Ion exchange reactor with particle traps for lithium extraction
AssigneeLilac Solutions, Inc.
InventorsDavid Henry Snydacker, Alexander John Grant
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products. For the extraction of lithium from the liquid resources, an ion exchange reactor has a tank, ion exchange particles, particle traps, and provision to modulate pH of the liquid resource.
Claims27
An ion exchange reactor for generating a lithium eluate solution from a liquid resource, comprising:
- a) a tank;
- b) ion exchange particles that selectively absorb lithium from said liquid resource and elute said lithium eluate solution when treated with an acid solution after absorbing lithium from said liquid resource;
- c) one or more particle traps;
- and
- d) provision to modulate pH of said liquid resource.
An ion exchange system for generating a lithium eluate solution from a liquid resource, comprising:
- a) a networked plurality of tanks;
- b) ion exchange particles that selectively absorb lithium from said liquid resource and elute said lithium eluate solution when treated with an acid solution;
- c) one or more particle traps;
- and
- d) provision to modulate pH of said liquid resource.
A method of generating a lithium eluate solution from a liquid resource, comprising:
- a) providing an ion exchange reactor comprising a tank, ion exchange particles that selectively absorb lithium from said liquid resource and elute said lithium eluate solution when treated with an acid solution after absorbing lithium ions from said liquid resource, one or more particle traps, and provision to modulate pH of said liquid resource;
- b) flowing said liquid resource into said ion exchange reactor thereby allowing said ion exchange particles to selectively absorb lithium from said liquid resource;
- c) treating said ion exchange particles with an acid solution to yield said lithium eluate solution;
- and
- d) passing said lithium eluate solution through said one or more particle traps to collect said lithium eluate solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.