WO2024205001A1 - Apparatus for producing copper foil material for negative electrode material - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing copper foil material for negative electrode material, specifically to an apparatus that uses common copper of low purity to produce copper material in granular form for negative electrode material, instead of high purity millberry used to produce copper foil for negative electrode material of a secondary battery, to allow copper foil material with improved price competitiveness and reduced production costs to be provided, and producing the copper foil material for negative electrode material in granular form raises the dissolution rate when dissolved in an electrolyte, thus increasing production efficiency when producing the copper foil for negative electrode material.

Description

Cathode copper foil material manufacturing device

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for an anode material, and more particularly, to an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for an anode material for a secondary battery in a granule form using low-purity general copper to replace high-purity wheat berries, thereby providing a copper foil material having improved price competitiveness and capable of reducing production costs, and to an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for an anode material in a granule form, thereby increasing the dissolution rate when dissolving the copper foil material in an electrolyte, thereby increasing production efficiency in the manufacture of the copper foil for an anode material.

As environmental regulations have been strengthened and demand for electric vehicles has increased, the rapidly growing electric vehicle market is emerging as a future business, and the importance of copper foil is increasing.

Copper foil, also known as battery foil, is considered a key material for secondary batteries used in electric vehicles. Copper foil for secondary batteries is considered a key component of electric vehicle batteries (secondary batteries) because it serves as a support that releases heat generated from the battery to the outside and maintains the shape of the electrode. In particular, copper foil is used as a thin film for cathode materials, one of the four key materials (positive electrode material, negative electrode material, separator, electrolyte) of electric vehicle batteries.

In particular, in order to increase the capacity of secondary batteries, the energy density per unit area must be increased, and to achieve this, the thickness of the copper foil must be made thinner to increase the area per unit volume and reduce the weight.

These copper foils are manufactured largely using the roll rolling method and the electrolytic method. However, the roll rolling method has the disadvantage of increasing production costs as the thickness decreases, so the electrolytic method, which is a method of plating copper through electrolysis, is mainly used to manufacture copper foil for secondary batteries.

At this time, copper foil for secondary batteries using an electrolytic method can generally be manufactured by procuring high-grade copper scrap such as electrolytic copper or Millberry grade, manufacturing it into wire rod through casting, casting + rolling, or casting + rolling + drawing, washing and cutting the manufactured wire rod, and then dissolving it in a sulfuric acid solution, which is an electrolyte.

However, the cut wire rod is manufactured through the rolling, drawing, and cutting processes, and is exposed to oil components such as rolling oil and drawing oil during rolling and drawing, so a washing process for degreasing is essential, and since the process is complicated, the cost of the copper foil increases, and there is a problem that the supply of raw materials such as electrolytic copper or millberry-grade high-grade copper scrap is not smooth.

In an effort to solve the above problem, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0034813 discloses a technology regarding an amorphous copper material having excellent dissolution performance when dissolved in an electrolyte for manufacturing electrolytic copper foil and a method for manufacturing the same.

However, in the case of the above-described prior art, there is a problem in that the raw materials, such as copper scrap or electrolytic copper, which are not readily available, are procured and the copper material is melted to produce an irregular shape, resulting in low price competitiveness and the inability to reduce the cost.

The present invention has been created to solve the above problems, and has one purpose of providing a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for an anode material, which provides a copper foil material having improved price competitiveness and capable of reducing production costs by manufacturing a copper foil material in a granule form using low-purity general copper to replace high-purity wheatberries.

In addition, another purpose is to provide a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, which can increase production efficiency when manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material by manufacturing the copper foil material for a cathode material in a granule form, thereby increasing the dissolution rate when dissolved in an electrolyte.

In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material comprises: a melting furnace including an outlet for discharging a molten body made by melting refined copper, and a heating device for preventing cooling of the molten body is disposed in one area of the outlet; a tundish positioned at the bottom of the melting furnace and having an internal cavity for receiving the molten body discharged from the outlet, a plurality of outlets formed at preset intervals in one area of the side along the circumferential direction of the side, and a heating device for preventing cooling of the molten body is disposed in one area, the tundish rotating to generate an inertial force on the molten body received in the internal cavity so as to discharge the molten body through the outlet; The invention is characterized by comprising: a first tank positioned at the bottom of the tundish, wherein a plurality of cooling water injection nozzles are formed in one area of the lower portion to inject high-pressure cooling water from the bottom to the top in a cyclone manner, so that the cooling water injected from the cooling water injection nozzles comes into contact with the molten body discharged from the tundish, thereby forming and collecting a copper foil material for a cathode material in a granular form; a second tank for collecting the cooling water discharged from the first tank and the cooling water injected from the cooling water injection nozzles, which comes into contact with the molten body and then escapes out of the first tank; and a third tank for collecting the cooling water in the second tank and supplying it to a cooler when the water level of the second tank exceeds a preset water level, thereby recooling the cooling water and providing it from the cooler to the cooling water injection nozzles of the first tank.

It is preferable that the above discharge port includes a spout formed in a hollow shape with an inner circumference made of refractory material and a length corresponding to the thickness of the refractory material formed along the inner wall of the tundish, in order to prevent the tundish from being deformed or damaged due to the molten material discharged through the discharge port as the tundish rotates.

It is preferable that the above spout be replaceable by being fitted into the discharge port.

It is preferable that the above first tank has a cylindrical portion having a vertical surface and a conical portion having an inclined surface so that the internal cross-sectional area becomes narrower as it goes toward the lower portion, and that a plurality of cooling water spray nozzles are formed at regular intervals along the circumferential direction from one area of the inner surface of the inclined surface.

The above first tank can store cooling water up to a preset level therein, and when the level of cooling water stored therein exceeds the preset level, it is preferable that the level be controlled by discharging the cooling water through a cooling water discharge port formed in one area of the first tank.

It is preferable that the above-described device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material further includes: an extension rod having a preset length coupled to the lower end of the tundish; a rotation control unit coupled to the extension rod to control the rotation of the tundish; and a plurality of fixing bars for fixing the rotation control unit to the center of the lower end of the first tank.

It is preferable that the above tundish be fixed at a preset distance from the lower end of the first tank by means of the extension bar, the rotation control unit, and the fixing bar.

It is preferable that the copper foil material for the above cathode material be manufactured in the form of granules by causing a steam explosion when the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water injection nozzle and the molten body discharged from the discharge port of the tundish come into contact, dispersing the molten body into a granule form through the steam explosion and first cooling it, and then precipitating it into the cooling water in the first tank and second cooling it.

When the operation of the device for manufacturing the copper foil for the cathode material stops, it is preferable to recover the copper foil material for the cathode material collected at the lower end of the first tank.

The device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to the present invention manufactures a copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules using low-purity general copper, thereby providing a copper foil material that can replace high-purity wheat berries, thereby improving price competitiveness and enabling cost reduction.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, by manufacturing and providing a copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules, when the copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules is dissolved in an electrolyte during an electrolytic process in the manufacture of the copper foil, the dissolution rate increases, thereby increasing the production efficiency in the manufacture of the copper foil for a cathode material.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, when manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, there is an effect of reducing facility operating costs and improving energy efficiency by reusing cooling water.

Figure 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an example of the shape of a tundish according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating a specific shape of a tundish according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4a and 4b are examples of the arrangement of cooling water injection nozzles formed at the bottom of the first tank according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a flow chart for explaining a process for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the operation process of a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, various embodiments and/or aspects are now disclosed with reference to the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a general understanding of one or more of the aspects. It will be recognized, however, by one skilled in the art that such aspect(s) may be practiced without these specific details. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth specific exemplary aspects of one or more of the aspects in detail. It should be understood, however, that these aspects are exemplary and that any of the various methods of the principles of the various aspects may be utilized, and the description is intended to encompass all such aspects and their equivalents.

The terms “embodiment,” “example,” “aspect,” and “example” as used herein are not to be construed as implying that any aspect or design described is better or advantageous over other aspects or designs.

Additionally, it should be understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" imply the presence of the features and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, components and/or groups thereof.

Also, terms including ordinal numbers such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. The terms are only used to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component. The term and/or includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any item among a plurality of related described items.

In addition, in the embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning they have in the context of the relevant technology, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined in the embodiments of the present invention.

The present invention specifically aims to provide a copper foil material for an anode material in the form of granules using low-purity general copper to replace high-purity wheat berries used in manufacturing copper foil for an anode material of a secondary battery, thereby improving price competitiveness and reducing production costs, and to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for an anode material, which manufactures the copper foil material for an anode material in the form of granules, thereby increasing the dissolution rate when dissolved in an electrolyte, thereby increasing production efficiency in manufacturing the copper foil for an anode material.

For a more specific explanation, the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings, and multiple drawings may be referenced simultaneously to explain one technical feature and component constituting the invention.

Meanwhile, in the following description, some of the details described in the drawings are omitted or excessively enlarged or reduced in order to explain the functions of each component of the present invention, but it should be understood that the illustrated details do not limit the technical features and scope of rights of the present invention.

Additionally, in the following description, multiple drawings will be simultaneously referenced and described to explain one technical feature or component constituting the invention.

Looking briefly at the drawings attached as a description of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 illustrates an example of the shape of a tundish, FIGS. 3a and 3b are cross-sectional views for explaining a specific shape of the tundish, and FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate examples of the arrangement of cooling water injection nozzles formed at the bottom of the first tank. In addition, FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining a process of manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, and FIG. 6 is a drawing for explaining the operating process of the apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material.

Referring to FIG. 1, which illustrates a schematic configuration diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material according to an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material (1000) in the present invention is largely composed of a melting furnace (10), a tundish (20), a first tank (30), a second tank (40), and a third tank (50).

First, the melting furnace (10) is configured to input refined copper, melt it, form a molten body (1), and discharge it into a tundish (20). The melting furnace includes an outlet (11) for discharging the molten body (1) formed by melting the refined copper, and may include a first heating device (12) arranged in one area of the outlet (11) to prevent the molten body (1) in a liquid state from cooling and solidifying.

At this time, it is preferable to understand that the refined copper is copper that has gone through a refining process using low-purity general copper, rather than high-purity wheatberries (wheat berries) that are generally used in manufacturing copper foil.

Meanwhile, a refractory (13) is formed as an axis inside the melting furnace (10), and an outlet (11) can be formed along the length direction of the melting furnace (10) in one area of the refractory (13) formed as an axis.

At this time, the refractory material (13) is a material having a strength higher than that of iron or stainless steel, such as magnesium or alumina, and is installed inside the melting furnace (10) to block the heat generated from the molten body (1) from being directly transferred to the melting furnace (10).

Meanwhile, the first heating device (12) is configured to prevent the molten body (1) discharged through the discharge port (11) of the melting furnace (10) from cooling and solidifying, and is preferably arranged in one area of the discharge port (11) to generate heat toward the discharge port (11) so that the molten body (1) does not solidify and maintains a liquid form.

At this time, according to one embodiment of the present invention, a gas torch may be used as the first heating device (12), and it will be possible to ignite gas by supplying it through a supply pipe connected to the gas torch with the nozzle portion of the gas torch facing the discharge port (11).

Meanwhile, the first heating device (12) may be composed of an induction coil heater or a high-temperature heating element, and any device may be changeably applied for the purpose of maintaining the high-temperature state of the molten body (1) during the discharge process of the molten body (1), and it may also be provided in an area at the top or bottom of the melting furnace (10), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Next, the tundish (20), as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is positioned at the bottom of the melting furnace (10) and has an internal cavity (21) for receiving the molten body (1) discharged from the discharge port (11) of the melting furnace (10), and a plurality of discharge ports (22) are formed at preset intervals in one area of the side along the circumferential direction of the side, and a second heating device (24) is arranged in one area for preventing cooling of the molten body (1), such that as the tundish (20) rotates, an inertial force is generated in the molten body (1) received in the internal cavity (21) so that the molten body (1) is discharged through the discharge port (22).

In addition, a refractory material (25) is formed on the inner wall of the tundish (20), and can block the heat generated from the molten body (1) accommodated in the inner cavity (21) of the tundish (20) from being directly transferred to the tundish (20).

At this time, it is preferable that the refractory material (25) formed on the inner wall of the tundish (20) is a material having a strength greater than that of iron or stainless steel, such as magnesium or alumina.

Meanwhile, the discharge port (22) is configured to discharge the molten body (1) contained in the internal cavity (21) of the tundish (20) from the inside of the tundish (20) to the outside, and a plurality of discharge ports (22) can be formed at preset intervals along the circumferential direction of the side of the tundish (20).

For example, as shown in Fig. 2, if the preset interval is 120 degrees, three discharge ports (22) can be formed at 120 degree intervals along the circumferential direction of the side of the tundish (20).

At this time, the interval at which the discharge port (22) is formed may be changed, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

On the other hand, referring to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the discharge port (22) may include a hollow spout (23) having a length corresponding to the thickness of the refractory material (25) formed on the inner wall of the tundish (20) and having an inner circumferential surface made of the refractory material, in order to prevent the tundish (20) from being deformed or damaged due to the molten body (1) discharged through the discharge port (22) as the tundish (20) rotates.

At this time, it is preferable to understand that the spout (23) is fixedly fitted into the discharge port (22) as shown in Fig. 3b and can be replaced as needed.

For example, if the molten body (2) discharged through the spout (23) solidifies inside the spout (23) and the discharge of the molten body (1) is not easy, or if the refractory material inside the spout (23) cracks or the service life of the refractory material expires, replacement is possible. In addition, if the purpose is to maintain smooth discharge of the molten body (1), replacement can be applied at any time, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, the second heating device (24) may be understood as a configuration that prevents the molten body (1) accommodated in the internal cavity (21) of the tundish (20) from cooling and solidifying, and is arranged in one area of the tundish (20) to generate heat to the tundish (20) so that the molten body (1) does not solidify and can maintain a liquid form.

As an embodiment of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second heating device (24) may be provided at the bottom of the tundish (20), and at least one heating device from among a gas torch, an induction coil heater, and a high-temperature heating element may be used to generate heat at the bottom of the tundish (20) and transfer heat to the molten body (1) within the tundish (20). In addition, any heating device may be changed and applied for the purpose of maintaining the liquid state of the molten body (1) contained within the tundish (20), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, as another embodiment of the present invention, the second heating device (24) may be provided with one or more second heating devices (24) in an upper region along the circumferential direction of the tundish (20), and at least one heating device among a gas torch, an induction coil heater, and a high-temperature heating element may be used to generate heat from the side of the tundish (20) and transfer heat to the molten body (1) within the tundish (20), and in addition to these, any heating device may be changed and applied for the purpose of maintaining the liquid state of the molten body (1) accommodated within the tundish (20), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Returning to Figure 1 and continuing the explanation, a first tank (30) may be located at the bottom of the tundish (20).

It is preferable to understand that the above first tank (30) is configured such that a plurality of cooling water injection nozzles (33) are formed in one area of the lower portion to inject high-pressure cooling water from the lower portion to the upper portion in a cyclone manner, and the high-pressure cooling water injected from the cooling water injection nozzles (33) comes into contact with the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20), thereby forming and collecting a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of granules.

At this time, the first tank (30) may be provided with a cylindrical portion (31) having a vertical surface and a conical portion (32) having an inclined surface so that the internal cross-sectional area becomes narrower as it goes toward the lower portion.

Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 4a, a plurality of cooling water spray nozzles (33) can be formed at regular intervals along the circumferential direction from a region of the inner surface of the inclined surface of the conical portion (32) of the first water tank (30).

In addition, referring to FIG. 4b, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the cooling water injection nozzle (33) is formed in a shape that is inclined at a preset angle from the inclined surface of the conical portion (32) of the first water tank (30) so as to be able to inject high-pressure cooling water from the bottom to the top in a cyclone manner, thereby rotating from the bottom to the top of the first water tank (30) and discharging high-pressure cooling water.

Meanwhile, according to one embodiment of the present invention, high-pressure cooling water is sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33). At this time, it is preferable to spray the cooling water at a pressure that is such that when the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20) come into contact, the cooling water does not fall out of the first tank (30).

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the coolant spray nozzles (33) and the angle at which the coolant spray nozzles (33) are inclined from the inclined surface of the conical portion (32) may be varied depending on the position at which the coolant is to be sprayed and reached, or may be varied depending on the size of the first tank (30), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

On the other hand, the copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of granules, which is formed when the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) comes into contact with the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20), can utilize the principle of steam explosion, in which the cooling water explosively generates high-pressure steam during the heat transfer process when the high-temperature molten metal and the cooling water come into contact, thereby transmitting shock waves to the surroundings.

That is, it is preferable to understand that the copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of a granule is formed by the contact between the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) formed in the first tank (30) and the high temperature molten body (1) discharged from the discharge port (22) of the tundish (20), thereby causing a steam explosion.

Specifically, the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and the molten body (1) discharged from the discharge port (22) of the tundish (20) come into contact with each other, thereby causing a steam explosion to disperse the molten body (1) in the form of granules, and at the same time, the molten body (1) dispersed in the form of granules is first cooled by the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33), and is then precipitated into the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) to be secondarily cooled, thereby manufacturing a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of granules.

Meanwhile, it can be understood that the steam explosion that occurs when the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20) and the high-pressure cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) of the first tank (30) come into contact with each other varies in intensity depending on the temperature difference between the molten body (1) and the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33).

Therefore, it is desirable to precisely control the temperature of the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) and the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) to control the intensity of the steam explosion, thereby dispersing the molten body (1) in the form of granules so that they do not stick to each other or combine, and to manufacture a copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of granules with a large surface area.

In addition, the melt (1) dispersed in the form of granules that are first cooled by the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) may cause a secondary steam explosion due to the temperature difference when it precipitates into the cooling water stored in the first tank (30). Therefore, it is desirable to precisely control the temperatures of the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and the cooling water stored in the first tank (30).

That is, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the molten body (1) is dispersed in the form of granules so that they do not stick to or combine with each other and are manufactured as a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of granules with a large surface area, and in order to prevent the occurrence of a secondary steam explosion due to a temperature difference when the molten body (1) dispersed in the form of granules, which is first cooled by the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33), precipitates into the cooling water stored in the first tank (30), the preferable temperature of the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) and the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) is preferably about 30 degrees, and the temperature of the cooling water can be adjusted as needed, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, it will be possible to maintain the temperature of the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) constant through primary cooling by the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water injection nozzle (33) and secondary cooling by sedimentation into the cooling water stored in the first tank (30).

Meanwhile, the first tank (30) can store cooling water up to a preset level inside, and when the level of cooling water stored inside exceeds the preset level as the copper foil material (100) for cathode material in the form of granules is deposited and collected at the bottom of the first tank (30), the cooling water inside the first tank (30) can be discharged through a cooling water discharge port (not shown) formed in one area of the first tank (30) to control the level.

At this time, it is preferable to set the preset water level of the first tank (30) lower than the position where the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20) and the high-pressure cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) of the first tank (30) come into contact and cause a steam explosion, so that the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) other than the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) does not come into contact with the molten body (1).

In addition, the cooling water discharge port may be formed in one area of the conical portion (32) of the first water tank (30), or in one area of the side of the cylindrical portion (31) of the first water tank (30), i.e., in an area corresponding to a preset water level, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, as an embodiment of the present invention, if the cooling water discharge port is formed in one area of the conical portion (32) of the first water tank (30), when the cooling water stored in the first water tank (30) exceeds a preset water level, the cooling water discharge port formed in one area of the conical portion (32) of the first water tank (30) may be opened to control the water level.

In addition, as another embodiment of the present invention, if the cooling water discharge port is formed in a region of the side surface of the cylindrical portion (31) of the first water tank (30), i.e., in a region corresponding to a preset water level, by continuously opening the cooling water discharge port, if the cooling water stored in the first water tank (30) exceeds the preset water level, the cooling water may be automatically discharged through the open cooling water discharge port to control the water level.

Returning to Figure 1 and continuing the explanation, a second tank (40) may be located at the bottom of the first tank (30).

It is preferable to understand that the second tank (40) is configured to collect cooling water discharged through the cooling water discharge port of the first tank (30) and cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and discharged out of the first tank (30) after coming into contact with the molten body (1).

At this time, the second tank (40) is preferably formed in a cylindrical shape of a size that can accommodate the first tank (30) inside so that it can collect the cooling water discharged from the first tank (30) and the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and discharged outside the first tank (30) after contacting the molten body (1). However, any shape can be changed as long as it is of a size that can accommodate the first tank (30), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, it can be understood that the cooling water collected in the second tank (40) is collected through a process in which the cooling water is discharged through the cooling water discharge port of the first tank (30) and a steam explosion process, and thus the temperature of the cooling water increases or decreases, and thus the cooling water has a different temperature from the cooling water used in the first tank (30).

Meanwhile, referring to Fig. 1, the second tank (40) may be connected to the third tank (50).

It is preferable to understand that the third tank (50) is configured to collect the cooling water in the second tank (40) and supply it to a cooler (60) so as to re-cool the cooling water when the water level of the second tank (40) exceeds a preset water level (for example, 2/3 of the height of the second tank (40).

At this time, the cooler (60) can re-cool the cooling water supplied from the third tank (50) to the temperature of the cooling water used in the first tank (30) and provide it to the cooling water injection nozzle (33) of the first tank (30).

That is, since the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention can reuse the cooling water used in the process of manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material (100) by circulating it through the first tank (30), the second tank (40), the third tank (50), and the cooler (60), there is an effect of reducing the operating cost of the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material and improving energy efficiency.

Returning to FIG. 1 and continuing the explanation, the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention may further include an extension bar (70), a rotation control unit (80), and a fixing bar (90).

The above extension rod (70) is coupled to the lower end of the tundish (20) and is formed in a cylindrical shape with a preset length, and one end of the extension rod (70) can be coupled to the lower end of the tundish (20).

Meanwhile, as an embodiment of the present invention, the extension rod (70) may be combined in various forms so that it is not separated when the tundish (20) rotates, but can be separated after the rotation of the tundish (20) has stopped. As long as the combination method is such that the extension rod (70) is not separated from the tundish (20) while the tundish (20) rotates, any combination method may be changed, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Next, the above rotation control unit (80) is connected to the other end of the extension rod (70) which is connected to the tundish (20) at one end to control the rotation of the tundish (20), and may be configured as a rotation motor (not shown).

At this time, when the rotation control unit (80) receives external power and operates the rotation motor, the extension rod (70) connected to the rotation control unit (80) rotates, and the tundish (20) can be rotated by the rotation of the extension rod (70).

Meanwhile, the rotation speed of the above-mentioned rotary motor may be varied by the user according to the amount of the molten body (1) discharged from the above-mentioned tundish (20), and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Next, the above fixed bar (90) is configured to fix the rotation control unit (80) to the center of the lower part of the first tank (30), and may be formed in a rectangular plate shape and provided in multiple pieces.

At this time, the fixed bar (90) has a rectangular through hole formed in one area, so that the high-pressure cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) of the first tank (30) can move smoothly.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of the fixed bars (90) are fixed at one end to a side surface of the rotation control unit (80) at a constant interval, and the other end is fixed to an area of the lower portion of the cylindrical portion (31) of the first water tank (30), thereby fixing the rotation control unit (80) to the center of the lower portion of the cylindrical portion (31) of the first water tank (30).

Meanwhile, the number of the fixed bars (90) and the number of rectangular through holes formed in the fixed bars (90) can be varied by the user, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

In addition, it is preferable that the tundish (20) is fixed at a preset distance from the lower end of the first tank (30) through the extension bar (70), the rotation control unit (80) and the fixing bar (90).

At this time, it is preferable to understand that the distance at which the tundish (20) is fixed and spaced from the lower end of the first tank (30) is set to prevent the molten body (1) discharged through the discharge port (22) of the tundish (20) from being discharged outside the first tank (30), and to enable the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) in the first tank (30) to be discharged to the second tank (40) after coming into contact with the molten body (1) discharged through the discharge port (22) without being stored again in the first tank (30).

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the tundish (20) and the first tank (30) may be adjusted and changed according to conditions such as the position of the discharge port (22) formed in the tundish (20), the height of the first tank (30), the injection pressure of the cooling water injection nozzle (33), and the like, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, when the operation of the device (1000) for manufacturing the copper foil material for the cathode material stops, a process of recovering the copper foil material for the cathode material (100) in the form of granules collected at the lower part of the first tank (30) can be performed.

At this time, in order to recover the copper foil material (100) for cathode material in the form of granules collected at the lower end of the first tank (30), all of the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) is discharged so that no other material exists in the first tank (30) except for the copper foil material (100) for cathode material in the form of granules, and then the copper foil material (100) for cathode material in the form of granules is recovered and moved using a conveyor belt (not shown) so that it is possible to collect it in one place.

Meanwhile, although not explicitly shown in the attached drawing, in the present invention, a mesh net (not shown) may be provided at the lower part of the first tank (30).

The above mesh net is provided at the lower end of the first tank (30), that is, inside the conical portion (32) of the first tank (30), so as to facilitate the collection of the copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of granules that has been deposited at the lower end of the first tank (30).

On the other hand, although not explicitly shown in the attached drawing, the present invention may be provided with a cover (not shown) covering the open upper surface of the tundish (20).

The above cover may be understood as a configuration that covers the upper surface of the tundish (20) when the operation of the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention stops, thereby preventing external impurities from entering the inside of the tundish (20).

In addition, as an embodiment of the present invention, the cover is made of a refractory material and has a through hole formed in one area of the center, so that the molten body (1) discharged through the discharge port (11) of the melting furnace (10) through the through hole can be accommodated in the internal cavity (21) of the tundish (20), so that the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention can be used even during operation, and in the present invention, due to the provision of the cover, it is possible to prevent external impurities from being included in the molten body (1), thereby further improving the quality of the granular copper foil material (100) for a cathode material that is ultimately produced.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 5, the operation process of a device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material having the configuration described above will be described.

First, referring to FIG. 5, the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention inputs refined copper into the melting furnace (10), melts it to form a molten body (1), and discharges the molten body (1) into the internal cavity of a tundish (20) through the discharge port (11) of the melting furnace (10) (S10).

Next, the rotation motor of the rotation control unit (80) connected to the lower part of the tundish (20) operates to rotate the tundish (20), thereby generating an inertial force on the molten body (1) accommodated in the internal cavity (21) of the tundish (20) to discharge the molten body (1) through the discharge port (22) formed on the side of the tundish (20) (S20).

At step S20, at the same time as the molten body (1) is discharged, cooling water is sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) in the first tank (30), and the sprayed cooling water and the molten body (1) discharged at step S20 come into contact, causing a steam explosion (S30).

At step S30, the molten body (1) is dispersed in the form of granules due to the steam explosion that occurs, and at the same time, the molten body (1) dispersed in the form of granules is first cooled by the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) (S40).

Next, in step S40, the first-cooled granule-shaped melt (1) is precipitated into cooling water in the first tank (30) and cooled a second time, thereby manufacturing a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the granule shape (S50).

Finally, all of the cooling water stored in the first tank (30) is discharged so that no other material exists in the first tank (30) except for the copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of granules, and then the copper foil material (100) for the cathode material in the form of granules collected at the bottom of the first tank (30) is recovered (S60).

Meanwhile, next, with reference to FIG. 6, the process of circulating cooling water used in the process of manufacturing a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of a granule through a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention (1000) will be described.

First, when the molten body (1) discharged from the tundish (20) and the cooling water sprayed through the cooling water spray nozzle (33) in the first tank (30) come into contact and a steam explosion occurs, the molten body (1) dispersed in the form of granules is deposited and accumulated in the first tank (30), and the cooling water previously stored in the first tank (30) exceeds the preset level of the first tank (30), and the cooling water exceeding the preset level is discharged into the second tank (40) through the cooling water discharge port of the first tank (30).

In addition, the second tank (40) can also collect cooling water that is sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) of the first tank (30), comes into contact with the molten body (1), and then is discharged out of the first tank (30).

As described above, the second tank (40) collects the cooling water discharged from the first tank (30) and the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle (33) and coming into contact with the molten body (1) and then flowing out of the first tank (30), and when the water level of the second tank (40) exceeds a preset water level due to the collected cooling water, the cooling water in the second tank (40) is collected in the third tank (50) connected to the second tank (40) and supplied to the cooler (60).

At this time, the cooler (60) recools the cooling water supplied from the third tank (50) to the temperature of the cooling water used in the first tank (30) and provides it to the cooling water injection nozzle (33) of the first tank (30).

As described above, the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material of the present invention can reuse the cooling water used in the process of manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules by circulating it through the first tank (30), the second tank (40), the third tank (50), and the cooler (60).

According to the device (1000) for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material described above, the present invention manufactures a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in a granule form using low-purity general copper, thereby enabling the replacement of high-purity wheat berries, thereby improving price competitiveness and providing a copper foil material capable of reducing cost.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, by manufacturing and providing a copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules, when the copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of granules is dissolved in an electrolyte during an electrolytic process in the manufacture of the copper foil, the dissolution rate increases, thereby increasing the production efficiency of the copper foil manufacture.

In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, when manufacturing a copper foil material (100) for a cathode material in the form of a granule, there is an effect of reducing facility operation costs and improving energy efficiency by reusing cooling water.

In the above, a description has been given of a device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material proposed in the present invention, but the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments presented in this specification, and those skilled in the art who understand the spirit of the present invention will be able to easily propose other embodiments by adding, changing, deleting, or adding components within the scope of the same spirit, but this will also be considered to fall within the spirit scope of the present invention.

In addition, the terms "include," "comprise," or "have" described above, unless otherwise specifically stated, mean that the corresponding component may be included, and therefore should be interpreted as including other components rather than excluding other components. All terms, including technical or scientific terms, unless otherwise defined, have the same meaning as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. Commonly used terms, such as terms defined in a dictionary, should be interpreted as being consistent with the contextual meaning of the relevant art, and shall not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense, unless explicitly defined in the present invention.

The above description is merely an illustrative description of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention but to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims (9)

In a device for manufacturing copper foil materials for cathode materials, A melting furnace comprising an outlet for discharging a molten body made of refined copper, and a first heating device arranged in one area of the outlet for preventing cooling of the molten body; A tundish having an internal cavity for receiving the molten body discharged from the discharge port, positioned at the bottom of the melting furnace, a plurality of discharge ports formed at preset intervals in one area of the side along the circumferential direction of the side, and a second heating device disposed in one area for preventing cooling of the molten body, wherein the tundish generates an inertial force on the molten body received in the internal cavity while rotating so that the molten body is discharged through the discharge port; A first tank located at the bottom of the above tundish, having a plurality of cooling water injection nozzles formed in a lower area to inject high-pressure cooling water from the bottom to the top in a cyclone manner, and in which the cooling water injected from the cooling water injection nozzles comes into contact with the molten body discharged from the tundish, thereby forming and collecting a copper foil material for a cathode material in the form of granules; A second tank in which cooling water discharged from the first tank and cooling water sprayed from the cooling water spray nozzle, coming into contact with the molten body, and then escaping out of the first tank are collected; and A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized by including a third tank; which collects cooling water in the second tank and supplies it to a cooler when the water level of the second tank exceeds a preset water level, thereby re-cooling the cooling water and providing it from the cooler to the cooling water injection nozzle of the first tank. In the first paragraph, The above outlet is, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that it includes a spout having a length corresponding to the thickness of a refractory material formed on the inner wall of the tundish and having an inner circumference formed of a hollow shape made of the refractory material, in order to prevent the tundish from being deformed or damaged due to the molten material discharged through the discharge port as the tundish rotates. In the second paragraph, The above spout, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that it is fitted into the above discharge port and can be replaced. In the first paragraph, The above first tank, It has a cylindrical portion having a vertical surface and a conical portion having an inclined surface so that the internal cross-sectional area becomes narrower as it goes toward the lower portion. A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that a plurality of cooling water injection nozzles are formed at regular intervals along a circumferential direction from an area of an inner surface of the inclined surface. In the first paragraph, The above first tank, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that the device can store cooling water up to a preset level inside, and when the level of the cooling water stored inside exceeds the preset level, the cooling water is discharged through a cooling water discharge port formed in an area of the first water tank to control the level. In the first paragraph, The above device for manufacturing copper foil material for cathode material is, An extension rod of preset length that is connected to the bottom of the above tundish; A rotation control unit coupled with the above extension rod to control the rotation of the tundish; and A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that it further includes a plurality of fixing bars for fixing the rotation control unit to the center of the lower part of the first tank. In Article 6, The above tundish is, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that the copper foil material is fixed at a preset distance from the lower end of the first tank through the extension bar, the rotation control unit, and the fixing bar. In the first paragraph, The copper foil material for the above cathode material is, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that the copper foil material for a cathode material is manufactured in a granule form by causing a steam explosion by contacting the cooling water sprayed from the cooling water injection nozzle and the molten body discharged from the discharge port of the tundish, dispersing the molten body in a granule form through the steam explosion and first cooling it, and then precipitating it in the cooling water in the first tank and second cooling it. In Article 8, The copper foil material for the above cathode material is, A device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material, characterized in that when the operation of the device for manufacturing a copper foil material for a cathode material stops, the copper foil material for a cathode material collected at the lower part of the first tank is recovered.

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