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Krettek Separation Backflushing Centrifuge: More Process-Equipment than dewatering device. Six step Course of excellence, Step 6 Example Application Lithium

11. June 2021

In Step 5 we described our high efficiency Solvent displacement

The Krettek Separation ProCent® Turbo-series is not only best in class peeler-centrifuge for solids-liquids separation: The unique Krettek Backflushing Rotor as the key-element in a complete system offers much more than just centrifugal filtration of finest particles with maximum results at minimum effort.

The special design and various options allow complete process-steps inside the equipment, without additional external vessels, components, … such as:

Today’s topic: Example application Lithium:

Lithium

A good example for the decisive advantages in production-lines is the process of impurities removal in Lithium production for batteries.

For higher capacities, higher energy-density as well as short-circuit-stability for the purity of the base-material Lithium is critical. During the process the removal of the impurities (e.g. chloride) contained in the mother-liquid is essential.

Especially when it comes to higher efficient plants, the particle-sizes tend to get smaller. Which is also directly related to energy density in final product. In this case standard solutions with conventional dewatering-systems, no matter if pusher, peeler, decanter or press-filter-systems find their limits for both dewatering and product-washing.

In addition, in many cases, the lithium-mines and productions are located in areas with reduced availability for fresh water. Combined with water-recirculation-regulations in some areas this generates a massive need for reduced fresh water consumption.

Conventional systems might need high amount of washing liquid / fresh water. Sometimes even additional resuspension steps are necessary to generate a sufficient exchange of motherliquid.

High fresh water consumption with conventional solutions

At this point the Krettek Separation high g-force centrifuge of the ProCent® Series in Turbo execution with backflushing-rotor is the best-in-class solution.
Due to various cake-washing options combined with maximum g-force we can guarantee best performance washing with lowest amount of fresh-water as well as best dewatering of finest crystalline products.

Low fresh water consumption with Krettek ProCent® series horizontal peeler centrifuges

A typical layout could be counter current washing with low-concentrated mother liquid followed by a conventional spray-washing step with fresh water. In such cases the used fresh water from the 2nd cycle can be recirculated for counter-current washing, depending on the requirements and process parameters. The used fresh water can be recycled up to five times for counter current washing in cross flow style, since the amount of mother liquid increases inversely-proportional to the excellent dewatering-results of the Krettek Separation ProCent® Centrifuges.

Multi-step-washing, cross-flow-washing, wash-media recirculation, … all this is possible without additional pumps or vessels, etc.

Especially for finest products the high g-force level combined with a significantly higher filter-area, allows dewatering to a lever at which e.g. thixotropic effects can be overcome.

The design allows individual adjustable contact times for liquids with the uniform and mostly crack-free build cake. In such a matter even finest particle-systems can be successfully washed from mother-liquids and / or surface-impurities.

So where other systems have no chance, Krettek Separation centrifuge technology simply allows the maximum mechanical dewatering.

Due to heel cake regeneration and other special-features, the capacity of the machines per hour in 24/7 operations is significantly higher compared to same size standard peeler-centrifuges.

Sectional drawing of the Krettek horizontal peeler centrifuge ProCent®

Due to slender rotor-design energy efficiency is significantly higher compared to competitor’s equipment of same capacity / diameter for the same slurry.

To be clear, for coarse particles in mass-production – with low requirements for e.g., washing – other systems might be more efficient, but as soon as the particle-sizes (d50) reach values of or below 0.08 mm no other mechanical dewatering technology is able to offer same results with less effort.

We look forward to discuss and develop equipment especially designed for your new process-layout.

Please contact us at sales@krettekseparation.com