امير ميرزائي

Lithium is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal an‎d is recognized as the lightest metal an‎d the least dense solid element. The growing deman‎d for lithium, driven by the global shift toward electrification an‎d the development of sustainable energy resources, has elevated this element to the status of a strategic raw material in the modern economy. Lithium is widely utilized in various industries, including nuclear technology, lithium battery manufacturing, an‎d medical equipment.In the present study, lithium extraction from an aqueous phase was investigated using a supported hollow fiber liquid membrane (HFSLM) module. Key parameters affecting extraction efficiency an‎d the overall mass transfer coefficient were examined to optimize system performance. Initially, batch experiments were conducted to identify the appropriate type an‎d concentration of extractant an‎d diluent, the initial concentration of salts in the feed solution, an‎d the optimal pH conditions. The results indicated that the optimal conditions consisted of 40 vol% tributyl phosphate as the extractant an‎d 60 vol% anisole as the diluent. The feed solution contained 3.5 M magnesium, 0.02 M hydrochloric acid, an‎d an iron-to-lithium molar ratio of 2. The optimal conditions obtained from the batch experiments were subsequently applied to the HFSLM module. In this configuration, the aqueous feed phase flowed through the lumen of the fibers, while the organic phase containing the extractant an‎d diluent circulated through the shell side an‎d filled the membrane pores. The effects of flow rate, phase flow rate ratio, an‎d lithium concentration in the feed phase on extraction efficiency an‎d the overall mass transfer coefficient based on the aqueous phase were systematically investigated. Under optimal continuous operating conditions, an extraction efficiency of 65.5% was achieved. In the subsequent step, the organic phase exiting the shell side of the hollow fiber module was introduced into the lumen of a second module, while a 2 M hydrochloric acid solution was used as the stripping phase on the shell side. The stripping process resulted in a recovery efficiency of approximately 98%, with a lithium selec‎tivity of about 78% relative to magnesium.Overall, the results demonstrate that supported hollow fiber liquid membrane technology, due to its unique design an‎d controlled operation, represents an efficient an‎d reliable alternative to conventional lithium extraction methods. By providing a high an‎d stable interfacial area between the two phases, this system enables high extraction efficiency an‎d selec‎tivity while reducing organic solvent consumption in a continuous an‎d sustainable process, highlighting its strong potential for industrial-scale applications.

ليتيم، استخراج حلالي، روش HFSLM، ضريب كلي انتقال جرم، بازده استخراج

Lithium; solvent extraction; HFSLM; overall mass transfer coefficient; extraction efficiency

Amir Mirzaei

Dr.Salman Movahedi Rad/ Dr. Sareh Amari Allahyari