Thermodynamic Modeling of the Drowning-Out Crystallization Process for LiOH and CHLiO2

Abstract

This study focuses on the thermodynamic modeling of the crystallization by the drowning process for two lithium salts: lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and lithium formate (CHLiO2). The modeling involves utilizing thermodynamic properties, such as the activity, osmotic, and solubility coefficients, within the ternary systems of LiOH + cosolvent + water and CHLiO2 + cosolvent + water, as well as their respective binary constituent systems. Ethanol is chosen as the cosolvent for both salts, facilitating a comparative analysis. Given the limited availability of thermodynamic data for lithium formate with different cosolvents, the study aims to address this gap. The modified Pitzer model was employed for the modeling process, where the parameters were successfully obtained for both systems, with a deviation of less than 1%. Additionally, the mass and energy balance for the drowning-out crystallization process of both salts was performed.