An automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes

Abstract

This invention relates to an automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes, belonging to the field of salt lake brine processing technology. The device includes an open end for recovering crystals; a hydraulic drive mechanism located at the bottom of the tank to drive the rotation of the stirring tube shaft; a hemispherical collection chamber fitted onto the stirring tube shaft, moving up and down relative to the shaft, with its edge contacting the inner wall of the tank; a first drain pipe communicating with a hydraulic cavity and a first inlet pipe communicating with a hollow cavity on the side wall of the tank, both connected to a storage tank; a through-hole on the stirring tube shaft for collecting crystals; and a bottom scraper slidably mounted on the stirring tube shaft, moving only axially along the shaft. This simple structure of the bottom scraper allows for simultaneous stirring of the liquid inside the tank and scraping of crystals from the hemispherical collection chamber, effectively solving the technical problem of excessive crystal adhesion caused by an overly complex stirring mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of salt lake brine processing technology, specifically relating to an automated salt lake lithium extraction device. Background Technology

[0002] Lithium possesses numerous excellent physicochemical properties and has a wide range of functions and applications. It is considered an "energy metal that drives world progress." Initially, lithium products were mainly used in the military. With the rapid development of industries such as new energy, metallurgy, aerospace, and glass manufacturing, the demand for lithium has been increasing year by year, and the development of lithium extraction technology has also received increasing attention. Approximately 80% of lithium resources are contained in salt lake brines. Salt lake brines have complex compositions and contain a large number of metallic and non-metallic elements.

[0003] In the prior art, such as Chinese Patent No. CN202211085352.2, "A Device for Extracting Lithium Carbonate from Salt Lake Brine," this invention discloses a device for extracting lithium carbonate from salt lake brine. The device features a heating tank mechanism with a drive mechanism fixedly installed on its top and a support column fixedly connected to the ground. The heating tank mechanism includes a tank shell and a top cover, with the top cover movably connected to the top surface of the tank shell. The tank shell contains a heating chamber and a stirring chamber. The bottom surface of the inner wall of the stirring chamber has a groove, and a hemispherical liquid storage box is movably connected inside the groove. The drive mechanism includes a servo motor and a stirring rod, with the top of the stirring rod penetrating... The top surface of the top cover is fixedly connected to the shaft end of the servo motor. A connecting bearing is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the inner wall of the hemispherical liquid storage box. The inner ring of the connecting bearing is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the bottom end of the stirring rod. The stirring rod is rotatably connected to the hemispherical liquid storage box through the connecting bearing. Arc-shaped plates are fixedly connected to both sides of the lower outer wall of the stirring rod. A stirring net is fixedly connected to the ground of the arc-shaped plate. Filter holes are provided through the outer wall of the stirring net. This invention solves the problem that some brine at the bottom of the heating tank cannot be fully stirred, and the residual brine will reduce the heating effect. In addition, the existing crystals are usually in clumps after formation, making them difficult to extract from the tank.

[0004] However, in the existing technology, the brine crystallizes in the heating tank and adheres to the stirring mechanism inside. The more complex the stirring mechanism, the larger the adhesion area and the more difficult it is to clean later. At the same time, in the above application, when removing the crystallized sodium carbonate, it is still necessary to manually open all the parts on the top cover and remove it, which is very cumbersome and reduces efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this invention proposes an automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes.

[0006] The specific technical solution of this invention is as follows: An automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes, comprising:

[0007] The tank body is equipped with a liquid injection pipeline;

[0008] A stirring tube shaft is installed inside the tank. The upper end of the stirring tube shaft is a closed end, and the lower end of the stirring tube shaft is an open end. The open end is used to recover crystals.

[0009] A hydraulic drive mechanism is provided at the bottom of the tank body and is used to drive the stirring tube shaft to rotate.

[0010] A hemispherical collection chamber is sleeved on the stirring tube shaft. The hemispherical collection chamber moves up and down relative to the stirring tube shaft. The edge of the hemispherical collection chamber contacts the inner wall of the tank. A hydraulic cavity is formed between the hemispherical collection chamber and the bottom of the tank.

[0011] The tank sidewall is provided with a first drain pipe communicating with the hydraulic cavity and a first inlet pipe communicating with the hollow cavity. Both the first drain pipe and the first inlet pipe are connected to the storage tank.

[0012] The stirring tube shaft has a through hole for collecting the crystals;

[0013] A bottom scraper, which moves only along the axial direction of the stirring tube shaft, is slidably mounted on the stirring tube shaft and is used to clean the inner wall of the hemispherical collection chamber and to stir the liquid in the tank.

[0014] Furthermore, there is at least one bottom scraper.

[0015] Furthermore, the bottom scraper includes: a scraper body, which is mounted on the stirring tube shaft via a sleeve, and the sleeve is provided with a liquid passage groove, which cooperates with a through hole to collect crystals inside the tank.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a limiting ring, which is installed on the hemispherical collection chamber via a limiting post. The scraper body has a T-shaped through groove, and the limiting ring is placed in the T-shaped through groove to limit the relative displacement between the scraper body and the hemispherical collection chamber.

[0017] Furthermore, the hydraulic drive mechanism includes a drive blade installed at the lower end of the stirring tube shaft and a hydraulic drive housing. The hydraulic drive housing has a receiving chamber for accommodating the drive blade. The receiving chamber is connected to the hollow cavity of the tank shell through a second liquid inlet pipe. The receiving chamber is connected to the hydraulic cavity through a second liquid outlet pipe. The second liquid inlet pipe and the second liquid outlet pipe are located on both sides of the receiving chamber. The receiving chamber is connected to the storage tank through a return liquid pipe.

[0018] Furthermore, pump bodies are installed on both the first drain pipe and the first inlet pipe.

[0019] Furthermore, solenoid valves are installed on the second inlet pipe, the second outlet pipe, the return pipe, the first outlet pipe, and the first inlet pipe.

[0020] Furthermore, it also includes a sealing mechanism, which includes a sealing tube fitted on the stirring tube shaft, one end of a sealing spring fixedly connected to the stirring tube shaft, and the other end of the sealing spring connected to the sealing tube. In the initial state, the sealing tube is located at the through hole and is used to seal the through hole to prevent liquid from entering.

[0021] Furthermore, sealing rings are provided on both the surface of the hemispherical collection chamber that contacts the stirring tube shaft and the surface that contacts the tank body.

[0022] Furthermore, a rotating sealing joint is provided at the lower end of the stirring tube shaft for connecting to an external filtration mechanism.

[0023] Beneficial effects:

[0024] 1. This application achieves the simultaneous stirring of the liquid inside the tank and scraping of crystals on the hemispherical collection chamber through the simple structure of the bottom scraper, effectively solving the technical problem of excessive crystal adhesion caused by the overly complex stirring mechanism.

[0025] 2. This application provides the power required for stirring and the power for the hemispherical collection chamber to rise and clean the inner wall of the tank through hydraulic power drive, while also providing a conductive medium for water bath heating, improving heat conduction efficiency, and the power output is relatively stable.

[0026] 3. This application achieves centralized collection by cleaning the crystals on the inner wall and bottom of the tank, and controls the position of the hemispherical collection chamber through a hydraulic system to discharge the crystals without opening the top cover, which simplifies the operation and enables fully mechanized and automated extraction of lithium carbonate. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the hemispherical collection chamber of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the second location of the hemispherical collection chamber of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 4 A magnified view of part A in the image;

[0032] Figure 6 For the present invention Figure 4 A magnified view of part B in the image;

[0033] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 4 A magnified view of part C;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a bottom view of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation position of the drive fan blade in this invention;

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the location of the liquid transfer tank in this invention;

[0037] Explanation of markings in the diagram:

[0038] Tank body 1, hollow cavity 11, first drain pipe 12, first inlet pipe 13, stirring shaft 2, injection pipe 3, hydraulic drive mechanism 4, drive fan blade 41, hydraulic drive housing 42, receiving chamber 43, second inlet pipe 44, second drain pipe 45, return pipe 46, hemispherical collection chamber 5, hydraulic cavity 6, bottom scraper 7, scraper body 71, sleeve 72, liquid passage groove 73, limiting ring 74, limiting post 75, T-shaped through groove 76, through hole 8, sealing mechanism 9, sealing pipe 91, sealing spring 92, rotating sealing joint 10. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "middle," "outer," "inner," etc., which indicate orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the components or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0041] An automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes includes:

[0042] like Figure 1 and Figure 4Tank 1, a liquid injection pipeline 3 is provided on the tank 1, a detachable top cover is provided on the tank 1, the liquid injection pipeline 3 is provided on the top cover or the side wall of the tank 1, the shape of the tank 1 is not limited to that shown in the figure, the outer wall of the tank 1 may be covered with a heat insulation layer to maintain the temperature of the liquid medium inside the tank 1;

[0043] A stirring tube shaft 2 is installed inside the tank body 1. The upper end of the stirring tube shaft 2 is a closed end, and the lower end of the stirring tube shaft 2 is an open end. The open end is used to recover crystals. The upper end of the stirring tube shaft 2 is installed on the inner wall of the tank body 1 by a bracket. The bracket and the stirring tube shaft 2 are connected by a bearing.

[0044] A hydraulic drive mechanism 4 is disposed at the bottom of the tank body 1 and is used to drive the stirring tube shaft 2 to rotate.

[0045] A hemispherical collection chamber 5 is sleeved on the stirring tube shaft 2. The hemispherical collection chamber 5 moves up and down relative to the stirring tube shaft 2. The edge of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 contacts the inner wall of the tank body 1. A hydraulic cavity 6 is formed between the hemispherical collection chamber 5 and the bottom of the tank body 1. The edge of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 is provided with an annular scraper or is sharpened to scrape off the crystals on the inner wall of the tank body 1, so that the crystals are mixed with the solution and discharged together. The annular scraper is detachable.

[0046] The tank body 1 has a first drain pipe 12 connected to the hydraulic cavity 6 and a first inlet pipe 13 connected to the hollow cavity 11 on its side wall. Both the first drain pipe 12 and the first inlet pipe 13 are connected to the storage tank. The storage medium in the storage tank is water to prevent contamination of the brine. At the same time, the storage tank is equipped with a heating pipe (not shown in the figure) for heating the storage tank. A temperature sensor is also installed in the storage tank for temperature monitoring.

[0047] The through hole 8 on the stirring tube shaft 2 is used to collect the crystals;

[0048] A bottom scraper 7, which moves only along the axial direction of the stirring tube shaft 2, is slidably mounted on the stirring tube shaft 2. It is used to clean the inner wall of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 and to stir the liquid in the tank 1. There is at least one bottom scraper 7.

[0049] This application achieves the simultaneous stirring of the liquid inside the tank and scraping of crystals on the hemispherical collection chamber through a simple bottom scraper structure, effectively solving the technical problem of excessive crystal adhesion caused by an overly complex stirring mechanism.

[0050] like Figure 6 and Figure 10The bottom scraper 7 includes a scraper body 71, which is mounted on the stirring tube shaft 2 via a sleeve 72. The sleeve 72 is provided with a liquid passage 73, which cooperates with the through hole 8 to collect crystals inside the tank 1.

[0051] The outline of the liquid passage 73 is not smaller than the outline of the through hole 8. The scraper body 71 can be tilted to facilitate stirring of the internal brine. The surface of the scraper body 71 adjacent to the inner wall of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 is sharpened to facilitate scraping off the crystals on the inner wall of the hemispherical collection chamber 5.

[0052] This application provides the power required for stirring and the power for the hemispherical collection chamber to rise and clean the inner wall of the tank through hydraulic power drive. At the same time, it provides a conductive medium for water bath heating, improves heat conduction efficiency, and the power output is relatively stable.

[0053] like Figure 7 It also includes a limiting ring 74, which is installed on the hemispherical collection chamber 5 via a limiting post 75. The scraper body 71 has a T-shaped through groove 76, and the limiting ring 74 is placed in the T-shaped through groove 76 to limit the relative displacement between the scraper body 71 and the hemispherical collection chamber 5.

[0054] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 The hydraulic drive mechanism 4 includes a drive blade 41 mounted on the lower end of the stirring tube shaft 2 and a hydraulic drive housing 42. The hydraulic drive housing 42 has a receiving chamber 43 for accommodating the drive blade 41. The receiving chamber 43 is connected to the hollow cavity 11 of the tank body 1 via a second inlet pipe 44 and to a hydraulic cavity 6 via a second outlet pipe 45. The second inlet pipe 44 and the second outlet pipe 45 are located on opposite sides of the receiving chamber 43. The receiving chamber 43 is connected to a storage tank via a return pipe 46. Pumps are installed on both the first outlet pipe 12 and the first inlet pipe 13. Solenoid valves are installed on the second inlet pipe 44, the second outlet pipe 45, the return pipe 46, the first outlet pipe 12, and the first inlet pipe 13. The diameter of the return pipe 46 is larger than the diameter of the second outlet pipe 45.

[0055] This application reduces the need for a specific motor for stirring by using a heating medium for power drive, thereby saving costs.

[0056] like Figure 5It also includes a sealing mechanism 9, which includes a sealing tube 91, which is fitted on the stirring tube shaft 2. One end of the sealing spring 92 is fixedly connected to the stirring tube shaft 2, and the other end of the sealing spring 92 is connected to the sealing tube 91. The sealing tube 91 is located at the through hole 8 in the initial state and is used to seal the through hole 8 to prevent liquid from entering.

[0057] This application achieves centralized collection of crystals by cleaning the inner wall and bottom of the tank, and uses a hydraulic system to control the position of the hemispherical collection chamber to discharge the crystals externally, eliminating the need to open the top cover, thus simplifying operation and enabling fully mechanized and automated extraction of lithium carbonate.

[0058] Sealing rings are provided on the surfaces of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 that contact the stirring tube shaft 2 and the surface that contacts the tank body 1. A rotating sealing joint 10 is provided at the lower end of the stirring tube shaft 2 for connection to an external filtration mechanism. Temperature sensors are provided in both the tank body 1 and the hollow cavity 11 of the shell for temperature monitoring.

[0059] Work process:

[0060] S1: Preheat tank 1;

[0061] Pump status: The pump on the first inlet pipe 13 is working; the pump on the first outlet pipe 12 is closed.

[0062] Solenoid valve status: The solenoid valves on the return line 46 and the first drain line 12 are closed, while the solenoid valves on the second inlet line 44, the second drain line 45 and the first inlet line 13 are open.

[0063] like Figure 2 The first pump body (the pump body on the first inlet pipe 13) draws the heated water from the storage tank. The medium passes through the first inlet pipe 13, the hollow cavity 11 of the shell, the second inlet pipe 44, the receiving chamber 43, the second drain pipe 45, and the hydraulic cavity 6 in sequence. The liquid in the hydraulic cavity 6 flows back to the storage tank through the first drain pipe 12 to achieve circulation. After a period of time, the internal temperature of the tank 1 rises to the specified temperature.

[0064] At this time, the hemispherical collection chamber 5 will not move upward because the diameter of the return liquid pipeline 46 is larger than the diameter of the second drain liquid pipeline 45.

[0065] S2: Feeding;

[0066] Pump status: The pumps on the first inlet pipe 13 and the first outlet pipe 12 are closed;

[0067] Solenoid valve status: The solenoid valves on return line 46, first drain line 12, second inlet line 44, second drain line 45 and first inlet line 13 are closed;

[0068] First, the brine enters the tank 1 through the injection pipe 3;

[0069] S3: Continuously stir the brine in tank 1;

[0070] Pump status: The pump on the first inlet pipe 13 is on; the pump on the first outlet pipe 12 is off.

[0071] Solenoid valve status: Solenoid valves on the first inlet line 13, the second inlet line 44, and the return line 46 are open; Solenoid valves on the first drain line 12 and the second drain line 45 are closed.

[0072] The first pump body (the pump body on the first inlet pipe 13) draws the heated water from the storage tank after heating, and then enters the storage tank through the first inlet pipe 13, the hollow cavity 11 of the shell, the second inlet pipe 44, the receiving chamber 43, and the return pipe 46 in sequence. During this process, the drive fan blade 41 is driven to rotate. Because the stirring tube shaft 2 is connected to the drive fan blade 41, the stirring tube shaft 2 rotates. Because the stirring tube shaft 2 is equipped with a bottom scraper 7, the bottom scraper 7 rotates. At this time, the bottom scraper 7 acts as a stirring blade to stir the brine in the tank 1 and form a vortex.

[0073] S4: Scrape off the crystals formed in the fully reacted brine;

[0074] Pump status: The pump on the first inlet pipe 13 is on; the pump on the first outlet pipe 12 is off.

[0075] Solenoid valve status: Solenoid valves on the first inlet line 13, the second inlet line 44, and the second outlet line 45 are open; Solenoid valves on the first outlet line 12 and the return line 46 are closed.

[0076] like Figure 3 The first pump body (the pump body on the first liquid inlet pipe 13) draws the heated water from the storage tank and injects it into the hydraulic cavity 6 through the first liquid inlet pipe 13, the hollow cavity 11 of the shell, the second liquid inlet pipe 44, and the second liquid outlet pipe 45 in sequence. At this time, the liquid in the hydraulic cavity 6 increases, which in turn drives the hemispherical collection chamber 5 to rise. The edge of the hemispherical collection chamber 5 scrapes off the crystals attached to the inner wall of the tank 1. The scraped crystals mix with the remaining brine and concentrate inside the tank 1.

[0077] S5: Collect and separate the liquid containing crystals inside tank 1.

[0078] As the hemispherical collection chamber 5 rises, the sleeve 72 on the bottom scraper 7 contacts the sealing tube 91 and drives the sealing tube 91 to move upward, thereby opening the through hole 8. The mixed liquid flows through the liquid tank 73 and the through hole 8 into the stirring tube shaft 2 and the rotating sealing joint 10 to connect with the external filtration system for collection. The filtration system only needs to filter the crystals, which will not be described in detail in this application.

[0079] S6: Reset

[0080] The solenoid valve on the first drain line 12 is opened, and the pump on the first drain line 12 is activated to extract the heated water in the hydraulic cavity 6, causing the hemispherical collection chamber 5 to move downward and reset.

[0081] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0082] The preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed above are merely illustrative of the invention. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the invention to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of the invention, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize the invention. The invention is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. An automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes, characterized in that, include: Tank body (1), on which a liquid injection pipeline (3) is provided; A stirring tube shaft (2) is installed inside the tank body (1). The upper end of the stirring tube shaft (2) is a closed end, and the lower end of the stirring tube shaft (2) is an open end. The open end is used to recover crystals. A hydraulic drive mechanism (4) is provided at the bottom of the tank (1) and is used to drive the stirring tube shaft (2) to rotate. A hemispherical collection chamber (5) is fitted on the stirring tube shaft (2). The hemispherical collection chamber (5) moves up and down relative to the stirring tube shaft (2). The edge of the hemispherical collection chamber (5) contacts the inner wall of the tank (1). A hydraulic cavity (6) is formed between the hemispherical collection chamber (5) and the bottom of the tank (1). The tank body (1) is provided with a first drain pipe (12) connected to the hydraulic cavity (6) and a first inlet pipe (13) connected to the hollow cavity (11) on its side wall. Both the first drain pipe (12) and the first inlet pipe (13) are connected to the storage tank. The through hole (8) on the stirring tube shaft (2) is used to collect the crystals. A bottom scraper (7) that moves only along the axial direction of the stirring tube shaft (2) is slidably mounted on the stirring tube shaft (2) for cleaning the inner wall of the hemispherical collection chamber (5) and stirring the liquid in the tank (1); The hydraulic drive mechanism (4) includes a drive fan blade (41) installed at the lower end of the stirring tube shaft (2) and a hydraulic drive housing (42). The hydraulic drive housing (42) is provided with a receiving chamber (43) for accommodating the drive fan blade (41). The receiving chamber (43) is connected to the hollow cavity (11) of the shell of the tank (1) through a second liquid inlet pipe (44). The receiving chamber (43) is connected to the hydraulic cavity (6) through a second liquid outlet pipe (45). The second liquid inlet pipe (44) and the second liquid outlet pipe (45) are located on both sides of the receiving chamber (43). The receiving chamber (43) is connected to the storage tank through a return liquid pipe (46). The sealing mechanism (9) includes a sealing tube (91), which is fitted on the stirring tube shaft (2). One end of the sealing spring (92) is fixedly connected to the stirring tube shaft (2), and the other end of the sealing spring (92) is connected to the sealing tube (91). The sealing tube (91) is located at the through hole (8) in the initial state and is used to seal the through hole (8) to prevent liquid from entering.

2. The automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, There is at least one bottom scraper (7).

3. The automated lithium extraction device from salt lakes according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom scraper (7) includes: a scraper body (71), which is mounted on the stirring tube shaft (2) through a sleeve (72). The sleeve (72) is provided with a liquid passage (73), which cooperates with the through hole (8) to collect the crystals inside the tank (1).

4. An automated lithium extraction device from a salt lake according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a limiting ring (74), which is installed on the hemispherical collection chamber (5) by a limiting post (75). A T-shaped through groove (76) is provided on the scraper body (71), and the limiting ring (74) is placed in the T-shaped through groove (76) to limit the relative displacement between the scraper body (71) and the hemispherical collection chamber (5).

5. An automated lithium extraction device from a salt lake according to claim 1, characterized in that, Pump bodies are installed on both the first drain pipe (12) and the first inlet pipe (13).

6. An automated lithium extraction device from a salt lake according to claim 1, characterized in that, Solenoid valves are installed on the second liquid inlet pipe (44), the second liquid outlet pipe (45), the liquid return pipe (46), the first liquid outlet pipe (12), and the first liquid inlet pipe (13).

7. An automated lithium extraction device from a salt lake according to claim 1, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided on the surface of the hemispherical collection chamber (5) that contacts the stirring tube shaft (2) and on the surface that contacts the tank body (1).

8. An automated lithium extraction device from a salt lake according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the stirring tube shaft (2) is provided with a rotating sealing joint (10) for connecting to an external filtration mechanism.

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