Lithium Separation from Geothermal Brine to Develop Critical Energy Resources Using High-Pressure Nanofiltration...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• The global shift towards electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates sustainable and efficient lithium sourcing.
• Lithium is a critical component in EV batteries, but its natural abundance is limited.
• Geothermal brine presents a promising, high-concentration source for lithium extraction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and optimize the nanofiltration process for lithium recovery from geothermal brine.
• To determine the impact of pH and pressure on lithium separation efficiency.
• To identify optimal operating conditions for maximizing lithium recovery.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nanofiltration as the core separation technology.
• Applied varying pH levels (5, 7, 10) and pressures (11, 13, 15 bar) to geothermal brine samples.
• Employed high-pressure nitrogen gas as the driving force for ion separation.

Main Results:

• Higher pH and pressure significantly increased lithium recovery rates.
• Concentration polarization emerged as a limiting factor at optimal conditions.
• Achieved over 75% lithium recovery at pH 10 and 15 bar.

Conclusions:

• Nanofiltration is an effective method for extracting lithium from geothermal brine.
• Optimized parameters of pH 10 and 15 bar yield high lithium recovery.
• This process supports sustainable lithium sourcing for the growing EV market.