The present disclosure relates to the extraction of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.

A container for treating a fluid with an ion-exchange system is provided. The container includes a housing extending in an upright position between a bottom port and an opposed top port. The housing has an internal chamber. A bottom plate is disposed in the internal chamber above the bottom port and having a plurality of openings defined therethrough. The bottom plate divides the internal chamber between a main chamber and a bottom chamber. The bottom chamber is defined between the bottom plate and the bottom port. A plurality of diffusers extend from the bottom plate into the main chamber. Each one of the plurality of diffusers has a diffuser tube section projecting upwardly from the bottom plate and in fluid flow communication with the bottom chamber. The diffuser tube section has radial openings circumferentially distributed along a length thereof to radially discharge the fluid in the main chamber.

A container for treating a fluid with an ion-exchange system is provided. The container includes a housing extending in an upright position between a bottom port and an opposed top port. The housing has an internal chamber. A bottom plate is disposed in the internal chamber above the bottom port and having a plurality of openings defined therethrough. The bottom plate divides the internal chamber between a main chamber and a bottom chamber. The bottom chamber is defined between the bottom plate and the bottom port. A plurality of diffusers extend from the bottom plate into the main chamber. Each one of the plurality of diffusers has a diffuser tube section projecting upwardly from the bottom plate and in fluid flow communication with the bottom chamber. The diffuser tube section has radial openings circumferentially distributed along a length thereof to radially discharge the fluid in the main chamber.

A method of making an ion exchange foam is described. The method includes forming an aqueous phase by suspending an ion exchange resin in an aqueous solvent. An organic phase is formed by mixing at least a divinylbenzene, a monomer, and a surfactant. The formed aqueous phase is mixed with the formed organic phase to form an emulsion. The emulsion is polymerized to form the ion exchange foam. The ion exchange foam can be used with a plurality of sample vials in an autosampler.

A method of making an ion exchange foam is described. The method includes forming an aqueous phase by suspending an ion exchange resin in an aqueous solvent. An organic phase is formed by mixing at least a divinylbenzene, a monomer, and a surfactant. The formed aqueous phase is mixed with the formed organic phase to form an emulsion. The emulsion is polymerized to form the ion exchange foam. The ion exchange foam can be used with a plurality of sample vials in an autosampler.

A system for providing an acidic ionized ozonated liquid. The system includes a liquid inlet arranged to accept a liquid into the system; an acid-based cation-exchange resin in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, the resin adapted to exchange cations in the accepted liquid with H+ ions on the resin; an ozone dissolving apparatus in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the acid-based cation-exchange resin; and a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, the acid-based cation-exchange resin and the ozone dissolving apparatus. The ozone dissolving apparatus and the acid-based cation-exchange resin cooperating to produce the acidic ionized ozonated liquid for dispensation out of the system via the liquid outlet.

A system for providing an acidic ionized ozonated liquid. The system includes a liquid inlet arranged to accept a liquid into the system; an acid-based cation-exchange resin in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, the resin adapted to exchange cations in the accepted liquid with H+ ions on the resin; an ozone dissolving apparatus in fluid communication with the liquid inlet and the acid-based cation-exchange resin; and a liquid outlet in fluid communication with the liquid inlet, the acid-based cation-exchange resin and the ozone dissolving apparatus. The ozone dissolving apparatus and the acid-based cation-exchange resin cooperating to produce the acidic ionized ozonated liquid for dispensation out of the system via the liquid outlet.

A vessel for removing radionuclides from a liquid. The vessel comprises a shielded housing comprising an outer shell and an inner shell disposed within the outer shell. The housing defines an ion exchange chamber between the inner and outer shells. The vessel also comprises an inlet fluidly coupled with the ion exchange chamber, the inlet being configured for fluid communication with a source of the liquid, and an outlet fluidly coupled with the ion exchange chamber, the outlet being configured for fluid communication with a destination of the liquid. The vessel further comprises a first fluid passage extending between an exterior of the vessel and the inner shell and a second fluid passage extending between the exterior of the vessel and the inner shell.

A water purification apparatus includes a bottomed cylindrical container tank, a lid member for fluid-tightly closing an upper opening of the container tank, an upper filter which forms an upper space between the lid member and itself, a lower filter which forms a lower space between a bottom plate of the container tank and itself, a water passage pipe which passes through the upper and lower filters and which establishes a communication between the upper and lower spaces, and an ion-exchange resin loaded in a space defined by the container tank, the upper and lower filters and the water passage pipe. The lid member has a water supply pipe for supplying water to the upper space, and an overflow pipe which connects to the water passage pipe. A water conveyance pipe for discharging the pure water in the container tank to outside is connected to the lower space.

A system for nitrate removal from water combining: an ion exchange unit comprising at least one column of an ion exchange resin, a brine bioregeneration circuit comprising a sequential batch reactor (SBR), and an ozonation unit, is disclosed. A method for nitrate removal from water is further disclosed.