).

[0088] A blower (40) may be provided as a configuration for forcibly supplying air, and the blower (40) may be configured to be mounted on the aging rack (20) and may be placed or mounted at the rear of the cabinet.

[0089] As illustrated, a main duct (41) may be provided to supply air to a plurality of tray receiving compartments, and a plurality of transfer ducts (42) branched from the main duct (41) may be provided. External air may be sucked into the main duct (41), and the sucked air may be branched and supplied to each of the transfer ducts (42).

[0090] The conveying duct (42) may be connected to the rear of the perforated plate (37). Preferably, the conveying duct (42) may be tightly connected to the perforated plate, and it is preferable to prevent air leakage between the conveying duct and the perforated plate except through the perforated nozzle. This effectively increases the flow pressure of the air formed through the perforated nozzle.

[0091] The conveying duct (42) may be a reducing duct, and it is preferable that the cross-sectional area on the perforated plate side be larger than the cross-sectional area on the main duct side. For example, the conveying duct (42) has a diameter of 80 mm and is connected to the main duct, and then expands to correspond to the area of ​​the perforated plate to surround the perforated plate. In particular, the conveying duct (42) may be provided to surround all of the perforated nozzles formed on the perforated plate.

[0092] It is preferable that the tray set (50) be accommodated within the tray receiving portion (30a) with free space in all directions. That is, the tray set is positioned in the middle of the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the receiving portion, and therefore, it is also preferable that the perforated plate (37) be provided in the central portion of the rear surface of the tray receiving portion (30a). The area of ​​the tray receiving portion may be the same as or similar to the area projected by the tray set onto the rear surface of the tray receiving portion.

[0093] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the blower (40) is tightly coupled with the perforated plate in an area surrounding the entire plurality of perforated nozzles, thereby forming an effective air flow inside the tray receiving portion.

[0094] Fig. 3 illustrates the positional relationship between a tray receiving portion (30a), a perforated plate (37) forming the rear surface of the tray receiving portion, and a tray set (50) received in the tray receiving portion. In particular, Fig. 3 illustrates the relationship between each perforated nozzle or perforated hole formed in the perforated plate and a through hole (53) formed in the tray.

[0095] A support (30c) for supporting a tray (51) or a tray set (50) may be provided inside the tray receiving portion (30a). The support may be formed in a rail shape.

[0096] As illustrated, the perforated plate may be positioned to face the rear surface of the tray set. In addition, it is preferable that the through holes formed in the tray set and the perforated nozzles formed in the perforated plate be formed to correspond one-to-one.

[0097] For example, the perforation nozzles (38) of the perforation plate can be formed in a total of 48 in an 8 X 6 matrix form, and the tray set (50) can also have a total of 48 through holes (53) formed in an 8 X 6 matrix form.

[0098] The through holes (53) of the tray set can be formed in the outer walls (52) of the tray, particularly the rear wall and the front wall, and the through holes of the front wall and the rear wall can be formed to face each other in a straight line. That is, an air path through which air flows can be formed between the two through holes. Cells can be positioned on both sides of the air path.

[0099] Accordingly, the air path formed between the through hole (53) formed at the rear of the tray set (50) and the through hole (53) formed at the front can form a straight line with the perforation nozzle. This means that air that has passed through the perforation nozzle under strong pressure can flow forward in a straight line and be discharged to the front of the cabinet along the air path of the tray set.

[0100] A tray set may be formed by stacking individual trays, and the individual trays may be individually accommodated in tray receiving portions at a predetermined vertical interval.

[0101] FIG. 4 illustrates a rear view and a rear side view of an aging rack according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0102] The rear surface (35) of the aging rack (20) is provided with a perforated plate (37) corresponding to each tray receiving portion, and for example, a main duct (41) may be provided for four upper and lower tray receiving portions. Air forcibly introduced into the main duct (41) may be introduced into the transport duct (42) and then supplied into the tray receiving portion.

[0103] The main duct (41) may be equipped with a blower or blower fan (47), and external air may be forcibly introduced into the main duct (41) through the blower fan. The blower fan may be positioned at the upper and lower central portions of the main duct (41).

[0104] Meanwhile, in the case where the tray receiving portions are partitioned left and right in the aging rack (20), the main ducts (41) may be provided on each side. For example, a left main duct corresponding to the four upper and lower tray receiving portions on the left side and a right main duct corresponding to the four upper and lower tray receiving portions on the right side may be provided.

[0105] The above blower fan (47) may be installed in each of the left main duct and the right main duct. Alternatively, a single blower fan may be installed between the left main duct and the right main duct.

[0106] The above aging rack (20) can be positioned inside an aging room where the internal temperature is actively controlled, so that the temperature outside the aging rack (20) can be controlled to the aging temperature. In other words, by supplying external air into the tray receiving portion, an aging temperature environment can be uniformly provided throughout the entire inside of the tray receiving portion.

[0107] In this case, the blower (40) including the blower fan (47) and ducts (41, 42) may only perform the function of supplying external air into the tray receiving portion. In other words, a heat exchange function for heating or cooling the external air may not be required.

[0108] Alternatively, it may be possible to actively control the aging temperature through a blower (40). In this case, an air conditioning system, which performs air conditioning throughout the aging room, can auxiliary control the aging temperature. Of course, the air conditioning system may function as an air cleaner, with the heat exchange function either eliminated or minimized.

[0109] The blower (40) may include a heat exchanger (46), and the heat exchanger (46) may be a heater to perform high-temperature aging. Of course, the blower (40) may also include an air filter (47).

[0110] Outside air is heated to the aging temperature through the heat exchanger (46), and the heated air can be supplied to each tray receiving section without leakage. At this time, the heat generation control of the heater and the air volume and air pressure control of the blower fan can be performed. For this reason, the blower fan is preferably a BLDC blower fan.

[0111] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, an aging temperature environment can be easily provided to multiple tray receiving compartments through a blower. Furthermore, since the air conditioning system in the aging room can be replaced, an immediate aging temperature environment can be achieved, and space utilization can be increased by omitting the air conditioning system.

[0112] Meanwhile, by installing a blower fan in the aging rack, it is possible to prevent the spread of fire early through a logic that triggers the blower fan's shutdown in response to a fire. In this case, a fire detector may be installed in each aging rack or tray storage compartment. If a fire is detected by the fire detector, the blower fan will be shut down, thereby preventing the spread of fire early.

[0113] In addition, an air volume control device, for example, a damper, may be provided between the main duct (41) and the conveying duct (42). The amount of air forcibly supplied into the tray receiving portion can be controlled by increasing or decreasing the opening, which means that the air volume can be controlled individually for each tray receiving portion. Therefore, in this case, since the total amount of air sucked into the main duct needs to be variably controlled, it is preferable that the blower fan be an inverter blower fan capable of variably controlling the air intake amount. In addition, trays may not be accommodated in a specific tray receiving portion or may not be accommodated in a specific aging rack. Therefore, the operation of the damper can be controlled so that air is supplied only when trays are accommodated.

[0114] Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an aging rack according to another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is characterized in that each individual tray receiving section is individually provided with a blower (40).

[0115] The features of the perforated plate and perforated nozzle described above can be equally applied to this embodiment.

[0116] The blower (40) in this embodiment may also include a blower fan (45), and the aforementioned main duct and transfer duct may be omitted. The blower fan (45) may draw in external air and supply air directly to the tray receiving portion through a perforated nozzle. The blower device (40) may include a heat exchanger (46). Of course, the aging temperature may be controlled by controlling the blower fan and the heat exchanger.

[0117] According to this embodiment, it can be seen that the aging temperature can be independently controlled for each individual tray receiving unit. For example, the aging temperature can be varied between adjacent tray receiving units. Furthermore, the blower (40) can be controlled to operate only when a tray is received within the tray receiving unit. Therefore, it is possible to control the requirements for each cell product undergoing aging in a customized manner.

[0118] According to this embodiment, as in the previously described embodiment, the operation of the blower fan can be controlled in conjunction with a fire detector. By stopping the operation of the blower fan, the oxygen supply can be individually cut off.

[0119] Fig. 6 is a view of the air flow supplied to the tray receiving portion as viewed from above, and Fig. 7 is a view of the air flow supplied to the tray receiving portion as viewed from the side.

[0120] As shown, it can be seen that the air flows passing through the plurality of perforated nozzles arranged in a grid pass through the tray set in a straight line.

[0121] It can be seen that the airflow passing through the tray receiving portion back and forth can occur smoothly. That is, the wires can be seen to pass through the tray receiving portion from the rear to the front without bending or breaking, and then continue to the open front of the cabinet.

[0122] In particular, it can be seen that the wire runs in a straight line between the rear wall penetration hole and the front wall penetration hole of the tray. Consequently, it can be seen that the straight alignment between the punching nozzle, the rear wall penetration hole of the tray, and the front wall penetration hole of the tray is important.

[0123] The airflow streamlines discharged from the tray receiver meet the expanded space, spread left and right, and bend downward. In high-temperature aging, streamlines like the one shown may appear because the heated air supplies heat to the cells, causing them to cool.

[0124] Therefore, according to the aforementioned embodiments, a uniform aging temperature environment can be provided to all cells accommodated in the tray receiving portion, and the aging process time can be shortened through temperature matching. Furthermore, the temperature deviation between cells can be significantly improved, thereby improving cell capacity and performance, and low-voltage selection capability can also be improved.

[0125] As described in the detailed description of the invention.

Claims

1. A cabinet that forms the exterior and has an open front; A tray receiving section provided inside the above tray cabinet, wherein a tray set in which trays each containing a plurality of cells are stacked in multiple stages is received; A perforated plate having a plurality of perforated nozzles for supplying air into the interior of the tray receiving portion at the rear of the tray cabinet; and An aging rack comprising a blower connected to the rear of said cabinet for forcing air through all of said plurality of perforated nozzles.

2. In paragraph 1, An aging rack characterized in that the tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, each of which is divided vertically, and the perforated plates are provided in multiple numbers corresponding to each of the tray receiving portions.

3. In paragraph 2, An aging rack characterized in that the plurality of perforated plates form the rear surface of the tray cabinet.

4. In paragraph 3, An aging rack characterized in that the blower is closely coupled to the perforation plate in an area surrounding the entirety of the plurality of perforation nozzles.

5. In paragraph 3, An aging rack characterized in that the above blower is provided corresponding to each of the tray receiving portions.

6. In paragraph 3, An aging rack characterized in that the above blower device includes a main duct and a transfer duct branched from the main duct and connected to each of the perforated plates.

7. In paragraph 6, An aging rack characterized in that the above-mentioned transport duct is provided so that its cross-sectional area increases in the air blowing direction.

8. In paragraph 7, An aging rack characterized in that the above blower device includes a blower fan for forcibly sucking outside air into the inside of the main duct.

9. In paragraph 8, An aging rack characterized in that the main duct is provided vertically and elongated at the rear of the cabinet, and the blower fan is a single blower fan provided at the upper and lower central portions of the main duct.

10. In paragraph 9, An aging rack characterized in that the above tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, each separated from the left and right, and the main ducts are provided separated from each other into a left main duct and a right main duct.

11. In paragraph 10, An aging rack characterized in that the single blower fan is provided between the left main duct and the right main duct.

12. In any one of paragraphs 3 to 11, An aging rack characterized in that the above blower includes a heat exchanger for heating or cooling the intake air.

13. In any one of paragraphs 3 to 11, The above tray is formed in a grid shape with cells arranged in each grid and having multiple air passages penetrating from the rear to the front between each cell. An aging rack characterized in that the plurality of perforation nozzles are formed to correspond one-to-one at the same height as the plurality of air paths.

14. In paragraph 13, An aging rack characterized in that the above-mentioned punching nozzle is formed in a circular or long oval shape.

15. A plurality of aging racks, each having a tray receiving portion, are provided with the front openings facing each other inside the aging room; A stacker crane provided between the above aging racks and configured to load and retrieve tray sets in both directions; and It is comprised of a blower device that is provided in the above aging rack and forcibly supplies air to each of the interiors of a plurality of tray receiving compartments in which the tray set is received, The above aging rack includes a perforated plate having a plurality of perforated nozzles for supplying air into the interior of the tray receiving portion from the rear, An aging system characterized in that the above blower device includes a blower device connected to the rear of the above aging rack and forcibly supplying air through the entire plurality of perforated nozzles.

16. In paragraph 15, An aging system characterized in that the tray receiving portions are provided in multiple numbers, each divided vertically and horizontally, and the perforated plates are provided in multiple numbers corresponding to each of the tray receiving portions.

17. In paragraph 16, The above tray set is formed by stacking multiple trays in multiple layers. The above tray is formed in a grid shape with cells arranged in each grid and having multiple air passages penetrating from the rear to the front between each cell. Through holes forming the inlet and outlet of the air path are formed in the outer rear wall and front wall of the above tray, respectively. An aging system, wherein the plurality of perforation nozzles are formed to correspond one-to-one with the plurality of air paths formed in the tray set.

18. In paragraph 17, An aging system characterized in that the above punching nozzle is formed in a circular or long oval shape.

19. In Article 16, An aging system characterized in that the above blower device includes a blower fan for sucking in outside air and a heat exchanger for heating or cooling the sucked in outside air.

20. In paragraph 16, An aging system characterized in that an air conditioning device for performing air conditioning for the entire space inside the aging room is separately provided from the blower device.

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