Back to results
US 2020/0140305 A1Published application
Method for softening lithium brine using nanofiltration
AssigneeBl Technologies, Inc.
InventorFrederick LIBERATORE
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lithium brine is treated with a multiple pass nanofiltration (NF) membrane system. Sulfate is added to permeate from an upstream pass before it flows through a downstream pass. Optionally the sulfate may be added to the permeate by dosing it with sulfuric acid or a slat such as sodium sulfate. The softened brine may then be processed further, for example by a combination of solvent extraction, electrolysis, crystallization and drying, to produce a lithium hydroxide product that can be used to make batteries.
Claims7
A lithium brine treatment system comprising,
- a) a upstream nanofiltration membrane unit;
- b) a downstream nanofiltration membrane unit;
- and,
- c) a sulfate dosing system,
- wherein a permeate outlet of the upstream nanofiltration system is connected to a feed inlet of the downstream nanofiltration unit and the sulfate dosing system is connected between the upstream and downstream nanofiltration units.
2 more elements
A process for softening lithium brine comprising the steps of,
- a) flowing the lithium brine to a nanofiltration membrane unit to produce a first permeate;
- b) adding sulfate to the first permeate;
- and,
- c) flowing the first permeate to another nanofiltration membrane unit to produce a softened permeate.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.