Infrared Electrode Drying Module With Selective Shielding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying methods using infrared rays in the electrode process of secondary batteries cause wrinkles or cracks due to differences in thermal expansion between coated and uncoated parts on the current collector, affecting adhesion and drying efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An infrared heat source module with repositionable shield films is used to block infrared rays from uncoated parts, minimizing thermal expansion issues and preventing wrinkles or cracks, while ensuring efficient drying of the coated parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If infrared rays are used for drying the coated slurry, then drying efficiency is improved, but wrinkles or cracks occur due to different thermal expansion coefficients between coated and uncoated parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective heating by blocking infrared rays from reaching uncoated parts while allowing them to reach coated parts. This creates different thermal treatment conditions for different regions of the current collector, preventing wrinkles or cracks in uncoated areas while maintaining efficient drying in coated areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shield film as an intermediary element between the infrared heat source and the current collector. This shield film selectively blocks infrared rays from reaching uncoated parts, acting as a mediator to control the thermal expansion differences and prevent electrode defects.
2Speed
If infrared rays are applied to the current collector, then drying speed increases, but thermal expansion differences cause adhesion problems between slurry and current collector
Solution Approach 1:
The shield film creates localized thermal treatment zones, allowing rapid drying in coated areas while preventing excessive heating in uncoated areas. This maintains adhesion force by avoiding thermal expansion-induced separation in uncoated regions.
3Device complexity
If uniform infrared heating is applied across the entire current collector, then drying process is simplified, but uncoated parts become overdried causing quality issues
Solution Approach 1:
The shield film enables differentiated thermal treatment without complex process control. By physically blocking infrared rays from uncoated parts, it prevents overdrying while maintaining simple infrared heating operation for coated areas.
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
The module effectively prevents wrinkles and cracks in electrodes, improving drying efficiency by uniformly drying the coated parts and reducing overdrying of uncoated parts.
Implementation Method 1
a drying method using infrared rays may be adopted to secure a better drying efficiency
Implementation Method 2
the coated part (the part where the slurry is applied) and the uncoated part (the part where the slurry is not applied) existing in the current collector depending on the process environment have different coefficients of thermal expansion
Implementation Method 3
at least a portion of the heat generated from the infrared heat source can be blocked
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present application relates to an infrared heat source module that can minimize problems such as wrinkles or cracks in the electrodes, can minimize problems such as wrinkles or cracks in the electrodes even if the patterns of the coated part and the uncoated part present in the current collector vary, and can improve the drying efficiency of the coated part present in the current collector, and a method of manufacturing an electrode using the infrared heat source module.