Systems and methods using solar evaporation to preconcentrate lithium containing brines to at or near lithium saturation, followed by a separation process to separate lithium from impurities. A separated impurity stream is recycled to a point in the evaporation sequence where conditions are favorable for their precipitation and removal or disposed in a separate evaporation pond or reinjected underground, while a lower impurity stream is transferred to one or more of the removal location, to a subsequent pond in the sequence, or to a lithium plant or concentration facility. Further concentration of lithium by evaporation can then take place because impurities are removed, thus eliminating lithium losses due to co-precipitation and achieving significantly higher concentrations of lithium.

Systems and methods using solar evaporation to preconcentrate lithium containing brines to at or near lithium saturation, followed by a separation process to separate lithium from impurities. A separated impurity stream is recycled to a point in the evaporation sequence where conditions are favorable for their precipitation and removal or disposed in a separate evaporation pond or reinjected underground, while a lower impurity stream is transferred to one or more of the removal location, to a subsequent pond in the sequence, or to a lithium plant or concentration facility. Further concentration of lithium by evaporation can then take place because impurities are removed, thus eliminating lithium losses due to co-precipitation and achieving significantly higher concentrations of lithium.

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.

The present technology provides a process that includes heating a first mixture of elemental sulfur and particles comprising an alkali metal sulfide in a liquid hydrocarbon to a temperature of at least 150 C., to provide a sulfur-treated mixture comprising agglomerated particles; and separating the agglomerated particles from the sulfur-treated mixture to provide a desulfurized liquid hydrocarbon and separated solids. This process may be used as part of a suite of processes for desulfurizing liquid hydrocarbons contaminated with organosulfur compounds and other heteroatom-based contaminants. The present technology further provides processes for converting carbon-rich solids (e.g., petroleum coke) into fuels.

The present technology provides a process that includes heating a first mixture of elemental sulfur and particles comprising an alkali metal sulfide in a liquid hydrocarbon to a temperature of at least 150 C., to provide a sulfur-treated mixture comprising agglomerated particles; and separating the agglomerated particles from the sulfur-treated mixture to provide a desulfurized liquid hydrocarbon and separated solids. This process may be used as part of a suite of processes for desulfurizing liquid hydrocarbons contaminated with organosulfur compounds and other heteroatom-based contaminants. The present technology further provides processes for converting carbon-rich solids (e.g., petroleum coke) into fuels.

The present disclosure relates to a high-selectivity hydrophilic electrode for electrochemically extracting lithium and a preparation method thereof. The preparation method includes the step of carrying out surface coating modification on an electrode active material by using polydopamine. The interception of impurity ions is achieved by utilizing the advantages, which polydopamine has, of preferentially accumulating and transporting lithium ions, thereby improving the selectivity of the electrode active material on lithium. In the pulping process of an electrode adsorption material, a hydroxyl-containing polar hydrophilic organic polymer compound is introduced to perform blending modification, thereby improving the hydrophilicity of a binder polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). In addition, pore formation via inorganic salts is combined with a drying mode of low temperature-high temperature so that the porous-microcrack morphology is formed on the electrode, thereby improving the mass transfer effect of the solution inside the electrode. The preparation method of the electrode disclosed by the present disclosure has the characteristics of simplicity, practicability, environmental friendliness, low cost and the like, and is easy for industrial production.

The present disclosure relates to a high-selectivity hydrophilic electrode for electrochemically extracting lithium and a preparation method thereof. The preparation method includes the step of carrying out surface coating modification on an electrode active material by using polydopamine. The interception of impurity ions is achieved by utilizing the advantages, which polydopamine has, of preferentially accumulating and transporting lithium ions, thereby improving the selectivity of the electrode active material on lithium. In the pulping process of an electrode adsorption material, a hydroxyl-containing polar hydrophilic organic polymer compound is introduced to perform blending modification, thereby improving the hydrophilicity of a binder polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). In addition, pore formation via inorganic salts is combined with a drying mode of low temperature-high temperature so that the porous-microcrack morphology is formed on the electrode, thereby improving the mass transfer effect of the solution inside the electrode. The preparation method of the electrode disclosed by the present disclosure has the characteristics of simplicity, practicability, environmental friendliness, low cost and the like, and is easy for industrial production.

In a method of recovering a lithium precursor, a first electrode including an active material, and a second electrode are prepared. The first electrode and the second electrode are immersed in a first reaction solution in a first reaction vessel and a second reaction solution in a second reaction vessel, respectively. A voltage or a current is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode to recover a lithium precursor from the active material.

In a method of recovering a lithium precursor, a first electrode including an active material, and a second electrode are prepared. The first electrode and the second electrode are immersed in a first reaction solution in a first reaction vessel and a second reaction solution in a second reaction vessel, respectively. A voltage or a current is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode to recover a lithium precursor from the active material.