EP3953651A1

EP3953651A1 - Device and method for thermal or thermo-chemical treatment of material

Info

Publication number: EP3953651A1
Application number: EP20717650.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Arian Esfehanian
Original assignee: Onejoon GmbH
Current assignee: Onejoon GmbH
Priority date: 2019-04-12
Filing date: 2020-04-07
Publication date: 2022-02-16
Also published as: KR20210152517A; DE102019109767A1; WO2020208039A1; US20220155013A1; CN113677943A; JP2022527843A

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for thermal or thermo-chemical treatment, in particular calcination, of material (12), in particular battery cathode material (14), comprising a housing (16) and a process chamber (20) in the housing (16), in which there is a process chamber atmosphere (54) during the treatment and which defines a conveying level (116). The material (12), or carrying structures (44) loaded with the material (12), at the conveying level (116) can be conveyed in a conveying direction (30) into and/or through the process chamber (20) by means of a conveying system (28). An entry airlock gate (26) defines an inlet level (118) and comprises an airlock gate chamber (62), an airlock gate inlet (64) and an airlock gate outlet (66), as well as an inlet conveyor (106) which is designed in such a way that the material (12) or carrying structures (44) loaded with the material (12) at the inlet level (118) can be conveyed through the airlock gate inlet (66) and into the airlock gate chamber (62). The conveying level (116) and the inlet level (118) are different from one another. The invention also relates to a method for thermal or thermo-chemical treatment, in particular calcination, of material (12), in particular battery cathode material (14), in which the material (12) or carrying structures (44) loaded with the material (12) at the conveying level (116) and the inlet level (18) are conveyed at different heights.

Description

Device and method for thermal or

thermo-chemical treatment of material

The invention relates to a device for thermal or thermochemical treatment, in particular for calcination, of material, in particular of battery cathode material, with a) a housing; b) a process space located in the housing, in which a process space atmosphere prevails during the treatment and which defines a conveying level; c) a conveyor system by means of which the material or load-bearing structures on the conveyor level can be conveyed in a conveying direction into and / or through the process space; d) an entrance lock which defines an inlet level and da) comprises a lock space, a lock inlet and a lock outlet; db) comprises an inlet conveyor which is set up in such a way that the material or support structures loaded with the material can be conveyed at the inlet level through the lock inlet into the lock space.

The invention also relates to a method for thermal or thermo-chemical treatment, in particular for calcination, of material, in particular battery cathode material, in which a) the material or support structures loaded with the material at a conveying level through a process space of a device for thermal treatment the material are conveyed in which there is a process gas atmosphere; b) the material or supporting structures loaded with material are conveyed at an inlet level into a lock space of an entrance lock.

In such devices and with such methods, for example in the production of lithium-ion batteries, a calcination of a pulveriform cathode material takes place in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The pulverulent cathode material is, for example, a lithium-containing transition metal precursor that is calcined in the furnace to form a lithium transition metal oxide. During this process, depending on whether lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate precursors are used, water or carbon dioxide CO2 is released as exhaust gas from the lithium-containing transition metal precursor.

In principle, devices and methods of the type mentioned are also used for the thermal treatment of other materials, which can also be workpieces, for example, which have to be treated thermally or thermochemically under the influence of a process gas.

The temperatures in such ovens can be up to 1200 ° C. The invention is explained below using the example of the thermal treatment of the above-mentioned cathode material. The temperature at which the calcination of such materials takes place in practice depends in a manner known per se on the material to be treated and the type of furnace used.

Due to the process room atmosphere in the process room, this material can only be fed in for treatment by way of an entry lock, which is often a so-called double gate lock. The conveyor system with which material or material-laden support structures are conveyed through the process space often includes components and components that are arranged in the conveying direction in front of the entrance to the process space. For this reason, the inlet sluice is generally loaded from the side in relation to the conveying direction. In this case, however, a relatively large system area is already required for the conveyor technology, with which the material or supporting structures loaded with material are positioned in front of the inlet of the entrance lock. This is explained again further below with reference to FIG. It is the object of the invention to provide a device and a method of the type mentioned above, through which installation space can be saved when installing the device.

In a device of the type mentioned at the outset, this object is achieved in that e) the conveying level and the inlet level are different from one another.

The conveying level and the inlet level are therefore at different heights. It was recognized that it is possible in this way to arrange the conveyor systems both for conveying through the process space and for conveying into the lock chamber without mutual interference so that the entry lock can also be loaded in the conveying direction.

It is particularly advantageous if the conveying level is lower than the inlet level.

The entrance lock preferably comprises a lift device with a conveyor structure by means of which the material or support structures loaded with material can be moved from the inlet level to the conveyor level. The conveyor structure preferably comprises at least one support table or at least one gripping unit.

The inlet conveyor is advantageously set up in such a way that the material or support structures loaded with material can be conveyed at the inlet level onto the conveyor structure of the lift device.

In a first variant, the lock inlet and the lock outlet can be arranged in such a way that both can be traversed in the same direction by the material or by support structures loaded with material.

In this case, the lock inlet and the lock outlet can preferably be traversed in the conveying direction by the material or by supporting structures loaded with material.

In a second variant, the lock inlet and the lock outlet can be arranged in such a way that they can be traversed in different directions by the material or by supporting structures loaded with material. In this case, it is advantageous if a) at least either the lock inlet or the lock outlet is arranged in such a way that it can be traversed in the conveying direction by the material or by support structures loaded with material; and / or b) at least either the lock inlet or the lock outlet is arranged in such a way that it can be traversed in the vertical direction by the material or by support structures loaded with material. The concept explained above can be implemented advantageously if the conveyor system comprises a drive device with drive components which are net angeord in the conveying direction outside the device in front of the entrance to the process space. The entrance lock is preferably set up in such a way that an exchange of atmosphere can be carried out in the lock space.

In the method of the type mentioned at the outset, the above-mentioned task is achieved in that c) the material or support structures loaded with material are conveyed on the conveying level and the inlet level at different heights.

An atmosphere exchange is preferably carried out when material or material-laden support structures are introduced into the process space in the lock space.

While the atmosphere is being exchanged, the material or supporting structures loaded with material are advantageously moved in the lock space from the inlet level to the conveying level.

A device with some or all of the features explained above is preferably used for this purpose.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In these show:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an entrance area of a through

running oven with an entrance lock according to a first embodiment example; FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the continuous furnace from FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A to 3F show different phases in the introduction of material into the

Continuous furnace according to Figure 1;

FIG. 4 shows a vertical longitudinal section of an entrance area of a continuous furnace with an entrance lock according to a second embodiment;

FIGS. 5A to 5F show different phases during the introduction of material into the

Continuous furnace according to Figure 4;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a continuous furnace according to the prior art.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the continuous furnace according to FIG. 1 or 3;

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a continuous furnace according to the prior art.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5. In these, 10 denotes a device for the thermal treatment of material 12. In the following, this device 10 is referred to as furnace 10 for the sake of simplicity.

The material 12 can be, for example, battery cathode material 14, which was explained at the beginning and which has to be calcined by a thermal treatment in the furnace 10 during the manufacture of batteries.

The furnace 10 comprises a housing 16 which delimits an interior space 18 in which a process space 20 is located. In the present case, the housing 16 delimits the process space 20. If necessary, the interior 18 of the furnace 10 can be defined by a separate housing surrounding the housing 16.

The process space 20 extends between an entrance 22 and an exit 24 of the housing 16, the output 24 being shown only in FIG. At the entrance 22 of the process room 20 there is an entrance lock 26. The entrance lock 26 ensures that the atmosphere in the process space 20 is separated from the ambient atmosphere. At the exit 24 there is an exit lock which, however, is not specifically shown and can be designed in a manner known per se. If necessary, an exit lock can also be conceptualized in the same way as is explained below for the entrance lock 26.

The material 12 is conveyed through the process space 20 in a conveying direction 30 with the aid of a conveying system 28; the conveying direction 30 is only illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6 by an arrow. The furnace 10 is designed as a continuous furnace and specifically as a pusher furnace in which the conveyor system 28 promotes the material 12 through the furnace 10. For this purpose, the conveyor system 28 comprises several conveyor tracks 32, along which several support floors 34, so-called trays, are pushed, as is known per se. In the fi gures only one shelf 34 is provided with a reference number. As can be seen in Figure 2, four paral lele conveyor tracks 32 are present in the present embodiment. However, only one, two or three or even more than four, for example five to eight conveyor tracks 32 can also be provided.

The conveyor system 28 comprises a drive device 36 with drive components, which are arranged in the conveying direction 30 outside the process space 20 in front of its entrance 22. In the present embodiment, the drive device 36 is designed as a thrust device in which a motor-operated thrust ram 38 is coupled ge by a gear rod 40 with a drive motor 42 and which are such drive components. The thrust According to the number of conveyor tracks 32, pel 38 pushes support floors 34 arranged next to one another through the entrance 22 into the process space 20. Each of these supporting floors 34 abuts against a first supporting floor 34 in the conveying direction 28 of a respective conveyor track 32, which is already located in the process space 20, whereby all the supporting floors 34 located in the process space 20 are pushed one place and the last in the conveying direction 28 Can be pushed out of the process space 20 through the exit 24 on shelves 34. As a rule, the drive device 36 works hydraulically and the drive motor 42 is a corresponding hydraulic cylinder, the gear rod 40 being designed as a type of piston rod.

In the case of modifications not specifically shown, other, per se known concepts for conveyor ovens are possible, such as all types of Rol lenöfen, conveyor belt ovens, chain ovens, conveyor ovens and the like. Alternatively, the furnace 10 can also be designed as a batch furnace with only one access. In this case, the entrance lock 26 also forms the exit lock and individual batches of the material 12 are conveyed into the process room 20 through this access in the conveying direction 30, thermally treated, here again in the opposite direction to the conveying direction 30 through the access from the process room 20 removed and in this way conveyed through the process space 20 as a whole. For this purpose, there are corresponding conveying devices, so that the batches of material 12 can be conveyed in both directions.

Depending on its nature, the material 12 can be conveyed as such with the aid of the conveying system 28 and, in the process, for example, be deposited directly on the support floors 34. This is possible, for example, when the material 12 is structural workpieces. In the present embodiment, with the material 12 loaded support structures 44 are provided, which are formed in the case of the battery cathode material 14 as braziers 46, which are referred to in English terminology as so-called Saggar. These support structures 44 can be placed on top of one another to form a shelf-like conveyor frame 48 with several levels, with four support structures 44 loaded with battery cathode material 14 forming a conveyor frame 48 and one support frame 34 each carrying such a conveyor frame 48. Two, three or more than four, for example five, six or more levels per conveyor frame 48 are conceivable; the number of possible levels depends largely on the overall height of the process room 20 and the support structures 44. In a modification, the conveyor frame 48 is a separate component, for example made of metal or ceramic, which holds the support structures 44 in several levels.

The support structures 44 and consequently also the burn pots 46 are set up in such a way that when the support structures 48 are stacked on top of one another, flow passages 50 remain in the conveyor frame 48, so that a respective interior space of the support structures 44 or the burn pots 46 in which the material 12 is accommodated is, remains fluidically connected to the environment within the process space 20. In the embodiment shown here, a flow passage 50 is provided in the circumferential direction of the conveyor frame 48 on each of four existing sides, so that flows in or against the conveying direction and flows transversely to it reach the support structures 44 or the burn pans 46. In Figure 1, the components 44 to 50 are only provided with reference numerals on the conveyor frame shown on the far right in Figure 1. The furnace 10 comprises a heating system 52, only indicated in FIG. 1, with which a process space atmosphere 54 prevailing in the process space 20 can be heated.

For this purpose, the heating system 52 comprises, for example, in a manner known per se and way, several electrical heating elements which are arranged in the process space 20, but which are not specifically shown. Further necessary and known components are also not shown for the sake of clarity.

During the thermal treatment of materials 12, an exhaust gas can arise that has to be drawn off from the process space 20. During the calcination of battery cathode material 14, the above-mentioned water or carbon dioxide CO2, for example, is produced as exhaust gas. In addition, lithium-containing phases can be released.

In order to be able to remove exhaust gas from the process space 20, there is also only an outlined suction system 56, which includes suction openings not specifically shown in the housing 16, for example in its floor, via which the exhaust gas can be sucked out of the process space 20. Here, too, necessary and per se known components such as fans, lines, filters and the like are not specifically shown for the sake of clarity. In the furnace 10, materials 12 can be thermally treated, the thermal treatment of which requires a process gas. In the case of the battery cathode material 14 mentioned, oxygen O2, for example, is required for effective calcination, which is blown into the process room 20 in the form of conditioned air. In this case, air consequently forms such a process gas. The oxygen O2 contained therein is converted during the formation of the metal oxide and water or carbon dioxide CO2 is formed. Other process gases may be required for other processes. Some processes require air enriched with oxygen or even pure oxygen; the oxygen content of such process gases can be 21% to 100%. An inert gas can also be understood as a process gas that is necessary for smooth thermal treatment. The furnace 10 therefore comprises a process gas system 58, which is again only indicated, by means of which a process gas which is required for the thermal treatment of the material 12 can be fed to the process space 20. The process gas system 58 is set up such that the process gas reaches the material 12 through the flow passages 50 of the support structures 44.

To maintain the oxygen-containing atmosphere, fresh process gas is thus fed to the process room 20 with the aid of the process gas system 58 and the resulting water or carbon dioxide CO2 is removed from the combustion chamber by continuous or intermittent suction of the process room atmosphere 54 with the aid of the suction system 56.

The material 12 or support structures 44 loaded with material 12 are conveyed into the process space 20 on the way through the entry lock 26. The entrance lock 26 is designed as a double gate lock 60 and comprises a lock space 62 with a lock inlet 64 and a lock outlet 66. In accordance with its function, the lock outlet 66 coincides spatially with the entrance 22 of the process space 20. If, in the following, it is said that the lock outlet 66 is closed or released, the input 22 of the process space 20 is also closed or released at the same time. In the embodiment shown here, the lock space 62 extends in the conveying direction 30 between the lock inlet 64 and the lock outlet 66, which are opposite each other in the conveying direction 30.

The lock inlet 64 and the lock outlet 66 are arranged such that both can be traversed in the same direction by the material 12 or by supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12. In the present exemplary embodiment, the material 12 or those loaded with material 12 pass through Support structures 44 both the lock inlet 64 and the lock outlet 66 in the conveying direction 30.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the thrust ram 38 of the drive device 36 is arranged in the lock space 62. From there, the gear rod 40 of the drive device 36 extends through a wall, denoted by 68, of the input lock 26 from the lock space 62 to the outside to the drive motor 42, which is arranged in the outer environment of the furnace 10. In general terms, the drive device 36 includes not only drive components outside the process space 20, but also drive components that are arranged outside the furnace 10; In the present exemplary embodiment, such drive components include external sections of the gear rod 40, which are variable due to their movement, and the drive motor 42.

At the lock inlet 64 there is a lock inlet gate device 70 with a lock inlet gate 72, through which the lock inlet 64 can optionally be closed or released in a gastight manner. Thus the

Lock space 62 can be separated gas-tight from the external environment of the furnace 10 or connected to it.

At the lock outlet 66, a lock outlet gate device 74 with a lock outlet gate 76 is provided in a corresponding manner, through which the lock outlet 66 can optionally be closed or released in a gastight manner. The lock chamber 62 can thus be separated from the process chamber 20 in a gas-tight manner or connected to it.

Rolling gates, lifting gates or sliding gates can be used as both the lock inlet gate 72 and the lock outlet gate 76. The gates can also be made up of several parts. One-piece roller doors are illustrated here as an example. The entrance lock 26 is set up in such a way that an exchange of atmosphere can be carried out in the lock space 62.

The entrance lock 26 comprises a circulation system 78, which on the one hand connects the lock space 62 through an atmosphere line 80 with the process space 20 and on the other hand the lock space 62 through an air line 82 with the outside environment of the furnace 10. In the atmosphere line 80, a valve 84 and a fan 86 are arranged, which can optionally deliver in the direction of the lock chamber 62 or in the direction of the process chamber 20. The air line 82 comprises a valve 88 and a fan 90, which can optionally deliver in the direction of the lock chamber 62 or in the direction of the outside environment of the furnace 10. A controller 92 controls the valves 84, 88 and the blowers 86, 90.

The process room atmosphere 54 may possibly be contaminated with substances due to the processes taking place in the process room 20, which make handling of the process room atmosphere 54 difficult. In this case, it is preferable that no process space atmosphere 54 is withdrawn from the process space 20 in order to flood the lock space 62. Rather, in a modification, the lock space 62 can also be flooded with a fresh auxiliary atmosphere corresponding to the unloaded process gas atmosphere, which is not taken from the process space 20 but comes from a separate source 94, which is shown in FIG. 1 by a line illustrated by dashed lines is connected to the valve 84 of the atmosphere line 80, which in this case is designed as a three-way valve.

In front of the lock inlet 64, viewed in the conveying direction 30, there is an acceptance area 96 in which the material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12 in the direction of the existing conveying tracks 32 be positioned side by side transversely to the conveying direction 30 before they are conveyed into the furnace 10. For this purpose, the furnace 10 comprises a corresponding feed system 98, which can only be seen in FIG. 2, with a feed conveyor 100. For the support structures 44 used here, a stacking area 102 is provided between the feed conveyor 100 and the receiving area 96, in which the

Burning pots 42 are stacked on top of one another and placed on a support base 34. The feed conveyor 100 runs parallel to the conveyor sections 32 outside the furnace 10. For example, the feed conveyor 100 can be designed as a roller conveyor. The stacking area 102 is located laterally next to the receiving area 96 in the direction transverse to the conveying direction 30, so that the supporting structures 44 are conveyed in the direction transverse to the conveying direction 30 from the stacking area 102 into the receiving area 96 and positioned there. For this purpose, the acceptance area 96 can be equipped with rollers 104, for example, which run parallel to the conveying direction 30, as can be seen in FIG. The inlet lock 26 comprises an inlet conveyor 106 which is set up in such a way that the material 12 or support structures 44 loaded with material 12 are conveyed in the conveying direction 30 through the lock inlet 66 into the lock space 64. For this purpose, the inlet conveyor 106 in the present embodiment includes an inlet drive device 108 as a conveying means pushes the number of support trays 34 arranged next to one another through the lock inlet 66 into the lock space 64. The inlet thrust ram 110 is coupled to a drive motor 114 by a push rod 112. If not one In contrast to the modifications shown, the inlet conveyor 106 can also be constructed according to alternative conveyor concepts and, for example, be designed as a roller conveyor or the like.

The process space 20 defines a conveying level 116 on which the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with material 12 are conveyed through the process space 20. The conveying level 116 is specified here by the conveying tracks 32 in the process space 20. The entrance lock 26 defines an inlet level 118 on which the material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12 are conveyed through the lock inlet 64 into the lock space 62. The conveying level 116 and the inlet level 118 are only shown in FIG. 1 and are provided with reference symbols.

The conveying level 1 16 and the inlet level 1 18 are different from one another and are therefore located at different heights. The sluice inlet 64 and the sluice outlet 66 are therefore opposite one another in the conveying direction 30, but are located at different height levels in relation to their passage cross section for the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with material 12. The lock inlet 64 and the lock outlet 66 are traversed by the material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12 at the different height levels of the inlet level 118 and the conveying level 116.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the conveying level 1 16 is lower than the inlet level 1 18. In the case of a modification not specifically shown, however, the conveying level 1 16 can also be higher than the inlet level 1 18.

The material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12 are thus conveyed into the lock space 62 by means of the inlet conveyor 106 at the inlet level 118. In the lock space 62, the material 12 or Support structures 44 loaded with material 12 are moved from the inlet level 118 to the conveying level 116 and then conveyed through the process room 20 with the aid of the conveying system 28.

In order to move the material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with the material 12 from the inlet level 1 18 to the conveying level 1 16, the entrance lock 26 comprises a lifting device 120 with a conveying structure 122, which is between the inlet level 1 18 and the conveying level 1 16 is movable. For this purpose, the conveyor structure 122 is coupled to a lift drive 124. In the present exemplary embodiment, the conveying structure 122 is designed as a support table 126 which is connected to a lift rod 128 which can be moved by a drive unit.

The lift drive 124 can also have drive elements in the form of ropes, chains, pressure cylinders, scissors elements, eccentrics or the like.

The support table 126 can additionally be equipped with receiving elements for the material 12 or for support structures 44 loaded with material 12, for example in the form of slide strips, roller bodies or the like. Also, stops or other alignment aids and guides can be provided, which can also be movable.

The lift rod 128 extends down through the bottom of the entrance lock 26 to the drive unit 130 arranged on the outside. The lift rod 128 can be in one piece, but also be designed as a telescope and cooperate with a hydraulic drive unit 130, for example. There can also be several parallel lift rods 128 which support the support table 126. In the present exemplary embodiment, the movement of the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with the material 12 takes place with the aid of the lifting device 120 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the conveying direction 30. In a modification not specifically shown, the movement can also be a movement component in or opposite to it to the conveying direction 30 include.

FIGS. 3A to 3F now illustrate the smuggling of support structures 44 loaded with material 12 into the process space 20 of the furnace 10, only the parts and components mentioned below being given reference numerals if they are shown in FIGS. 3A to 3F. For the sake of clarity, not all of the parts and components shown in FIG. 1 are shown there. In the following, it is specified for individual processes or processes which time span in seconds [sec.] An individual process or process roughly requires. These time periods are only exemplary and are intended to provide a supportive illustration of the temporal correlation of the individual processes and processes. However, the time periods required in each case may differ from this in practice and depend on the specific design features, in particular of the conveying techniques and of the circulation system 78 and the volumes moved therewith.

In the initial situation according to FIG. 3A, the lock inlet gate 72 is at

Lock inlet 64 is open and the lock outlet gate 76 at the lock outlet 66 or at the entrance 22 of the process space 20 is closed; In the lock room 62 there is an ambient atmosphere. The conveyor structure 122 of the lift device 120 of the entrance lock 26 is located on the inlet level 118 and in the reception area 96 support structures 44A are positioned as an extension of the respective conveyor tracks 32 on a respective support floor 34, as described above and in FIG can be seen. The inlet conveyor 106 is now activated and the support structures 44A are moved within about 5 seconds from the receiving area 96 through the lock inlet 64 into the lock space 62 and there onto the conveyor structure 122, as FIG. 3B illustrates. In the specifically shown embodiment, the inlet thrust ram 110 is moved back into its starting position within about 2 seconds.

The lock inlet gate 72 is closed within about 3 seconds, as shown in FIG. 3C. The circulation system 78 is controlled in such a way that the ambient atmosphere is displaced from the lock chamber 62 and is replaced by the process chamber atmosphere 54 or by the auxiliary atmosphere from the source 94. This process takes about 120 seconds for the proportions shown here. In the case of differently dimensioned lock spaces, the duration of this process changes accordingly.

Preferably at the same time or possibly also subsequently, the lifting device 120 is actuated so that the material 12 or the support structures 44A loaded with material 12 are moved from the inlet level 118 to the conveying level 116; see Figure 3D. In the present case, the conveyor structure 122 is lowered within about 10 seconds for this purpose.

FIG. 3E illustrates that the conveyor structure 122 has now arrived at the conveyor level 116, that the lock outlet gate 76 was opened within about 3 seconds and that the material 12 or the support structures 44A loaded with material 12 are removed from the conveyor system 28 with the aid of the conveyor system 28 Lock space 62 can be conveyed through the inlet 22 into the process space 20. In this case, the support structures 44 already located in the process space 20 are each pushed one place further, as described above. For this purpose, there is initially an approx. 2 sec

Push plunger 38 of drive device 36 to support floors 34 with support structures 44A, followed by about 19 seconds of rapid advance until support structures 44A reach support structures 44 located in process space 20, which is followed by a slow advance movement of 70 seconds .

At the same time, and possibly already from the moment when the acceptance area 96 is accessible, support structures 44B are positioned in front of the lock inlet 64.

After the support structures 44A have been conveyed completely into the process space 20, the thrust ram 38 is retracted within about 17 seconds, the lock outlet gate 76 is closed within about 3 seconds and the circulation system 78 is controlled in such a way that the atmosphere is removed from the Lock space 62 is conveyed into the process space 20. Alternatively, this exchange can be carried out by opening the lock inlet gate 72 within approximately 10 seconds, if the atmosphere in the lock space 62 allows this. The conveying structure 122 of the lifting device 120 is moved again from the conveying level 116 to the inlet level 118 and, in the present case, is raised for this purpose in about 10 seconds. This is shown in FIG. 3F. This can take place at the same time or subsequently based on the change of atmosphere in the lock chamber 62. When the conveying structure 122 is again at the inlet level 118, the situation shown in FIG. 3A is again present and a further lock process can be carried out.

A total of about 256 seconds are required for such a lock process.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show, as a second exemplary embodiment, a device 10 ', which is referred to below as an oven 10'. Functionally corresponding Components have the same reference numerals as in the exemplary embodiment of the furnace 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 3. The output 24 of the process space 20 is not shown.

In contrast to the furnace 10, the sluice inlet 64 and the sluice outlet 66 or the entrance 22 of the process space 20, which is spatially coincident with it, in the furnace 10 ′ are not opposite in the conveying direction 30. The lock inlet 64 and the lock outlet 66 are arranged such that they can be traversed in different directions by the material 12 or by supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12. The lock space 62 is arranged above the lock outlet 66, or in other words, the lock outlet 66 is provided at the bottom of the lock space 62. The lock outlet gate 76 extends in its closed position in a horizontal plane. Thus, when material 12 or load-bearing structures 44 loaded with material 12 are introduced, only the lock inlet 64 is crossed in the conveying direction 30; the lock outlet 66 is traversed in a direction different from the conveying device 30. In the present embodiment, this is the vertical direction.

Here, too, the conveying level 1 16 is thus lower than the inlet level 1 18.

In the case of a modification not specifically shown, the lock space 62 can also be arranged below the lock outlet 66, which means that the conveying level 116 is higher than the inlet level 1 18. In other modifications not specifically shown, the lock space 62 can also alternatively or additionally, be arranged below or above the lock inlet 64. In these cases, the level of the lock inlet 64 is to be used as the reference as the inlet level 118. In the furnace 10 ′, the gear rod 40 does not extend through a wall of the entrance lock 26, but extends through an end wall of the process space 20, designated by 132, out of the process space 20 to the outside of the drive motor 42, which is located in the external environment of the furnace 10 'is arranged. The conveyor structure 122 of the lifting device 120 comprises one or more gripping units 134 for the material 12 or for support structures 44 loaded with material 12. In the present exemplary embodiment, one is separate for each support base 34 that receives material 12 or support structures 44 loaded with material 12 Gripping unit 134 is present, which can optionally hold or release the receiving base 34 together with material 12 or together with support structures 44 which are loaded with material 12.

For this purpose, or for the material 12 or carrying structures 44 loaded with material 12 without a support base 34, the gripping unit 134 can comprise, for example, holding elements 136 which can be moved between a holding position and a release position. In the holding position, the holding elements 136 are arranged and aligned in such a way that the material 12 or the carrying structures 12 loaded with material or a support base 34 can be carried. In the release position, the holding elements 136 are aligned such that the gripping unit 134 can be moved past the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with material 12.

One or more such gripping units 134 can be connected as a type of gripping suspension to the lifting rod 128, which here extends upwards through the ceiling of the entrance lock 26 to the drive unit 130. The lift rod 128 can also be designed here as a telescope and can cooperate with a hydraulic drive unit 130, for example. There can also be several lift rods 128. FIGS. 5A to 5F now illustrate the smuggling of support structures 44 loaded with material 12 into the process space 20 of the furnace 10 ', again only the parts and components mentioned below being provided with reference symbols, provided they are shown in FIGS. 5A to 5F are. For the sake of clarity, not all of the parts and components shown in FIG. 4 are shown there. The time periods required for the individual processes and processes can correspond in magnitude to the time periods explained in relation to FIGS. 3A to 3F. The exchange of atmosphere in the lock space 62 can, however, take place within about 80 seconds and thus faster, since the lock space 62 of the furnace 10 ′ is smaller than the lock space 62 of the furnace 10.

In the initial situation according to FIG. 5A, the lock inlet gate 72 is at

Lock inlet 64 is open and the lock outlet gate 76 at the lock outlet 66 or at the entrance 22 of the process room 50 is closed; In the lock room 62 there is an ambient atmosphere. The conveyor structure 122 of the lift device 120 of the entrance lock 26 is located on the entrance level 118; the holding elements 136 are in the holding position. In the receiving area 96, support structures 44A are positioned as an extension of the respective conveyor tracks 32 on each of a support floor 34, as has already been described above and can be seen in FIG. 2 using the example of the furnace 10. The inlet conveyor 106 is now activated and the support structures 44A are moved within about 5 seconds from the receiving area 96 through the lock inlet 64 into the lock space 62 and there onto the conveyor structure 122, as FIG. 5B illustrates. In the specific embodiment shown, the inlet thrust ram 110 is moved back into its starting position within about 2 seconds. The lock inlet gate 72 is closed within about 3 seconds, as shown in FIG. 5C. The circulation system 78 is controlled in such a way that the ambient atmosphere is displaced from the lock chamber 62 and replaced by the process room atmosphere 54 or by the auxiliary atmosphere from the source 94; this takes about 80 seconds. If the size of the lock rooms is different, the duration of this process changes accordingly.

As FIG. 5D shows, the lock outlet gate 76 is now opened within about 3 seconds and then the lifting device 120 is actuated so that the material 12 or the support structures 44A loaded with material 12 move from the inlet level 118 to the conveying level 1 16 are moved. In the present case, the conveyor structure 122 is lowered vertically within about 10 seconds and the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with material 12 pass through the lock outlet 66 and the inlet 22 of the process space 20.

In contrast to the furnace 10 according to FIGS. 1 to 3, the material 12 or the supporting structures 44 loaded with material 12 are thus not moved through the entrance 22 of the process space 20 with the aid of the conveyor system 28 in the furnace 10 ', but rather through the lifting device 120 of the entrance lock 26.

FIG. 5E illustrates that the holding elements 136 are now moved into their release position, which takes about 2 seconds, and the conveying structure 122 on the material 12 or the support structures 44 loaded with material 12 back up into the

Lock space 62 are moved; this takes about 10 seconds.

Then the lock outlet gate 76 is closed within about 3 seconds.

The material 12 or the supporting structures 44A loaded with material 12 is now moved in the process space 20 in the conveying direction 30 with the aid of the conveyor system 28, again with a 2 sec. Approach time, a 19 sec there is a 70 sec. slow advance of the pusher 38. In this case, the support structures 44 already located in the process space 20 are each pushed on by one place, as described above; this is shown in FIG. 5F. Then the push ram 38 is moved back again within about 17 seconds. At the same time, namely after the lock outlet gate 76 has been closed, the circulation system 78 is activated in such a way that the atmosphere is conveyed from the lock chamber 62 into the process chamber 20.

Support structures 44B are also positioned there in front of the lock inlet 64 at the same time and possibly already from the moment in which the acceptance area 96 is accessible.

The ambient atmosphere is then let into the lock space 62 and the lock inlet gate 72 opened; the situation shown in FIG. 5A is again present and a further lock process can be carried out.

Since the processes and processes in the lock space 62 and in the process space 20, which take place after the lock outlet gate 76 has been closed, are carried out in parallel, a lock process in the furnace 10 ′ can be performed faster and in about half the time than in the furnace 10 .

FIG. 6 illustrates a furnace known from the market, in which functionally corresponding parts and components, for the sake of simplicity, have the same reference symbols that are assigned for this purpose in FIGS. 1 to 5. The Schleu senraum 62 is charged there in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction 30. As FIG. 6 makes clear, the receiving area 96 must be provided for this on the side next to the entrance lock 26 with an extension perpendicular to the conveying direction 30, which corresponds to the extent of the existing conveyor tracks 32 in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction 30. In the case of the ovens 10 and 10 ', on the other hand, area is saved which is required for the oven according to the prior art according to FIG. 6 in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction 30. According to the invention, this is achieved in that both the entry lock 26 and the process space 20 can be loaded in the conveying direction 30. This in turn is made possible by the fact that the inlet level 1 18 and the conveying level 1 16 differ, whereby the drive components of the inlet lock 26 and the process room 20, which are arranged outside the furnace 10, can also be arranged at different height levels and not one another to disturb. In principle, the process space 20 can work as an overpressure system so that there is no risk of outside atmosphere entering the process space 20, which could disrupt the processes taking place in the process space 20.

In a preferred variant, in particular in connection with the calcination of battery cathode material, the entry lock 26 is made metal-free, since even traces of metals in the atmosphere interfere with the calcination process, in particular. For this purpose, parts and components can already be made from non-metallic materials such as ceramics or plastics. Alternatively, parts and components of the entrance lock 26 can also be coated or clad with corresponding non-metallic materials. Movable components such as the transmission rod 40 can be surrounded, for example, with a bellows or the like.

Claims

1. A device for thermal or thermochemical treatment, in particular for calcination, of material (12), in particular of battery cathode material (14), with a) a housing (16); b) a process space (20) located in the housing (16), in which a process space atmosphere (54) prevails during treatment and which defines a conveying level (1 16); c) a conveyor system (28) by means of which the material (12) or support structures (44) loaded with the material (12) on the conveyor level (1 16) in a conveying direction (30) in and / or through the process space (20) are eligible for funding; d) an entrance lock (26) which defines an inlet level (1 18) and da) a lock space (62), a lock inlet (64) and a

Lock outlet (66) comprises; db) comprises an inlet conveyor (106) which is set up in such a way that the material (12) or supporting structures (44) loaded with the material (12) on the inlet level (1 18) through the lock inlet (66) into the lock space ( 62) are eligible for funding; characterized in that e) the conveying level (1 16) and the inlet level (1 18) are different from one another. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying level (1 16) is lower than the inlet level (1 18).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the entry lock (26) comprises a lifting device (120) with a conveyor structure (122) by means of which the material (12) or material-laden support structures (44) of the inlet level (1 18) to the conveying level (1 16) are movable.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the conveyor structure (122) comprises at least one support table (126) or at least one gripping unit (134).

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the inlet conveyor (106) is set up such that the material (12) or with Mate rial (12) loaded support structures (44) on the inlet level (1 18) on the Conveying structure (122) of the lifting device (120) can be conveyed.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lock inlet (64) and the lock outlet (66) are arranged such that both are loaded in the same direction from the material (12) or from with material (12) Support structures (44) can be traversed. 7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that the lock inlet (64) and the lock outlet (66) in the conveying direction (30) of the material (12) or of supporting structures (44) loaded with material (12) can be traversed are.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lock inlet (64) and the lock outlet (66) are arranged such that they are loaded in different directions by the material (12) or with material (12) Structures (44) can be traversed. 9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that a) at least either the lock inlet (64) or the lock outlet (66) is arranged in such a way that it is removed from the material (12) or from the material (12) in the conveying direction (30) ) loaded support structures (44) can be traversed through; and / or b) at least either the lock inlet (64) or the lock outlet (66) is arranged such that it can be traversed in the vertical direction by the material (12) or by supporting structures (44) loaded with material (12) . 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the conveyor system (28) comprises a drive device (36) with drive components (40, 42) which in the conveying direction (30) outside the device (10, 10 ') in front the entrance (22) of the process room (20) are arranged.

1 1. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the entrance lock (26) is set up in such a way that in the lock space

(62) an atmosphere exchange can be carried out.

12. A method for thermal or thermo-chemical treatment, in particular for calcination, of material (12), in particular of battery cathode material (14), in which a) the material (12) or supporting structures (44) loaded with the material (12) are conveyed on a conveying level (1 16) through a process space (20) of a device (10) for the thermal treatment of the material (12), in which a process gas atmosphere (54) prevails; b) the material (12) or support structures (44) loaded with material (12) are conveyed at an inlet level (1 18) into a lock space (62) of an entrance lock (26), characterized in that c) the material (12) or carrying structures (44) loaded with material (12) on the conveying level (1 16) and the inlet level (1 18) on different levels

Heights are encouraged.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that when material (12) or with material (12) loaded support structures (44) is introduced into the process space (20) in the lock space (62) an exchange of atmosphere is carried out.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that during the

Implementation of the atmosphere exchange, the material (12) or with Mate rial (12) loaded support structures (44) in the lock space (62) from the inlet level (1 18) to the conveying level (1 16) are moved. 15. The method according to claim 1 1, characterized in that a device according to one of claims 1 to 1 1 is used.