Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F3/00—Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted therefor ; Presses and furnaces
  • B22F3/02—Compacting only
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C31/00—Handling, e.g. feeding of the material to be shaped, storage of plastics material before moulding; Automation, i.e. automated handling lines in plastics processing plants, e.g. using manipulators or robots
  • B29C31/02—Dispensing from vessels, e.g. hoppers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C19/00—Apparatus specially adapted for applying particulate materials to surfaces
  • B05C19/06—Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F3/00—Manufacture of workpieces or articles from metallic powder characterised by the manner of compacting or sintering; Apparatus specially adapted therefor ; Presses and furnaces
  • B22F3/003—Apparatus, e.g. furnaces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/22—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor of articles of indefinite length
  • B29C43/24—Calendering
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C43/34—Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C43/58—Measuring, controlling or regulating
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
  • B65B1/30—Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
  • B65B1/32—Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled by weighing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G3/00—Storing bulk material or loose, i.e. disorderly, articles
  • B65G3/04—Storing bulk material or loose, i.e. disorderly, articles in bunkers, hoppers, or like containers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
  • G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
  • G01F23/28—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material
  • G01F23/284—Electromagnetic waves
  • G01F23/292—Light, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
  • G01F23/22—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water
  • G01F23/28—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water by measuring the variations of parameters of electromagnetic or acoustic waves applied directly to the liquid or fluent solid material
  • G01F23/284—Electromagnetic waves
  • G01F23/292—Light, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet
  • G01F23/2921—Light, e.g. infrared or ultraviolet for discrete levels
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N9/00—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity
  • G01N9/02—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by measuring weight of a known volume
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
  • H01G11/00—Hybrid capacitors, i.e. capacitors having different positive and negative electrodes; Electric double-layer [EDL] capacitors; Processes for the manufacture thereof or of parts thereof
  • H01G11/22—Electrodes
  • H01G11/24—Electrodes characterised by structural features of the materials making up or comprised in the electrodes, e.g. form, surface area or porosity; characterised by the structural features of powders or particles used therefor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
  • H01G11/00—Hybrid capacitors, i.e. capacitors having different positive and negative electrodes; Electric double-layer [EDL] capacitors; Processes for the manufacture thereof or of parts thereof
  • H01G11/84—Processes for the manufacture of hybrid or EDL capacitors, or components thereof
  • H01G11/86—Processes for the manufacture of hybrid or EDL capacitors, or components thereof specially adapted for electrodes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F2999/00—Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C43/34—Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means
  • B29C2043/3488—Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means uniformly distributed into the mould
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C43/00—Compression moulding, i.e. applying external pressure to flow the moulding material; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C43/32—Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations
  • B29C43/58—Measuring, controlling or regulating
  • B29C2043/5875—Measuring, controlling or regulating the material feed to the moulds or mould parts, e.g. controlling feed flow, velocity, weight, doses
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
  • B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
  • B29L2031/34—Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof
  • B29L2031/3406—Components, e.g. resistors
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N9/00—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity
  • G01N9/02—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by measuring weight of a known volume
  • G01N2009/022—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by measuring weight of a known volume of solids
  • G01N2009/024—Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity by measuring weight of a known volume of solids the volume being determined directly, e.g. by size of container
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
  • H01G13/00—Apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing capacitors; Processes specially adapted for manufacturing capacitors not provided for in groups H01G4/00 - H01G11/00
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
  • H01M10/05—Accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte
  • H01M10/052—Li-accumulators
  • H01M10/0525—Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M4/00—Electrodes
  • H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
  • H01M4/04—Processes of manufacture in general
  • H01M4/043—Processes of manufacture in general involving compressing or compaction
  • H01M4/0435—Rolling or calendering
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
  • H01M4/00—Electrodes
  • H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
  • H01M4/13—Electrodes for accumulators with non-aqueous electrolyte, e.g. for lithium-accumulators; Processes of manufacture thereof
  • H01M4/139—Processes of manufacture
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries

Definitions

• Powder hopper for feeding powdered electrode precursor material under gravity into a nip of a dry electrode calender and corresponding arrangement and corresponding method
• the invention is based on a powder hopper for feeding powdered electrode precursor material into a nip of a dry electrode calender for producing a dry electrode web.
• Electrodes can be used in electrical energy storage cells, which are widely used to power electronic, electromechanical, electrochemical, and other useful devices. Such cells include batteries such as primary chemical cells and secondary (rechargeable) cells, fuel cells, and various types of capacitors, including ultracapacitors. Electrodes can also be used in water treatment plants. Electromobility in particular is clearly growing. The energy carrier in the electrically powered vehicle, the battery, accounts for a large part of the costs. This is directly related to the production of these. Because of this, there is a need for efficient and cost-effective production with a simultaneous increase in energy density. The calendering process within the process chain for manufacturing lithium-ion battery cells is crucial here.
• the electrodes are the key components for the storage potential of an energy storage device.
• the electrochemical capabilities of electrodes e.g. B. the capacity and efficiency of battery electrodes are determined by various factors. These include the distribution of the active material, binder, and additives, the physical properties of the materials contained therein, such as particle size and surface area of the active material, the surface properties of the active materials, and the physical properties of the electrode film, such as density, porosity, cohesion, and adhesion on a conductive element.
• Dry processing systems and methods have traditionally used a high shear and/or high pressure processing step to break up and mix the electrode film materials. Such systems and methods can contribute structural advantages over wet-formed electrode films. High processing pressures and large However, plant dimensions (and thus the large space requirement) required for the production of dry, self-supporting electrode films and dry electrodes leave room for improvement.
• US 2020/0072612 Ai discloses a device and a method for producing a dry electrode, which on the one hand describes manual feeding of powdered electrode precursor material into a roll gap and on the other hand describes the use of powder funnels for feeding the material.
• the solutions described have the disadvantage that the feeding of the material in this way is imprecise and can lead to an inhomogeneously formed electrode track which has fluctuations in its thickness and in its width.
• a powder hopper for gravity-driven feeding of powdered electrode precursor material into a nip of a dry electrode calender, with a powder feed opening for feeding powdered electrode precursor material into the powder hopper and a powder outlet opening for metering the powdered electrode precursor material from the powder hopper into a nip, the cross section of the powder hopper between of the powder feed opening and the powder outlet opening, characterized in that the powder hopper has a filling level detection device for determining the powder filling level of the powder hopper.
• the powder funnel can be aligned in such a way that the powder feed opening is located above the powder outlet opening, in particular is arranged vertically above it.
• the powder feed opening and/or the powder outlet opening can have a rectangular cross section.
• the invention has the advantage that the filling level of the powder hopper can be continuously monitored during the process.
• the homogeneity of the electrode track produced can be improved, in particular a homogeneous thickness and/or a homogeneous track width can be produced.
• the fill level monitoring enables the timely detection of errors in the operating process, for example if there is too little or too much powder in the hopper, so that the system can be switched off in good time if necessary to avoid serious damage to the system.
• the powder hopper also has a weight detection device for determining the powder weight in the powder hopper.
• the fill level detection device and the weight detection device are connected to a control unit of the system and transmit the determined fill level and weight data to the control unit.
• the density of the powder in the hopper can be continuously determined in the control unit by offsetting the filling level data against the weight data. This has the advantage that the powder feed into the hopper can be controlled based on the determined density and the powder fed into the roller gap therefore has a constant density. This is particularly important because the powdery electrode precursor material is already compacted in the funnel, which continuously increases in the direction of the powder outlet opening due to the powder material loading the lower powder layers from above.
• the compaction is also already increased by feeding the powder into the powder hopper, the powder falling from a feeder into the powder hopper, for example, and the vertical distance of the feeder from the powder hopper or from the powder contained therein influences the degree of compaction of the powder in the hopper.
• the weight detection device comprises at least one weighing cell, on which the powder hopper is supported. Provision can be made for the powder hopper to have at least one first and at least one second load cell and at least two support brackets projecting laterally on opposite sides of the powder hopper, with the powder hopper being supported via one of the brackets on the at least one first load cell and via the other bracket opposite on the at least a second load cell is supported.
• the at least one load cell can send the measured weight force to the control unit, in which the weight of the powder hopper is then subtracted from the measured value.
• the powder hopper has a width extending transversely to the nip and a length extending along the nip, with the width of the powder hopper reducing between the powder feed opening and the powder outlet opening and the length of the powder hopper between the powder feed opening and the powder outlet opening being constant is.
• the powder feed opening and the powder outlet opening are vertically spaced from one another.
• the powder funnel can have two opposite side walls, which limit the length of the funnel and which can in particular be aligned vertically.
• the support tabs can be bent from the side walls, in particular from the upper edge of the side walls.
• the powder funnel can have two opposite side walls which limit the width of the powder funnel and adjoin the powder feed opening.
• These walls adjoining the powder feed opening can be aligned essentially vertically.
• two further opposite wall sections that limit the width of the powder funnel one of which can be oriented essentially vertically and the other can be oriented obliquely and the cross section tapers in the direction of the powder outlet opening.
• the filling level detection device can have at least one first filling level sensor in the area above the powder outlet opening.
• the first filling level sensor can be arranged, for example, in the vertical wall section adjoining the powder outlet opening.
• the first filling level sensor can be arranged, for example, in a range of 2 cm-10 cm above the powder outlet opening.
• the filling level detection device can have at least one second filling level sensor in the area below the powder feed opening.
• the second filling level sensor can be arranged, for example, in the vertical wall section adjoining the powder feed opening.
• the second filling level sensor can be arranged, for example, in a range of 2 cm-10 cm below the powder feed opening.
• the level detection device can include at least one capacitive level sensor. The principle of capacitive level measurement is based on the change in capacitance of a capacitor.
• the capacitive sensor and the powder hopper wall form a capacitor whose capacitance depends on the amount of powder in the hopper, with an empty hopper having a lower capacitance and a filled hopper having a higher capacitance.
• the level sensor can have a plurality of sensor units distributed over the length of a side wall of the powder funnel and arranged at essentially the same height.
• the sensor units can be, for example, light barriers or capacitive sensors. By distributing the sensors over the length of the powder hopper, it can be determined whether the powder hopper is evenly filled with powder over its entire length.
• the powder funnel can have a plurality of measurement planes, in each of which a plurality of filling level sensors can be arranged at a horizontal distance from one another, that is to say at the same height. For example, four or more filling level sensors can be provided for each measuring plane.
• the side wall of the powder funnel which has the plurality of sensor units, to be arranged essentially vertically.
• the side wall sections having the sensors are each aligned vertically and the funnel can thus have several vertical wall sections.
• the sensors are all located on the same side of the funnel, so that the side of the funnel opposite the sensors has only a single inclined wall section.
• the first level sensor can thus have a first plurality of sensor units distributed over the length of a first substantially vertical side wall of the powder hopper and arranged at substantially the same height
• the second level sensor can have a second plurality distributed over the length of a second substantially vertical side wall of the powder hopper and having sensor units arranged at substantially the same height, wherein between the first and second side walls there can be arranged a sloping side wall connecting the first and second side walls, which narrows the width of the powder hopper towards the powder outlet opening.
• the fill level detection device can also include an optical fill level sensor in addition to or as an alternative to the capacitive fill level sensor.
• the optical filling level sensor can be directed at a distance from the powder hopper through the powder feed opening onto the interior of the powder hopper.
• the optical filling level sensor can be arranged above the powder funnel.
• the detection range of the optical filling level sensor can cover at least the entire length and the entire width of the powder funnel.
• the optical filling level sensor can be set up to detect the filling volume of the powder funnel with powdered electrode precursor material.
• the optical filling level sensor can have a camera, which records the surface relief of the powder located in the hopper and compares it with a value of the total volume of the powder hopper stored in the control unit.
• the optical filling level sensor can thus also be set up accordingly to detect powder filling levels that are unevenly distributed over the length of the powder funnel.
• the invention further relates to an arrangement of a powder hopper according to any one of the preceding claims and a first and a second roller forming a nip, wherein the powder outlet opening of the powder hopper is arranged above and along the nip, so that the powdery electrode precursor material over the entire length of the powder outlet opening can be metered into the nip.
• the arrangement also has a feed conveyor arranged above the powder funnel, by means of which powdery electrode precursor material can be conveyed into the roller gap. Provision can be made for the feed conveyor to be adjustable in height. It can be provided that the feed conveyor is a belt conveyor. It can also be provided that the vertical adjustment device for adjusting the height of the feed conveyor is coupled to the control unit, and the control unit regulates the vertical position of the feed conveyor as a function of the powder level determined in the powder hopper such that the distance between the feed conveyor and the powder surface in the hopper always remains constant.
• control unit controls the vertical adjustment device in such a way that the density determined in the powder hopper always remains constant, so that the distance between the feed conveyor and the hopper is increased when the density falls below a target value and reduced when the target density is exceeded. This allows the effect of feeding the powder Compacting in the hopper can be used to achieve a constant material density at the powder outlet.
• the conveying speed of the feed conveyor can be regulated as a function of the powder density determined in the powder hopper, the powder density being calculated using the powder fill level determined via the filling level sensor and the powder mass determined via the weight detection device. It can be provided that the conveying speed is increased when the calculated powder density exceeds a first threshold value of a target range, and the conveying speed is slowed down when the calculated powder density falls below a second threshold value of the target range.
• the invention also relates to a method for operating a powder hopper, with the steps:
• the regulation of the flow of powdered electrode material conveyed into the powder hopper comprises the regulation of a conveying speed of a feed conveyor connected upstream of the powder hopper. Provision can furthermore be made for the regulation of the flow of powdered electrode material conveyed into the powder hopper to include the regulation of a vertical distance between a feed device and the powder hopper.
• the determination of the fill level of the powder funnel includes determination with a capacitive and/or optical sensor.
• the determination of the fill level of the powder funnel can include the determination of the presence of powdered electrode precursor material on a first powder funnel level and the determination of the presence of powdered electrode precursor material a second powder funnel level, wherein the height of the first powder funnel level can differ from the height of the second powder funnel level.
• the determination of the weight of the powdery electrode precursor material located in the powder hopper includes the weighing of the powder hopper minus the powder hopper weight.
• Fig. i shows a schematic side view of a powder hopper arranged above a nip of a dry electrode calender
• FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a powder funnel with two capacitive level sensors and a weight detection device
• FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a powder hopper with an optical level sensor
• FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of an arrangement of a feed conveyor, a powder hopper and a dry electrode calender
• Fig. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of a powder hopper mounted on a dry electrode calender
• Fig. 6 is a side view of an embodiment of a dry electrode calender for producing an electrode film from a powdery electrode precursor material
• FIG. 7 is a plan view of one embodiment of a dry electrode calender for producing an electrode film from a powdered electrode precursor material.
• Powder funnel 101 which over a nip 220 of a Dry electrode calender 2 is arranged.
• the powder hopper 101 has a powder feed opening 105 on its upper side and a powder outlet opening 106 aligned with the nip 220 on its lower side.
• powdery electrode precursor material 102 conveyed into the powder feed opening 105 is conveyed via the powder outlet opening 106 into the roller gap 220 and is rolled therein to form an electrode film 601 of defined width and thickness.
• the dry electrode calender 2 In the area of the powder feed, the dry electrode calender 2 has two rollers 201 with a small diameter, which exert a high surface pressure on the powder over the length of the roller gap 220 .
• the rolls 201 are each laterally supported by adjacent support rolls 210 which prevent bending of the rolls 201 due to large forces acting in the nip, which occur particularly in the middle of the rolls.
• the electrode film 601 produced is guided out of the nip 220 at the bottom thereof and around the right-hand roller 201 and then conveyed through the nip between the right-hand roller 201 and the right-hand backup roller 210 in order to homogenize the electrode film 601 .
• a roller gap is thus also formed on these rollers, so that the roller 201 is supported by the electrode film 601 guided through the roller gap.
• no roller gap is formed between the left-hand support roller 210 and the left-hand roller 201 .
• Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the underside of a powder hopper 101.
• This has a powder feed opening 105 on its top and a powder outlet opening 106 on its underside, so that the powdered electrode precursor material 102 is conveyed from the powder feed opening 105 to the powder outlet opening 106 under the force of gravity.
• the width B of the powder hopper 101 tapers in the direction of the powder outlet opening 106.
• the powder hopper has a vertical boundary wall 114 at each of its two longitudinal ends, with a support bracket 108 bent away from the powder feed opening 105 on the top side.
• Load cells 107 are arranged below each of the support brackets 108 and measure the weight of the powder funnel 101 together with the powdered electrode precursor material 102 located therein, with the weight of the powder funnel 101 being subtracted in a higher-level control unit to determine the actual powder weight.
• the latter In an upper region of the powder hopper 101, the latter has two opposite vertical wall sections 110, 117 in the longitudinal direction, which adjoin the powder feed opening 105. At the rear of it in the illustration In a lower area of the powder hopper 101 , wall section 117 is adjoined by an inclined wall 113 , which is directly adjacent to the powder outlet opening 106 and narrows the width of the hopper 101 in the direction of the powder outlet opening 106 .
• the powder hopper 101 has in the lower area on the one hand a sloping wall 111 and on the other hand a vertical wall 112 adjoining the sloping wall 111, which in turn adjoins the powder outlet opening 106.
• the angle of inclination of the wall 111 is flatter than that of the opposite wall 113.
• the powder hopper 101 shown also has a filling level detection device 104, which has two filling level sensors
• a first filling level sensor 109 is arranged on the vertical wall 112 adjoining the powder outlet opening and a second filling level sensor 109 on the vertical wall adjoining the powder feed opening
• each of the level sensors 109 has four capacitive sensor units 115 which are arranged horizontally next to one another and are spaced apart from one another over the length L of the funnel 101 .
• uneven filling along the funnel 101 can also be detected if, for example, only one of the sensor units 115 detects the presence of powder, but the other three sensor units 115 located at the same height do not.
• This information can be evaluated by a higher-level control unit. Depending on the information received, the control unit can issue appropriate commands to the system.
• an emergency stop of the system can be initiated if the filling level of the hopper 101 is too low, too high, or, as described above, is uneven in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, if the fill level is too low, a feed conveyor 120 upstream of the hopper 101 can be caused to increase the feed speed of powdery electrode precursor material 102 or if the fill level is too high, the feed speed can be caused to decrease or stop.
• the powder hopper 101 also has load cells 107, via which the hopper 101 is supported on the machine frame 500. In this way, the higher-level control unit also receives information about the development of the powder mass that is currently in the powder hopper 101 .
• FIG. 3 shows the powder hopper 101 of FIG. 2 with an alternative or additional optical filling level sensor 116 as the filling level detection device 104.
• This is arranged at a distance from the powder hopper 101 and is directed through the powder feed opening 105 onto the interior of the powder hopper 101.
• the detection range 118 of the optical filling level sensor 116 includes the entire length L and the entire width B of the powder hopper 101. This allows the powder volume in the powder hopper 101 to be determined even more precisely and, in conjunction with the powder mass information, the powder density can also be determined.
• the powder hopper 101 is filled with as constant an amount of powdered electrode precursor material 102 as possible during operation.
• the powder hopper 101 may include one or more sensors such as 103 and 104 configured to sense a property of the powder 102 and/or the powder hopper 101 .
• the weight detection device 103 is configured in such a way that it can be used to determine the weight of the powder 102 in the powder hopper 101 .
• the weight detection device 103 is configured in such a way that it determines a total weight of the powder hopper 101 and determines the powder contained in the powder hopper 101 by subtracting the known hopper weight from the measured total weight.
• the weight of the powder hopper 101 can be measured continuously, at periodic or aperiodic intervals.
• the density of the powder 102 in the hopper 101 is monitored via the load cells 107 and the level sensors 109, and if a density deviation from a target range is detected, the feed speed of the powder and/or the vertical Distance of feed conveyor from powder hopper 101 varies. For example, if the powder level is too low or the density is too low, the infeed conveyor feed rate can be increased and/or its distance from the hopper 101 increased to produce higher powder compression. On the other hand, if the powder level is too high, for example, or the density is too high, the feed speed of the feed conveyor can be slowed down and/or its distance from the hopper 101 can be reduced in order to produce less powder compression.
• FIG. 5 shows a powder mill of a dry electrode calender 2 in a side view.
• This has a calender frame 500 in which, on the one hand, the rollers 201 and the supporting rollers 210 supporting them laterally are mounted and, on the other hand, a powder funnel 101 is mounted above the roller gap 202 .
• the powder hopper 101 is arranged along the nip 220 and has a powder feed opening 105 directed upwards and a powder outlet opening 106 directed towards the nip 220 .
• the powder funnel 101 is supported on the calender frame 500 via load cells 107 via the support lugs 108 folded from the upper edge of the side walls 114 .
• FIG. 6 shows a side view of a further embodiment of a multi-roll calender 3.
• This has two dry electrode calenders 2, which have opposite conveying directions Yi, Y2 of electrode films 601, 602.
• the roller arrangements mounted in a calender frame 500 each have a powder mill on the input side, which consists of two rollers 201 for squeezing the powdered electrode material 102 into electrode films 601, 602 and supporting rollers 210 adjacent to these.
• the powder 102 is fed into the powder feed openings 105 of the powder hoppers 101 and fed through the powder outlet openings 106 into the nips 220, respectively.
• the electrode films 601, 602 then run in a serpentine manner along their respective conveying directions Yi, Y2, first around the end nip facing support roller 210 and then around the two conveyor rollers 310 arranged one behind the other to the end nip 13, which is formed at the end of both dry electrode calenders 2 between the last rollers 310 in each case.
• a separator film 603, which is coated on both sides with the electrode films 601, 602, is fed through this gap 13 from above.
• the separator film 603 is initially conveyed parallel to the direction Yi along a direction X in the direction of the end nip 13 .

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