A chlorinator configured to produce one or more sanitizing agents from a solute dissolved in water is provided. The chlorinator comprises an operational unit defining an electrolysis chamber for flow therethrough of the water, electrolyzing electrodes for the electrolysis, and a control unit having a housing containing therewithin a chlorinator controller for directing operation of the electrolyzing electrodes. The chlorinator further comprises an electronic flow sensor comprising a pair of spaced-apart sensing electrodes projecting into the electrolysis chamber, and a circuit closeable by electrically connecting the sensing electrodes. The electronic flow sensor is configured to detect a flow condition when the circuit is closed, and to detect a non-flow condition when the circuit remains open.

A chlorinator configured to produce one or more sanitizing agents from a solute dissolved in water is provided. The chlorinator comprises an operational unit defining an electrolysis chamber for flow therethrough of the water, electrolyzing electrodes for the electrolysis, and a control unit having a housing containing therewithin a chlorinator controller for directing operation of the electrolyzing electrodes. The chlorinator further comprises an electronic flow sensor comprising a pair of spaced-apart sensing electrodes projecting into the electrolysis chamber, and a circuit closeable by electrically connecting the sensing electrodes. The electronic flow sensor is configured to detect a flow condition when the circuit is closed, and to detect a non-flow condition when the circuit remains open.

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.