Metal sulfate manufacturing system via electrochemical dissolution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021230757-A1
Application number	US-201917264505-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 1, 2019
Priority date	Aug 2, 2018
Publication date	Jul 29, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A metal sulfate manufacturing system comprising an electrochemical dissolution system having, an anode electrode that holds metal raw material, a cathode electrode, an electrolyte bath having an inlet to receive an initial acid or metal-acid complex solution and an outlet to discharge the treated metal sulfate solution, stirring equipment that mixes the electrolyte bath, a temperature control system, and a rectifier that supplies current at constant voltage between the anode and cathode electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrochemical dissolution system for dissolving raw metal materials, comprising:
an electrolyte bath container having an inlet, an outlet, a temperature control system, and configured to hold an electrolyte solution; a liquid permeable anode electrode disposed within the bath container; a cathode electrode surrounding the liquid permeable anode electrode; and a power supply electrically connected to the liquid permeable anode electrode and cathode electrode.

2 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode electrode surrounds the liquid permeable anode electrode equidistantly on all sides.

3 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , further comprising an agitator configured to agitate electrolyte within the bath container.

4 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid permeable anode electrode comprises a basket-type shape, a sandwich-type shape, or a tray-type shape.

5 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid permeable anode electrode comprises at least one of platinum, platinum coated-titanium, and iridium coated-titanium.

6 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , further comprising a metal raw material submerged within the electrolyte bath and held by the liquid permeable anode electrode.

7 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 6 , wherein the metal raw material comprises at least one of a nickel cathode, a nickel briquette, a cobalt cathode, and a cobalt briquette.

8 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid permeable anode electrode comprises an anode electrode body comprising at least one of a mesh type material and a punched type material.

9 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode electrode comprises at least one of platinum, platinum-coated nickel, and nickel.

10 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode electrode comprises a cathode electrode body comprising at least one of a corrugated-type material, a sponged-type material, and an embossed-type material.

11 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte bath container comprises an electrolyte.

12 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 11 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an acid.

13 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 12 , wherein the acid is sulfuric acid.

14 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the acid concentration is between about 1M and about 3M.

15 . The electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte bath agitator comprises at least one of a mechanical agitator, a magnetic stirrer, a liquid circulator, and an air agitator.

16 . A method of using the electrochemical dissolution system of claim 1 , comprising:
applying a voltage between the liquid permeable and anode electrode and the cathode electrode; providing a fresh electrolyte solution to the electrolyte bath container through the inlet; and withdrawing a processed solution from the electrolyte bath container through the outlet.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the fresh electrolyte solution has a metal concentration less than the processed solution.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising controlling the temperature of the electrolyte bath container to between about 35° C. and about 60° C. using the temperature control system.

19 . The method of claim 16 , applying a voltage between about 2.0 V to about 3.5 V.

20 . The method of claim 16 , applying a voltage between about 0.1 V to about 1 V.

Assignees

• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Arimoto Shinji
• Dermer Mikel
• Sun Zhiwen

Classifications

• C25B11/02

  characterised by shape or form · CPC title

• C25B15/033

  Conductivity · CPC title

• C25B11/089 Primary

  Alloys · CPC title

• C25B11/063

  Valve metal, e.g. titanium · CPC title

• C25B9/17

  Cells comprising dimensionally-stable non-movable electrodes; Assemblies of constructional parts thereof · CPC title