US 12,168,208 B2
Battery paste mixer and method
Stephen G. Baranyai, Auburn Hills, MI (US); Timothy D. Magee, Peck, MI (US); and Robert N. Wirtz, Royal Oak, MI (US)
Assigned to Wirtz Manufacturing Company, Inc., Port Huron, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/044,114
Filed by Wirtz Manufacturing Company, Inc., Port Huron, MI (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 10, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/026774
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/199959, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 17, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/657,022, filed on Apr. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0138417 A1, May 13, 2021
Int. Cl. B01F 35/92 (2022.01); B01F 23/50 (2022.01); B01F 23/53 (2022.01); B01F 25/50 (2022.01); B01F 27/82 (2022.01); B01F 35/71 (2022.01); B01F 35/90 (2022.01); H01M 4/20 (2006.01); H01M 4/56 (2006.01); H01M 4/21 (2006.01)
CPC B01F 35/92 (2022.01) [B01F 23/511 (2022.01); B01F 23/53 (2022.01); B01F 23/54 (2022.01); B01F 25/50 (2022.01); B01F 27/82 (2022.01); B01F 35/71731 (2022.01); B01F 35/90 (2022.01); H01M 4/20 (2013.01); H01M 4/56 (2013.01); B01F 2035/98 (2022.01); H01M 4/21 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A machine for mixing ingredients for making a batch of paste for a lead acid battery comprising:
a round container with a bottom wall having a diameter of at least 4 feet and with a sidewall;
an apparatus at least in part in the container for mixing together a plurality of ingredients for making a batch of battery paste;
and a plurality of separate cooling jackets each in heat transfer relationship with the bottom wall of the container and configured to transfer heat from the ingredients and through the bottom wall of the container to maintain a temperature of the ingredients throughout the mixing of the ingredients in the container of not greater than a predetermined maximum temperature;
the plurality of cooling jackets collectively are in heat transfer relationship with at least 60% of the area of the bottom wall of the container in contact with the ingredients being mixed in the container to make a batch of paste;
the average cross-sectional flow area of each cooling jacket perpendicular to the direction of flow is in the range of 0.5 to 5 square inches; and
each cooling jacket is configured to receive a flow of liquid cooling fluid separate from the other cooling jackets and at a flow rate in the range of 5 to 60 gallons per minute, the liquid cooling fluid having an inlet temperature range of 40° F. to 90° F.;
wherein at least some of the plurality of separate cooling jackets have a sinuous fluid flow passage through each of some of the cooling jackets, wherein the sinuous flow passage is formed by a portion of a rim of the sidewall, two sets of first bars and second bars, and an inlet portion of the fluid flow passage includes a third bar, wherein each second bar is perpendicular to the first bars and is sealed to an intermediate portion of an associated one of the first bars, and wherein the third bar is parallel to and laterally spaced from the adjacent first or second bar.