Thermal Reactor Process for Battery Material Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for thermal treatment of nano- and micro-scale battery materials are not environmentally friendly and require multiple steps, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving thermal treatment in a reaction space of a thermal reactor, where a starting compound is introduced as a solution, slurry, or solid and treated with a hot gas stream at 150° C to 1000° C for 0.1 s to 2 s, allowing for single-step synthesis, drying, and calcination, preventing sintering and achieving finely divided particles with correct stoichiometry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional thermal treatment methods are used for battery materials, then the materials can be processed, but multiple steps are required leading to inefficiency and resource wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple thermal treatment operations (drying, calcination, and synthesis) into a single integrated process step. The starting compound is introduced into the thermal reactor where it undergoes complete thermal treatment in one continuous operation, eliminating the need for separate drying and calcination steps that are typical in conventional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal reactor is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it dries the starting compound, calcines the material, and synthesizes the battery material in a single device and process step. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple specialized equipment and sequential operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional thermal treatment methods are used, then materials can be processed, but environmental friendliness is compromised due to multiple steps and resource consumption
Solution Approach 1:
By merging drying, calcination, and synthesis into one continuous process, the patent eliminates repeated heating and cooling cycles that would occur in sequential operations. This reduces overall energy consumption and minimizes environmental impact associated with multiple processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The process operates continuously with the starting compound being fed into the thermal reactor and processed without interruption. This continuous operation avoids the start-stop nature of batch processing, maintaining steady energy input and improving thermal efficiency, thereby reducing energy waste and environmental impact.
3Manufacturing precision
If longer residence time is used for thermal treatment, then complete reaction can be achieved, but sintering occurs and particle fineness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the residence time parameter to a specific range (0.1 to 2 seconds) that is sufficient to complete the thermal treatment and synthesis reactions while being short enough to prevent sintering. This precise parameter control allows achieving complete reaction without compromising particle fineness.
Solution Approach 2:
The process utilizes dynamic control of the thermal treatment conditions, including temperature profile and residence time, to achieve the desired transformation. The rapid processing regime creates a dynamic environment where reactions complete before sintering can occur, maintaining particle fineness.
4Productivity
If multiple treatment steps are used, then thorough processing is achieved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges drying, calcination, and synthesis into a single simultaneous process step, reducing the total number of operations from multiple sequential steps to one continuous operation. This dramatically reduces processing time while maintaining thorough treatment of the battery material.
Solution Approach 2:
The starting compound is prepared in advance as a solution, slurry, or suspension with appropriate composition and stoichiometry. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the material enters the thermal reactor, all necessary components are already in place for immediate reaction, eliminating the need for intermediate preparation steps and reducing total processing time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables quick, one-step, environmentally friendly thermal treatment of battery materials, enhancing yield and properties like crystallite size distribution while minimizing environmental impact and avoiding unnecessary pre- and post-treatments.
Implementation Method 1
thermal treatment of the battery material and/or battery precursor material carried in a hot gas stream (HGS) in a treatment zone in the reaction space at a temperature of 150° C. to 1000° C.
Implementation Method 2
Drying and calcining is understood to mean in particular caking and calcining the liquid substance, in particular the solution, slurry, suspension, or a solid but moist starting material
Implementation Method 3
thermal treatment of the battery material and/or battery precursor material carried in a hot gas stream (HGS) in a treatment zone in the reaction space at a temperature of 150° C. to 1000° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a process for thermally treating, in particular synthesizing and/or drying and calcinating, a nano- and/or micro-scale or nano- and/or micro-crystalline battery material (BM) and/or battery material precursor (BM) in a thermal reactor (1), comprising the steps of: introducing a starting compound (AV) into the reactor (1), the starting material (AV) being a battery material (BM) and/or battery material precursor (BM) and the starting material (AV) being introduced into the reactor (1) in the form of a solution, slurry, suspension or in a solid state of matter, thermally treating the battery material (BM) and/or battery material precursor (BM) carried in a hot gas flow (HGS) in a treatment zone in the reactor (1) at a temperature of 150° C. to 1000° C., and discharging the battery material (BM) obtained from the reactor (1) in the form of a powder.