Ark Blue
The best upgrade to your lithium carbonate plant!
An easy plug-in to any lithium carbonate refining!
Lithium Ark is the inventor and patent-holder of Blue Lithium Refining. The process operates at the intersection of the lithium- and nitrogen-processing sectors.
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A simplified Flow Diagram for Blue Lithium is represented by:
Blue Lithium Refining uses Lithium Carbonate technical-grade (TG) as feedstock. As the flow diagram shows, Lithium Carbonate-TG is converted directly into Lithium Hydroxide-BG, with the added benefit of Potassium Nitrate as by-product. Optionally just add CO2 to produce lithium carbonate battery-grade!
How Blue Lithium Works:
Blue Lithium Refining is based on a reciprocal salt system:
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Lithium Carbonate-TG is blended with Nitric Acid (HNO3) and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). The mixing of these three ingredients results in a new solution that includes: Lithium Nitrate (LiNO3), Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) and Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)..
Ultra-Low Cost Crystallization:
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Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) has a remarkably steep solubility curve that enables the Blue Refinery to selectively crystallize KNO3 by cooling (20 °C) without co-crystallizing Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH). The slight downward slope of LiOH’s solubility curve enables the Blue Refinery to selectively crystallize LiOH via evaporation at higher temperature (90 °C) without co-crystallizing KNO3.
A moderately-sized Blue Lithium Refinery generates notable quantities of KNO3 fertilizer at virtually no cost. This is made possible by converting 3 low-value inputs (LiCl, Nitric Acid, KOH) into 2 high-value end products (LiOH-BG and KNO3). Low-temperature processing minimizes the plant's thermal power consumption.
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Blue Lithium Refining is a process that is highly sought by companies in the nitrogen processing sector who wish to exploit existing capabilities in the manufacture of urea, ammonium, and other nitrogen-based products to also produce battery-grade lithium chemicals. A Blue Lithium Refinery (30ktpa) would generate ~85% of its revenue from sales of LiOH-BG and the remaining sales from Potassium Nitrate. It will have a reduction in CO2 emissions too!
