Stirring paddle and homogenizing apparatus

Abstract

A stirring paddle (100) and a homogenizing apparatus. The stirring paddle (100) comprises a rotating shaft (1) and a plurality of blades (2), wherein the rotating shaft (1) extends in a first direction, the plurality of blades (2) are disposed on the rotating shaft (1) and arranged in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft (1), each blade (2) comprises at least one blunt body (21), each blunt body (21) extends in the first direction, each blunt body (21) is provided with a first end point (22) and a second end point (23) which are sequentially arranged in the positive direction of the first direction, the point on the rotating shaft (1) closest to the second end point (23) is a third end point (24), and the angles formed by connecting lines between the corresponding first end points (22) and second end points (23) of the blunt bodies (21) of the plurality of blades (2) and the third end point (24) are different.

Description

Agitators and homogenizers

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the Patent Office of China on February 29, 2024, with application number 202410231800.8 and application name “Agitating Paddle and Homogenizing Equipment,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure belongs to the field of industrial manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a stirring paddle and a homogenizing device. Background Art

[0003] In related technologies, homogenization refers to the process of uniformly mixing lithium battery active material, conductive agents, adhesives, other additives, and solvents. The quality of the homogenization directly determines the performance of lithium batteries, so homogenization equipment is one of the most critical devices in lithium battery manufacturing. In existing technologies, homogenization equipment typically uses high-speed rotating agitators to create turbulent flow disturbances in the slurry to achieve dispersion. However, the high-speed rotation of the agitator still requires a long slurry preparation time, resulting in low dispersion efficiency, making it difficult to meet the slurry requirements of large-scale production lines. In addition, high-speed dispersion results in high energy consumption, increasing production costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on the above problems, the purpose of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a new technical solution for a stirring paddle, which can at least solve one of the problems of low dispersion efficiency and high energy consumption of the stirring paddle in the prior art.

[0005] Another object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a homogenizing device comprising the above-mentioned stirring paddle.

[0006] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a stirring paddle, comprising:

[0007] a rotating shaft extending along a first direction;

[0008] A plurality of blades are provided on the rotating shaft and arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, each of the blades includes at least one blunt body, each of the blunt bodies extends in the first direction, each of the blunt bodies has a first endpoint and a second endpoint arranged in sequence along the positive direction of the first direction, the point on the rotating shaft closest to the second endpoint is the third endpoint, and the angles formed by the connecting lines of the first endpoint, the second endpoint, and the third endpoint corresponding to the blunt bodies in the plurality of blades are different.

[0009] Optionally, the plurality of blades include at least a first blade and a second blade, the blunt body in the first blade is a first blunt body, the blunt body in the second blade is a second blunt body, the first endpoint on the first blunt body is endpoint A, the second endpoint on the first blunt body is endpoint B, the third endpoint corresponding to the first blunt body is endpoint C, the first endpoint on the second blunt body is endpoint A', the second endpoint on the second blunt body is endpoint B', the third endpoint corresponding to the second blunt body is endpoint C', and the angle of ∠ABC is different from the angle of ∠A'B'C'.

[0010] Optionally, the diameter / equivalent diameter D of the bluff body is 5 mm to 500 mm.

[0011] Optionally, the blade includes a plurality of bluff bodies, and the plurality of bluff bodies are spaced apart and arranged along the radial direction of the rotating shaft.

[0012] Optionally, in any one of the blades, the diameters / equivalent diameters of the plurality of bluff bodies are the same or different.

[0013] Optionally, in any one of the blades, the cross-sections of the plurality of bluff bodies are the same or different, and the distance between any two adjacent bluff bodies is the same or different.

[0014] Optionally, in any one of the blades, the diameter / equivalent diameter of the bluff body with the largest diameter among the multiple bluff bodies is Dmax, and the distance between two adjacent bluff bodies is d, where d=Dmax to 10*Dmax.

[0015] Optionally, the cross-section of the bluff body is circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, polygonal or irregular.

[0016] Optionally, the bluff body extends along a straight line.

[0017] Optionally, the bluff body extends along a curve.

[0018] Optionally, the plurality of blades overlap in the first direction.

[0019] Optionally, the plurality of blades are evenly arranged along the circumference of the rotating shaft.

[0020] Optionally, the stirring paddle includes a plurality of the first blades and a plurality of the second blades.

[0021] Optionally, the plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are staggered along the circumference of the rotating shaft.

[0022] Optionally, the plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the rotating shaft.

[0023] Optionally, the blade further includes a connecting member, which is respectively connected to the rotating shaft and the bluff body.

[0024] Optionally, the connecting member includes: a first beam and a second beam, the first beam and the second beam are arranged spaced apart in the positive direction of the first direction, the first beam and the second beam respectively extend along the radial direction of the rotating shaft and are connected to the rotating shaft, the first beam is connected to the first end point, and the second beam is connected to the second end point; a third beam, the third beam extends along the first direction, one end of the third beam is connected to the end of the first beam away from the rotating shaft, and the other end of the third beam is connected to the end of the second beam away from the rotating shaft.

[0025] Optionally, the connecting member includes: a connecting beam, the connecting beam extending along the radial direction of the rotating shaft and connected to the rotating shaft, and the bluff body is connected to the connecting beam.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of the present disclosure, a homogenization device is provided, comprising the stirring paddle described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0027] One technical effect of the disclosed embodiments is that, by disposing multiple paddles circumferentially along the rotating shaft, the angles formed by the first, second, and third endpoints corresponding to the blunt bodies of the multiple paddles are different, so that during the stirring process, the vortices generated by the blunt bodies in different paddles interfere with each other, thereby causing more intense disturbance of the liquid and facilitating improved dispersion efficiency. Furthermore, because the stirring paddles of the disclosed embodiments improve dispersion efficiency, the time required for stirring can be reduced, that is, the time required to supply energy to the drive member is reduced, which helps to reduce the energy consumption required for stirring.

[0028] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a stirring paddle according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a stirring paddle according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a first blade in a stirring paddle according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a first blade in a stirring paddle according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG5 is a schematic diagram of a first blade in a stirring paddle according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the projection of the expanded surface of the rotating shaft and the fan blades of the stirring paddle according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Explanation of the reference numerals: stirring paddle 100; rotating shaft 1; mounting portion 11; unfolded surface 12; paddle 2; blunt body 21; first endpoint 22; second endpoint 23; third endpoint 24; connecting member 25; first beam 251; second beam 252; third beam 253; connecting beam 254; projection 26; first paddle 2a; first blunt body 21a; second paddle 2b; second blunt body 21b; driving member 200. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, numerical expressions and numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0038] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0039] Technologies, methods, and equipment known to ordinary technicians in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the technologies, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0040] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0041] It should be noted that like reference numerals and letters refer to like items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0042] The stirring paddle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5 , the stirring paddle 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a rotating shaft 1 and a plurality of blades 2 .

[0044] Specifically, a rotating shaft 1 extends along a first direction. A plurality of blades 2 are disposed on the rotating shaft 1 and arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 1. Each blade 2 includes at least one bluff body 21. Each bluff body 21 extends in the first direction. Each bluff body 21 has a first endpoint 22 and a second endpoint 23 arranged sequentially along the positive direction of the first direction. The point on the rotating shaft 1 closest to the second endpoint 23 is a third endpoint 24. The angles formed by the lines connecting the first endpoint 22, the second endpoint 23, and the third endpoint 24 corresponding to the bluff bodies 21 of the plurality of blades 2 are different.

[0045] In other words, the stirring paddle 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is primarily composed of a rotating shaft 1 and a plurality of blades 2. The stirring paddle 100 can create turbulent flow disturbances in the slurry through rotation to achieve dispersion. For example, the stirring paddle 100 can be used in a homogenizing device to uniformly mix lithium battery active material, conductive agents, adhesives, other additives, and solvents.

[0046] Specifically, the axis of the rotating shaft 1 can extend along a first direction, and the rotating shaft 1 can rotate about its own axis. In some specific embodiments, the rotating shaft 1 can be connected to a driving member 200, which can be a power source for driving the rotating shaft 1 to rotate about its own axis. Optionally, the driving member 200 can be a drive motor.

[0047] Two or more blades 2 may be connected to the rotating shaft 1. The structures of the different blades 2 may be the same or different. Multiple blades 2 may be connected to the rotating shaft 1, either directly or indirectly, without limitation. Multiple blades 2 may be arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 1.

[0048] Wherein. Each blade 2 may include one or more bluff bodies 21. The number of bluff bodies 21 may be set as required and is not limited here. Each bluff body 21 may extend in the first direction. Specifically, the bluff body 21 may be roughly in the shape of an elongated strip. The line connecting the two end points of the bluff body 21 may be parallel to the first direction or may intersect with the first direction. When the line connecting the two end points of the bluff body 21 intersects with the first direction, the angle formed by the intersection may be an acute angle. The bluff body 21 may be directly connected to the rotating shaft 1 or may be indirectly connected to the rotating shaft 1 and is not limited here.

[0049] It should be noted that the bluff body 21 is a non-fluid. When an object of this shape moves in a fluid, the fluid will form flow separation at the boundary of the bluff body 21, generating a wide wake at the rear, accompanied by vortex shedding (which may be periodic or aperiodic). Therefore, when the impeller 100 stirs the slurry, the bluff body 21 can respectively generate vortices in the slurry when the blades 2 move in the slurry.

[0050] For ease of description, the first direction may be defined as having a forward direction and a reverse direction. In this embodiment, the forward direction of the first direction and the reverse direction of the first direction may be swapped.

[0051] For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a driving member 200 may be provided at one end of a rotating shaft 1, and a plurality of blades 2 may be provided at the other end of the rotating shaft 1. The positive direction of the first direction may be the direction from the driving member 200 toward the blades 2, and the reverse direction of the first direction may be the direction from the blades 2 toward the driving member 200. In other embodiments, the positive direction of the first direction may be the direction from the blades 2 toward the driving member 200, and the reverse direction of the first direction may be the direction from the driving member 200 toward the blades 2, either of which may meet the requirements.

[0052] Taking the positive direction of the first direction shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 as an example, the bluff body 21 may have a first endpoint 22 and a second endpoint 23 in the positive direction of the first direction, the first endpoint 22 being close to the driving member 200 and the second endpoint 23 being far away from the driving member 200 .

[0053] With the second endpoint 23 as the starting point, draw a straight line perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 1 . The intersection of the straight line and the surface of the shaft 1 can be the point with the shortest distance between the second endpoint 23 and the shaft 1 , that is, the third endpoint 24 .

[0054] The angle formed by sequentially connecting the first endpoint 22, the second endpoint 23, and the third endpoint 24 can be defined as the inclination angle of the bluff body 21. The inclination angles of the bluff bodies 21 in the multiple blades 2 can be different. Therefore, during the stirring process of the stirring paddle 100, the truncated cones or cylinders formed by the bluff bodies 21 in the multiple blades 2 rotating around the rotating shaft 1 can overlap in space. Therefore, the vortices generated by the bluff bodies 21 in the multiple blades 2 can interfere with each other, forming violent chaos, which is conducive to efficient dispersion.

[0055] The bluff body 21 can be simplified into a line segment along its extension direction, and the two endpoints of the line segment are the first endpoint 22 and the second endpoint 23. In other embodiments, the endpoints can be the center points of the end surface of the bluff body 21.

[0056] Thus, according to the stirring paddle 100 of the disclosed embodiment, multiple blades 2 are arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 1. The angles formed by the first end point 22, second end point 23, and third end point 24 corresponding to the blunt bodies 21 of the multiple blades 2 are different. During the stirring process, the vortices generated by the blunt bodies 21 of different blades 2 can interfere with each other, thereby making the disturbance of the liquid more intense, which is conducive to improving the dispersion efficiency. Furthermore, because the stirring paddle 100 of this embodiment improves the dispersion efficiency, it can reduce the time required for stirring, that is, reduce the energy supply time of the driving member 200, which is conducive to reducing the energy consumption required for stirring.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of blades 2 includes at least a first blade 2a and a second blade 2b. The bluff body 21 in the first blade 2a is a first bluff body 21a, and the bluff body 21 in the second blade 2b is a second bluff body 21b. The first endpoint 22 on the first bluff body 21a is endpoint A, the second endpoint 23 on the first bluff body 21a is endpoint B, and the third endpoint 24 corresponding to the first bluff body 21a is endpoint C. The first endpoint 22 on the second bluff body 21b is endpoint A', the second endpoint 23 on the second bluff body 21b is endpoint B', and the third endpoint 24 corresponding to the second bluff body 21b is endpoint C'. The angle ∠ABC is different from the angle ∠A'B'C'.

[0058] Specifically, the plurality of blades 2 may include a first blade 2a and a second blade 2b. The first blade 2a includes at least a first bluff body 21a, and the second blade 2b includes at least a second bluff body 21b. The first bluff body 21a may be directly or indirectly connected to the rotating shaft 1, and the second bluff body 21b may be directly or indirectly connected to the rotating shaft 1, without limitation. The first bluff body 21a and the second bluff body 21b may each be an elongated strip structure, each extending in a first direction.

[0059] Taking the positive direction of the first direction shown in Figures 1 and 2 as an example, the first blunt body 21a has an endpoint A and an endpoint B in the positive direction of the first direction, where endpoint A is close to the driving member 200 and endpoint B is far away from the driving member 200. The second blunt body 21b has an endpoint A' and an endpoint B' in the positive direction of the first direction, where endpoint A' is close to the driving member 200 and endpoint B' is far away from the driving member 200.

[0060] With endpoint B as the starting point, draw a straight line perpendicular to the axis of shaft 1. The intersection of this straight line and the surface of shaft 1 can be the point where the distance between endpoint B and shaft 1 is the shortest, that is, endpoint C. Similarly, with endpoint B' as the starting point, draw a straight line perpendicular to the axis of shaft 1. The intersection of this straight line and the surface of shaft 1 can be the point where the distance between endpoint B' and shaft 1 is the shortest, that is, endpoint C.

[0061] ∠ABC can be the angle formed by sequentially connecting endpoints A, B, and C, and ∠A'B'C' can be the angle formed by sequentially connecting endpoints A', B', and C'. As shown in FIG2 , the angle of ∠ABC can be α, and the angle of A'B'C' can be β.

[0062] When ∠ABC≠∠A'B'C', during the stirring process of the stirring paddle 100, the frustum or cylinder formed by the first bluff body 21a rotating around the rotation axis 1 can overlap in space with the frustum or cylinder formed by the second bluff body 21b rotating around the rotation axis 1. Therefore, the vortices generated by the first bluff body 21a and the second bluff body 21b can interfere with each other, forming violent chaos, which is conducive to efficient dispersion.

[0063] In this embodiment, a first paddle 2a and a second paddle 2b are arranged circumferentially along the rotating shaft 1, such that the angle ∠ABC corresponding to the first blunt body 21a of the first paddle 2a and the angle ∠A'B'C' corresponding to the second blunt body 21b of the second paddle 2b are different. This allows the vortices generated by the first blunt body 21a and the second blunt body 21b to interfere with each other during the stirring process, thereby increasing the disturbance of the liquid and improving the dispersion efficiency. Furthermore, because the stirring paddle 100 of this embodiment improves the dispersion efficiency, it can reduce the time required for stirring, that is, reduce the time required to supply energy to the driving member 200, which helps reduce the energy consumption required for stirring.

[0064] In some other embodiments, in addition to the first blade 2a and the second blade 2b, the stirring paddle 100 may also include blades 2 of other different structures. The inclination angle of the blunt body 21 in the blades 2 of other structures may be different from the inclination angle of the first blunt body 21a and the second blunt body 21b. Therefore, when the stirring paddle 100 rotates, the vortices generated by the blunt bodies 21 corresponding to the multiple blades 2 can further interfere with each other, making the formed chaos more intense, which is conducive to further improving the dispersion efficiency.

[0065] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the diameter / equivalent diameter D of the bluff body 21 is 5 mm to 500 mm.

[0066] Specifically, when the bluff body 21 is a cylinder, the diameter of the bluff body 21 may be the diameter of the cylinder; when the bluff body 21 is a non-cylindrical body, the cross section of the bluff body 21 may be a special-shaped cross section, and the equivalent diameter of the bluff body 21 may refer to the diameter of a circular cross section having the same cross-sectional area as the special-shaped cross section.

[0067] In this embodiment, setting the diameter / equivalent diameter of the bluff body 21 to ≥ 5 mm helps improve the strength of the bluff body 21 and prevents the bluff body 21 from breaking during the stirring process. Setting the diameter / equivalent diameter of the bluff body 21 to ≤ 500 mm can prevent the cross-sectional area of ​​the bluff body 21 from being too large, which helps reduce the volume of the bluff body 21, increase the amount of slurry stirred in a single stirring, and thus improve stirring efficiency.

[0068] In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the paddle 2 includes a plurality of bluff bodies 21, which are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1. Since each bluff body 21 can form a vortex during stirring, disposing a plurality of bluff bodies 21 along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1 in a single paddle 2 can increase the number of vortices formed by the single paddle 2, thereby making the slurry flow more intense, and dispersing the slurry more uniformly and efficiently, thereby reducing the energy consumption of stirring.

[0069] According to some optional embodiments of the present disclosure, in any blade 2 , the diameters / equivalent diameters of the plurality of bluff bodies 21 are the same or different.

[0070] That is, the diameters / equivalent diameters of the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 can be the same or different. Setting the diameters / equivalent diameters of the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 to be the same facilitates processing and manufacturing of the blade 2, reducing the manufacturing cost of the blade 2. Setting the diameters / equivalent diameters of the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 to be different allows the vortices formed by the different bluff bodies 21 to differ in size. This allows the vortices of different sizes to interfere more vigorously, resulting in more uniform dispersion of the slurry and improved dispersion efficiency.

[0071] In some optional embodiments, the diameters / equivalent diameters of the bluff bodies 21 in different blades 2 may be the same or different.

[0072] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, in any blade 2 , the cross-sections of the multiple bluff bodies 21 are the same or different, and the distance between any two adjacent bluff bodies 21 is the same or different.

[0073] Specifically, the cross-sections of the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 can be the same or different. Having the same cross-section for the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 facilitates processing of the blade 2 and reduces the manufacturing cost of the blade 2. Having different cross-sections for the multiple bluff bodies 21 in the same blade 2 allows different vortices to be formed using the bluff bodies 21 with different cross-sections, further increasing interference between the vortices, facilitating more uniform dispersion of the slurry, improving stirring efficiency, and reducing stirring energy consumption.

[0074] In addition, a single blade 2 may include N bluff bodies 21, where N may be an integer ≥ 3. The distance between the i-th bluff body 21 and the i+1-th bluff body 21 may be d1, and the distance between the i+1-th bluff body 21 and the i+2-th bluff body 21 may be d2. i may be an integer ≤ N-2 and ≥ 1, and d1 and d2 may be the same or different. The distance between two adjacent bluff bodies 21 may be the shortest distance between the two adjacent bluff bodies 21, or may be the radial distance between the two bluff bodies 21 along the rotating shaft 1.

[0075] By setting d1 and d2 equal, a plurality of regularly arranged bluff bodies 21 can be formed on the blade 2 , which facilitates processing of the blade 2 and reduces the manufacturing cost of the blade 2 .

[0076] By setting d1 and d2 to be different, the distances between the vortices formed by different bluff bodies 21 can be different, thereby increasing the interference between the vortices, making the slurry more evenly dispersed, improving the stirring efficiency and reducing the stirring energy consumption.

[0077] In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, in any blade 2 , the diameter / equivalent diameter of the largest bluff body 21 among the multiple bluff bodies 21 is Dmax, and the distance between two adjacent bluff bodies 21 is d, where d=Dmax˜10*Dmax.

[0078] Specifically, the distance between two adjacent bluff bodies 21 may be the shortest distance between the two bluff bodies 21 , or may be the distance between the two bluff bodies 21 in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1 .

[0079] Setting d≥Dmax can increase the distance between two adjacent bluff bodies 21 and increase the amount of slurry passing through the gap, which is beneficial to reducing the resistance during stirring and avoiding excessive resistance during stirring caused by too small a distance.

[0080] Setting d≤10*Dmax can avoid the distance between two adjacent blunt bodies 21 being too large. When the capacity of the stirring container is constant, more blunt bodies 21 can be set on a single fan blade to form more vortices, thereby increasing the interference between the vortices, which is conducive to improving the dispersion efficiency.

[0081] According to some optional embodiments of the present disclosure, the cross-section of the bluff body 21 is circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, polygonal, or irregular. The bluff body 21 corresponding to the above cross-section is non-fluid, which can cause the fluid to form flow separation at the boundary of the bluff body 21, generate a wide wake at the rear, and be accompanied by vortex shedding (which may be periodic or aperiodic). Therefore, during the stirring process of the stirring paddle 100, when the blade 2 moves in the slurry, the bluff body 21 can respectively generate vortices in the slurry.

[0082] Providing a circular cross-section of the bluff body 21 simplifies its processing and reduces its cost. Providing an elliptical cross-section of the bluff body 21 helps reduce resistance during stirring, thereby reducing the work required for stirring and, in turn, energy consumption. Providing a triangular, quadrilateral, polygonal, or irregular cross-section of the bluff body 21 can make the vortex formed by the fluid flowing through the bluff body 21 more intense, resulting in more uniform dispersion of the slurry and improved dispersion efficiency.

[0083] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the bluff body 21 extends in a straight line. For example, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the first direction may be a vertical direction. In the first to third embodiments, the bluff body 21 may be a long, rectangular rod and extend in a straight line. The extension direction of the bluff body 21 may intersect the vertical direction. The first endpoint 22 of the bluff body 21 may be the upper endpoint of the bluff body 21, and the second endpoint 23 of the bluff body 21 may be the lower endpoint of the bluff body 21. This type of bluff body 21 has the advantage of being easy to manufacture.

[0084] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the bluff body 21 extends along a curve. For example, as shown in the fourth embodiment of FIG5 , the bluff body 21 may extend along a curve, which may include, but is not limited to, an S-shaped curve and an arc curve. The vortex formed by this bluff body 21 can generate more intense chaos when interference occurs, resulting in more uniform dispersion and improved dispersion efficiency.

[0085] According to some optional embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of blades 2 overlap in the first direction. As shown in FIG1 , in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 1, the plurality of blades 2 may partially or completely overlap, so that the truncated cones or cylinders formed by the rotation of the bluff bodies 21 in the plurality of blades 2 overlap in space.

[0086] Specifically, as shown in FIG6 , the blades 2 are projected onto the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 1 along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1 to form projections 26. When the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 1 is unfolded, it can form an unfolded surface 12. The axial direction of the rotating shaft 1 can be the length direction of the unfolded surface 12, and the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 1 can be the width direction of the unfolded surface 12. On the unfolded surface 12, the projections 26 of the multiple blades 2 can be spaced apart along the width direction of the unfolded surface 12, and the projections 26 of the multiple blades 2 can at least partially overlap in the length direction of the unfolded surface 12. For example, part or all of any two blades 2 can be directly opposite each other in the width direction of the unfolded surface 12.

[0087] Therefore, during the rotation of the agitator 100, part of the slurry can be disturbed by the blunt bodies 21 in multiple blades 2 in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 1, so that the vortex generated by the disturbance of the blunt body 21 in the previous blade 2 and the vortex generated by the disturbance of the blunt body 21 in the next blade 2 can interfere with each other, increasing the chaos of the slurry flow, thereby improving the dispersion efficiency.

[0088] In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of blades 2 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the rotating shaft 1 .

[0089] Specifically, the stirring paddle 100 may include M blades 2, where M may be an integer ≥2, and the M blades 2 may be evenly spaced apart along the circumference of the rotating shaft 1. The angle between two adjacent blades 2 in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 1 may be α, where α = 360° / M. Thus, the slurry can be stirred more evenly, and the center of gravity of the blade 2 can be maintained on the rotating shaft 1, thereby avoiding the center of gravity offset of the blade 2 affecting the torque output by the driving member 200, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption.

[0090] According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, the stirring paddle 100 includes a plurality of first blades 2a and a plurality of second blades 2b. Providing a plurality of first blades 2a and a plurality of second blades 2b on the rotating shaft 1 helps increase the number of bluff bodies 21, thereby increasing the number of vortices formed by the bluff bodies 21, making the slurry flow more intense, thereby achieving efficient dispersion.

[0091] The plurality of first blades 2a and the plurality of second blades 2b may be arranged in any order in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 1, which is not limited here.

[0092] In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, multiple first blades 2a and multiple second blades 2b are arranged in a staggered manner along the circumference of the rotating shaft 1. As a result, after the slurry passes through the first bluff body 21a and forms a vortex, it can immediately interfere with the vortex formed by the second bluff body 21b, making the flow of the slurry more intense and chaotic, thereby achieving more uniform and efficient dispersion of the slurry.

[0093] According to some optional embodiments of the present disclosure, the plurality of first blades 2a and the plurality of second blades 2b are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the rotating shaft 1. This allows for more uniform stirring of the slurry and also maintains the center of gravity of the blades 2 on the rotating shaft 1, preventing the center of gravity of the blades 2 from shifting and affecting the torque output by the driving member 200, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0094] For example, as shown in Figure 1, the stirring paddle 100 may include two first blades 2a and two second blades 2b. The two first blades 2a can be arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 1 at intervals along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1, and the two second blades 2b can be arranged on both sides of the rotating shaft 1 at intervals along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1. The angle between adjacent first blades 2a and second blades 2b is 90°. Thus, the center of gravity of the stirring paddle 100 can be maintained on the rotating shaft 1, which is beneficial to reducing the torque output by the driving member 200 and reducing energy consumption.

[0095] According to some other embodiments of the present disclosure, the blade 2 further includes a connecting member 25 , which is connected to the rotating shaft 1 and the bluff body 21 respectively.

[0096] Specifically, the bluff body 21 can be indirectly connected to the rotating shaft 1 via a connector 25, which can support the bluff body 21. Optionally, the connector 25 can be a rectangular frame structure or an arc-shaped structure, without limitation. When the connector 25 is an arc-shaped structure, both ends of the arc-shaped structure can be connected to the rotating shaft 1, and the arc-shaped structure can protrude away from the rotating shaft 1. One end of the bluff body 21 can be connected to the arc-shaped structure, while the other end can be connected to the arc-shaped structure or the rotating shaft 1.

[0097] In this embodiment, a connector 25 is provided to connect the bluff body 21 and the rotating shaft 1. The connector 25 can be used to support the bluff body 21. Multiple bluff bodies 21 can be provided on the same fan blade using the connector 25 to increase the number of bluff bodies 21 and thus improve the dispersion efficiency.

[0098] In some specific embodiments of the present disclosure, the connecting member 25 includes a first beam 251 , a second beam 252 , and a third beam 253 .

[0099] The first beam 251 and the second beam 252 are spaced apart and arranged in the positive direction of the first direction. The first beam 251 and the second beam 252 respectively extend in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1 and are connected to the rotating shaft 1. The first beam 251 is connected to the first endpoint 22, and the second beam 252 is connected to the second endpoint 23. The third beam 253 extends along the first direction. One end of the third beam 253 is connected to the end of the first beam 251 away from the rotating shaft 1, and the other end of the third beam 253 is connected to the end of the second beam 252 away from the rotating shaft 1.

[0100] In other words, the connecting member 25 of this embodiment can be mainly composed of three beams, which can form a rectangular frame structure together with the rotating shaft 1. Specifically, the three beams can be a first beam 251, a second beam 252 and a third beam 253.

[0101] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in the first direction, the first beam 251 and the second beam 252 are spaced apart, with the first beam 251 being closer to the driving member 200 and the second beam 252 being farther away from the driving member 200. The first beam 251 and the second beam 252 extend radially along the rotating shaft 1. One end of the first beam 251 and one end of the second beam 252 are respectively connected to the rotating shaft 1, and the other end of the second beam 252 and the other end of the second beam 252 are respectively connected to the third beam 253. The third beam 253 can extend along the first direction.

[0102] Optionally, the rotating shaft 1 may extend in a vertical direction, the first beam 251 and the second beam 252 may be horizontal beams, and the third beam 253 may be a vertical beam.

[0103] In this embodiment, the first beam 251, the second beam 252 and the third beam 253 cooperate to form a fan surface, which facilitates the connection between the first end point 22 of the bluff body 21 and the first beam 251, and the second end point 23 of the bluff body 21 and the second beam 252, thereby strengthening the strength of the fan blade.

[0104] In some optional embodiments, a mounting portion 11 may be provided on the rotating shaft 1. The mounting portion 11 may be in the shape of an elongated strip and extend along the first direction. The cross-section of the rotating shaft 1 is a polygon. The number of sides of the polygon may be the same as the number of blades 2. Thus, the surface of the mounting portion 11 may form a plurality of mounting surfaces connected in sequence. Each mounting surface may be a plane, which facilitates the connection between the blades 2 and the mounting surface.

[0105] According to some optional embodiments of the present disclosure, the connecting member 25 includes a connecting beam 254 . The connecting beam 254 extends radially along the rotating shaft 1 and is connected to the rotating shaft 1 . The bluff body 21 is connected to the connecting beam 254 .

[0106] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, one end of the connecting beam 254 can be connected to the rotating shaft 1, and the other end of the connecting beam 254 can extend along the radial direction of the rotating shaft 1 and form a free end. The bluff body 21 is connected to the connecting beam 254. The connection between the end of the bluff body 21 and the connecting beam 254 can also be connected to other positions of the bluff body 21, which is not limited here.

[0107] Optionally, the rotating shaft 1 may extend in a vertical direction, and the connecting beam 254 may be a horizontal beam.

[0108] In this embodiment, the connecting member 25 is configured as a connecting beam 254 , which has the advantages of simple structure and easy manufacturing.

[0109] The embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a homogenization device, which includes a stirring paddle 100 according to any of the above embodiments.

[0110] Homogenization refers to the process of uniformly mixing lithium battery active material, conductive agent, adhesive, other additives and solvent. Homogenization refers to the first process of lithium battery manufacturing production line. The quality of homogenization directly determines the performance of lithium battery. Therefore, homogenization equipment is one of the most critical equipment in lithium battery manufacturing equipment.

[0111] Because the stirring paddle 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure has the above-mentioned technical effects, the homogenizing device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure also has a corresponding technical effect, namely, during the stirring process, the vortices generated by the blunt bodies 21 of different blades 2 can interfere with each other, thereby making the disturbance of the liquid more intense, which is conducive to improving the dispersion efficiency. Furthermore, because the stirring paddle 100 of this embodiment improves the dispersion efficiency, it can reduce the time required for stirring, that is, reduce the energy supply time of the driving member 200, which is conducive to reducing the energy consumption required for stirring.

[0112] The following compares the process of stirring slurry by the stirring paddle 100 of the first embodiment of the present disclosure with that of a conventional stirring paddle.

[0113] A negative electrode formulation for a lithium battery was selected, with formulation parameters shown in Table 1 below. 50 L of slurry containing this negative electrode formulation was prepared using a homogenization apparatus equipped with both a conventional stirring paddle and the stirring paddle 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The slurry preparation time and energy consumption for the conventional stirring paddle and the stirring paddle 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure were calculated, while maintaining approximately the same slurry quality. In this embodiment, slurry quality refers to slurry-level characteristics such as viscosity, particle size, and rheological properties.

[0114] Conventional stirring paddles have a disc-shaped dispersion structure, with a dispersion disc diameter of 155 mm. The stirring paddle 100 of the first embodiment of the application includes two first blades 2a and two second blades 2b, symmetrically distributed along the axial center of the rotating shaft 1. The stirring paddle 100 has a diameter of 265 mm, and each blade 2 is provided with eight bluff bodies 21, each of which has a circular cross-section and a diameter of 10 mm. The bluff bodies 21 in the first blade 2a have an inclination angle of 60°, while the bluff bodies 21 in the second blade 2b have an inclination angle of 150°.

[0115] Table 1 Negative electrode formulation parameters

[0116] The stirring processes used by the conventional stirring paddle and the stirring paddle 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure are shown in Table 2.

[0117] Table 2 Comparison of mixing processes

[0118] It can be seen from Table 2 that the pulping time of the homogenizing device equipped with the traditional stirring paddle is 140 minutes, and the pulping time of the homogenizing device equipped with the stirring paddle 100 of the first embodiment of the present disclosure is 54 minutes. The stirring paddle 100 of the present disclosure can reduce the pulping time to only 39% of the pulping time of the traditional stirring paddle, which is a significant improvement.

[0119] In addition, the power consumption required for preparing 50 L of slurry by the homogenizing equipment equipped with two types of stirring paddles was collected separately. The specific results are shown in Table 3.

[0120] Table 3 Energy consumption of pulping with two stirring paddles

[0121] It can be seen from Table 3 that the power consumption of the homogenizing device equipped with the stirring paddle 100 of the present disclosure is only 20% of that of the traditional stirring paddle, and the zero consumption of cooling water further saves energy.

[0122] Furthermore, as can be seen from Table 2, the homogenizing apparatus equipped with the stirring paddle 100 of the present disclosure has a significantly lower rotational speed of the stirring paddle 100 during slurrying than conventional stirring paddles, thus reducing energy consumption as expected. Furthermore, the lower rotational speed of the stirring paddle 100 also reduces the temperature rise of the slurry during slurrying, thereby saving cooling water consumption.

[0123] It can be seen from the above experimental results that the stirring paddle 100 disclosed in the present invention can significantly improve the pulping efficiency and also significantly reduce the energy consumption during the pulping process.

[0124] Finally, for the first direction, positive direction and reverse direction mentioned above, please refer to the marks in Figures 1 and 2. The positive direction and reverse direction are relative to the first direction; for the length direction and width direction mentioned above, please refer to the marks in Figure 6.

[0125] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail through examples, those skilled in the art will understand that the above examples are for illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments may be modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A stirring paddle, characterized in that: include: a rotating shaft extending along a first direction; A plurality of blades are provided on the rotating shaft and arranged along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, each of the blades includes at least one blunt body, each of the blunt bodies extends in the first direction, each of the blunt bodies has a first endpoint and a second endpoint arranged in sequence along the positive direction of the first direction, the point on the rotating shaft closest to the second endpoint is the third endpoint, and the angles formed by the connecting lines of the first endpoint, the second endpoint, and the third endpoint corresponding to the blunt bodies in the plurality of blades are different.

2. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that The plurality of blades include at least a first blade and a second blade, the bluff body in the first blade is a first bluff body, and the bluff body in the second blade is a second bluff body. The first endpoint on the first bluff body is endpoint A, the second endpoint on the first bluff body is endpoint B, and the third endpoint corresponding to the first bluff body is endpoint C. The first endpoint on the second bluff body is endpoint A', the second endpoint on the second bluff body is endpoint B', and the third endpoint corresponding to the second bluff body is endpoint C'. The angle of ∠ABC is different from the angle of ∠A'B'C'.

3. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that The diameter / equivalent diameter D of the bluff body is 5 mm to 500 mm.

4. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that The blade includes a plurality of bluff bodies, and the plurality of bluff bodies are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the rotating shaft.

5. The stirring paddle according to claim 4, characterized in that: In any one of the blades, the diameters / equivalent diameters of the plurality of bluff bodies are the same or different.

6. The stirring paddle according to claim 4, characterized in that: In any one of the blades, cross sections of the plurality of bluff bodies are the same or different, and the distance between any two adjacent bluff bodies is the same or different.

7. The stirring paddle according to claim 4, characterized in that: In any of the blades, the diameter / equivalent diameter of the bluff body with the largest diameter among the plurality of bluff bodies is D max The distance between two adjacent bluff bodies is d, d = D max ~10*D max .

8. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cross section of the bluff body is circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrilateral, polygonal or irregular.

9. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bluff body extends along a straight line.

10. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bluff body extends along a curve.

11. The stirring paddle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of blades overlap in the first direction.

12. The stirring paddle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The plurality of blades are evenly arranged along the circumference of the rotating shaft.

13. The stirring paddle according to claim 2, characterized in that: The stirring paddle includes a plurality of first blades and a plurality of second blades.

14. The stirring paddle according to claim 13, characterized in that: The plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are staggeredly arranged along the circumference of the rotating shaft.

15. The stirring paddle according to claim 13, characterized in that: The plurality of first blades and the plurality of second blades are symmetrically distributed along the axis of the rotating shaft.

16. The stirring paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that: The blade further includes a connecting member, which is respectively connected to the rotating shaft and the bluff body.

17. The stirring paddle according to claim 16, characterized in that: The connecting piece includes: a first beam and a second beam, the first beam and the second beam being spaced apart and arranged in a positive direction of the first direction, the first beam and the second beam respectively extending in a radial direction of the rotating shaft and connected to the rotating shaft, the first beam being connected to the first end point, and the second beam being connected to the second end point; A third beam extends along the first direction, one end of the third beam is connected to an end of the first beam away from the rotation axis, and the other end of the third beam is connected to an end of the second beam away from the rotation axis.

18. The stirring paddle according to claim 16, characterized in that: The connecting piece includes: A connecting beam extends along the radial direction of the rotating shaft and is connected to the rotating shaft, and the bluff body is connected to the connecting beam.

19. A homogenizing device, characterized in that: include: The stirring paddle according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

Images