System and process for producing lithium
AssigneeAlpha-En Corporation
InventorLawrence Ralph Swonger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A decoupled plating system is provided for producing lithium. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides a feed tank configured to supply a lithium-rich aqueous electrolyte stream, a plating tank that is configured to receive an organic electrolyte and plate out lithium metal from that organic electrolyte, and one or more lithium replenishment cells configured to receive both electrolytes, keep them separated, and selectively move lithium ions from the aqueous electrolyte into the spent organic electrolyte stream. The present system and process can advantageously reduce operating costs and/or improve energy efficiency in production of lithium metal and associated products.
Claims24
A process for producing lithium, the process comprising:
- forwarding an organic electrolyte to a plating tank, wherein an anode and a substrate are provided within the plating tank;
- applying a potential to the substrate, thereby plating lithium onto the substrate from the organic electrolyte and forming a spent electrolyte stream;
- and
- regenerating the spent electrolyte stream within one or more lithium replenishment cells, wherein the one or more lithium replenishment cells receive an aqueous electrolyte and the organic electrolyte in separate streams.
A process for producing lithium, the process comprising:
- introducing an organic electrolyte to a plating tank, wherein a substrate is provided within the plating tank;
- applying a potential to the substrate, thereby plating lithium onto the substrate from the organic electrolyte;
- and
- replenishing the organic electrolyte within one or more lithium replenishment cells that are configured to receive the organic electrolyte and an aqueous electrolyte, wherein the one or more lithium replenishment cells comprise a lithium ion conductive glass ceramic that separates the organic electrolyte from the aqueous electrolyte.
A process for producing lithium, the process comprising:
- introducing an organic electrolyte to a plating tank;
- applying a potential to a substrate disposed within the plating tank, thereby plating lithium onto the substrate from the organic electrolyte and forming a spent electrolyte stream;
- and
- regenerating the spent electrolyte stream within a lithium replenishment cell, wherein the lithium replenishment cell comprises a lithium ion conductive glass ceramic that separates the organic electrolyte from an aqueous electrolyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.