Segmented Line Beam Optics for Uniform Battery Electrode Drying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying methods for battery electrode coatings, such as convection ovens and infrared lamps, are energy-inefficient and can cause overheating and delamination due to non-uniform laser intensity distribution, especially when drying multiple parallel coating lanes.
Innovation Solution
A laser system utilizing a prism or mirror array to split a laser beam into multiple segments with uniform intensity distribution, allowing for efficient drying of multiple parallel coating lanes without overheating bare metal foil areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single laser beam is used to dry multiple parallel coating lanes, then the drying process can be simplified, but the bare metal foil between coating lanes overheats and causes delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a single laser beam into multiple parallel line beams using a diffractive optical element or lens array. Each line beam is directed at a specific coating lane, creating spatially separated intensity distributions that match the coating lanes while leaving bare metal foil areas unirradiated. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining process simplicity through single-source illumination while preventing overheating through spatial segmentation of the beam.
2Temperature
If conventional drying methods like convection ovens are used, then uniform heating can be achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical drying systems (convection ovens or infrared lamps) with a laser-based drying system. The laser provides direct, targeted energy delivery to the coating lanes through optical focusing, eliminating the need for large-volume hot air circulation or broad-spectrum infrared radiation. This substitution achieves comparable or superior heating uniformity while dramatically reducing energy consumption by concentrating energy only where needed.
3Volume of moving object
If infrared lamps are used for drying, then equipment size is reduced compared to convection ovens, but energy efficiency remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces infrared lamp drying with laser drying, maintaining the compact equipment footprint while dramatically improving energy efficiency. The laser system delivers concentrated optical energy directly to the coating lanes with minimal divergence, whereas infrared lamps radiate energy in all directions, wasting significant energy on areas that do not require drying. The laser's coherent and directional properties enable precise energy placement, achieving high energy efficiency in a compact configuration.
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 laser system achieves significant energy savings, up to 90% reduction in energy consumption, and ensures consistent drying across multiple coating lanes, preventing overheating and delamination.
Implementation Method 1
a one-dimensional array of prisms arranged to receive the input laser beam... Each prism set of the plurality of prism sets is to impose on the input laser beam a different respective deflection angle
Implementation Method 2
a one-dimensional array of planar mirror surfaces arranged to receive the input laser beam... Each mirror surface set of the plurality of mirror surface sets is to impose on the input laser beam a different respective deflection angle
Implementation Method 3
a field lens or mirror arranged to project the output laser beams onto a target plane to form a segmented line beam at the target plane
Implementation Method 4
Laser drying can be significantly more efficient than drying in convection ovens and even infrared lamp drying... The slurry deposited by the coating apparatus is a mixture of the active material, a binder... and a solvent used to ensure that the active material and binder can be evenly mixed and applied to the metallic foil. The coating apparatus subjects the slurry to a drying process that removes the solvent.
Data Source
AI summary
A laser system for generating a segmented line beam includes a laser module emitting an input laser beam, and a one-dimensional array of prisms, or mirrors, that splits the input laser beam into a respective plurality of output laser beams propagating in a common plane but diverging from each other, in the common plane, when propagating away from the array of prisms. A field lens, or mirror, projects the output laser beams onto a target plane to form a segmented line beam at the target plane. The laser system is energy efficient by splitting rather than masking the input laser beam. The laser system is capable of achieving superior segment-to-segment consistency and can be configured to produce each segment with a top-hat intensity distribution. Furthermore, the laser system can be reconfigured with relative ease to meet different requirements in terms of segment length and width as well as segment-to-segment spacings.