Carbon-Sulfate Separation Using Carrier-Body Agglomeration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of elemental carbon from hardly soluble alkaline earth sulfates in lithium battery recycling processes has not been effectively addressed, limiting the efficient recovery of valuable resources.
Innovation Solution
A process involving alkaline earth metal contact, leaching, suspension, and solid-solid separation using carrier bodies to agglomerate carbon and alkaline earth sulfates, allowing for their efficient separation without dissolution steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional hydrometallurgical processes are used to separate carbon from alkaline earth sulfates, then complete separation can be achieved, but high energy consumption and complex dissolution steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter from dissolved to suspended form, enabling separation without complete dissolution. By maintaining the alkaline earth sulfate in suspended form and using selective dissolution of carbon, the process achieves separation with reduced energy consumption compared to conventional methods that require complete dissolution and subsequent precipitation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts only the carbon component from the mixture through selective dissolution, leaving the alkaline earth sulfate intact in suspended form. This selective extraction approach avoids the energy-intensive complete dissolution and re-precipitation cycles required by conventional hydrometallurgical processes.
2Measurement precision
If conventional solid-liquid separation methods are used, then carbon can be separated from the mixture, but the process requires dissolution steps that increase complexity and energy use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the approach from complete dissolution to selective dissolution followed by solid-liquid separation. By controlling dissolution conditions to affect only carbon while leaving alkaline earth sulfate undissolved, the process simplifies the overall procedure and reduces the number of unit operations required.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an intermediary dissolution step that selectively affects carbon but not alkaline earth sulfate. This intermediary approach allows for simplified separation by creating a system where one component is in liquid solution form while the other remains as suspended solid, enabling straightforward filtration or decantation.
3Productivity
If direct recycling of battery materials is implemented, then valuable metals can be recovered, but effective separation of carbon from alkaline earth sulfates remains unresolved
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs parameter changes in dissolution conditions to achieve selective separation of carbon from alkaline earth sulfates. By adjusting dissolution parameters, the process enables effective separation that supports complete material recovery in recycling applications, resolving the previously unresolved separation challenge.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical separation methods with a chemical dissolution approach that selectively targets carbon. This substitution provides a more efficient separation mechanism that enhances overall material recovery efficiency in battery recycling processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and energy-saving separation of carbon and alkaline earth sulfates directly from lithium battery residues, facilitating integration into recycling processes and recovering valuable materials.
Implementation Method 1
contacting in a carrier contacting step the suspended leaching residue with a plurality of at least one type of a carrier body, wherein at least a part of the carbon comprised in the suspended leaching residue is agglomerated with the plurality of at least one type of a carrier body
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a process for recycling carbon and a hardly soluble alkaline earth sulfate from a leaching residue, including the steps of contacting in an alkaline earth metal contacting step a lithium battery material with an alkaline earth metal including material in a solvent yielding an alkaline earth metal contacted lithium battery material: leaching in a leaching step the alkaline earth metal contacted lithium battery material in sulfuric acid yielding a leaching solution and the leaching residue; separating in a solid-liquid separation step the leaching residue from the leaching solution; suspending in a suspension step the leaching residue in a solvent yielding a suspended leaching residue: contacting in a carrier contacting step the suspended leaching residue with a plurality of at least one type of a carrier body; and separating in a solid-solid separation step at least a part of the carrier-body agglomerates from the suspension.