Selective material recovery from solution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11708279-B2
Application number	US-201916537985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2019
Priority date	Aug 12, 2019
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

Embodiments relate to methods for generating selected materials from a natural brine, where the natural brine is sea water, saline water, fresh water, synthetic solutions, or industrial liquid wastes. A natural brine comprising at least a portion of a selected material is heated. CO 2 is added and mixes with the natural brine forming a mixture such that the CO 2 /P is a first predetermined value. The mixture is held so that impurities in the natural brine precipitate as solids leaving a second brine substantially comprising the selected material. The second brine is heated. CO 2 gas is injected into the second brine, mixing so that the CO 2 /P is a second predetermined value. The mixture is held so that the selected material precipitates out and are removed.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for generating selected materials from a natural brine, comprising:
adding CO 2 to a vessel containing a natural brine whereby the CO 2 mixes with the natural brine forming a mixture such that the CO 2 /P is a first predetermined value, wherein the CO 2 is added as bubbles with diameters less than 10 μm, wherein the natural brine comprises at least a portion of a selected material, wherein the natural brine is sea water, saline water, fresh water, synthetic solutions, or industrial liquid waste;
holding the mixture for a first predetermined time after the CO 2 addition such that a solid is precipitated from the mixture;
separating the precipitated solid from the mixture, leaving a second brine substantially comprising the selected material;
adding CO 2 into the vessel whereby the CO 2 mixes with the second brine forming a second mixture such that the CO 2 /P is a second predetermined value, wherein the CO 2 is added as bubbles with diameters less than 10 μm;
holding the second mixture for a second predetermined time after the CO 2 addition such that the selected material is precipitated from the second mixture; and
removing the selected material precipitate, wherein the method is performed at room temperature.

2. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 , wherein the step of holding the second mixture for a second predetermined time comprises:
adjusting the pressure, temperature, or surface energy of the natural brine.

3. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 , wherein the selected material is lithium.

4. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 , wherein the selected material is a rare earth element.

5. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined value is greater than 18 g/atm.

6. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the second predetermined value is greater than 200 g/atm.

7. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined temperature is equal to or greater than 260° C.

8. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the CO 2 is a gas.

9. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined time is longer than 20 minutes.

10. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 whereby said step of separating the precipitated solid further comprises moving the mixture into a second vessel.

11. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 whereby said step of separating the precipitated solid further comprises passing the mixture through a separation device.

12. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein said second predetermined temperature is equal to the first predetermined temperature.

13. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein said second predetermined time is at least 20 minutes.

14. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined temperature is room temperature.

15. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 14 wherein the second predetermined temperature is room temperature.

16. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 15 wherein the first predetermined value is 0.01 g/atm.

17. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 16 wherein the second predetermined value is 0.01 g/atm.

18. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 1 wherein the first predetermined value is 0.01 g/atm.

19. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 18 wherein the second predetermined value is 0.01 g/atm.

20. A method for generating selected materials from a natural brine, comprising:
adding CO 2 into a vessel containing a natural brine whereby the CO 2 mixes with the natural brine forming a mixture such that the CO 2 /P is 0.01 g/atm, wherein the natural brine is sea water, saline water, fresh water, synthetic solutions, or industrial liquid waste, and wherein the CO 2 is added as bubbles with diameters less than 10 μm, wherein the natural brine is room temperature;
holding the mixture for a first predetermined time after the CO 2 addition such that a solid is precipitated from the mixture;
separating the precipitated solid from the mixture, leaving a second brine substantially comprising the selected material;
adding CO 2 into the vessel whereby the CO 2 mixes with the second brine forming a second mixture such that the CO 2 /P is 0.01 g/atm, wherein the CO 2 is added as bubbles with diameters less than 10 μm;
holding the second mixture for a second predetermined time after the CO 2 addition such that the selected material is precipitated from the second mixture; and
removing the selected material precipitate.

21. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 20 , wherein the selected material is lithium.

22. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 20 , wherein the selected material is a rare earth element.

23. The method for generating selected materials from a natural brine of claim 20 wherein the method is performed at room temperature.

Assignees

• Us Energy

Inventors

• Nakano Jinichiro
• Nakano Anna
• Bennett James P

Classifications

• C01D15/08 Primary

  Carbonates; Bicarbonates · CPC title

• C01F17/247

  Carbonates · CPC title

• C22B7/006

  Wet processes · CPC title

• C22B26/12

  Obtaining lithium · CPC title

• C22B59/00

  Obtaining rare earth metals · CPC title