Patent ID: 11859297
Assignee: MANGROVE WATER TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Field: nan (nan)
Classification: CPC nan | IPC B  C

Claim 7:
8. The process of claim 1, wherein the membrane electrolysis cell comprises:
an inlet through which the salt-containing solution is received into an interior of the membrane electrolysis cell;
an anode positioned to extend within the interior of the membrane electrolysis cell and positioned in an anode compartment;
a cathode comprising a gas diffusion electrode positioned to extend within the interior of the membrane electrolysis cell and positioned in a cathode compartment, the gas diffusion electrode including a diffusion layer configured to diffuse the gas comprising O2 and a catalyst layer disposed on a surface of the diffusion layer, the catalyst layer having a hydrophilicity greater than that of the diffusion layer and the catalyst layer being configured to transport negative ions;
a gas inlet positioned in the cathod compartment through which the gas comprising O2 is introduced into contact with the gas diffusion electrode;
a first ion exchange membrane interposed between the anode compartment and the catalyst layer of the gas diffusion electrode, the first ion exchange membrane being configured to exchange ions to an opposed surface of the first ion exchange membrane;
a second ion exchange membrane, the second ion exchange membrane being disposed on the catalyst layer of the gas diffusion electrode and being configured to exchange ions received from the catalyst layer of the gas diffusion electrode to an opposed surface of the second ion exchange membrane, wherein the first and second ion exchange membranes define a base bulid up compartment interposed between the cathode compartment and the anode compartment; and
a third ion exchange membrane, the third ion exchange membrane being interposed between the first ion exchange membrane and the anode compartment, wherein the first and third ion exchange membranes define a salt depletion compartment interposed between the anode compartment and the base build up compartment, the third ion exchange membrane being configured to exchange ions received from the salt depletion compartment to an opposed surface of the third ion exchange membrane;
wherein in performing the process:
the gas comprising O2 is reduced at the cathode to form OH−;
the OH− ions move through the second ion exchange membrane to the opposed surface of the second ion exchange membrane into the base build up compartment;
the salt-containing solution comprising lithium ions and negative salt ions is received into the salt depletion compartment;
the lithium ions move through the first ion exchange membrane to the opposed surface of the first ion exchange membrane into the base build up compartment;
the lithium ions combine with the OH− in the base build up compartment to form the recovered Li; and
the negative salt ions are exchanged from the salt depletion compartment to the opposed surface of the third ion exchange membrane.