Mechanical Fluidized Bed Granulation for Lithium Ore Thermal Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium ores with high contamination levels of sodium, potassium, and iron components form hard vitrified agglomerates during thermal treatment, reducing lithium yield and causing operational challenges in conventional devices due to particle adhesion and dust formation.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a mechanical fluidized bed reactor for granulation, which achieves uniform particle size distribution, reducing adhesion and dust formation, and a heat treatment device with cyclones for efficient heating and cooling, allowing for increased lithium yield and improved production performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional thermal treatment is applied to lithium ores with high sodium, potassium, and iron content, then thermal processing can be performed, but hard vitrified agglomerates form that reduce lithium yield and cause operational problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary granulation treatment to the lithium ore before thermal processing. By agglomerating fine particles into larger granules with controlled size distribution (predominantly 0.5-2.0 mm) and appropriate porosity (30-70%), the ore is prepared in advance to prevent vitrification during subsequent thermal treatment. This preliminary structural modification eliminates the harmful agglomerate formation that would otherwise occur during heating.
2Manufacturing precision
If fine-grained lithium ores are processed, then higher surface area is available for reaction, but particle adhesion and dust formation increase during thermal treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces granulation as an intermediary process between comminution and thermal treatment. This granulation step acts as a mediator that transforms fine particles into stable granules with controlled morphology and porosity. The granulated intermediate product maintains the benefits of fine grinding for reactivity while eliminating the harmful effects of particle adhesion and dust formation during thermal processing.
3Productivity
If thermal treatment temperature is increased to improve lithium extraction, then extraction efficiency increases, but impurity minerals with lower melting points cause vitrification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary granulation to modify the physical structure of the ore before thermal treatment. By creating granules with controlled porosity (30-70%) and size distribution, the heat transfer is improved allowing efficient lithium extraction at moderate temperatures. The granulated structure prevents impurity minerals from reaching their melting points and causing vitrification, enabling effective extraction without excessive temperature increases.
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
The method increases lithium yield to over 90% for layered silicates and up to 100% conversion of α-spodumene to β-spodumene, while reducing material sticking and energy requirements, and eliminating the need for long heating processes.
Implementation Method 1
a) Crushing the mineral raw material in a crushing device, b) Granulating the product from step a) in a granulation device, wherein the granulation device is a mechanical fluidized bed reactor
Implementation Method 2
a heat treatment device with cyclones for efficient heating and cooling
Implementation Method 3
a heat treatment device with cyclones for efficient heating and cooling
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention invention relates to a device for the thermal treatment of mineral raw materials, in particular lithium ores, said device comprising a comminution device (10), a granulation device (30) and a heat treatment device, characterized in that the granulation device (30) is a mechanical fluidized bed reactor.