Bottom-Atomized Roaster for Lithium Precursor Crystallinity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spray pyrolysis devices for lithium battery precursor production suffer from atomizer clogging and short residence duration at pyrolysis temperature, leading to poor product crystallinity and unstable reaction processes.
Innovation Solution
A roaster system with an atomizer at the bottom, upward airflow generation, and temperature-controlled heating zones, along with a discharge mechanism to extend residence time and prevent clogging, using negative pressure to control airflow and discharge particles from the top.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If spray pyrolysis method is used to prepare oxide precursor, then production efficiency is improved and environmental friendliness is enhanced, but atomizer clogging occurs and residence duration at pyrolysis temperature is short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional spray pyrolysis configuration by placing the atomizer at the bottom of the roaster instead of at the top, and discharging particles from the top. This inversion allows upward airflow to continuously pass through the atomizer, preventing clogging while maintaining high production efficiency. The counter-intuitive arrangement solves the reliability issue without sacrificing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an airflow generation assembly that creates upward airflow through the roaster. This pneumatic system continuously flows air through the atomizer and heating zone, preventing clogging by keeping the atomizer surfaces clean and maintaining stable operation. The airflow mechanism reliably prevents the clogging problem while preserving the high efficiency of spray pyrolysis.
2Productivity
If spray pyrolysis method is used to prepare oxide precursor, then production efficiency is improved, but residence duration at pyrolysis temperature is short leading to poor crystallinity
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the spray pyrolysis configuration with bottom atomization and top discharge, the patent extends the residence duration of particles in the heating zone. The upward airflow path creates a longer trajectory for particles to traverse through the pyrolysis zone, allowing sufficient time for crystallinity development while maintaining high production rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the conventional horizontal or short-vertical spray path into a extended upward vertical flow path. By utilizing the vertical dimension more effectively with bottom-to-top airflow and particle transport, the residence duration is extended without increasing the overall equipment footprint, thus maintaining productivity while improving crystallinity.
3Productivity
If atomizer is used for continuous spraying, then production efficiency is improved, but atomizer clogging occurs resulting in discontinuous reaction process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a pneumatic airflow system that continuously flows upward through the atomizer. This airflow prevents clogging by constantly removing deposited materials from the atomizer surfaces, ensuring continuous stable operation. The reaction process remains discontinuous-free and stable while maintaining high production efficiency throughout operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The upward airflow is established before clogging can occur, serving as a preventive measure. This preliminary pneumatic action continuously clears the atomizer surfaces, preventing the formation of clogs that would disrupt the continuous spraying process. The system proactively maintains stability rather than reacting to clogging problems.
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
Improves product crystallinity, enhances operation stability by preventing atomizer clogging, and allows for precise temperature control, reducing energy consumption and improving electrochemical performance of lithium battery materials.
Implementation Method 1
an atomizer for atomizing a raw material into liquid droplets and spraying them upwardly
Implementation Method 2
the airflow generation assembly generates upward airflow in the roaster
Implementation Method 3
a heating zone is arranged above the atomizer
Implementation Method 4
the residence duration at the pyrolysis temperature
Implementation Method 5
at least a part of the droplets pass through the heating zone upwardly with the airflow and are discharged from a particle outlet
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the technical field of lithium batteries. Provided in the present disclosure are a roasting furnace, a system for preparing a lithium battery oxide precursor, and a lithium battery material precursor and a preparation method therefor and the use thereof. By means of atomization feeding at the bottom of the roasting furnace, after a reaction is conducted in the roasting furnace from bottom to top, a product is output from a particle outlet in the top via negative pressure at the top of the furnace. Since a gas carries the product out from the top of the furnace, the present disclosure, compared with a device that discharges materials from the bottom thereof, achieves long residence time at a pyrolysis temperature, which is beneficial for improving the crystallinity of the product, and the particles are output from the top of the furnace along with the gas, such that the blockage of an atomizer due to the flowing of the particles can be prevented, and the operation stability of the device is improved. In addition, the roasting furnace provided by the present disclosure can further adjust the residence time by adjusting and controlling the negative pressure; and compared with traditional feeding and discharging modes, the temperature of a lower area in the roasting furnace is easier to control, and accurate temperature control, energy conservation and consumption reduction are facilitated.