Steam supply device and method for extracting lithium from brine

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of new energy supply, and discloses a steam supply device and method for extracting lithium from brine. The steam supply device comprises a steam supply mechanism, an energy storage reservoir, a lithium extraction mechanism and a hydroelectric generation mechanism, the steam supply mechanism can process snow water and / or rainwater and generate steam energy, and brine in the energy storage reservoir can flow through the hydroelectric generation mechanism by means of gravity and then enters the lithium extraction mechanism for evaporation and lithium extraction; the hydraulic power generation mechanism converts potential energy of brine into electric energy and provides the electric energy for the steam supply mechanism, so that the steam supply mechanism can continuously generate steam energy, the steam energy is continuously provided for the lithium extraction mechanism, the lithium extraction mechanism receives the steam energy and evaporates the brine to extract lithium, full utilization of energy and efficient production are achieved, the power supply stability is high, and the production efficiency is high. The brine enters a production stage by virtue of gravity, so that energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of new energy supply technology, and in particular to a steam supply device and method for extracting lithium from brine. Background Art

[0002] Extracting lithium from brine is one of the important ways to obtain lithium resources. With the rapid development of the new energy industry, especially the rise of the lithium battery industry, the demand for lithium has increased significantly. Among them, the evaporation crystallization method is widely used. It is a process in which part of the water is evaporated to make the lithium salt in the brine reach an oversaturated state, and then crystals are precipitated, and the lithium salt product is obtained through filtering, washing, drying and other steps. In the process of extracting lithium from brine, evaporating water is a crucial step. Steam is usually generated by a steam supply device to provide the necessary heat and power. The steam supply system in the prior art needs to be close to a lake or wetland to extract fresh water as a water source for the steam supply process. Therefore, the layout of the steam supply system has great limitations. If the steam supply system is located in a remote area and far away from the fresh water area, it is difficult to supply steam. In addition, the prior art usually uses thermal power generation to provide electricity for the steam supply system. This method is too expensive and not suitable for large-scale promotion and use, and the power stability and energy utilization rate are low. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a steam supply device and method for extracting lithium from brine, which has stable electric energy and can fully utilize energy.

[0004] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0005] A steam supply device for extracting lithium from brine, comprising a lithium extraction mechanism, a steam supply mechanism, an energy storage reservoir and a hydroelectric power generation mechanism, wherein:

[0006] The lithium extraction mechanism is used to evaporate brine to extract lithium;

[0007] The steam supply mechanism can process snow water and / or rain water to generate steam energy, and continuously provide the steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism;

[0008] The energy storage reservoir is used to store brine, and the brine in the energy storage reservoir can flow through the hydropower generation mechanism by gravity and then enter the lithium extraction mechanism;

[0009] The hydroelectric power generation mechanism can convert the potential energy of brine into electrical energy and provide the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism.

[0010] Preferably, the steam supply device further comprises a photovoltaic power generation mechanism and / or a wind power generation mechanism for selectively providing electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism.

[0011] Preferably, the energy storage reservoir is connected to a pumping mechanism, which can pump brine into the energy storage reservoir, and the hydropower generation mechanism can provide electrical energy for the pumping mechanism; the steam supply device also includes a photovoltaic power generation mechanism and / or a wind power generation mechanism, and the photovoltaic power generation mechanism and / or the wind power generation mechanism can provide electrical energy for the pumping mechanism.

[0012] Preferably, the steam supply mechanism includes a boiler, and a steam supply pipeline is provided between the boiler and the lithium extraction mechanism for supplying steam to the lithium extraction mechanism; the boiler is also provided with a water supply pipeline for supplying snow water and / or rain water to the boiler.

[0013] Preferably, the steam supply mechanism further comprises a condensed water circuit, one end of the condensed water circuit is connected to the lithium extraction mechanism, and the other end is connected to the water supply pipeline.

[0014] Preferably, the steam supply pipeline and the water supply pipeline are both provided with a first regulating valve.

[0015] Preferably, the water supply pipeline also includes a pure water preparation reservoir, in which a filter component is provided, through which snow water and / or rain water can flow, and / or a water level detection component is provided in the pure water preparation reservoir for detecting the water level in the pure water preparation reservoir.

[0016] Preferably, the steam supply device further comprises a waste heat utilization mechanism, which is connected to the steam supply mechanism and is used to recover heat energy generated by the steam supply mechanism.

[0017] Preferably, the waste heat utilization mechanism is provided with a water quality detector and an alarm device.

[0018] A steam supply method for extracting lithium from brine, using the above steam supply device, comprises the following steps:

[0019] The energy storage reservoir is opened to release water, and the brine flows from the energy storage reservoir through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism by gravity. The hydroelectric power generation mechanism converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy, and provides the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism;

[0020] The brine flows from the hydroelectric power generation mechanism to the lithium extraction mechanism by gravity; the steam supply mechanism processes snow water and / or rain water to generate steam energy;

[0021] The steam supply mechanism continuously provides steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism, and the steam energy evaporates the brine to extract lithium.

[0022] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0023] The present invention proposes a steam supply device for extracting lithium from brine, including a steam supply mechanism, an energy storage reservoir, a lithium extraction mechanism and a hydroelectric power generation mechanism. The steam supply mechanism can process snow water and rainwater and generate steam energy, solving the technical problem of difficulty in supplying steam when the steam supply mechanism is far away from fresh water; the brine in the energy storage reservoir can flow through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism by gravity and then enter the lithium extraction mechanism for evaporation and lithium extraction, wherein when the brine flows through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy, and provides the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism, so that the steam supply mechanism can continuously generate steam energy, and continuously provide the steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism, and the lithium extraction mechanism receives the steam energy to evaporate the brine and extract lithium. This device adds a hydroelectric power generation mechanism between the high-level storage stage and the low-level production stage of the brine, so as to realize the conversion of the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy, realize full utilization of energy and efficient production, and have high power supply stability.

[0024] The present invention provides a steam supply method for extracting lithium from brine, which uses the steam supply device as described above to extract lithium from brine, thereby achieving full utilization of energy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the steam supply device provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the steam supply mechanism provided by the present invention;

[0027] In the figure:

[0028] 1. Lithium extraction mechanism; 2. Steam supply mechanism; 3. Energy storage reservoir; 4. Hydroelectric power generation mechanism; 5. Pumping mechanism; 6. Photovoltaic power generation mechanism; 7. Wind power generation mechanism; 8. Power energy storage mechanism; 9. Waste heat utilization mechanism; 10. Control and regulation mechanism;

[0029] 21. Boiler; 211. First regulating valve; 212. Second regulating valve; 22. Steam supply pipeline; 23. Water supply pipeline; 24. Pure water preparation tank; 25. Condensate circuit; 91. Domestic heating equipment; 911. Third regulating valve; 92. Toilet flushing water collection device; 921. Fourth regulating valve; 93. Online water quality detector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0031] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0032] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0033] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", etc., directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

[0034] Lithium extraction from brine refers to the process of extracting lithium from lithium-containing brine (the lithium in the brine mainly exists in the form of lithium ions). The present invention proposes a steam supply device for lithium extraction from brine, comprising a lithium extraction mechanism 1, a steam supply mechanism 2, an energy storage reservoir 3 and a hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4, wherein the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 is used to supply power to the steam supply mechanism 2 so that the steam supply mechanism 2 can continuously generate steam energy, the steam supply mechanism 2 is used to continuously provide steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism 1, the energy storage reservoir 3 is used to provide brine to the lithium extraction mechanism 1, and the lithium extraction mechanism 1 is used to evaporate the brine through steam energy to extract lithium.

[0035] Specifically, the energy storage reservoir 3 is arranged above the lithium extraction mechanism 1, and the brine in the energy storage reservoir 3 flows from the energy storage reservoir 3 through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 by gravity and then enters the lithium extraction mechanism 1. In this process, when the brine flows through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy and provides the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism 2. The electricity used by the steam supply mechanism 2 when working can come from the electrical energy generated by the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4. The steam supply mechanism 2 continuously generates steam energy and continuously provides steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism 1. The lithium extraction mechanism 1 evaporates and extracts lithium after receiving the brine and steam energy. In this process, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 is added between the brine storage stage and the production stage, and the potential energy of water is converted into electrical energy, which realizes full utilization of energy and efficient production. Moreover, the brine enters the production stage by gravity, without adding additional power, reducing the demand for additional energy, thereby saving energy consumption. In addition, the steam supply mechanism 2 can process snow water and rain water to generate steam energy, which solves the technical problem of difficulty in steam supply when the steam supply mechanism 2 is located in a remote area and far away from fresh water.

[0036] Reference Figure 1 The steam supply device also includes a photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 and a wind power generation mechanism 7, which are used to provide electric energy for the steam supply mechanism 2 to increase the power supply efficiency. The steam supply device uses light energy and wind energy to generate electric energy, which is green, environmentally friendly and renewable. Furthermore, the photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 and the wind power generation mechanism 7 can also choose to supply power to the steam supply mechanism 2. The photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 is used to generate electricity during sunny days, and the wind power generation mechanism 7 is used to generate electricity at night or on cloudy days. By combining two different energy forms, the dependence on a single energy source can be reduced, the stability and reliability of energy supply can be improved, and the continuous steam output of the steam supply mechanism 2 can be further guaranteed.

[0037] In addition, the energy storage reservoir 3 is connected to a pumping mechanism 5. The salt lake is the raw material of brine. The pumping mechanism 5 can extract brine from the salt lake into the energy storage reservoir 3, so that the brine enters the reserve stage. Specifically, the brine in the energy storage reservoir 3 flows from the energy storage reservoir 3 through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 by gravity and enters the lithium extraction mechanism 1. In this process, when the brine flows through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy. At this time, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 can also provide electrical energy for the pumping mechanism 5 to ensure that the pumping mechanism 5 can stably extract brine into the reserve stage, thereby providing a guarantee for the subsequent brine to enter the production stage. Furthermore, the photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 and / or the wind power generation mechanism 7 can also provide electrical energy for the pumping mechanism 5, adjust the supply according to the production demand, reduce the amount of abandoned electricity, and maximize energy utilization.

[0038] It is understandable that the energy storage reservoir 3 can be equipped with an insulation layer. The salt lake converts the sun's radiation energy into heat energy under the sun's irradiation, and the brine absorbs a large amount of heat. The pumping mechanism 5 draws the brine after absorbing heat into the energy storage reservoir 3. The energy storage reservoir 3 can keep the brine warm in the storage stage, and then when the brine enters the production stage, that is, the lithium extraction mechanism 1, it already has a certain temperature, which can reduce the steam energy required by the lithium extraction mechanism 1 and realize efficient energy utilization.

[0039] In addition, the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 can adopt a water turbine generator, including a turbine and a generator. When the brine flows through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 by gravity, the brine enters the turbine and impacts the blades of the turbine. Its potential energy is converted into the kinetic energy of the turbine blades. The turbine is connected to the generator, and the rotation of the turbine drives the rotor inside the generator to rotate, thereby generating electrical energy.

[0040] Reference Figure 2 The steam supply mechanism 2 includes a boiler 21. The boiler 21 can specifically be an electrode boiler, which is a device that uses the high thermal resistance of water to directly convert electrical energy into thermal energy and generate hot water and steam. A steam supply pipeline 22 is provided between the boiler 21 and the lithium extraction mechanism 1. The steam generated by the boiler 21 is input into the lithium extraction mechanism 1 through the steam supply pipeline 22. Providing steam to the lithium extraction mechanism 1 through the steam supply pipeline 22 can reduce heat loss. The boiler 21 is also provided with a water supply pipeline 23. The water supply pipeline 23 can input snow water and / or rain water into the boiler 21, and then the boiler 21 converts electrical energy into thermal energy.

[0041] Furthermore, the water supply pipeline 23 also includes a pure water preparation tank 24. Before entering the boiler 21, the snow water and / or rain water first enters the pure water preparation tank 24. The pure water preparation tank 24 is provided with a filtering component and a water level detection component. The filtering component can filter and purify the snow water and / or rain water to obtain pure water to meet the water quality requirements of the boiler 21 and avoid too many impurities in the water affecting the operation efficiency and safety of the boiler 21. The water level detection component can detect the water level in the pure water preparation tank 24 to avoid too much or too little water affecting the supply.

[0042] In order to ensure that the water in the boiler 21 can be recycled and maximize resource utilization, the steam supply mechanism 2 also includes a condensed water loop 25, one end of which is connected to the lithium extraction mechanism 1, and the other end is connected to the water supply pipeline 23. The steam generated by the boiler 21 enters the lithium extraction mechanism 1 and undergoes heat exchange to produce condensed water, and then the condensed water enters the water supply pipeline 23 through the condensed water loop 25, and finally returns to the boiler 21 to produce steam again. It can be understood that the steam enters the lithium extraction mechanism 1 for heat exchange, and the lithium extraction mechanism 1 adopts an evaporation lithium extraction process for the lithium extraction process, that is, the water in the seawater is evaporated by condensation technology and condensed into liquid water. This liquid water is condensed water, which usually has a high purity. Therefore, the condensed water loop 25 does not need to be connected to the pure water preparation reservoir 24, and the condensed water can directly enter the boiler 21 for reuse.

[0043] The steam supply pipeline 22 and the water supply pipeline 23 are both provided with a first regulating valve 211 , which can adjust the flow of steam entering the lithium extraction mechanism 1 and the flow of pure water entering the boiler 21 in real time.

[0044] The steam supply device also includes a waste heat utilization mechanism 9, which is connected to the boiler 21 and is used to recover the heat energy generated by the boiler 21. Specifically, the boiler 21 converts electrical energy into heat energy and generates hot water and steam. The boiler 21 also includes a continuous discharge port, which is connected to the waste heat utilization mechanism 9. The waste heat utilization mechanism 9 can recover the hot water generated by the boiler 21 to achieve full utilization of resources. The continuous discharge port is provided with a second regulating valve 212, which is used to adjust the hot water discharge amount of the boiler 21.

[0045] Furthermore, the waste heat utilization mechanism 9 includes a heating port and an external discharge interface. The heating port is connected to the domestic heating equipment 91 to make full use of the waste heat discharged from the external discharge. The heating port is provided with a third regulating valve 911, which can adjust the flow of the discharged water in real time according to the flow required for heating. The external discharge interface is provided with a fourth regulating valve 921 and connected to the toilet flushing water collection device 92. The waste heat utilization mechanism 9 is also provided with an online water quality detector 93 to detect the water quality index in real time. Once the index exceeds the limit value, the alarm device will sound an alarm, and at the same time, the fourth regulating valve 921 at the external discharge interface will be opened, and the hot water in the waste heat utilization mechanism 9 will flow to the toilet flushing water collection device 92, and the remaining heat will be transferred to the flushing water, so as to keep the water temperature of the flushing water system above the freezing point and avoid freezing of the flushing water in cold periods. Therefore, the hot water in the waste heat utilization mechanism 9 has multiple uses. When the water quality index does not exceed the limit value, it is used for domestic heating. When the water quality index exceeds the limit value, it is used for toilet flushing, which makes safer use of the waste heat generated by the boiler 21.

[0046] In addition, refer to Figure 1The steam supply device may further include an electric energy storage mechanism 8 and a control and regulation mechanism 10, so that the electric energy generated by the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4, the photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 and the wind power generation mechanism 7 can be stored in the electric energy storage mechanism 8, and then the electric energy storage mechanism 8 provides the electric energy to the steam supply mechanism 2 and the pumping mechanism 5, thereby improving the comprehensive energy storage efficiency of the steam supply device. The control and regulation mechanism 10 is used to control the operation of the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4, the photovoltaic power generation mechanism 6 and the wind power generation mechanism 7.

[0047] This application proposes a method for extracting lithium from brine, and the specific process is as follows:

[0048] The energy storage reservoir 3 is opened to release water, and the brine flows from the energy storage reservoir 3 through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 by gravity. The hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy, and provides the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism 2;

[0049] The brine flows from the hydroelectric power generation mechanism 4 to the lithium extraction mechanism 1 by gravity, and the steam supply mechanism 2 receives the electric energy to process the snow water and / or rain water to generate steam energy;

[0050] The steam supply mechanism 2 continuously supplies steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism 1, and the steam energy evaporates the brine to extract lithium.

[0051] When the brine goes from the storage stage to the production stage, the potential energy of the brine is converted into electrical energy to power the steam supply mechanism 2, thereby achieving full utilization of energy. The steam supply mechanism 2 processes snow water and rain water to generate steam energy, which solves the technical problem of difficulty in steam supply when the steam supply mechanism 2 is far away from fresh water.

[0052] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to list all the embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steam supply device for extracting lithium from brine, characterized in that: It comprises a lithium extraction mechanism (1), a steam supply mechanism (2), an energy storage reservoir (3) and a hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4), wherein: The lithium extraction mechanism (1) is used to evaporate brine to extract lithium; The steam supply mechanism (2) is capable of processing snow water and / or rain water to generate steam energy, and continuously supplies the steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism (1); The energy storage reservoir (3) is used to store brine, and the brine in the energy storage reservoir (3) can flow through the hydropower generation mechanism (4) by gravity and then enter the lithium extraction mechanism (1); The hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4) is capable of converting the potential energy of brine into electrical energy, and providing the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism (2).

2. The steam supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steam supply device further comprises a photovoltaic power generation mechanism (6) and / or a wind power generation mechanism (7) for selectively providing electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism (2).

3. The steam supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The energy storage reservoir (3) is connected to a pumping mechanism (5), and the pumping mechanism (5) is capable of pumping brine into the energy storage reservoir (3). The hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4) is capable of providing electric energy to the pumping mechanism (5). The steam supply device also includes a photovoltaic power generation mechanism (6) and / or a wind power generation mechanism (7), and the photovoltaic power generation mechanism (6) and / or the wind power generation mechanism (7) are capable of providing electric energy to the pumping mechanism (5).

4. The steam supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The steam supply mechanism (2) comprises a boiler (21), and a steam supply pipeline (22) is provided between the boiler (21) and the lithium extraction mechanism (1) for supplying steam to the lithium extraction mechanism (1); the boiler (21) is also provided with a water supply pipeline (23) for supplying snow water and / or rain water to the boiler (21).

5. The steam supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The steam supply mechanism (2) further comprises a condensed water circuit (25), one end of the condensed water circuit (25) being connected to the lithium extraction mechanism (1) and the other end being connected to the water supply pipeline (23).

6. The steam supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The steam supply pipeline (22) and the water supply pipeline (23) are both provided with a first regulating valve (211).

7. The steam supply device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The water supply pipeline (23) further comprises a pure water preparation reservoir (24), wherein a filter component is arranged in the pure water preparation reservoir (24), and snow water and / or rain water can flow through the filter component, and / or a water level detection component is arranged in the pure water preparation reservoir (24) for detecting the water level in the pure water preparation reservoir (24).

8. The steam supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The steam supply device further comprises a waste heat utilization mechanism (9), which is connected to the steam supply mechanism (2) and is used to recover the heat energy generated by the steam supply mechanism (2).

9. The steam supply device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The waste heat utilization mechanism (9) is provided with a water quality detector and an alarm device.

10. A steam supply method for extracting lithium from brine, characterized in that: Using the steam supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 comprises the following steps: The energy storage reservoir (3) is opened to release water, and the brine flows from the energy storage reservoir (3) through the hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4) by gravity. The hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4) converts the potential energy of the brine into electrical energy, and supplies the electrical energy to the steam supply mechanism (2); The brine flows from the hydroelectric power generation mechanism (4) to the lithium extraction mechanism (1) by gravity; the steam supply mechanism (2) processes snow water and / or rain water to generate steam energy; The steam supply mechanism (2) continuously supplies steam energy to the lithium extraction mechanism (1), and the steam energy evaporates the brine to extract lithium.

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