Patent Description:
Lead-acid batteries are a common energy storage device, and are often used in the automotive industry, marine industry, motive power industry, renewable energy industry, and uninterruptable power supply industry, as well as other applications. Among other components, lead-acid batteries include positive and negative plates that are installed in its interior and are made of lead or lead alloy grids with an electrochemically active battery paste material applied on the grids. The grids are commonly designed to have intersecting wires defining open spaces to receive the battery paste material. In commercial manufacture of lead-acid batteries, the battery paste material is typically applied in viscous form to the grids via a pasting machine. From a hopper of the pasting machine, the viscous paste material is urged through an orifice and onto the grids as they pass beneath the orifice. In large production settings, the viscous paste material can be made in batches weighing between <NUM> and <NUM>,<NUM> (between <NUM>,<NUM> and <NUM>,<NUM> pounds) and then delivered to the pasting machine's hopper. The hopper can apply <NUM> (a ton) or more of the paste material to a series of grids in <NUM> to <NUM> minutes in some operations.

The battery paste material is typically a mixture of leady oxide (Pb<NUM>O<NUM>), water, sulfuric acid (H<NUM>SO<NUM>), and various additives such as carbon black, barium sulfate (BaSO<NUM>), lignosulfonate, and sulfonated naphthalene, among other possibilities. The ingredients are conventionally mixed together in a bowl or some other container of a mixing machine. The dry ingredients like the leady oxide and additives are initially mixed, and then the water is added to the mix. The sulfuric acid can then be added. The addition of sulfuric acid brings about an exothermic reaction that generates heat in the mixture. In certain lead-acid battery applications such as those in electric starters, the mixture is cooled in the bowl and kept to a temperature around <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to <NUM> °F) in order to produce a tribasic lead sulfate battery paste material. In certain other lead-acid battery applications such as those having a greater capacity of reserve power and longer cycle life, the temperature of the mixture is controlled between a range around <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> °F to <NUM> °F) in order to produce a tetrabasic lead sulfate battery paste material. After mixing is complete, the battery paste material can be cooled to less than <NUM> (<NUM> °F) and transported from the bowl to the pasting machine's hopper for subsequent application to the grids.

<CIT> is directed to a process for the production of battery paste. The method of manufacturing a battery paste includes the steps of preparing an active material in an aqueous slurry and then dehydrating the slurry to form a battery paste. In a second embodiment described, a slurry containing one or more basic lead sulfates which can be used as active material in lead-acid battery electrodes is prepared in a tank reactor stirred continuously. The sludge is extracted from the reactor and fed to a conveyor press which reduces the moisture content of the sludge to the desired level. A paste preparation unit can be continuously supplied with battery paste produced according to the manufacturing process, in order to mass produce positive and negative battery plates from grids. Further, a paste cooled by evaporation is discussed therein.

The present invention provides a battery paste mixer condensation assembly according to independent claim <NUM> and a method of condensing exiting gas in a battery paste mixer according to independent claim <NUM>. Preferred embodiments result from the dependent claims.

An inventive battery paste mixer condensation assembly includes a duct, a condenser, a basin, and a pipe. The duct is in fluid communication with a battery paste mixer. Exiting gas from the battery paste mixer can travel through the duct. The condenser is situated downstream of the duct. The basin is situated near the condenser. Condensed liquid from the condenser is deposited in the basin. The pipe is in fluid communication with the basin and is in fluid communication with the battery paste mixer. Deposited liquid in the basin can travel from the basin and to the battery paste mixer by way of the pipe.

An inventive method of condensing exiting gas in a battery paste mixer includes multiple steps. One step involves bringing gas that exits from the battery paste mixer to a condenser. Another step involves capturing condensed liquid from the condenser. Yet another step involves bringing the captured liquid to the battery paste mixer.

The following detailed description of certain embodiments and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, <FIG> illustrate a machine <NUM> for mixing together the ingredients to make a paste (active material) to be applied to a grid for making positive and/or negative plates for a lead acid battery. Typically the composition and density of the paste may vary somewhat depending on whether it is for a negative or a positive plate. Typically, lead acid batteries have a plurality of positive and negative plates arranged in cells in a case in contact with an electrolyte of weak sulfuric acid.

The mixing machine <NUM> may have a base frame <NUM> carrying a mixing bowl <NUM> with a cover <NUM>, and a hopper <NUM> for supplying finely divided red lead and/or leady oxide into the bowl through a port <NUM> in the cover. Additives and expanders and any other dry materials may be supplied to the bowl through a port <NUM> through the cover <NUM> and/or access doors <NUM> in the cover. The doors also provide access to the bowl for cleaning and maintaining it. The doors are normally closed and sealed with the cover during mixing of ingredients in the bowl. Sulfuric acid may be added to the bowl such as by conventional plumbing with a flow control valve through a port <NUM> through the cover which port is desirably adjacent the center of the bowl. Water may be supplied to the bowl through a water port <NUM> which desirably may be spaced radially outwardly of the acid port <NUM> such as by conventional plumbing with a flow control valve as is well known to those skilled in the art.

In the bowl the ingredients may be mixed together by muller wheels, paddles, or other suitable mixing apparatus. As shown in <FIG>, ingredients in the bowl may be mixed by paddles <NUM> carried by arms <NUM> circumferentially spaced apart and attached to a hub <NUM> attached to a shaft journaled for rotation in a housing <NUM> and driven for rotation by an electric motor <NUM>. If desired, the motor may be a variable speed motor such as a stepper motor and the drive may include a speed reducing gearbox. The paddles <NUM> may be attached to their associated arm at different radial distances from the axis rotation and inclined at the same or different included angles Ø relative to their associated arm. The paddles <NUM> may extend generally axially downward toward and close to a generally planar bottom wall <NUM> of the bowl. One or more arms <NUM> may also carry a scraper <NUM> with its leading edge disposed close to the housing <NUM>. A scraper <NUM> may be disposed close to a sidewall <NUM> of the bowl.

When mixing the ingredients to make battery paste an exothermic reaction between the red lead or leady oxide and the sulfuric acid rapidly produces significant heat which may be detrimental to paste for automotive batteries and other batteries used for applications needing an initial high power output such as for starting various internal combustion engines, powering electric motors or the like.

To rapidly transfer or remove sufficient heat from the mixture of the ingredients while mixing them, the bowl should have at least two and desirably three or four separate cooling jackets. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the bowl <NUM> has four separate cooling jackets <NUM>, 50a, 50b, 50c each in heat transfer relationship with the thermally conductive bottom wall <NUM> of the bowl. Each cooling jacket may have a sinuous coolant fluid flow passage <NUM> with an inlet <NUM> adjacent one end and an outlet <NUM> adjacent the other end of the flow passage. The sinuous flow passage may be formed in part by a plurality of longitudinally extending bars received and desirably sealed between the bowl bottom wall <NUM> and an underlying cover plate <NUM> which may be secured and sealed to an annular rim or a bottom edge <NUM> of the bowl sidewall <NUM> below the bottom wall <NUM> of the bowl. The inlet and outlet may be tubes <NUM>,<NUM> attached to the cover plate <NUM> and opening into the flow passage <NUM> of the cooling jacket. The bars may be of a metal such as steel and attached and sealed to the bowl bottom wall <NUM> of a thermally conductive metal such as steel such as by a weld or a suitable adhesive.

As best shown in <FIG>, the perimeter of each of the bottom cooling jackets may be formed by a portion of the rim <NUM> and two sets of first bars <NUM> and second bars <NUM> each sealed at an outer end to the rim. Each first bar <NUM> at its other end may be sealed to an intermediate portion of an associated second bar <NUM>. Each second bar <NUM> may be perpendicular to the first bars <NUM> and at its other end may be sealed to an intermediate portion of an associated one of the first bars. An inlet portion of the flow passage <NUM> of each cooling jacket may include a third bar <NUM> parallel to and laterally spaced from the adjacent first or second bar <NUM> or <NUM> and at one end desirably sealed to the other of the first and second bars, and at the other end terminating short of the rim <NUM>. An outlet portion of the flow passage <NUM> of each cooling jacket may include a fourth bar <NUM> parallel to and laterally spaced from the adjacent second or first bar <NUM> or <NUM> and with one end desirably sealed to the other of the second or first bars, and the other end terminating short of the rim <NUM>. Interconnecting portions of the flow passage <NUM> of each cooling jacket may include alternating fifth <NUM> and sixth <NUM> bars laterally spaced apart and each parallel to the fourth bar <NUM>. One end of each fifth bar <NUM> may be sealed with the third bar <NUM> and with its other end terminating short of the rim. One end of each sixth bar <NUM> may be sealed with the rim <NUM> and with its other end terminating short of the third bar <NUM>.

The volume of each flow passage and its average cross sectional area and the temperature and flow rate of coolant through the passage of each cooling jacket are designed to be sufficient to control and maintain the desired maximum temperature of all of the ingredients in the bowl throughout completion of their mixing together in the bowl. For a prototype mixing machine <NUM> with a bowl steel bottom wall <NUM> in the range of <NUM> - <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> feet) in diameter with an interior surface area of about <NUM> - <NUM><NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> square feet) in contact with the mixture, collectively the cooling jackets may have a flow passage with a volume in the range of about <NUM>%-<NUM>%, desirable <NUM>%-<NUM>% and preferably <NUM>%-<NUM>% of the interior surface area of the bottom wall <NUM> or in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> cubic inches). This total volume should be distributed between the number of bottom wall cooling jackets i.e. for four such jackets each flow passage should have about ¼+/- of this total volume. Each flow passage may have an average cross sectional flow area (perpendicular to the direction of flow) of about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> square inches), desirably about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> square inches) and preferably about <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> square inches). The ingredients in the bowl may be mixed with a plurality of radially spaced apart paddles <NUM> rotating at a speed in the range of about <NUM> - <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> rpm) and desirably about <NUM> - <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> rpm). In use a coolant of chilled liquid water which may include rust inhibitors and if desired antifreeze may flow through each cooling jacket at a rate of about <NUM> - <NUM>/min (<NUM>-<NUM> gallons per minute) and desirably <NUM> - <NUM>/min (<NUM>-<NUM> gallons per minute) and typically with an inlet temperature in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM>°F to <NUM>°F) and desirably about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM>°F to <NUM>°F). It has been empirically determined that this prototype machine with this coolant temperature and flow rate can maintain the maximum temperature of a batch of about <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM> pounds) of all paste ingredients being mixed in the bowl in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM>°F to <NUM>°F) and desirably <NUM> (<NUM>°F) and will decrease the time to make a batch of about <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM> pounds) of tribasic lead sulfate paste by about <NUM>-<NUM>% or from about <NUM> minutes to <NUM> minutes compared to the same size and similarly constructed machine having only a single water cooling jacket under and in heat transfer relationship with substantially the entire surface area of the steel bottom wall of a mixing bowl having the same inside diameter of <NUM> - <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> feet), the same axial height of the sidewall in the range of <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> inches) and the same arrangement of the same paddles <NUM> rotating at substantially the same speed of about <NUM> (<NUM> rpm). This prior art machine also has a single sidewall cooling jacket and a recirculating high velocity air flow under its cover and over and above the top of the ingredients of about <NUM><NUM>/s (<NUM>,<NUM> cubic feet per minute) at a temperature in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM> °F to <NUM> °F) which required an exhaust baghouse or scrubber to remove lead and lead oxide particles, carbon black and other particulates from this airflow to comply with environmental protection requirements and inhibit operator exposure to these airborne particles.

Optionally the mixing machine <NUM> may also include at least two and desirably three or four cooling jackets in heat transfer relationship with the thermally conductive sidewall <NUM> of a metal such as steel. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG> the machine <NUM> may have four separate cooling jackets <NUM>, 80a, 80b, 80c collectively circumferentially extending around the exterior of the sidewall <NUM> except for various areas for the paste discharge outlet <NUM> through the sidewall and other attachments to or through the sidewall. Collectively these four cooling jackets <NUM>-80c may extend around at least <NUM> percent and desirably about <NUM> percent, and preferably about <NUM> percent of the circumference of the exterior of the sidewall <NUM> and may extend axially or vertically on the sidewall at least <NUM> percent of its vertical or axial height, desirably about <NUM> to <NUM> percent of its vertical or axial height, and preferably about <NUM> percent of its vertical or axial height from the bottom toward the top of the bowl sidewall. If desired, the sidewall cooling jacket may extend over substantially the entire vertical or axial extent of the sidewall <NUM> which may aid in condensing some of the water vapor and any steam produced during the mixing of the ingredients of the paste.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG> each of the optional sidewall cooling jackets <NUM>-80c may have a sinuous flow passage <NUM> with an inlet <NUM> adjacent one end and an outlet <NUM> adjacent the other end of the flow passage. Each jacket may have a perimeter defined at least in part by first <NUM> and second <NUM> arcuate bars laterally or vertically spaced apart and extending circumferentially along and attached and sealed to the outside of the sidewall <NUM> and axially extending end bars <NUM> which at their ends may be sealed to the first <NUM> and second <NUM> bars and attached and sealed to the sidewall. The sinuous flow passage <NUM> may be defined in part by a series of generally axially extending and circumferentially spaced apart alternating bars <NUM> and <NUM> with one end sealed to one and the other of the circumferentially extending first and second bars <NUM> and <NUM> and at the other end terminating short of the other circumferential first or second bar. Each of the bars <NUM> and <NUM> is desirably sealed and attached to the sidewall. All of the bars of each cooling jacket may be of steel and attached and sealed to a steel sidewall such as by welding or by a suitable adhesive. An outer cover <NUM> overlies the bars and may be attached and sealed to the perimeter circumferential bars <NUM>,<NUM> and end bars <NUM> such as by welding a cover of metal such as steel to these metal bars. The cover <NUM> may also be maintained in firm engagement with the axial bars <NUM> and <NUM> such as by spot welding or may be attached and sealed to the bars by a suitable adhesive. If it is desired that the cover be removable it may be attached to the bars by a series of cap screws or the like threaded into the bars. Coolant inlet and outlet tubes of metal may be attached to a cover <NUM> of metal such as by welding and communicate with the flow passage desirably between one of the axial end bars <NUM> and its adjacent bar <NUM> or <NUM>. One tube may serve as the cooling fluid inlet and the other as its outlet.

The sidewall cooling jackets collectively may have flow passages <NUM> with a volume of about <NUM>% to <NUM>%, desirably <NUM>% to <NUM>%, and preferably <NUM>% to <NUM>% of the surface area of the sidewall or about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> cubic inches). This total volume will be distributed among the number of sidewall cooling jackets desirably about substantially equally. Each flow passage may have an average cross sectional flow area (perpendicular to the direction of flow) in the range of about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> square inches), desirably about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> square inches) and preferably about <NUM> to <NUM><NUM> (<NUM> to <NUM> square inches). In use cooling water may flow through each cooling jacket at a flow rate of about <NUM> to <NUM>/min (<NUM> to <NUM> gallons per minute) and desirably about <NUM> - <NUM>/min (<NUM>-<NUM> gallons per minute) with an inlet temperature to each separate cooling jacket flow passage of about <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM>°F to <NUM>°F) and desirably <NUM> to <NUM> (<NUM>°F to <NUM>°F).

For the prototype mixing machine described above for making a batch of about <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM> pounds) of battery paste the addition of these four sidewall cooling jackets <NUM>-80c, through which chilled water flowed with an inlet temperature of about <NUM> (<NUM>°F) and a flow rate of about <NUM>/min (<NUM> gallons per minute), further decreased the time for making a batch of tribasic lead sulfate battery paste by about <NUM>-<NUM> minutes.

It has been empirically determined that a batch of high quality tribasic lead sulfate paste of about <NUM> kilograms or <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM> pounds) can be produced by this prototype mixing machine in about <NUM>-<NUM> minutes including about <NUM> minutes for charging the bowl with all of the dry ingredients and mixing them in the bowl before water was added, <NUM> minutes for adding water and mixing it with the dry ingredients, and about <NUM>-<NUM> minutes for adding the dilute sulfuric acid and mixing it with the ingredients to produce a homogenous high quality paste ready for discharge from the prototype machine and use in pasting grids to produce either positive or negative plates depending on the composition, density and moisture content of the paste. During mixing the ingredients reached a maximum temperature of about <NUM> (<NUM>°F) and were cooled to about <NUM> (<NUM>°F) before being discharged from the bowl.

For at least most applications the plurality of bottom only or bottom and sidewall cooling jackets maintains a low enough maximum temperature of all of the ingredients of the paste while being mixed in the bowl, so that the bowl may be closed and substantially sealed during mixing such as by a suitable cover <NUM> without the need to circulate or pass any cooling air through the bowl during mixing to make a batch of paste therein. This essentially prevents any of the ingredients from escaping to the atmosphere outside of the bowl and thus eliminates the need for any system of air bag house filtration or air scrubbers to remove particulate ingredients from the air stream that would otherwise pass through the bowl. This also eliminates the significant operating expense of maintaining and removing particulate contaminants from the air bag or scrubber system and decreases the risk of exposure of operating personnel to airborne particulate matter.

If desired, the risk of particulate ingredients passing out of a sealed bowl can be further reduced by exhausting fresh air at a low velocity through the sealed bowl above the mixture and through a downstream HEPPA filter at a flow rate of about <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>/min (<NUM> to <NUM> CFM) and desirably <NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>/min (<NUM> to <NUM> CFM) such via a bowl one way inlet, across the bowl, through a one-way bowl outlet, a HEPPA filter by an exhaust fan and to the atmosphere.

If desired at least some of the water vapor and any steam produced during mixing in the sealed bowl can be condensed by a cooling device in the sealed bowl and adjacent the top of the sealed bowl such as a chilled plate or a chilled cooling coil operating at a maximum temperature of about <NUM> (<NUM> °F).

The method of making large batches of battery paste for positive or negative plates for a lead acid battery, typically on the order of <NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM> pounds) per batch, includes mixing together all of the ingredients of the paste at a desired controlled temperature and a desired maximum temperature depending on the type of paste by a mixing machine <NUM> with multiple separate cooling jackets in heat transfer relationship with at least <NUM>%, desirably <NUM>%, and preferably <NUM>% of the surface area of the bowl or container in contact with all of the ingredients for the paste while being mixed together in the container. In at least some implementations of the method a plurality of only bottom cooling jackets are needed in heat transfer relationship collectively with at least <NUM>%, desirably <NUM>%, and preferably <NUM>% of only the bottom surface area of the container in contact with the ingredients when all of the ingredients for a batch of paste are in the container and are being mixed together in the container. During mixing together of all of the ingredients for a batch of tribasic lead sulfate paste, cooling fluid flowing through only bottom cooling jackets can maintain a predetermined desired maximum temperature of the mixture.

The disclosed method and mixing machine for making a batch of battery paste for a lead acid battery may have none, one or more of the significant practical advantages of greatly reducing the time required to make a batch of paste typically in the range of <NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> (<NUM>,<NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM> pounds), maintaining a desired controlled temperature and maximum temperature of all of the ingredients of the paste during mixing to facilitate and improve the application of the mixed paste to a grid, improved performance characteristics of the maximum initial power output of batteries with plates made with tribasic lead sulfate paste and cycle life and reserved capacity of tetrabasic lead sulfate paste produced by this method and/or machine, producing a homogenous mixture of the ingredients of the mixed paste, and producing a high quality paste having enhanced desirable performance characteristics such as improved control of paste density, improved control of paste moisture content, and improved control of the formation of tribasic lead sulfate paste and improved control of tetrabasic lead sulfate crystals of such paste. The disclosed method and machine greatly reduces and may even eliminate the need to pass a large volume of chilled air through the container to adequately cool the paste and maintain a satisfactory maximum temperature of the mixture of all the ingredients of the paste during mixing thereof. The mixing of all the ingredients in a sealed container without flowing any cooling air through the container also significantly decreases the cost of making a batch of battery paste and greatly decreases the likelihood that any particulate ingredients of the mixture may enter the atmosphere outside of the container and exposure operating personnel and other equipment to airborne particulate ingredients.

Referring to another embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, a battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> can capture liquid that is evaporated amid a mixing process of battery paste material. The liquid is water in the examples presented here, and the water can then be added back to the mixing process at certain stages thereof and to the battery paste material. Enhanced batch-to-batch consistency and quality of battery paste material is hence furnished. The battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> can be employed to ultimately provide a more efficient and more effective battery paste material mixing process than previously possible, and to provide a heightened level of control of the ingredients combined together to make the battery paste material that has not been demonstrated in past mixing procedures. The battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> is employed in larger operations that manufacture lead-acid batteries for cars, trucks, hybrid vehicles, motorcycles, boats, snowmobiles, golf carts, consumer equipment such as powered wheelchairs, industrial equipment such as forklifts and robots, as well as for other applications.

As used herein, the term downstream generally refers to a direction that is with the flow of gas traveling through the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>; the term upstream generally refers to a direction that is against the flow of gas traveling through the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>; and the term lead refers to both lead and lead alloy materials.

In general, the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> is equipped on a battery paste mixer <NUM>. The battery paste mixer <NUM> is a machine in which the addition and mixing of ingredients of the battery paste material takes place and its temperature is regulated, and in which the battery paste material is therefore yielded. The battery paste mixer <NUM> can have various designs and constructions in different examples. In the example of <FIG> and <FIG>, the battery paste mixer <NUM> has a base frame (not depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>), a mixing bowl <NUM> with a cover <NUM>, and a hopper (not depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>). The ingredients that makeup the battery paste material can be added to the mixing bowl <NUM> via ports and doors and other accessible openings in the cover <NUM>, and muller wheels, paddles, and/or other parts mix the ingredients together. The hopper is carried above the mixing bowl <NUM> and holds the leady oxide and supplies it to the mixing bowl <NUM>. To cool the mixture in the mixing bowl <NUM> as heat is generated upon the addition of the sulfuric acid, one or more cooling jackets or other cooling techniques can be outfitted in the mixing bowl <NUM>.

It has been observed that amid the mixing process in a mixing machine such as the battery paste mixer <NUM>, a not insignificant amount of the water ingredient added to the mixture is evaporated and removed therefrom as a consequence of an evaporative cooling action that occurs. To provide a general example for demonstrative purposes, as much as approximately forty percent (<NUM>%) of the water added to the mixture can be lost to evaporation. Evaporative cooling can take place during the mixing process, for instance, when the sulfuric acid is added to other ingredients of the battery paste material. In the past, the expected loss of water was accounted for by adding more of the water ingredient than needed in the mixture. The extra water would evaporate, and the remaining water would generally be sufficient for the mixing process and for the battery paste material being made. But the general lack of control and lack of precision implicit in the expected and estimated loss of water and additional water has been shown in some cases to result in inconsistencies in quality among different batches of battery paste material. Battery paste material that exhibits diminished quality can cause degradative lead-acid battery performance.

The battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> resolves the shortcomings of past mixing procedures. The battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> receives gas that exits and exhausts from the battery paste mixer <NUM> and can condense water from the gas and can return the water back to the battery paste mixer <NUM>. In this way, water is not lost to evaporation and the extra water of the previous procedures and the consequential imprecision are eliminated with the use of the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>. The battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> can have various designs, constructions, and components in different embodiments depending upon - among other considerations - the design and construction of the battery paste mixer <NUM> in which the assembly <NUM> is equipped with. In the embodiment presented by <FIG> and <FIG>, the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> includes a set of ducts, a condenser <NUM>, a basin <NUM>, a set of pipes, a blower <NUM>, and a controller <NUM>. In other embodiments, the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM> could have more, less, and/or different components than those set forth herein.

The ducts are in fluid communication with the battery paste mixer <NUM> and receive gas exiting from the battery paste mixer <NUM>. The ducts direct the gas to the condenser <NUM>, and then return the gas back to the battery paste mixer <NUM> to establish a recirculation path relative to the battery paste mixer <NUM>. The recirculation path helps ensure that liquid in moisture form in the gas is properly and appropriately condensed by the condenser <NUM> - that is, if moisture remains in the gas upon a first passing through the condenser <NUM>, the moisture and gas can then be perhaps condensed by the condenser <NUM> upon a second passing and recirculation through the condenser <NUM>, or even upon a third or more passing therethrough. The gas is mainly a stream of air with evaporated water in the examples presented here. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the ducts include a first or exhaust duct <NUM>, a second or transition duct <NUM>, and a third or return duct <NUM>. The first duct <NUM> is mounted directly to the cover <NUM> of the mixing bowl <NUM> at a proximal end <NUM> and is open to an interior of the mixing bowl <NUM> in order to accept gas therefrom. The first duct <NUM> is situated upstream of the condenser <NUM>. The second duct <NUM> is connected to the first duct <NUM> and fluidly communicates therewith. The second duct <NUM> is situated immediately downstream of the first duct <NUM>. The second duct <NUM> has an increasingly widening and diverging extent in the downstream direction and hence exhibits a larger cross-section than the first duct <NUM>. The widening extent accommodates delivery of gas to the condenser <NUM>. The basin <NUM> is housed at the second duct <NUM>. The third duct <NUM> is connected to a housing <NUM> of the condenser <NUM> and fluidly communicates therewith. The third duct <NUM> is situated immediately downstream of the condenser's housing <NUM>. Similar to the first duct <NUM>, the third duct <NUM> is mounted directly to the cover <NUM> of the mixing bowl <NUM> at a proximal end <NUM> and is open to the mixing bowl's interior in order to deliver gas thereto. The third duct's mounting is at a discrete site and location of the cover <NUM> from the first duct <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>. As shown, the first duct <NUM> and third duct <NUM> are mounted to the cover <NUM> at positions that are diametrically opposite each other relative to the circular shape of the cover <NUM>. The mountings of the first and third ducts <NUM>, <NUM> are also at opposite walls of the mixing bowl <NUM>. These positions facilitate the recirculation and condensing of the gas amid use of the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>.

Furthermore, one or more exhaust ports can be incorporated into the ducts to provide a passage of departure for gas when the condenser <NUM> is not activated for condensation. The exhaust ports can direct the gas downstream to a filtration arrangement such as a bag house filtration system. In the embodiment of the figures, a first exhaust port <NUM> is located near a junction of the first and second ducts <NUM>, <NUM> and upstream of the condenser <NUM>, and a second exhaust port <NUM> is located in the third duct <NUM> and downstream of the blower <NUM>. Valves can be equipped at the first and second exhaust ports <NUM>, <NUM> to regulate the flow of gas thereat. The valves can be of the pneumatic type, or can be of another type of valve.

The condenser <NUM> works to condense water from the gas passing through it. The water is hence pulled out of the gas via the condenser <NUM>. In this embodiment, the condenser <NUM> is placed between the second duct <NUM> and the third duct <NUM>, and receives gas passing through the first and second ducts <NUM>, <NUM> and conveys gas to the third duct <NUM>. The condenser <NUM> can be of various types in different embodiments. Here, the condenser <NUM> is of the type having a condenser coil with coolant such as cooling water being pumped through the condenser coil. A first set of pipes carries the coolant to and from the condenser coil, and a second set of pipes carries water or some other cleanser for cleaning the exterior of the condenser coil. Furthermore, the condenser <NUM> includes the housing <NUM> for supporting and sheltering components of the condenser <NUM> and for containing the gas as it passes over the condenser coil. Still, skilled artisans will appreciate that condensers of this type can have more, less, and/or different components than those described herein.

The basin <NUM> accepts the condensed water deposited from the condenser <NUM>. Depending on the state of operation of the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>, the deposited water can be held temporarily in the basin <NUM> and subsequently withdrawn therefrom via the pipes, or the deposited water can momentarily collect in the basin <NUM> as it makes its way to the pipes. The basin <NUM> can have various designs, constructions, and components in different embodiments. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the basin <NUM> is suspended within the second duct <NUM> and is positioned immediately upstream of and beneath the condenser <NUM>. In this position, the basin <NUM> can catch condensed water as it falls from the condenser <NUM>. To accommodate the passage of gas through the second duct <NUM>, a spacing <NUM> resides between the basin's outboard wall and the confronting wall of the second duct <NUM> and around a section or more of the basin's perimeter. The basin <NUM> in this embodiment has a pan-like construction with a converging bottom structure to slant deposited water in the basin <NUM> to a location for delivery to the pipes.

The pipes are in fluid communication with the basin <NUM> and receive the deposited water from the basin <NUM>. Depending on the state of operation of the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>, the pipes direct the water back to the battery paste mixer <NUM> and mixture therein from which the water had evaporated, or the pipes direct the water to a drain <NUM> where the water is not returned to the battery paste mixer <NUM>. The pipes can have various arrangements in different embodiments. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the pipes include a first pipe <NUM> and a second pipe <NUM>. The first pipe <NUM> is in fluid communication with the basin <NUM> and, when opened, is in fluid communication with the battery paste mixer <NUM> and delivers deposited water from the basin <NUM> to the battery paste mixer <NUM>. One end of the first pipe <NUM> is mounted to the basin <NUM>, and another end of the first pipe <NUM> is mounted directly to the cover <NUM> of the mixing bowl <NUM> for the delivery of water to the mixing bowl's interior. In this embodiment, the first pipe's end mounted to the basin <NUM> is mounted directly to a sidewall of the basin <NUM>. Here, as the deposited water collects in the basin <NUM>, it can rise to the level of the first pipe's mounting at the sidewall and thereat be withdrawn from the basin <NUM> via the first pipe <NUM>. To regulate the flow of the deposited water from the basin <NUM> and to the battery paste mixer <NUM> and/or to the drain <NUM>, one or more valves may be equipped in the pipes. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, a first valve <NUM> is equipped in the first pipe <NUM> near the mounting to the basin <NUM>. The first valve <NUM> opens and closes - as commanded by a controller such as the controller <NUM> - in order to permit and prevent the travel of the deposited liquid from the basin <NUM> and to the mixing bowl <NUM>. The first valve <NUM> can be of the pneumatic type, or can be of another type of valve.

The second pipe <NUM> is in fluid communication with the basin <NUM> and, when opened, is in fluid communication with the drain <NUM> and delivers deposited water from the basin <NUM> to the drain <NUM>. One end of the second pipe <NUM> is mounted to the basin <NUM>, and another end of the second pipe <NUM> leads to the drain <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the second pipe <NUM> includes a pair of segmented pipes that come together at a Y-type connection <NUM> and fluidly communicate thereat. A first of the segments spans from the basin <NUM>, and a second of the segments spans from and is connected to the first pipe <NUM>. In this embodiment, the first of the segments and its more direct and immediate mounting to the basin <NUM> can be used to flush-out the basin <NUM> of sentiment that may build-up in the basin <NUM> over time. The second of the segments, on the other hand, can be used to withdraw deposited water from the basin <NUM> and direct the deposited water to the drain <NUM> when needed to prevent the basin <NUM> from overfilling and overflowing. The overfill and overflow prevention may be called for when, for instance, the deposited water is not being directed back to the battery paste mixer <NUM> via the first pipe <NUM> but the basin <NUM> is still accepting condensed water from the condenser <NUM>. In this embodiment, a second valve <NUM> is equipped in the second pipe <NUM> at the second of the segments and near the connection to the first pipe <NUM>. The second valve <NUM> opens and closes - as commanded by a controller such as the controller <NUM> - in order to permit and prevent the travel of the deposited liquid from the basin <NUM> and to the drain <NUM>. The second valve <NUM> can be of the pneumatic type, or can be of another type of valve. Furthermore, a third valve <NUM> is equipped in the first of the segments of the second pipe <NUM> near the mounting to the basin <NUM>. The third valve <NUM> opens and closes - as commanded by a controller such as the controller <NUM> - in order to permit and prevent the travel of the deposited liquid from the basin <NUM> and to the drain <NUM>. The third valve <NUM> can be of the pneumatic type, or can be of another type of valve.

The blower <NUM> works to move gas through the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>. When the blower <NUM> is activated, the gas is drawn from the battery paste mixer <NUM> and through the ducts and passed the condenser <NUM>. The gas is further driven by the activated blower <NUM> through the third duct <NUM> and recirculated back to the mixing bowl's interior. The blower <NUM> can be of various types in different embodiments. Here, the blower <NUM> is of the type having a fan for causing movement of the gas through the battery paste mixer condensation assembly <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A battery paste mixer condensation assembly, comprising:
a duct in fluid communication with a battery paste mixer, exiting gas from the battery paste mixer is travelable through the duct;
a condenser situated downstream of the duct;
a basin situated adjacent the condenser, condensed liquid from the condenser is deposited in the basin; and
a pipe in fluid communication with the basin and in fluid communication with the battery paste mixer, deposited liquid in the basin is travelable from the basin to the battery paste mixer via the pipe.