Energy Storage Material Processing with Separate Mixing and Compression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing processing systems for energy storage materials face challenges in achieving high quality due to the trade-off between mixing and pressure build-up effects, leading to unsatisfactory results in terms of material quality.

Innovation Solution

A processing system with separate mixing and pressure build-up devices allows for independent optimization of mixing and pressure build-up effects, utilizing a processing screw machine for mixing and a pressure build-up screw machine to generate high pressure for shaping, with the pressure build-up device capable of achieving pressures between 1 bar and 2000 bar.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a mixing device is optimized for mixing effect, then the mixing quality improves, but the pressure build-up effect deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemixing qualityVSAvoidpressure build-up effect
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The processing system is divided into two separate devices: a mixing device optimized for mixing effect and a pressure build-up device optimized for pressure generation. This segmentation allows each device to be independently optimized for its specific function without compromise, resolving the contradiction between mixing quality and pressure build-up effect

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stress or pressure

If a mixing device is optimized for pressure build-up effect, then the pressure generation improves, but the mixing effect deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure build-up effectVSAvoidmixing quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system separates the mixing function from the pressure build-up function into two distinct devices. The mixing device focuses solely on achieving homogeneous mixing while the pressure build-up device focuses solely on generating high pressure, eliminating the trade-off that would exist in a single integrated device

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If a single device is used for both mixing and pressure build-up, then the device complexity is reduced, but the energy storage material quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice structureVSAvoidenergy storage material quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses two separate devices (mixing device and pressure build-up device) connected in series, allowing each device to be optimized for its specific function. This segmentation improves energy storage material quality by ensuring both mixing and pressure build-up are performed optimally, despite the increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mixing device acts as an intermediary that prepares the energy storage material by achieving homogeneous mixing before the material enters the pressure build-up device. This intermediate mixing step ensures that the subsequent pressure build-up process works with uniformly distributed starting materials, improving overall material quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 the production of high-quality energy storage materials with improved mixing and pressure build-up, ensuring reliable and efficient processing while minimizing mechanical energy input and preventing material degradation.

Implementation Method 1

Starting materials are fed into an extruder, which is then mixed to form the energy storage material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical mixing: Stirring

Implementation Method 2

The pressure build-up device is optimized with regard to its pressure build-up effect and generates high pressure in the energy storage material for subsequent shaping

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical compression: Compression

Data Source

PatentEP4350795A1Processing system and method for processing an energy storage material
Publication Date: 2024.04.10 COPERION GMBH
  • EP4350795A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4350795A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4350795A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a processing plant (1) for processing an energy storage material (M), a pressure build-up device (4) is arranged downstream of a mixing device (2). The mixing device (2) serves to process the energy storage material (M). The pressure build-up device (4) increases the pressure of the energy storage material (M) for subsequent shaping. Because the mixing device (2) and the pressure build-up device (4) are designed separately from each other, good mixing and pressure build-up are achieved. The energy storage material (M) can thus be processed simply and reliably with high quality. The energy storage material (M) is used in particular for the production of bipolar plates for fuel cells and/or for the production of galvanic energy storage devices.