EP-4742348-A1 - BIDIRECTIONAL PRESSING CHARGING AND DISCHARGING EQUIPMENT AND BATTERY ACTIVATION METHOD USING SAME

EP4742348A1EP 4742348 A1EP4742348 A1EP 4742348A1EP-4742348-A1

Abstract

A bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility according to the present disclosure includes a first compression plate arranged in X direction to pressurize a front side of a battery cell; a second compression plate arranged in pairs with the first compression plates to pressurize a rear side of the battery cell; a first ball screw configured to sequentially pass through a plurality of first compression plates along X direction and move the first compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rotation; a second ball screw configured to sequentially pass through a plurality of second compression plates along X direction and move the second compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rotation; a first driving part for providing driving force to rotate the first ball screw; and a second driving part for providing driving force to rotate the second ball screw.

Inventors

BAE, HYUN WOO

Assignees

LG Energy Solution, Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20250411

Claims (14)

A bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility, for pressurizing and charging/discharging a battery cell, comprising: a first compression plate arranged in X direction to pressurize a front side of a battery cell; a second compression plate arranged in pairs with the first compression plates to pressurize a rear side of the battery cell; a first ball screw configured to sequentially pass through the plurality of first compression plates along the X direction and move the first compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rotation; a second ball screw configured to sequentially pass through the plurality of second compression plates along the X direction and move the second compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rotation; a first driving part for providing driving force to rotate the first ball screw; and a second driving part for providing driving force to rotate the second ball screw.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein each first compression plate includes two or more first through-holes for insertion of the first ball screw, each second compression plate includes two or more second through-holes for insertion of the second ball screw, the first through-holes are formed symmetrically on both sides of the first compression plate, and the second through-holes are formed symmetrically on both sides of the second compression plate.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 2, wherein the first through-holes and the second through-holes are each four in number.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 2, wherein the first through-holes and the second through-holes are formed so as not to mutually overlap in Z-Y plane.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first compression plates and the plurality of second compression plates are arranged alternately along the X direction.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, further comprising a main body part, wherein the main body part comprises: a base plate disposed below the plurality of first compression plates and the plurality of second compression plates; a front plate formed on a front side of the base plate based on the X direction; and a rear plate formed on a rear side of the base plate based on the X direction, and the plurality of first compression plates and the plurality of second compression plates are disposed between the front plate and the rear plate.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 6, wherein based on the X direction, the first driving part is located on a front side of the front plate, and based on the X direction, the second driving part is located on a rear side of the rear plate.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 2, wherein a number of the first ball screws corresponds to a number of the first through-holes, and a number of the second ball screws corresponds to a number of the second through-holes.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first compression plates and the plurality of second compression plates are configured to move in opposite directions to pressurize both sides of a battery cell.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein the first ball screw is coupled to the plurality of first compression plates, and the second ball screw is coupled to the plurality of second compression plates.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein the first driving part comprises a first motor for providing driving force and a first rotating gear configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions by the first motor, and the second driving part comprises a second motor for providing driving force and a second rotating gear configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions by the second motor.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 10, wherein one end of the first ball screw is connected to the first rotating gear, and one end of the second ball screw is connected to the second rotating gear.
The bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility of claim 1, wherein the first driving part and the second driving part are each a servo cylinder.
An activation method for secondary batteries comprising a formation process of charging a secondary battery to a predetermined depth of charge, characterized by using the pressurized charging and discharging facility according to claim 1.

Description

[Technical Field] This application claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0052272, filed on April 18, 2024, the entire contents disclosed therein are incorporated by reference into this disclosure. The present disclosure relates to a pressurized charging and discharging facility used in the manufacturing process of lithium secondary batteries and an activation method of secondary batteries using the same. [Background] Recently, demand for secondary batteries as eco-friendly energy sources has been rapidly increasing, and among such secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries that exhibit high energy density and operating potential, have long cycle life, and low self-discharge rate have been commercialized and are widely used. The lithium secondary battery can be assembled by making an electrode assembly composed of a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate coated with positive electrode active material and negative electrode active material, respectively, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, and accommodating and sealing the electrode assembly and electrolyte in a battery case in the form of a metal can or pouch. Since the secondary battery after completion of the assembly process is in a discharged state, it should be charged to activate the secondary battery to function as a battery. Therefore, an activation process for activation is performed after the secondary battery assembly process. The activation process may include a formation process of charging the secondary battery to a predetermined depth of charge, an aging process of aging the secondary battery, a degassing process for discharging gas generated during the activation process to the outside of the battery, and the like. Among them, during the formation process, reactions between electrodes and electrolyte occur actively, generating a large amount of gas, and such gas can be trapped between the electrodes and separators. To prevent gas trapping, a charging and discharging facility configured to enable pressurization during formation is used. FIG. 1 is a top view of a conventional pressurized charging and discharging facility. Referring to FIG. 1, in the conventional pressurized charging and discharging facility 10, a pressing plate 12 is formed on one side of a plurality of battery cells B, and a wall 16 is formed on the other side, and a plurality of compression plates 13 are arranged side by side along the X direction between them. Battery cells B are interposed between the compression plate 13 and adjacent compression plates 13. In the corner region of the pressing plate 12, screws 14 configured to rotate by receiving driving force from a driving part 15 are coupled through penetration, and by rotation of the screws 14, the pressing plate 12 is configured to be capable of forward and backward movement along the X direction. In other words, when the screws 14 are rotated in the forward or reverse direction, the pressing plate 12 advances and pushes the compression plates 13 in the X direction, thereby the spacing between the compression plates gradually narrows and the battery cells are pressurized. Such pressurized charging and discharging facility 10 can only pressurize in one direction, that is, from the pressing plate 12 toward the wall 16, based on the arrangement direction of the pressing plates 12 (X direction), and pressurization from the wall 16 toward the pressing plate 12 is impossible. In addition, the conventional charging and discharging facility has limitations in increasing pressure as a result of being able to pressurize only in one direction. Therefore, the conventional charging and discharging facility had problems of not being suitable when bidirectional pressurization is needed or when high pressure should be applied. [Summary] [Technical Problem] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a pressurized charging and discharging facility capable of pressurizing battery cells bidirectionally and an activation method of secondary batteries using the same. [Technical Solution] A bidirectional pressurized charging and discharging facility according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure is a facility for pressurizing and charging and discharging battery cells, comprising: a first compression plate arranged in X direction to pressurize a front side of a battery cell; a second compression plate arranged in pairs with the first compression plate to pressurize a rear side of the battery cell; a first ball screw configured to sequentially pass through the plurality of first compression plates along X direction and move the first compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rotation; a second ball screw configured to sequentially pass through the plurality of second compression plates along the X direction and move the second compression plates in ±X direction by forward and reverse rot