Variable Gap Agitation Member for Battery Slurry Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing agitation apparatuses for materials like electrode slurry in lithium-ion battery production face challenges in reducing heat generation while maintaining process efficiency, especially when dealing with high-viscosity materials, as they either experience excessive friction and heat due to tight gaps or inefficiency with wider gaps.
Innovation Solution
The agitation apparatus features a cylindrical vessel and member with a variable gap between the inner and outer surfaces along the vertical direction, where the gap is wider at the lower portion to reduce friction and heat, and narrower at the upper portion to enhance agitation, allowing for controlled agitation and efficient processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gap between the agitation vessel and agitation member is narrowed to enhance agitation effect, then the agitation efficiency is improved, but the friction and heat generation increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the gap width vary along the vertical direction of the agitation member. Specifically, the gap is wider at the lower portion and narrower at the upper portion, allowing different regions to serve different functions: the lower portion reduces friction and heat generation, while the upper portion provides enhanced agitation effect. This spatial variation in gap width resolves the contradiction between agitation efficiency and heat generation.
2Temperature
If the gap between the agitation vessel and agitation member is widened to reduce friction and heat, then the heat generation is reduced, but the agitation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by implementing local quality through a non-uniform gap structure. The gap width is optimized differently at different vertical positions: wider at the bottom to minimize friction and heat, and narrower at the top to maximize agitation effectiveness. This localized optimization allows the system to achieve both low heat generation and high agitation efficiency simultaneously.
3Temperature
If the gap is made variable along the vertical direction with wider lower portion, then the friction is reduced and heat generation is minimized, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the gap geometry variable rather than uniform. The agitation member is designed with a specific profile that creates a dynamically optimized gap width distribution along its vertical axis. This variable geometry allows the system to adapt the gap width to the local requirements (wider where friction is the main concern, narrower where agitation is needed), resolving the contradiction between heat reduction and structural simplicity.
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 design effectively reduces heat generation and improves process efficiency by optimizing the gap geometry, ensuring the material is agitated to the required extent while minimizing excessive processing and maintaining low heat levels.
Implementation Method 1
In association with the high-speed rotation of the agitation member, a centrifugal force acts on a material supplied to the agitation vessel. By the centrifugal force, the material is forced out in radially outward directions through the small holes formed in the agitation member
Implementation Method 2
the agitation apparatus causes heat generation because of the friction caused by the material that is agitated between the agitation vessel and the agitation member
Data Source
AI summary
An agitation apparatus (100) has a substantially cylindrically shaped agitation vessel (102); a rotation shaft (150) provided along the central axis of the agitation vessel (102); a substantially cylindrically shaped agitation member (104) having an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the agitation vessel (102) and being fitted to the rotation shaft (150) so as to rotate concentrically with an inner circumferential surface of the agitation vessel (102); and a plurality of through holes (162, 164) formed through the agitation member (104) in radial directions of the agitation member. In the agitation apparatus (100), a gap between the inner circumferential surface of the agitation vessel (102) and the outer circumferential surface of the agitation member (104) is partially varied along a vertical direction of the agitation member (104). For example, the gap between the inner circumferential surface of the agitation vessel (102) and the outer circumferential surface of the agitation member (104) is wider at a lower portion (S2) of the agitation member (104) than at an upper portion (S1) of the agitation member (104).