Selective lithium extraction chemistry for geothermal brine
AssigneeBaker Hughes Oilfield Operations LLC
InventorsSankaran Murugesan, Mary Jane Legaspi Felipe, Jerry J. Weers, Onome Ugono, Kekeli A. Ekoue-Kovi, Sai Reddy Pinappu
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Abstract
A method for selective extraction of lithium from geothermal brines using host-guest complexes of host molecules such as calixarene, dendrimeric polymers, hyper-branched polymers, and/or acid-catalyzed resins complexed with synergists such as organic acids, condensation polymers, olefin/maleic anhydride copolymers, and/or chelants.
Claims20
A method for selectively extracting lithium from geothermal brine, the method comprising:
- contacting a geothermal brine containing lithium with a host-guest complex in an effective amount and for an effective period of time to selectively extract lithium from the geothermal brine, where the host-guest complex comprises a calixarene host molecule;
- and
- extracting lithium from the geothermal brine into the host-guest complex.
A method for selectively extracting lithium from geothermal brine, the method comprising:
- contacting a geothermal brine containing lithium with a host-guest complex in an effective amount and for an effective period of time to selectively extract lithium from the geothermal brine, where:
- the host-guest complex comprises a calixarene host molecule;
- and
- the host-guest complex comprises a synergist, wherein the synergist is an organic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
- and
- extracting lithium from the geothermal brine into the host-guest complex.
A method for selectively extracting lithium from geothermal brine, the method comprising:
- contacting a geothermal brine containing lithium with a host-guest complex in an amount of host-guest complex of a mole ratio ranging from about 0:001:1 to about 100:1 based on the moles of lithium in the geothermal brine, and for an effective period of time to selectively extract lithium from the geothermal brine, where:
- the host-guest complex comprises a calixarene host molecule;
- and
- the host-guest complex comprises a synergist, wherein the synergist is an organic acid having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms;
- where the molar ration of synergist to the host molecule in the host-guest complex ranges from 1:1 to about 0.001:1;
- and
- extracting lithium from the geothermal brine into the host-guest complex.
A method for selectively extracting lithium from geothermal brine, the method comprising:
- contacting a geothermal brine containing lithium with a host-guest complex in an effective amount and for an effective period of time to selectively extract lithium from the geothermal brine, where contacting the geothermal brine with the host-guest complex comprises additionally contacting the geothermal brine with an organic carbonate effective for lithium dissolution;
- and
- extracting lithium from the geothermal brine into the host-guest complex, wherein the method further comprises application of an anodic potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.