Recovery system of rare earth elements based on membrane applications

A rare earth element recovery system based on membrane applications comprising:

• a heated water bath used to carry out a leaching process at a constant temperature,
• a jacketed leaching reactor connected to the heated water bath and allowing a leaching of secondary sources in a solid phase under the constant temperature and a constant pH,
• a leaching pump connected to the jacketed leaching reactor and used for a transfer of the secondary sources in the solid phase from the jacketed leaching reactor,
• a concentrated acidic leaching peristaltic pump for transferring a concentrated acidic leach in connection with a concentrated acidic leaching chamber,
• a membrane contactor connected to the concentrated acidic leaching peristaltic pump and ensuring a concentrated acidic phase, a stripping phase and a membrane material saturated with an organic phase to be in contact,
• a stripping phase leaching chamber for the stripping phase, connected to the membrane contactor,
• a stripping phase peristaltic pump connected to the stripping phase leaching chamber, and used to transfer the stripping phase concentrated by a membrane solvent extraction to the membrane contactor,
• a paddle mixer used to ensure a mixing of the jacketed leaching reactor, the concentrated acidic leaching chamber and the stripping phase leaching chamber, wherein the paddle mixer is a full-mix reactor,
• a microfiltration unit connected to the leaching pump and configured to pre-treat the secondary sources in the solid phase to remove hydroxide floc precipitates formed after a pH treatment and particulate matters from an acidic leaching,
• a high pressure pump connected to the microfiltration unit, and configured for transferring an acidic leach treated by the microfiltration unit,
• a nanofiltration unit comprising nanofiltration membranes, pressure vessel and inlet and outlet components for a pre-concentration in connection with the high pressure pump,
• the concentrated acidic leaching chamber connected to the nanofiltration unit, wherein the concentrated acidic leach is transferred to the concentrated acidic leaching chamber.