Optimization of lithium extraction solar pond in Zabuye Salt Lake: Theoretical calculation combined with field experiments

作     者：Tao Ding Zhen Nie Qian Wu Jiang-jiang Yu Ling-zhong Bu Yun-sheng Wang En-yuan Xing Mian-ping Zheng Yu-bin Li 

作者机构：MNR Key Laboratory of Saline Lake Resources and EnvironmentsInstitute of Mineral ResourcesChinese Academy of Geological SciencesBeijing 100037China College of EngineeringTibet UniversityLhasa 850000China 

出 版 物：《China Geology》 (中国地质(英文))

年 卷 期：2025年第8卷第1期

页      面：26-38页

核心收录：

学科分类：0808[工学-电气工程] 08[工学] 

基　　金：This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U20A20148) the Major Science and Technology Projects of the Xizang(Tibet)Autonomous Region(XZ202201ZD0004G and XZ202201ZD0004G01) 

主　　题：Salt lake Solar pond Lithium extraction Crystallization rate Box-Behnken Computational fluid dynamics Response surface Zabuye salt lake Mineral exploration engineering 

摘      要：This research optimized the structure of lithium extraction solar ponds to enhance the crystallization rate and yield of Li_(2)CO_(3).Using the response surface methodology in Design-Expert 10.0.3,the authors conducted experiments to investigate the influence of four factors related to solar pond structure on the crystallization of Li_(2)CO_(3) and their pairwise *** Fluid Dynamics(CFD)simulations of the flow field within the solar pond were performed using COMSOL Multiphysics software to compare temperature distributions before and after *** results indicate that the optimal structure for lithium extraction from the Zabuye Salt Lake solar ponds includes UCZ(Upper Convective Zone)thickness of 53.63 cm,an LCZ(Lower Convective Zone)direct heating temperature of 57.39℃,a CO32−concentration of 32.21 g/L,and an added soda ash concentration of 6.52 g/*** this optimized pathway,the Li_(2)CO_(3) precipitation increased by 7.34% compared to the initial solar pond process,with a 33.33% improvement in lithium carbonate crystallization *** study demonstrates the feasibility of optimizing lithium extraction solar pond structures,offering a new approach for constructing such ponds in salt *** provides valuable guidance for the efficient extraction of lithium resources from carbonate-type salt lake brines.