METHOD FOR RECOVERING LITHIUM FROM LOW-CONTENT EXTRACTION TAILWATER AND RECYCLING EXTRACTION TAILWATER

Abstract

A method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling extraction tailwater is provided. The disclosure is characterized that recovery of lithium from lithium-containing extraction tailwater is achieved by adding calcium to remove fluorine, carrying out evaporative crystallization and precipitating lithium salts. Recycle of extraction tailwater is achieved by adopting the following steps: in the lithium-containing extraction tailwater, adding calcium to remove fluorine, carrying out evaporative crystallization, recovering condensate water, precipitating a lithium salt and recycling mother liquor. According to the disclosure, lithium is recovered from low-content extraction tailwater via enrichment and sodium sulfate and distilled water therein are incidentally recovered, so that zero release of battery waste treatment wastewater is achieved.

Claims

1. A method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater, wherein, recovery of lithium from the lithium-containing extraction tailwater is achieved by adding calcium to remove fluorine, carrying out evaporative crystallization and precipitating lithium salts.

2. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling extraction tailwater according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: in the lithium-containing extraction tailwater, adding calcium to remove fluorine, carrying out evaporative crystallization, recovering condensate water, precipitating a lithium salt, and recycling mother liquor.

3. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 1, wherein, after evaporative crystallization, an impurity-removing process is set.

4. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 1, wherein, the adding calcium to remove fluorine is realized, by adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 8-13, adding a calcium-containing material so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/(1-5), reacting for 0.5-4 h, filtering and washing, wherein filtrate is evaporation stock solution; preferably, the adding calcium to remove fluorine is realized by adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 9-12, adding a calcium-containing material so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/(2-4), reacting for 1.5-3 h, filtering and washing, wherein filtrate is evaporation stock solution; more preferably, the adding calcium to remove fluorine is realized by adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 10-11, adding a calcium-containing material so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/3, reacting for 2-2.5 h, filtering and washing, wherein filtrate is evaporation stock solution.

5. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 1, wherein, the evaporative crystallization is realized by concentrating the stock solution to 1/(4-16) by adopting an evaporation, concentration and crystallization manner so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and a content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 5-30 g/L, and meanwhile recovering condensate water; preferably, the evaporative crystallization is realized by concentrating the stock solution to 1/(5-15) by adopting an evaporation, concentration and crystallization manner so that sodium sulfate in, the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 6-25 g/L; more preferably, the stock solution is concentrated to 1/(6-14) so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 7-20 g/L; further more preferably, the stock solution is concentrated to 1/(7-13) so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 8-18 g/L; further more preferably, the stock solution is concentrated to 1/8-12 so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 9-16 g/L; further more preferably, the stock solution is concentrated to 1/(9-11) so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 10-14 g/L; most preferably, the stock solution is concentrated to 1/10 so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 11-12 g/L.

6. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction, tailwater according to claim 3, wherein, the removing impurities is realized by regulating the pH value of the concentrated stock solution to 11-14 with alkali to remove impurities such as calcium and magnesium therein; preferably, regulating the pH value of the concentrated stock solution to 12-14 with alkali; more preferably, regulating the pH value of the concentrated stock solution to 13 with alkali.

7. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 1, wherein, the precipitating a lithium salt is realized by heating with condensate water to prepare saturated carbonate solution, adding the solution to heated concentrated mother liquor so that a lithium ion is precipitated, as lithium carbonate for recovery.

8. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 7, wherein, a speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.1-1.0 m.sup.3; preferably, the speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.2-0.9 m.sup.3; more preferably, the speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the, heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.3-0.8 m.sup.3, further more preferably, the speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.4-0.7 m.sup.3; most preferably, the speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.5-0.6 m.sup.3.

9. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 2, wherein, the recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor: regulating the pH value of lithium-precipitating tail liquor and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 2.5-6 to remove carbonate radicals therein, and then returning the residual solution back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

10. The method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater according to claim 9, wherein, the pH value is regulated to 3.0-5.5 with acid; preferably, the pH value is regulated to 3.5-5.0 with acid; more preferably, the pH value is regulated to 4.0-4.5 with acid.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a process according to the disclosure.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0017] Provided is a method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater and recycling the extraction tailwater, comprising the following steps:

[0018] 1) addition of calcium to remove fluorine

[0019] adding sodium hydroxide into extraction, raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate pH to 10, adding quick lime so that, a F/Ca ion mole is 1/2, reacting for 1.5 h, filtering and washing.

[0020] 2) evaporative crystallization

[0021] concentrating stock solution to 1/15 using double-effect evaporation so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is oversaturated to generate heat crystals and byproduct anhydrous sodium sulfate, and simultaneously recovering condensate water, wherein, the content of lithium in the concentrated solution reaches 25 g/L.

[0022] 3) removal of impurities

[0023] regulating the pH value of concentrated mother liquor to 13 with alkali, washing and, filtering to remove impurities such as calcium and magnesium therein.

[0024] 4) precipitation of lithium carbonate

[0025] heating to 100 C. with the condensate water generated by evaporative crystallization, adding sodium carbonate to prepare saturated sodium carbonate solution, adding the saturated solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor at a speed of 0.5 m.sup.3 in a mass ratio of lithium to sodium carbonate in the saturated sodium carbonate solution of 1:9 in net weight, reacting for 3 h, filtering with a centrifuge, and washing to obtain a lithium carbonate product.

[0026] 5) recycle of lithium-precipitating mother liquor

[0027] regulating the pH value of filter tailwater obtained after precipitation of lithium and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 2.5 with 1+1 sulfuric acid to remove excess carbonate radicals and then returning back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] The disclosure will be further described in combination with embodiments.

[0029] A method for recovering lithium from low-content extraction tailwater: recovery of lithium from the lithium-containing extraction tailwater is achieved by adding calcium to remove fluorine, carrying out evaporative crystallization and precipitating lithium salts.

[0030] A method for recycling lithium-containing extraction tailwater: calcium is added into the lithium-containing extraction tailwater to remove fluorine, evaporative crystallization is carried out, condensate water is recovered, a lithium salt is precipitated, and mother liquor, is recycled.

[0031] After evaporative crystallization, impurities can be removed with alkali.

[0032] The adding calcium to remove fluorine is realized by sodium'hydroxide is added to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 8-13, a calcium-containing material is added so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/1-5, and filtering and washing are carried out, wherein filtrate is evaporation stock solution.

[0033] The evaporative crystallization is realized by the stock solution is concentrated to 1/4-16 by adopting an evaporation, concentration and crystallization manner so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is crystallized and the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 5-30 g/L, and condensate water is simultaneously recovered.

[0034] The removing impurities is realized by regulating the pH value of concentrated stock solution is regulated to 11-14 with alkali to remove impurities such as calcium and magnesium therein.

[0035] The precipitating a lithium salt is realized by heating is carried out with condensate water to prepare saturated carbonate solution, the solution is added to heated concentrated mother liquor so that a lithium ion is precipitated as lithium carbonate or prepared into other lithium salts for recovery.

[0036] The speed of adding the saturated carbonate solution into the heated concentrated mother liquor is 0.1-1.0 m.sup.3.

[0037] The recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor: the pH value of lithium-precipitating tail liquor and lithium carbonate washing liquor is regulated to 2.5-6 with acid to remove carbonate radicals therein, and then residual solution is returned back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

EXAMPLE 1

A Method for Recovering Lithium from Low-Content Extraction Tailwater and Recycling the Extraction Tailwater Comprises the Following Steps

[0038] 1) adding calcium to remove fluorine

[0039] adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 9, adding quick lime so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/1, reacting for 0.5 h, filtering and washing.

[0040] 2) carrying out evaporative crystallization

[0041] concentrating the stock solution to 1/10 adopting double-effect evaporation, so that, sodium sulfate in the stock solution is oversaturated to generate heat crystals and byproduct sodium sulfate, and simultaneously recovering condensate water, wherein the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 15 g/L.

[0042] 3) removing impurities

[0043] regulating the pH value of concentrated stock solution to 12 with alkali, filtering and washing to remove impurities such as calcium and magnesium therein.

[0044] 4) precipitating lithium carbonate

[0045] heating with condensate water generated by evaporative crystallization to 100 C., adding sodium carbonate to prepare saturated carbonate solution, adding the saturated solution to heated concentrated mother liquor at a speed of 0.3 m.sup.3 in a mass ratio of lithium to sodium carbonate in the saturated sodium carbonate solution of 1:10 in net weight, reacting for 2 h, filtering, with a centrifuge and washing to obtain lithium carbonate product.

[0046] 5) recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor

[0047] regulating the pH value of filter tailwater obtained by lithium is precipitated and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 5 with 1+1 sulfuric acid to remove excess carbonate radicals, and then returning the residual solution back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

EXAMPLE 2

A Method for Recovering Lithium from Low-Content Extraction Tailwater and Recycling the Extraction Tailwater Comprises the Following Steps

[0048] 1) adding calcium to remove fluorine

[0049] adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 9, adding calcium chloride so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/1.5, reacting for 1 h, filtering and washing.

[0050] 2) carrying out evaporative crystallization

[0051] concentrating the stock solution to 1/12 adopting three-effect evaporation, so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is oversaturated to generate, heat crystals and byproduct sodium sulfate, and simultaneously recovering condensate water, wherein the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 20 g/L.

[0052] 3) removing impurities

[0053] regulating the pH value of concentrated stock solution to 13 with alkali, filtering and washing to remove impurities such as, calcium and magnesium therein.

[0054] 4) precipitating lithium carbonate

[0055] heating with condensate water generated by evaporative crystallization to 100 C., adding sodium carbonate to prepare saturated carbonate solution, adding the saturated solution to heated concentrated mother liquor at a speed of 0.2 m.sup.3 in a mass ratio of lithium to sodium carbonate in the saturated sodium carbonate solution of 1:9 in net weight, reacting for 3 h, filtering with a centrifuge and washing to obtain lithium carbonate product.

[0056] 5) recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor

[0057] regulating the pH value of filter tailwater obtained after precipitation of lithium and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 3 with 1+1 sulfuric acid to remove excess carbonate radicals, and then returning the residual solution back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

EXAMPLE 3

A Method for Recovering Lithium from Low-Content Extraction, Tailwater and Recycling the Extraction Tailwater Comprises the Following Steps

[0058] 1) adding calcium to remove fluorine

[0059] adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 10, adding quick lime so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/2, reacting for 1.5 h, filtering and washing.

[0060] 2) carrying out evaporative crystallization

[0061] concentrating the stock solution to 1/15 adopting double-effect evaporation, so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is oversaturated to generate heat crystals and byproduct sodium sulfate, and simultaneously recovering condensate water, wherein, the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 25 g/L.

[0062] 3) removing impurities

[0063] regulating the pH value of concentrated stock solution to 13 with alkali, filtering and washing to remove impurities such as, calcium and magnesium therein.

[0064] 4) precipitating lithium, carbonate

[0065] heating with condensate water generated by evaporative crystallization to 100C., adding sodium carbonate to prepare saturated carbonate, solution, adding the saturated solution to heated concentrated mother liquor at a speed of 0.5 m.sup.3 in a mass ratio of lithium to sodium carbonate in the saturated sodium carbonate solution of 1:9 in net weight, reacting for 3 h, filtering with a centrifuge and washing to obtain lithium carbonate product.

[0066] 5) recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor

[0067] regulating the pH value of filter tailwater obtained after precipitation of lithium and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 2.5 with 1+1 sulfuric acid to remove excess carbonate radicals, and then returning the residual solution back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

EXAMPLE 4

A Method for Recovering Lithium from Low-Content Extraction, Tailwater and Recycling the Extraction Tailwater Comprises the Following Steps

[0068] 1) adding calcium to remove fluorine

[0069] adding sodium hydroxide to extraction raffinate with extraction of cobalt, nickel and manganese to regulate a pH value to 9, adding quick lime so that a F/Ca ion mole is 1/1.3, reacting for 1.0 h, filtering and washing.

[0070] 2) carrying out evaporative crystallization

[0071] concentrating the stock solution to 1/9 adopting MVP evaporation so that sodium sulfate in the stock solution is oversaturated to generate heat crystals and byproduct sodium sulfate, and simultaneously recovering condensate water, wherein, the content of lithium in concentrated solution reaches 12 g/L.

[0072] 3) removing impurities

[0073] regulating the pH value of concentrated stock solution to 13 with alkali, filtering and washing to remove impurities, such as calcium and magnesium therein.

[0074] 4) precipitating lithium carbonate

[0075] heating with condensate water generated by evaporative crystallization to 100 C., adding sodium carbonate to prepare saturated carbonate solution, adding the saturated solution to heated concentrated mother liquor at a speed of 0.5 m.sup.3 in a mass ratio of lithium to sodium carbonate in the saturated sodium carbonate solution of 1:8.2 in net weight, reacting for 1 h, filtering with a centrifuge and washing to obtain lithium carbonate product.

[0076] 5) recycling lithium-precipitating mother liquor

[0077] regulating the pH value of filter tailwater obtained after precipitation of lithium and lithium carbonate washing liquor to 4 with 1+1 sulfuric acid to remove excess carbonate radicals and then returning the residual solution back to an evaporation stock solution tank.

TABLE-US-00001 Detection Results of Various Processes in Examples of the Disclosure Chemical components Items Li Fe Ca Mg Na Extraction raffinate (g/L) 1.25 0.001 0.001 0.001 23.54 Evaporation stock solution 1.25 0.001 0.68 0.01 23.44 (g/L) Fluorineremoval residue (%) 0.001 2.35 22.54 5.12 0.51 Concentrated mother liquor 15.36 0.015 1.58 0.56 250.25 (g/L) Byproduct sodium sulfate(%) 0.015 0.01 0.62 0.12 29.35 Impurity-removing solution 15.28 0.001 0.001 0.001 250.25 (g/L) Product lithium carbonate (%) 17.54 0.001 0.0021 0.001 2.11 Lithium-precipitating tailwater 1.76 0.001 0.001 0.001 127.11 (%)

[0078] Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to the above examples, each technical key within the scope of parameters in the technical solution of the disclosure and near the scope of parameters and technical features reasoned and expanded and combined by those skilled in the art according to the technical solution of the disclosure are all included within the scope listed by embodiments of the disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0079] In the disclosure, after an experiment research in a lab is completed, a pilot pant test is carried out. Compared with the prior art, significant technical effects are gained.

TABLE-US-00002 Technical Effects Comparison between the Disclosure and Prior Art Effects of the existing Technical effects Comparative index technique of the disclosure Recovery of lithium from No, extremely high Yes, low cost low-lithium-content extraction cost tailwater Treatment of tailwater Discharge Total utilization, zero release Sodium sulfate No recovery recovery Quality of lithium carbonate / Industrial grade