MVR Evaporator System for Lithium Battery Black Mass Leachate Crystallization

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MVR Evaporator System for Lithium Battery Black Mass Leachate Crystallization

The MVR Evaporator System for Lithium Battery Black Mass Leachate Crystallization is an advanced downstream purification solution designed for hydrometallurgical lithium battery recycling.

The system concentrates and crystallizes purified metal salt solutions into high-purity battery-grade products, including nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate, manganese sulfate, lithium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and sodium chloride.  

The system includes: 

MVR evaporator system for sodium sulfate: 38 t/h;

MVR evaporator system for nickel sulfate: 4 t/h;

MVR evaporator system for manganese sulfate: 1.6 t/h;

MVR evaporator system for cobalt sulfate: 1.2 t/h;

and for sodium chloride: 3 t/h.

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Description

Overview

The MVR Evaporator System for Lithium Battery Black Mass Leachate is a critical downstream purification and crystallization solution for wet-process lithium battery recycling plants. It efficiently concentrates and crystallizes purified metal salt solutions, including nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate, manganese sulfate, lithium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and sodium chloride, into high-purity battery-grade crystalline products.
By combining Mechanical Vapor Recompression (MVR) evaporation with continuous crystallization technology, the system significantly reduces steam consumption, maximizes water recovery, and enables sustainable recycling of valuable battery metals.

Process Overview

1. Battery Pretreatment

Spent lithium-ion batteries are first subjected to discharge, crushing, sorting, and high-temperature pyrolysis. These pretreatment steps separate the batteries into:

• Black mass

• Copper particles

• Aluminum particles

• Other recyclable materials

The resulting black mass, containing valuable active materials, is transferred to the hydrometallurgical recovery process.

2. Leaching Stage

The black mass is processed in a closed, continuous leaching system. Through acid leaching and counter-current extraction technologies, valuable metals including lithium (Li), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and manganese (Mn), are selectively dissolved into solution while insoluble impurities are removed.

3. Solvent Extraction & Purification

The mixed metal sulfate solution undergoes multi-stage solvent extraction and purification to separate individual metal salts with battery-grade purity.

The purified solutions typically include:

    • Nickel sulfate (NiSO₄)

    • Cobalt sulfate (CoSO₄)

    • Manganese sulfate (MnSO₄)

    • Lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃)

    • Sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄)

    • Sodium chloride (NaCl)

These purified solutions are then transferred to independent crystallization systems.

4. Evaporation and Crystallization

Each purified metal salt solution is processed in a dedicated MVR evaporation and crystallization unit to produce battery-grade crystalline products with consistent purity and particle size.

The process integrates concentration, crystallization, solid-liquid separation, and mother liquor recycling into a continuous production system.

MVR Evaporator System

Pre-Concentration

Dilute purified solutions are first concentrated to the required supersaturation level using an energy-efficient MVR evaporator, creating optimal conditions for crystal formation.

Continuous Crystallization

Continuous crystallization technology provides precise control of supersaturation, crystal growth, and particle size distribution, ensuring stable production of uniform, high-quality crystals.

Solid-Liquid Separation

The crystal slurry is discharged continuously and separated by centrifuge, producing qualified battery-grade crystals with low residual moisture.

Mother Liquor Recycling

Separated mother liquor is recycled back to the evaporator for further crystallization, maximizing product recovery. A controlled purge stream is returned to the upstream purification process to prevent impurity accumulation and maintain long-term system stability.

Condensate Water Recycling

High-quality condensate generated during evaporation is recovered and recycled back to the leaching process, significantly reducing freshwater consumption and enabling a closed-loop water recycling system.

Battery-Grade Crystalline Products

• Nickel sulfate crystals: NiSO₄·6H₂O

• Cobalt sulfate crystals: CoSO₄·7H₂O

• Manganese sulfate crystals: MnSO₄·H₂O

•Lithium carbonate crystals: Li₂CO₃

System Advantages

High Energy Efficiency

MVR technology recovers latent heat from secondary vapor, dramatically reducing live steam consumption and operating costs.

Continuous Automated Operation

Fully automated concentration, crystallization, centrifugation, and mother liquor recycling ensure stable, continuous production with minimal operator intervention.

High Product Purity

Precise control of evaporation and crystallization conditions produces battery-grade crystals with excellent purity, crystal morphology, and particle size consistency.

Maximum Metal Recovery

Continuous mother liquor recycling minimizes valuable metal losses and improves overall process yield.

Water Conservation

Condensate recovery enables closed-loop water recycling, reducing freshwater demand and wastewater discharge.

Low Carbon Footprint

Compared with conventional steam-heated evaporation systems, MVR technology significantly reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Flexible Process Design

The crystallization system can be customized for different lithium battery recycling processes and production capacities.

Conclusion

The MVR Evaporator System is a core downstream process in modern lithium battery recycling plants, converting purified metal salt solutions into high-value battery-grade crystalline products with exceptional energy efficiency and operational reliability.

Through advanced MVR evaporation, continuous crystallization, efficient solid-liquid separation, and closed-loop water recycling, the system maximizes valuable metal recovery while minimizing energy consumption, water usage, and environmental impact.

It provides an ideal solution for sustainable, large-scale production of battery materials and supports the development of a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries.

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