Sealed Battery Paste Mixer With Zoned Cooling for Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for manufacturing lead acid battery paste face challenges in controlling temperature during mixing, which can lead to exothermic reactions and health risks from airborne particles, requiring costly filtration systems and extended production times.
Innovation Solution
A closed mixing container with multiple cooling jackets on both the bottom and sidewalls, along with a sealed environment and a HEPA filter, to control temperature and prevent particulate escape, using paddles or muller wheels for mixing and a condenser for steam management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single water jacket is used for cooling the mixing bowl, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature control precision deteriorates leading to excessive mixture temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into multiple separate cooling jackets (first cooling jacket on the bottom wall, second cooling jacket on the sidewall, and optionally third cooling jacket on the top wall) instead of using a single cooling jacket. This segmentation allows independent temperature control in different zones of the mixing bowl, enabling precise temperature management of the mixture during the exothermic reaction process.
2Temperature
If high velocity chilled air stream is used for cooling, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but airborne particles escape causing health risks and requiring costly filtration systems
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing process is conducted in a sealed mixing bowl that creates a closed environment. The high velocity chilled air stream is contained within this sealed space, preventing airborne particles from escaping into the surrounding atmosphere. This eliminates the need for expensive bag house and scrubber filtration systems while maintaining effective cooling through the trapped air stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed mixing bowl acts as an intermediary barrier between the high velocity air stream containing airborne particles and the external environment. This intermediary structure allows the cooling function to be maintained while preventing the harmful escape of particles, thus protecting worker health without requiring additional filtration equipment.
3Ease of operation
If the mixing process is conducted in an open bowl, then the ease of operation is improved, but particulate ingredients escape into the atmosphere creating health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing bowl is sealed to create a closed environment that contains all particulate ingredients during the mixing process. This prevents red lead, lead oxide, and other fine particles from escaping into the atmosphere, protecting worker health. The sealed design maintains ease of operation by allowing standard mixing procedures to continue while eliminating the harmful escape of particulates.
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 reduces production time by 15-50%, eliminates the need for air filtration systems, and ensures a controlled temperature, resulting in a high-quality paste with improved performance characteristics and reduced health risks.
Implementation Method 1
circulating a cooling fluid thorough each of at least two separate cooling jackets in heat transfer relationship with a bottom wall of the container at least while sulfuric acid is mixed with the ingredients to control and limit the maximum temperature of the mixture
Implementation Method 2
sulfuric acid is added and mixed in the bowl with these ingredients which produces an exothermic reaction heating the mixture
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for and method of making a paste of active material for application to a grid to make a plate for a lead acid battery. In the machine and method sulfuric acid, at least one dry additive and red lead or leady oxide are mixed together and the mixture is cooled by a plurality of cooling zones to maintain the mixture at a temperature not greater than a predetermined maximum temperature.