Nickel-cobalt solution purification system

Abstract

The utility model discloses a nickel-cobalt solution purification system, and belongs to the technical field of nickel-cobalt solution purification. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system comprises an impurity removal unit which comprises a plurality of resin adsorption columns and is used for adsorbing impurities in a nickel-cobalt solution to obtain a purified nickel-cobalt solution; the resin regeneration unit is used for regenerating the resin adsorption column; the storage unit is used for storing the purified nickel-cobalt solution and waste liquid generated after regeneration of the resin adsorption columns. Efficient purification of the nickel-cobalt solution is achieved, and the stability and reliability of the nickel-cobalt solution purification process are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of nickel-cobalt solution purification, and in particular to a nickel-cobalt solution purification system. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the production and use of lithium-ion batteries has seen unprecedented growth. However, as batteries reach the end of their lifespan, the large number of retired lithium-ion batteries poses challenges in recycling and disposal. These used batteries contain significant amounts of valuable metals, such as nickel, cobalt, and manganese, which play a key role in battery manufacturing. Therefore, achieving efficient recovery and recycling of these metals is crucial for sustainable resource management.

[0003] In the field of waste battery recycling, a series of sophisticated process flows are widely used to extract valuable materials from discarded batteries. These processes typically include key steps such as disassembly, crushing, sorting, dissolution, and extraction, aimed at separating solutions containing nickel and cobalt from waste batteries. These solutions are indispensable raw materials in battery manufacturing, so deep purification of them to remove impurities and improve purity is a key link in achieving resource recycling and supporting the production of new batteries. Although traditional purification technologies such as solvent extraction and activated carbon adsorption are effective in removing impurities, they are limited in stability and reliability in long-term operation. These methods often find it difficult to continuously and effectively remove impurities from the solution, thus affecting the purity and quality of the final product.

[0004] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solution of this application and does not constitute an admission that the above content is prior art. Utility Model Content

[0005] The main purpose of the present application is to provide a nickel-cobalt solution purification system, aiming to solve the technical problem of high impurity content in conventional nickel-cobalt solution extraction.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a nickel-cobalt solution purification system, comprising:

[0007] An impurity removal unit, comprising a plurality of resin adsorption columns for adsorbing impurities in the nickel-cobalt solution to obtain a purified nickel-cobalt solution;

[0008] A resin regeneration unit, used for regenerating the resin adsorption column;

[0009] The storage unit is used to respectively store the purified nickel-cobalt solution and the waste liquid generated after the regeneration of each resin adsorption column.

[0010] In one embodiment, the impurity removal unit further includes: a liquid tank for storing the nickel-cobalt solution to be purified.

[0011] In one embodiment, the impurity removal unit further comprises: a fine filtration tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, for removing solid residues in the nickel-cobalt solution.

[0012] In one embodiment, the resin regeneration unit includes: a water tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the water tank stores pure water for cleaning the resin adsorption columns.

[0013] In one embodiment, the storage unit includes: a saponification tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, for storing the eluate generated after each of the resin adsorption columns is cleaned.

[0014] In one embodiment, the resin regeneration unit comprises: an acid solution tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the acid solution tank stores an acidic solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption columns.

[0015] In one embodiment, the resin regeneration unit comprises: an alkaline solution tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the alkaline solution tank stores an alkaline solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption columns.

[0016] In one embodiment, the storage unit includes: a desorption liquid storage tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, for storing the desorption liquid generated after desorption from each of the resin adsorption columns.

[0017] In one embodiment, the storage unit includes: a nickel-cobalt purification solution storage tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, for storing the purified nickel-cobalt solution.

[0018] In one embodiment, the impurity removal unit, the resin regeneration unit, and the containers included in the storage unit are connected by pipelines, and each of the pipelines is provided with a pneumatic ball valve, a stop valve, and a hydraulic pump.

[0019] The embodiment of the present application discloses a nickel-cobalt solution purification system, comprising: an impurity removal unit, a resin regeneration unit and a storage unit. By integrating multiple resin adsorption columns in the impurity removal unit, it is possible to efficiently adsorb and remove various impurities from the nickel-cobalt solution, significantly improving the purity of the target nickel-cobalt substance. At the same time, it is easy to operate and highly flexible. Different types of resins can be selected according to actual needs to adapt to different impurity characteristics, which not only reduces the overall processing cost, but also reduces wastewater discharge and environmental pollution, showing good cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In addition, since multiple resin adsorption columns are set up, the nickel-cobalt solution purification system can be used alternately during production operation, that is, one group is first adsorbed to saturation, and its adsorption capacity is restored through the regeneration process, and then switched to another group for normal production. This setting can maximize work efficiency and ensure the continuous and stable operation of the nickel-cobalt solution purification system. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity of the resin adsorption column is effectively restored by the setting of the resin regeneration unit, thereby ensuring the continuous purification of the nickel-cobalt solution and improving the stability and reliability of the entire nickel-cobalt solution purification system. Furthermore, by incorporating a storage unit into the nickel-cobalt solution purification system, the purified nickel-cobalt solution is properly stored, preventing contamination during transfer or further processing, thereby ensuring the quality of the final product. Furthermore, by storing the waste liquid separately, it can be conveniently centrally treated and recycled, which not only reduces environmental pollution but also potentially reduces production costs by recovering valuable metals or chemicals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system framework structure of a nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 2 This is another schematic diagram of the system framework structure of the nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0023]

[0024] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present application involve directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), such directional indications are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0027] In addition, if there are descriptions involving "first", "second", etc. in the embodiments of the present application, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. are only for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the fact that they can be implemented by ordinary technicians in this field. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by this application.

[0028] This application proposes a nickel-cobalt solution purification system, referring to Figure 1 The nickel-cobalt solution purification system includes: a resin regeneration unit 20, an impurity removal unit 10 and a storage unit 30 connected in sequence, wherein: Figure 1 The direction of the arrow in the middle can represent the direction of liquid flow between the units.

[0029] The impurity removal unit 10 includes a plurality of resin adsorption columns for adsorbing impurities in the nickel-cobalt solution to obtain a purified nickel-cobalt solution;

[0030] In a feasible embodiment, the impurity removal unit 10 includes multiple groups of resin adsorption column groups, each group of resin adsorption column groups includes at least one resin adsorption column; and then when the nickel-cobalt solution purification system is in production operation, the resin adsorption column groups can be used alternately, that is, one group is first saturated with adsorption, and then its adsorption capacity is restored through a regeneration process, and then switched to another group for normal production. This setting can maximize work efficiency and ensure the continuous and stable operation of the nickel-cobalt solution purification system.

[0031] Exemplary resin adsorption columns include macroporous resin adsorption columns, chelate resin adsorption columns, and boron removal resin adsorption columns. Macroporous resins, a type of adsorbent with a high molecular weight network structure and a large specific surface area, exhibit excellent adsorption properties in nickel-cobalt solution purification. For example, ORZ-A2 macroporous resin can adsorb organic matter in nickel-cobalt solutions, particularly organophosphorus extractants and their hydrolysis products and derivatives (such as 2-ethylhexanoic acid). Chelating resins possess specialized functional groups that can form complexes with heavy metal ions, thereby enabling their recovery and deep removal. In nickel-cobalt solution purification, chelate resin adsorption columns can be used to adsorb metal ions such as cobalt and nickel from the solution. For example, CH-90Na resin has a strong binding affinity for nickel ions and complexed nickel (such as nickel citrate and nickel acetate), making it suitable for direct nickel adsorption in acidic environments.

[0032] Exemplary boron removal resin adsorption columns include: polystyrene copolymer-based boron removal resin (JDHG-600), high-performance ion exchange resin (CH-99), resin with N-methylglucamine functional group (LSC-800, AMBERLITETMIRA743), Diaion 01, D564, Wofatit mk 51, Purolite s108, HPB119, etc.

[0033] Resin regeneration unit 20, used for regenerating the resin adsorption column;

[0034] In one feasible embodiment, to improve the stability and reliability of the nickel-cobalt solution purification process, a resin regeneration unit 20 is provided. This unit effectively restores the adsorption capacity of the adsorption resin, thereby ensuring the continuous purification of the nickel-cobalt solution. Specifically, the resin regeneration unit 20 extends the resin's service life, reduces replacement frequency, and lowers operating costs. Furthermore, the regeneration process removes impurities adsorbed on the resin, ensuring that the purified nickel-cobalt solution reaches a higher purity standard. Furthermore, the efficient operation of the resin regeneration unit 20 helps improve the stability and reliability of the entire purification system, ensuring the continuity of the production process and the consistency of product quality.

[0035] The storage unit 30 is used to store the purified nickel-cobalt solution and the waste liquid generated after the regeneration of each resin adsorption column.

[0036] In one feasible embodiment, in order to maintain the overall performance of the purification system, optimize resource utilization and promote environmental sustainability, a storage unit 30 is provided for separately storing the purified nickel-cobalt solution and the waste liquid generated after the regeneration of each resin adsorption column. The provision of the storage unit 30 ensures that the purified nickel-cobalt solution is properly preserved to avoid contamination during transfer or further processing, thereby ensuring the quality of the final product. Secondly, by storing the waste liquid separately, the waste liquid can be conveniently centrally treated and recycled, which not only reduces environmental pollution, but also may reduce production costs by recovering valuable metals or chemicals. In addition, this separate storage method also helps to monitor and manage the flow of materials during the purification process, improving the operating efficiency and safety of the system.

[0037] It should be understood that the nickel-cobalt solution treated by the nickel-cobalt solution purification system has a boron content of less than 5 ppm, which meets the manufacturing requirements of the ternary precursor.

[0038] In this embodiment, a nickel-cobalt solution purification system is provided, comprising: an impurity removal unit 10, a resin regeneration unit 20, and a storage unit 30. By integrating multiple resin adsorption columns within the impurity removal unit 10, various impurities can be efficiently adsorbed and removed from the nickel-cobalt solution, significantly improving the purity of the target nickel-cobalt substance. Furthermore, the system is simple to operate and highly flexible, allowing different types of resins to be selected to accommodate varying impurity characteristics. This not only reduces overall processing costs but also reduces wastewater discharge and environmental pollution, demonstrating excellent cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness. Furthermore, due to the provision of multiple resin adsorption columns, the nickel-cobalt solution purification system can alternate between columns during production operation. Specifically, one group first reaches saturation, then recovers its adsorption capacity through a regeneration process, and then switches to another group for normal production. This arrangement maximizes operational efficiency and ensures continuous and stable operation of the nickel-cobalt solution purification system. Furthermore, the provision of the resin regeneration unit 20 effectively restores the adsorption capacity of the resin adsorption columns, thereby ensuring the continued purification of the nickel-cobalt solution and improving the stability and reliability of the entire nickel-cobalt solution purification system. Furthermore, by providing a storage unit 30 within the nickel-cobalt solution purification system, the purified nickel-cobalt solution is properly stored, preventing contamination during transfer or further processing, thereby ensuring the quality of the final product. Furthermore, by storing the waste liquid separately, it can be conveniently centrally treated and recycled, which not only reduces environmental pollution but also potentially reduces production costs by recovering valuable metals or chemicals.

[0039] In one possible embodiment, referring to Figure 2 The impurity removal unit 10 further includes: a liquid tank 12 for storing the nickel-cobalt solution to be purified.

[0040] In one feasible embodiment, feed tank 12 is a key device for storing the nickel-cobalt solution to be purified. It provides a buffer to balance flow fluctuations during the production process, ensuring stable system operation. Furthermore, the presence of feed tank 12 increases operational flexibility, allowing production plans to be adjusted according to actual needs. It also serves as emergency storage in the event of system failure or maintenance, ensuring production continuity. It also facilitates pre-mixing of the solution, ensuring uniform distribution of components and providing consistent raw materials for the purification step.

[0041] In one feasible embodiment, the impurity removal unit 10 further includes: a fine filter tank 13 connected to the feed liquid tank 12 and each resin adsorption column 11, respectively, for removing solid residues in the nickel-cobalt solution.

[0042] In one feasible embodiment, the nickel-cobalt solution to be purified, stored in liquid tank 12, can first flow into fine filtration tank 13 for fine filtration of solid residues; this effectively removes tiny particles and insoluble impurities from the solution, preventing blockage of pipeline 40 and damage to equipment during subsequent purification steps. Furthermore, as a pretreatment step, fine filtration tank 13 can reduce the burden of subsequent purification steps and improve the efficiency and stability of the entire purification process. Therefore, fine filtration tank 13 not only improves product quality but also optimizes the production process, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the system.

[0043] In one feasible embodiment, the resin regeneration unit 20 includes a water tank 21 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 , wherein the water tank 21 stores pure water for cleaning the resin adsorption column 11 .

[0044] In a feasible embodiment, the storage unit 30 includes: a saponification tank 31 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 , for storing the eluate generated after each resin adsorption column 11 is cleaned.

[0045] In one feasible embodiment, the resin regeneration unit 20 includes: an acid solution tank 22 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 , wherein the acid solution tank 22 stores an acid solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption column 11 .

[0046] In one feasible embodiment, the resin regeneration unit 20 includes: an alkaline solution tank 23 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 , wherein the alkaline solution tank 23 stores an alkaline solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption column 11 .

[0047] In a feasible embodiment, the storage unit 30 includes: a desorption liquid storage tank 32 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 , for storing the desorption liquid generated after desorption by each resin adsorption column 11 .

[0048] In one feasible embodiment, during the regeneration process of the resin adsorption column 11, pure water stored in the water tank 21 can be introduced to clean the resin to remove residual nickel-cobalt solution and impurities on the resin. The resulting eluate can then flow directly into the saponification tank 31. Furthermore, an acidic solution stored in the acid tank 22 can flow into the resin adsorption column 11. The acidic solution can react with certain impurities adsorbed on the resin (such as metal ions and organic matter), desorbing them from the resin. After a period of time, the desorption liquid (i.e., the desorbed acidic solution) is discharged from the resin adsorption column 11 and flows into the desorption liquid storage tank 32. Furthermore, pure water stored in the water tank 21 can be introduced again to clean the resin to remove residual acidic solution and impurities, thereby preventing residual acid from consuming the alkaline solution. The resulting eluate can then flow directly into the saponification tank 31. Furthermore, the alkaline solution stored in the alkaline solution tank 23 can flow into the resin adsorption column 11. The alkaline solution reacts with certain impurities adsorbed on the resin (such as metal ions and organic matter), desorbing them from the resin. After a period of time, the desorbed liquid (i.e., the desorbed alkaline solution) is discharged from the resin adsorption column 11 and flows into the desorbed liquid storage tank 32. The waste liquid in the desorbed liquid storage tank 32 can be further purified at a sewage treatment plant. Furthermore, the resin is rinsed again with pure water stored in the water tank 21 to remove residual alkaline solution and impurities. The resulting eluate can flow directly into the saponification tank 31.

[0049] Since the eluate may contain acidic or alkaline substances, direct discharge may cause environmental pollution. Therefore, the provision of saponification tank 31 can neutralize the eluate. Furthermore, the eluate may also contain some metallic elements. To avoid resource waste, the eluate in saponification tank 31 can be recycled in the leaching process, preventing the loss of high-value nickel and cobalt metals.

[0050] In one embodiment, the storage unit 30 includes a nickel-cobalt purified solution storage tank 33 connected to each resin adsorption column 11 for storing the purified nickel-cobalt solution. This ensures that the purified nickel-cobalt solution is properly stored to prevent contamination during transfer or further processing, thereby ensuring the quality of the final product.

[0051] In one feasible embodiment, the containers included in the impurity removal unit 10, the resin regeneration unit 20 and the storage unit 30 are connected by pipes 40, and each pipe 40 is provided with a pneumatic ball valve (not shown in the drawings), a stop valve (not shown in the drawings) and a hydraulic pump (not shown in the drawings).

[0052] The pneumatic ball valve can realize the switching function of the medium in the pipeline 40. By controlling the switch of the pneumatic actuator, the opening and closing of the ball valve can be controlled, thereby realizing the flow and cut-off of the medium in the pipeline 40. The pneumatic ball valve can also adjust the flow of the medium in the pipeline 40. By changing the opening of the pneumatic actuator, the opening degree of the ball valve can be controlled, thereby adjusting the flow of the medium. This regulation function is very important in industrial production and can achieve precise control and regulation. In addition, the pneumatic ball valve can also be used as a stop valve to cut off the flow of the medium in the pipeline 40. When it is necessary to stop the flow of the medium, just turn off the pneumatic actuator and the ball valve will be completely closed, thereby preventing the flow of the medium. The pneumatic ball valve can protect the pipeline 40 and equipment. When the medium in the pipeline 40 or equipment is abnormal, the ball valve can be quickly closed by the pneumatic actuator to cut off the flow of the medium, thereby protecting the pipeline 40 and the equipment from damage.

[0053] The stop valve can control the flow of fluid as needed. By adjusting the opening of the valve, the flow rate can be flexibly controlled to meet different needs. One of the main functions of the stop valve is to cut off the transmission of fluid. When it is necessary to temporarily interrupt the flow of fluid, the valve can be closed to prevent the fluid from passing through the pipeline 40. The stop valve can also be used to regulate the pressure in the pipeline 40 system. By adjusting the opening of the valve, the speed and pressure of the fluid can be changed to achieve the desired pressure range. The stop valve is installed in the pipeline 40 system to facilitate repair and maintenance work on the system. When the system needs to be inspected or equipment needs to be replaced, the pipeline 40 system can be isolated by closing the stop valve to ensure safe operation.

[0054] A hydraulic pump is a device that converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy. It typically consists of a motor, pump body, impeller, or gears. When the motor inputs mechanical energy to drive the pump body, the impeller or gears inside the pump body compress the liquid and push it through the pipeline, creating a certain flow rate and pressure.

[0055] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present application and does not limit the patent scope of the present application. All equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present application specification and drawings under the utility model concept of the present application, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A nickel-cobalt solution purification system, characterized in that: The nickel-cobalt solution purification system comprises: An impurity removal unit, comprising a plurality of resin adsorption columns for adsorbing impurities in the nickel-cobalt solution to obtain a purified nickel-cobalt solution; A resin regeneration unit, used for regenerating the resin adsorption column; The storage unit is used to respectively store the purified nickel-cobalt solution and the waste liquid generated after the regeneration of each resin adsorption column.

2. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The impurity removal unit further comprises: a liquid tank for storing the nickel-cobalt solution to be purified.

3. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The impurity removal unit further comprises: a fine filter tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, for removing solid residues in the nickel-cobalt solution.

4. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The resin regeneration unit includes a water tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the water tank stores pure water for cleaning the resin adsorption columns.

5. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The storage unit includes: a saponification tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, and is used to store the eluate generated after each of the resin adsorption columns is cleaned.

6. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The resin regeneration unit includes: an acid solution tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the acid solution tank stores an acid solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption columns.

7. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The resin regeneration unit comprises: an alkaline solution tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, wherein the alkaline solution tank stores an alkaline solution for desorbing impurities adsorbed by the resin adsorption columns.

8. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The storage unit includes: a desorption liquid storage tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, and is used to store the desorption liquid generated after desorption by each of the resin adsorption columns.

9. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage unit includes: a nickel-cobalt purification solution storage tank connected to each of the resin adsorption columns, and is used to store the purified nickel-cobalt solution.

10. The nickel-cobalt solution purification system according to claim 1, wherein: The containers included in the impurity removal unit, the resin regeneration unit and the storage unit are connected through pipelines, and each pipeline is provided with a pneumatic ball valve, a stop valve and a hydraulic pump.

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