US 12,297,519 B2
Energy efficient process for concentrating and recovering lithium from a lithium containing brine
Kurt Blohm, Pittsburgh, PA (US); Jérôme Leparc, Poissy (FR); and Isabelle Lemaitre, Paris (FR)
Assigned to Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support, Saint-Maurice (FR)
Appl. No. 17/762,446
Filed by Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies Support, Saint-Maurice (FR)
PCT Filed Aug. 31, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/048675
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 22, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/061343, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/905,503, filed on Sep. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0364202 A1, Nov. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. C22B 26/12 (2006.01); B01D 61/00 (2006.01); C02F 1/44 (2023.01); C22B 3/22 (2006.01); C22B 3/42 (2006.01); C22B 9/02 (2006.01); C02F 103/08 (2006.01)
CPC C22B 26/12 (2013.01) [B01D 61/0021 (2022.08); C02F 1/441 (2013.01); C22B 3/22 (2013.01); C22B 3/42 (2013.01); C22B 9/02 (2013.01); C02F 2103/08 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of purifying and concentrating lithium in a lithium containing stream comprising:
a. directing the lithium containing stream to a reverse osmosis (RO) unit and concentrating the lithium containing stream and producing a permeate and an RO concentrate containing lithium;
b. further concentrating the RO concentrate by:
(i) directing the RO concentrate into and through a low pressure side of at least two pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) modules with each containing a lithium selective membrane;
(ii) pressurizing two brine streams each having a dissolved solids concentration greater than the RO concentrate and directing each of the two brine streams into and through a high pressure side of the PRO modules;
(iii) utilizing the osmotic strength of the brine streams to force water across the lithium selective membranes of the PRO modules, further concentrating the RO concentrate and diluting the brine streams;
c. after further concentrating the RO concentrate in the at least two PRO modules:
i. pressurizing the RO concentrate and directing the RO concentrate into and through a high pressure side of an osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) module having a lithium selective membrane and producing a product stream containing lithium;
ii. directing at least a portion of the product stream into and through a low pressure side of the OARO module to produce an OARO dilute;
iii. concentrating the RO concentrate and diluting the product stream passing through the low pressure side of the OARO module as water associated with the RO concentrate passes from the high pressure side of the OARO module through the lithium selective membrane into the low pressure side of the OARO; and
e. recycling the OARO dilute to at least one of the PRO modules.