System and method for generating metal oxide borate from a boron solution
In a method for extracting boron from a boron solution, a boron solution is processed at an electrocoagulation system utilizing metal electrodes to generate a sludge comprising water, metal oxide and boric oxide, wherein the boric oxide is encapsulated within the metal oxide. The sludge is filtered at a dewatering system to remove at least a portion of the water from the sludge to generate a cake. The cake is processed at a furnace to generate metal oxide borate.
1 . A method for generating metal oxide borate from a boron solution, the method comprising:
processing a boron solution at an electrocoagulation system utilizing metal electrodes to generate a sludge comprising water, metal oxide and boric oxide, wherein the boric oxide is encapsulated within the metal oxide;
filtering the sludge at a dewatering system to remove at least a portion of the water from the sludge to generate a cake; and
processing the cake at a furnace to generate metal oxide borate.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
concentrating the boron solution at a condenser system prior to processing the boron solution at the electrocoagulation system.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the condenser system comprises an evaporation tank operating at ambient temperature.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dewatering system comprises a filter.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing the boron solution at the electrocoagulation system comprises:
generating metal hydroxide and boric acid from the boron solution; and
generating the water, the metal oxide and the boric oxide from the metal hydroxide and the boric acid.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the water is returned to the boron solution for further processing.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the water is conveyed to an irrigation system.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the furnace is a sintering furnace.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing the cake at a furnace to generate the metal oxide borate comprises:
heating the cake to at least 100 degrees Centigrade to remove additional water from the cake.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing the cake at a furnace to generate the metal oxide borate comprises:
heating the cake to 600 to 1400 degrees Centigrade to morphologically transform the cake into metal oxide borate nanorods.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the metal oxide borate nanorods have a width of 10 to 20 nanometers and a length of 70 to 120 nanometers.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal electrodes are selected from a group of metals consisting of: aluminum, iron, magnesium, and manganese.
13 . A method for generating metal oxide borate nanorods from a boron solution, the method comprising:
processing a boron solution at an electrocoagulation system utilizing sacrificial metal electrodes to generate a sludge comprising water, metal oxide and boric oxide, wherein the boric oxide is encapsulated within the metal oxide; wherein the processing the boron solution at the electrocoagulation system comprises:
generating metal hydroxide and boric acid from the boron solution; and
generating the water, the metal oxide and the boric oxide from the metal hydroxide and the boric acid;
filtering the sludge at a dewatering system to remove at least a portion of the water from the sludge to generate a cake; and
processing the cake at a furnace to generate metal oxide borate, wherein the processing the cake at a furnace to generate the metal oxide borate comprises:
heating the cake to at least 100 degrees Centigrade to remove additional water from the cake; and
heating the cake to 600 to 1400 degrees Centigrade to morphologically transform the cake into metal oxide borate nanorods.