KR20210023637A - Drying apparatus for battery electrode - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drying apparatus for a battery electrode, which is able to uniformly and rapidly heat and dry regardless of the size of a battery electrode through the application of a radiation heating method, and to effectively prevent any thermal impact due to overheating and potential heat. According to the present invention, the drying apparatus for the battery electrode comprises: a mainframe in which on one side is formed an inlet through which the battery electrode is inputted, in the inside is formed a heating/drying space, and on the other side is formed an outlet through which the heated/dried battery electrode is discharged; an upper chamber member installed on an internal upper side of the heating/drying space of the mainframe to have a first near infrared ray lamp for heating/drying the battery electrode on the lower side; a lower chamber member installed on an internal lower side of the heating/drying space of the mainframe to form a heating/drying chamber along with the upper chamber member, and on an upper side is placed a second near infrared ray lamp for heating/drying the battery electrode; an exhaust fan installed on an upper side of the mainframe to exhaust the heat of the heating/drying space to the outside of the mainframe; and an air supply fan installed on the lower side of the mainframe to forcibly supply external air into the heating/drying space.

Description

Drying device for battery electrode{DRYING APPARATUS FOR BATTERY ELECTRODE}

Disclosed is that in manufacturing the battery electrode of a rechargeable secondary battery type, the battery electrode is uniformly heated to promote moisture drying, firing, or chemical bonding of the thin film laminated on the battery electrode formed of an aluminum thin plate or a copper thin plate. It relates to a drying apparatus for a battery electrode.

Unless otherwise indicated in the specification, the contents described in this identification item are not prior art to the claims of this application, and description in this identification item is not admitted to be prior art.

In general, for example, electric and electronic devices such as mobile phones, notebook computers, digital cameras, wireless cleaners, drones, etc. essentially include a battery in the form of a secondary battery for power supply.

In recent years, due to the increasing demand for electric vehicles, batteries in the form of secondary batteries for power supply have also been developed in the field of vehicles, such as automobiles, bicycles, electric scooters, motorcycles, and buses.

Accordingly, the maximum width of the product in the existing production method was about 600mm, but the current product size is expanding to the maximum width of 800mm, and it is expected that the product size will expand to over 1200mm in the maximum width in the future. In addition, the product production speed was also about 70m per minute in the past, but is expected to be accelerated to more than 100m per minute in the future.

Meanwhile, a battery in the form of a secondary battery includes a battery electrode formed of an aluminum thin plate or a copper thin plate, and a thin film formed of lithium-based metal and other metals is applied as an electrode active material in the case of the positive electrode, and the electrode active material in the case of the negative electrode. A thin film formed of carbon and graphite material is applied.

The battery electrode of such a battery is heated and dried by a separate drying device in order to dry the thin film with moisture, sinter or promote chemical bonding.

As an example of such a drying apparatus for battery electrodes, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0091563 (published on Aug. 03, 2016) discloses a solvent in the electrode mixture in an electrode sheet in which an electrode mixture including an electrode active material is applied on a current collector. An electrode drying apparatus having at least one drying oven for drying, wherein the drying oven includes a plurality of first nozzles supplying hot air to an upper surface of the electrode sheet, a plurality of second nozzles supplying hot air to a lower surface of the electrode sheet, and an electrode A plurality of rollers capable of upward movement for supporting a lower portion of the sheet and downward movement for separation from a lower portion of the electrode sheet, an up-down adjuster for moving the rollers in an upward and downward movement, the first and second nozzles, Disclosed is an electrode drying apparatus comprising a chamber in which rollers are mounted therein and an electrode sheet is configured to move from one portion of the inside to an opposite portion.

In addition, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2015-0049393 (published on May 08, 2015) discloses an electrode drying apparatus for drying an electrode having a current collector of a metal material, in which the transfer unit transfers the electrode from a first point to a second point. And, an electrode drying apparatus comprising a coil unit for induction heating the electrode by generating an induced current in the current collector by an alternating current while the electrode is being transferred by the transfer unit.

However, in the case of the conventional battery electrode drying apparatus as described above, it is difficult to reach the target temperature in a short section as the battery electrode is heated and dried using hot air or a conventional heating heater, so that the length of the facility is inevitably lengthened. It is necessary for a lot of space for installation of facilities, and there is a problem in that the cost of the product is increased due to the excessive amount of heat required.

In addition, in the case of the conventional battery electrode drying apparatus as described above, when the operation of the equipment is stopped due to an emergency or equipment failure, thermal shock is induced on the surface of the battery electrode by hot air or latent heat of the heating heater, thereby causing product defects.

In addition, it is difficult to uniformly heat-dry the battery electrode of an increased size in a short time with a drying method using hot air or a conventional heating heater, thereby reducing the product production speed and increasing the defect rate.

1. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0091563 (published on Aug. 3, 2016) 2. Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2015-0049393 (published on May 08, 2015)

Through the application of the radiation heating method, it is intended to provide a drying apparatus for a battery electrode that enables uniform and rapid heating and drying regardless of the size of the battery electrode and effectively prevents thermal shock due to overheating and latent heat.

In addition, it is not limited to the above-described technical problems, and it is obvious that another technical problem may be derived from the following description.

Disclosed is a main body having an inlet port into which the battery electrode is inserted on one side, a heating and drying space is formed inside, and an outlet through which the heat-dried battery electrode is discharged on the other side, and is installed on the upper side of the heating and drying space of the main body. An upper chamber member in which a first near-infrared lamp for heating and drying the battery electrode is arranged on the lower side, and a heat-drying chamber is formed on the lower side of the heating and drying space of the main body and together with the upper chamber member, and the battery electrode is on the upper side. A lower chamber member in which a second near-infrared lamp is arranged for heating and drying of the body, an exhaust fan installed on the upper side of the body and exhausting the heat of the heating and drying space to the outside of the body, and an exhaust fan installed on the lower side of the body and outside the body. A drying apparatus for a battery electrode including an air supply fan forcibly supplying air into the heating and drying space is presented as an embodiment.

According to a preferred feature of the disclosed subject matter, the upper chamber member is installed so as to be able to move up and down in the heating and drying space by a first elevating member, and the lower chamber member is in the heating and drying space by a second elevating member. It is installed so that it can be lifted in the vertical direction.

According to the drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosure, hot air or a conventional heating heater is not applied for heating and drying of the battery electrode, but by the first and second near-infrared lamps installed in the upper and lower chamber members. As the radiation heating method is applied, there is an advantage in that the battery electrode can be uniformly and quickly heated and dried regardless of the size of the battery electrode.

In addition, as overheated air in the heating and drying space can be exhausted to the outside by an exhaust fan and external air for cooling into the heating and drying space can be forcibly supplied by the air supply fan, the temperature in the heating and drying space is reduced for heating and drying of the battery electrodes. While maintaining the required temperature, there is an advantage in that overheating by the first and second near-infrared lamps and thermal shock of the battery electrode due to internal latent heat can be prevented.

In addition, as the upper and lower chamber members forming the heating drying chamber for heating and drying the battery electrodes are moved up and down in the heating and drying space of the main body by the first and second chamber lifting members, the first and second chambers can be separated from each other. There is an advantage in that overheating by the second near-infrared lamp and thermal shock of the battery electrode due to internal latent heat can be effectively prevented.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

1 is a structural diagram of a drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed content.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a battery electrode drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosed content.
3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of raising and lowering the upper and lower chambers in the drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.
4 is a structural diagram of another embodiment of a drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed content.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings looks at the configuration and effects of the preferred embodiment. For reference, in the drawings below, each component is omitted or schematically illustrated for convenience and clarity, and the size of each component does not reflect the actual size. In addition, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the specification, and reference numerals for the same elements in individual drawings will be omitted.

In the drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, an inlet 11 into which the battery electrode 0 is inserted is formed on one side, and a heating and drying space 12 is formed therein. The body 10 is provided with an outlet 13 through which the heat-dried battery electrode 3 is discharged, and the battery electrode 3 is installed on the upper side of the heat-drying space 12 of the body 10 and the battery electrode 3 at the lower side. The upper chamber member 20 in which the first near-infrared lamp 21 is arranged for heating and drying of the body 10 is installed at the lower side of the heating and drying space 12 of the body 10, and the heating and drying chamber together with the upper chamber member 20 And a lower chamber member 30 in which a second near-infrared lamp 31 for heating and drying the battery electrode 3 is arranged on the upper side, and is installed on the upper side of the main body 10 to open the heating and drying space 12 And an exhaust fan 40 for exhausting the body 10 to the outside of the body 10, and an air supply fan 50 installed under the body 10 and forcibly supplying external air into the heating and drying space 12.

Here, the main body 10 is a constituent member that forms the frame of the battery electrode drying apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter.

One side of the main body 10 is formed with an inlet 11 into which the battery electrode 3 for heating and drying is inserted, and a heating and drying chamber is formed inside the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 to be described later. A heat-drying space 12 in which the electrode 3 is heat-dried is formed, and an outlet 13 through which the battery electrode 3, which has been heat-dried, is discharged is formed on the other side.

In addition, in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10, a chamber lifting guide 14 for guiding the upward and downward movement of the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 is formed. The chamber elevating guide 14 may be formed in the form of a vertical bar-shaped rail through which the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 pass.

In addition, on the side of the outlet 13 of the main body 10, a non-contact temperature sensor 15 is installed in the upper or lower portion of the outlet 13 to be spaced apart. The non-contact temperature sensor 15 senses the temperature of the battery electrode 3 discharged through the discharge port 13 and transmits it to a controller (not shown). The output of the second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31 can be automatically adjusted.

In addition, at least one of the front side and the rear side of the main body 10 is provided with a perspective door 16 so as to be able to open and close. The see-through door 16 has a see-through window integrally formed so that the operator can visually inspect the inside of the heated drying space 12 in which the battery electrode 3 is actually heated and dried.

In addition, a door open detection sensor 17 is installed at the installation part of the see-through door 16. The door open detection sensor 17 detects whether the see-through door 16 is opened when the see-through door 16 is opened during heating and drying of the battery electrode 3, so that the operator may be burned, and the controller (not shown) It acts as a kind of safety sensor that automatically stops the operation of the first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31 as it is transmitted to.

The upper chamber member 20 is installed on the inner upper side of the heating and drying space 12 of the above-described main body 10. The upper chamber member 20 forms a heat drying chamber in which the battery electrode 3 is actually heated and dried in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10 together with the lower chamber member 30 to be described later, A plurality of first near-infrared lamps 21 for heating and drying the battery electrode 3 by radiating heating the battery electrode 3 are arranged on the lower side.

The upper chamber member 20 is made of a material capable of thermal expansion to prevent damage to the first near-infrared lamp 21, but the clamp supporting the first near-infrared lamp 21 is also preferably made of a material having strong impact resistance. .

In addition, the upper chamber member 20 is vertically arranged in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10 by the first elevating member 22 so that the separation distance upwards with respect to the battery electrode 3 being heated and dried can be adjusted. It is preferable to be installed so as to be elevating in the direction.

The first lifting member 22 for lifting the upper chamber member 20 can be formed as a cylinder mechanism in which the cylinder side is fixedly coupled to the upper side of the main body 10 and the piston rod side is fixedly coupled to the upper chamber member 20 Do.

In addition, the upper chamber member 20 is provided with a first cooling fan 23 for uniform cooling and temperature control of the heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30.

In addition, the upper chamber member 20 is provided with a first chamber temperature sensor 24 that measures the internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30. The first chamber temperature sensor 24 provides a measurement signal for the internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber to a controller (not shown) to control the operation of the first near-infrared lamp 21 and the first cooling fan 23, The internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber is controlled, and at the same time, uniform cooling of the heating and drying chamber is possible.

Further, on the front and rear sides of the upper chamber member 20, a chamber forming plate 25 that covers the front and rear sides of the lower chamber member 30 to prevent heat loss of the heating and drying chamber is formed to protrude downward.

The lower chamber member 30 is installed below the inside of the heating and drying space 12 of the above-described main body 10. The lower chamber member 30 forms a heat-drying chamber in which the battery electrode 3 is actually heated and dried in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10 together with the upper chamber member 20, and the upper side A plurality of second near-infrared lamps 31 for heating and drying the battery electrode 3 by radiating heating the battery electrode 3 are arranged.

The lower chamber member 30 is made of a material capable of thermal expansion to prevent damage to the second near-infrared lamp 31, but the clamp supporting the second near-infrared lamp 31 is also preferably made of a material having strong impact resistance. .

In addition, the lower chamber member 30 is vertically arranged in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10 by the second elevating member 32 so that the separation distance to the lower side with respect to the battery electrode 3 being heated and dried can be adjusted. It is preferable to be installed so as to be elevating in the direction.

The second lifting member 32 for lifting the lower chamber member 30 can be formed as a cylinder mechanism in which the cylinder side is fixedly coupled to the lower side of the body 10 and the piston rod side is fixedly coupled to the lower chamber member 30 Do.

In addition, the lower chamber member 30 is provided with a second cooling fan 33 for uniform cooling and temperature control of the heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30.

In addition, the lower chamber member 30 is provided with a second chamber temperature sensor 34 that measures the internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30. The second chamber temperature sensor 34 provides a measurement signal for the internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber to a controller (not shown) to control the operation of the second near-infrared lamp 31 and the second cooling fan 33, The internal temperature of the heating and drying chamber is controlled, and at the same time, uniform cooling of the heating and drying chamber is possible.

The heat-drying chamber formed by the above-described upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 is a space where the thin film heating and drying process of the electrode active material applied to the actual battery electrode 3 is performed, and the battery electrode 3 is inserted thereinto. The first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31 and the first and second cooling fans 23 and 33 installed in the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 have a sufficient volume to proceed with the heating and drying process. The operation is controlled by a controller (not shown) so that the battery electrode 3 proceeds in a heating drying process in a temperature range of about 120°C to 150°C in the heating drying chamber.

An exhaust fan 40 is installed above the above-described main body 10. The exhaust fan 40 serves to prevent overheating of the heating and drying space 12 by exhausting the heat remaining in the upper portion of the heating and drying space 12 to the outside of the body 10 when necessary.

In addition, an air supply fan 50 is installed under the body 10 described above. The air supply fan 50 is a heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 by forcibly supplying external air into the heating and drying space 12 when the battery electrode 3 is broken or in an emergency. It serves to allow the heating and drying space 12 to be rapidly cooled.

In addition, a set of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 may be installed in the heating and drying space 12 of the above-described main body 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in 4, two sets of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 may be continuously installed, and although not shown, three or more sets of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 may be continuously installed. .

In addition, when two or more sets of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 are continuously installed in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10, the battery electrode 3 and the battery electrode 3 A gap difference between the first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31 is generated, and a temperature difference is generated in the battery electrode 3 due to the gap difference, and a significant adverse effect on product quality may occur.

In order to prevent sagging of the battery electrode 3, as shown in FIG. 5, between a set of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 and another set of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 consecutive thereto. A support roller 60 for preventing sagging of the battery electrode 3 may be additionally installed. The support roller 60 is electrically connected to a speed reducer-integrated motor 61 provided on the upper side of the main body 10 by a transmission mechanism such as a chain or a belt, and is driven to rotate.

In addition, when the support roller 60 is installed, the surface temperature of the support roller 60 is excessively increased by the driving of the first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31, thereby affecting the quality of the battery electrode 3. I can.

In order to prevent the support roller 60 from overheating, a cooling fluid such as cooling water or cooling compressed air may be supplied into the support roller 60 as shown in FIG. 6.

For the flow of the cooling fluid, the support roller 60 is formed in a hollow shape to allow the cooling fluid to flow therein, and the cooling fluid supply pipe and the cooling fluid discharge pipe are connected to the rotation shafts at both ends of the support roller 60, respectively. At this time, between the rotation shafts of both ends of the support roller 60 and the cooling fluid supply pipe and the cooling fluid discharge pipe, the rotation shafts of both ends of the support roller 60 are rotatably coupled to one side, and the cooling fluid supply pipe or the cooling fluid discharge pipe is connected to the other side. It is provided with a connector that is coupled so that it cannot be rotated.

In addition, a solenoid valve 62 that controls whether or not the cooling fluid is supplied is installed on the cooling fluid supply line, and a flow control valve 63 for controlling the flow rate of the cooling fluid is installed on the cooling fluid supply line and the cooling fluid discharge line. It is installed, and the temperature sensor 64 measures the temperature of the cooling fluid discharged after passing through the support roller 60 on the cooling fluid discharge pipe, and the pressure of the cooling fluid discharged after passing through the support roller 60 is measured. A pressure sensor 65 and a flow meter 66 for measuring the flow rate of the cooling fluid discharged after passing through the support roller 60 are installed.

The controller (not shown) controls the solenoid valve 62 and the flow control valve 63 based on the sensor signals of the temperature sensor 64, the pressure sensor 65, and the flow meter 66. It is controlled to keep the surface at a constant temperature.

In this case, the operation of the battery electrode drying device according to an embodiment of the disclosed contents is stopped due to an emergency situation such as a power failure as well as during normal times, and a situation in which the battery electrode 3 is stagnated inside the main body 10 occurs. Even if it is, thermal shock and temperature deviation of the battery electrode 3 due to the latent heat of the support roller 60 can be prevented in advance.

Hereinafter, the overall operation of the drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

In the case of a drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed content, hot air or a conventional heating heater is not applied for heating and drying the battery electrode 3, and is installed in the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30. As the radiation heating method is applied by the first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31, the battery electrode 3 is uniform over the entire area within a short time of, for example, 0.7 to 1.4 seconds, regardless of the size of the battery electrode 3 Can be heated to dry.

In addition, in the case of the drying apparatus for battery electrodes according to an embodiment of the disclosed content, the overheated air in the heating and drying space 12 can be exhausted to the outside by the exhaust fan 40 and heated and dried by the air supply fan 50. As external air for cooling is forcibly supplied into the space 12, the temperature in the heating and drying space 12 is maintained at the temperature required for heating and drying the battery electrode 3, and at the same time, the first and second near-infrared lamps ( 21, 31) and thermal shock of the battery electrode 3 due to internal latent heat can be effectively prevented.

In addition, in the case of a drying apparatus for a battery electrode according to an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 forming a heat drying chamber for heating and drying the battery electrode 3 are first and second. As the chamber elevating members 22 and 32 move up and down in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10 to be separated from each other, the first and second near-infrared lamps 21 and 31 cause overheating and internal Thermal shock of the battery electrode 3 due to latent heat can be effectively prevented.

In addition, when two or more sets of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 are continuously installed in the heating and drying space 12 of the main body 10, the support roller 60 is a set of upper and lower chamber members 20, 30) and another set of upper and lower chamber members 20 and 30 consecutive thereto, so that the problem of temperature deviation due to the sagging of the battery electrode 3 can be solved, and the cooling fluid is stored in the support roller 60. As it is configured to flow through, deterioration of the quality of the battery electrode 3 due to overheating of the support roller 60 can be prevented.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and represent all the technical ideas of the present invention. Since it is not, it should be understood that there may be various equivalents and modifications that may be substituted for them at the time of application. Therefore, the embodiments described above are to be understood as illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims to be described later rather than the detailed description, and the meaning and scope of the claims and the All changes or modifications derived from the equivalent concept should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

1: Drying device for battery electrode
3: battery electrode
10: main body
11: inlet
12: heating and drying space
13: outlet
14: Chamber elevating guide
15: Non-contact temperature sensor
16: Perspective door
17: door open detection sensor
20: upper chamber
21: 1st near-infrared lamp
22: first elevating member
23: first cooling fan
24: first chamber temperature sensor
25: chamber forming plate
30: lower chamber
31: 2nd near infrared lamp
22: second elevating member
33: first cooling fan
34: second chamber temperature sensor
40: exhaust fan
50: air supply fan
60: support roller
61: reducer
62: solenoid valve
63: flow control valve
64: temperature sensor
65: pressure sensor
66: flow meter

Claims (7)

A main body having an input port into which the battery electrodes are inserted, a heat-drying space formed therein, and an outlet through which the heat-dried battery electrodes are discharged;
An upper chamber member installed on an upper side of the heating and drying space of the main body and arranged at a lower side of the first near-infrared lamp for heating and drying the battery electrode;
A lower chamber member installed below the inside of the heating and drying space of the main body, forming a heating drying chamber together with the upper chamber member, and arranging a second near-infrared lamp for heating and drying the battery electrode on the upper side;
An exhaust fan installed on the upper side of the main body and exhausting heat from the heating and drying space to the outside of the main body; And
Drying apparatus for a battery electrode comprising a supply fan installed under the body and forcibly supplying external air into the heating and drying space. The method according to claim 1,
The upper chamber member is installed so as to be elevating vertically in the heating and drying space by a first elevating member, and the lower chamber member is installed so as to be elevating in the heating and drying space in a vertical direction by a second elevating member. Drying apparatus for a battery electrode, characterized in that the. The method according to claim 2,
A drying apparatus for a battery electrode, characterized in that a chamber lifting guide for guiding the lifting of the upper chamber member by the first lifting member and the lifting of the lower chamber member by the second lifting member is installed inside the main body. . The method according to claim 1,
And a first cooling fan for cooling the upper chamber member is installed in the upper chamber member, and a second cooling fan for cooling the lower chamber member is installed in the lower chamber member. The method according to claim 1,
The upper chamber member is provided with a first chamber temperature sensor for measuring the temperature in the heating and drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members, and the lower chamber member is a heat-drying chamber formed by the upper and lower chamber members. Drying apparatus for a battery electrode, characterized in that the second chamber temperature sensor for measuring the internal temperature is installed. The method according to claim 1,
Two or more sets of the upper and lower chamber members are continuously installed in the heating and drying space of the main body, and the battery electrode is prevented from sagging between one set of upper and lower chamber members and another set of upper and lower chamber members consecutive thereto. Drying apparatus for a battery electrode, characterized in that the support roller is installed to be rotatably driven. The method of claim 6,
The support roller is formed in a hollow shape so as to allow the cooling fluid to flow therein, and a cooling fluid supply pipe and a cooling fluid discharge pipe are respectively connected to both ends of the support roller.

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