Lithium Hydride Thermal Decomposition Apparatus

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing high purity lithium and lithium hydride are expensive and lack safety, as they often result in the production of lithium hydroxide instead of lithium metal, and do not efficiently utilize lithium hydride for hydrogen production.

Innovation Solution

A processing apparatus with a hot zone to heat lithium hydride, a vacuum system to extract hydrogen and lithium metal, and a cold zone to condense and purify the lithium, allowing for the repeated cycling of lithium hydride to produce hydrogen and refined lithium metal, while maintaining safety through thermal decomposition rather than chemical reaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If standard chemical reaction methods are used to produce hydrogen from lithium hydride, then hydrogen production is achieved, but safety deteriorates due to violent reaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen productionVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes phase transitions of lithium hydride through controlled thermal decomposition. By heating lithium hydride to its decomposition temperature, it transforms from a stable solid compound into liquid-phase lithium metal and gaseous hydrogen, providing a controlled and safe method to generate hydrogen without violent chemical reactions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #36Phase transitions

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical and chemical parameters of lithium hydride through controlled heating. By adjusting temperature parameters to reach the decomposition point, the system transforms lithium hydride into useful products (hydrogen and lithium metal) in a controlled manner, improving safety while maintaining productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If standard production methods are used for high purity lithium and lithium hydride, then purity is achieved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepurityVSAvoidcost

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a recovery system where lithium metal produced during hydrogen generation is collected, purified through zone refining, and re-hydrided to regenerate lithium hydride. This closed-loop process recovers valuable lithium material, reducing waste and lowering production costs while maintaining high purity standards

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-purification through zone refining of lithium metal and automatic re-hydriding processes. The apparatus is designed to automatically refine impurities and regenerate lithium hydride from recovered lithium metal, reducing the need for external intervention and expensive purification processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If lithium hydride is decomposed to produce hydrogen, then hydrogen is generated, but lithium metal recovery is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrogen generationVSAvoidlithium metal

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a comprehensive recovery system that captures lithium metal vapor during thermal decomposition, condenses it in a cold zone, purifies it through zone refining, and re-hydrides it to regenerate lithium hydride. This ensures minimal loss of lithium metal while maintaining continuous hydrogen production capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback loops where the amount and purity of recovered lithium metal are monitored, and the re-hydriding process is adjusted accordingly. This ensures optimal utilization of recovered lithium material and maintains the balance between hydrogen generation and lithium metal recovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

This method provides a safer, more economical means of producing high purity lithium and lithium hydride, efficiently generating hydrogen and producing refined lithium metal, with the ability to reuse the apparatus for multiple operations by re-hydriding the lithium metal.

Implementation Method 1

a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Implementation Method 2

A vacuum source is typically provided to extract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVacuum distillation: Vacuum Distillation

Implementation Method 3

A cold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 4

A heater is typically provided to melt the purified lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phase lithium in the hot zone

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS10632436B2Hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride production

Publication Date: 2020.04.28 CONSOLIDATED NUCLEAR SECURITY LLC

AI summary

A hydrogen, lithium, and lithium hydride processing apparatus includes a hot zone to heat solid-phase lithium hydride to form liquid-phase lithium hydride; a vacuum source to extract hydrogen and gaseous-phase lithium metal from the liquid-phase lithium hydride; a cold zone to condense the gaseous-phase lithium metal as purified solid-phase lithium metal; and a heater to melt the purified solid-phase lithium metal in the cold zone and form refined liquid-phase lithium metal in the hot zone.