IP Library Granted Patent US 12,255,304
Granted Patent B2
US 12,255,304 · App. 18/116,692 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

System with power jet modules and method thereof

Inventors: Yan Wang (Sunnyvale, CA); Lu Yang (Fremont, CA); Liang-Yuh Chen (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: eJoule, Inc
H01M4/0419B05B1/02H01M10/0525
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,255,304
App. No.
18/116,692
Granted
Mar 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processing system for producing a product material from a liquid mixture includes an array of one or more power jet modules adapted to jet the liquid mixture into one or more streams of droplets and force the one or more streams of droplets into the processing system adapted to process the one or more streams of droplets into the product material. A method for producing a product material from a liquid mixture on a processing system includes moving each of the one or more power jet modules and be connected to an opening of a dispersion chamber, opening one or more doors of the one or more power jet modules, processing the one or more streams of droplets inside a reaction chamber, closing the one or more doors of the power jets modules and moving each of the one or more power jet modules in a second direction.

Claims (46)

1. A method of producing one or more particles of a metal-containing battery material for a battery cell using a liquid mixture, comprising:

providing a processing system comprising a reaction chamber, a dispersion chamber with one or more openings, and one or more power jet modules, wherein each power jet module comprising:

one or more doors;

a power jet having an array of two or more nozzle orifices on one side of the power jet, wherein each orifice is adapted to jet the liquid mixture into one or more streams of droplets;

moving the one or more power jet modules in a first position to be on a jetting position;

opening the one or more doors on the one or more power jet modules;

jetting the liquid mixture into the one or more streams of droplets into the dispersion chamber by the one or more the power jet modules, wherein the liquid mixture comprising a lithium-containing compound and one or more metal-containing compounds;

processing the one or more streams of droplets inside the reaction chamber of the processing system into the one or more particles of the metal-containing battery material.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising closing the one or more doors of the power jets modules.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the one or more power jet modules in a second position to be on a park position.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the one or more power jet modules in a third position to position the one or more power jet modules to a service position.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising cleaning the one or more power jets using one or more cleaning assemblies to remove unwanted build-ups materials and contaminants.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising dispersing one or more uniform gas flows with the one or more streams of droplets inside the dispersion chamber at a dispersion angle (α) ranged between zero degree and about 180 degree.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a gas-liquid mixture having the one or more uniform gas flows and the one or more streams of droplets.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising drying the gas-liquid mixture at a first temperature to obtain the one or more particles of the metal-containing battery material.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising annealing the one or more particles of the metal-containing battery material at a second temperature for a reaction time into a final reaction product having desired crystal structures.

10. The method of claim 9 , the desired crystal structures of the final reaction product include a structure consisting of layered structures, layered-layered structures, spinel structures, and olivine structures.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion chamber is positioned vertically.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion chamber is positioned horizontally.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing battery material is selected from a group consisting of lithium nickel cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese oxide; and/or a mixed metal oxide with doped metal, among others.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising matching each of the one or more power jets modules to each of the one or more openings on the dispersion chamber.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling each door of the one or more power jet modules to be connected to each of the one or more openings of the dispersion chamber.

16. A method of producing one or more particles of a metal-containing battery material for a battery cell using a liquid mixture, comprising:

providing a processing system comprising a reaction chamber, a dispersion chamber with one or more openings, and one or more power jet modules, wherein each power jet module comprising:

one or more doors;

a power jet having an array of two or more nozzle orifices on one side of the power jet, wherein each orifice is adapted to jet the liquid mixture into one or more streams of droplets;

moving the one or more power jet modules in a first position to be on a jetting position;

opening the one or more doors on the one or more power jet modules;

jetting the liquid mixture into the one or more streams of droplets into the dispersion chamber by the one or more the power jet modules, wherein the liquid mixture comprising a lithium-containing compound and one or more metal-containing compounds;

dispersing one or more uniform gas flows with the one or more streams of droplets inside the dispersion chamber at a dispersion angle (α) ranged between zero degree and about 180 degree;

forming a gas-liquid mixture having the one or more uniform gas flows and the one or more streams of droplets;

processing the gas-liquid mixture inside the reaction chamber of the processing system into the one or more particles of the metal-containing battery material.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dispersion chamber is positioned vertically.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dispersion chamber is positioned horizontally.

19. A method of producing one or more particles of a metal-containing battery material for a battery cell using a liquid mixture, comprising:

providing a processing system comprising a reaction chamber, a dispersion chamber with one or more openings, and one or more power jet modules, wherein each power jet module comprising:

one or more doors;

a power jet having an array of two or more nozzle orifices on one side of the power jet, wherein each orifice is adapted to jet the liquid mixture into one or more streams of droplets;

moving the one or more power jet modules in a first position to be on a jetting position;

opening the one or more doors on the one or more power jet modules;

jetting the liquid mixture into the one or more streams of droplets into the dispersion chamber by the one or more the power jet modules, wherein the liquid mixture comprising a lithium-containing compound and one or more metal-containing compounds;

dispersing one or more uniform gas flows with the one or more streams of droplets inside the dispersion chamber at a dispersion angle (α) ranged between zero degree and about 180 degree;

forming a gas-liquid mixture having the one or more uniform gas flows and the one or more streams of droplets;

drying the gas-liquid mixture at a first temperature to obtain one or more solid materials;

annealing the one or more solid materials at a second temperature for a reaction time into the one or more particles of the metal-containing battery material with desired crystal structures.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the metal-containing battery material is selected from a group consisting of lithium nickel cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese oxide; and/or a mixed metal oxide with doped metal, among others.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2026
From: EJOULE INC.
To: EJOULE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Reel/Frame 076041/0829 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: WANG, YAN, DR.; YANG, LU, DR.; CHEN, LIANG-YUH, DR.
To: EJOULE, INC.
Reel/Frame 069776/0682 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17408214 · Aug 20, 2021
Continuation 16457889 · Jun 28, 2019
Related Publication 20230253541A1 · Aug 10, 2023
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