IP Library Granted Patent US 10,087,083
Granted Patent B2
US 10,087,083 · App. 15/007,778 · Granted Oct 2, 2018

Underwater holding-type lithium recovering apparatus and method thererof

Inventors: Kang-Sup Chung (Daejeon, KR); Byoung-Gyu Kim (Daejeon, KR); Taegong Ryu (Daejeon, KR); Jungho Ryu (Daejeon, KR); In-Su Park (Gyeryong-si, KR); Hye-Jin Hong (Daejeon, KR)
Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES
C01D15/00B01J47/012C22B3/24C22B26/12B01J47/011B01J47/024B01J49/05B01J49/60C22B3/42Y02P10/234
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,087,083
App. No.
15/007,778
Granted
Oct 2, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is an underwater holding-type lithium recovering apparatus 1000 including: an underwater holder 100 installed on an offshore sea bed; a lithium adsorbent 200 held in the underwater holder 100 and adsorbing lithium ions contained in seawater; a moving ship 300 installed with a cleaning tank 320 cleaning the lithium adsorbent 200 transferred from the underwater holder 100 and a desorbing tank 330 desorbing lithium ions adsorbed in the lithium adsorbent 200 transferred from the cleaning tank 320 , and moved to a coastline when lithium ions of a reference value or more are filled in the desorbing tank 330 ; and a transfer pump 400 transferring lithium ions filled in the desorbing tank 330 to a reservoir 500 installed at the coastline.

Claims (21)

1. An underwater lithium recovering apparatus comprising:

an underwater holder installed on an offshore sea bed;

a lithium adsorbent held in the underwater holder and for adsorbing lithium ions contained in seawater;

a moving ship installed with a cleaning tank for cleaning the lithium adsorbent transferred from the underwater holder and a desorbing tank for desorbing lithium ions adsorbed in the lithium adsorbent transferred from the cleaning tank and the moving ship movable to a coastline when an amount of lithium ions of a reference value or more are filled in the desorbing tank; and

a transfer pump configured to transfer lithium ions filled in the desorbing tank to a reservoir.

2. The underwater lithium recovering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the underwater holder includes an underwater weight seated on the offshore sea bed, and an underwater case coupled to an upper side of the underwater weight.

3. The underwater lithium recovering apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the underwater case has an upper surface which is opened and a bent step formed around the upper surface and externally bent from the underwater case.

4. The underwater lithium recovering apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of underwater holders are installed on the offshore sea bed.

5. The underwater lithium recovering apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the lithium adsorbent has an inclined step dented to be internally inclined at an edge of a lower surface thereof.

6. An underwater lithium recovering method comprising:

installing an underwater holder on an offshore sea bed;

holding a lithium adsorbent in the underwater holder to allow lithium ions contained in seawater to be adsorbed in the lithium adsorbent;

moving a moving ship near the underwater holder;

transferring and cleaning the lithium adsorbent held in the underwater holder to a cleaning tank installed in the moving ship;

transferring the lithium adsorbent cleaned by the cleaning tank to a desorbing tank installed in the moving ship to desorb lithium ions adsorbed in the lithium adsorbent;

moving the moving ship to a coastline when an amount of lithium ions of a reference value or more are filled in the desorbing tank; and

transferring lithium ions filled in the desorbing tank to a reservoir.

7. The underwater lithium recovering method of claim 6 , wherein the underwater holder includes an underwater weight seated on the offshore sea bed, and an underwater case coupled to an upper side of the underwater weight.

8. The underwater lithium recovering method of claim 7 , wherein the underwater case has an upper surface which is opened and a bent step formed around the upper surface and externally bent from the underwater case.

9. The underwater lithium recovering method of claim 8 , wherein the lithium adsorbent has an inclined step dented to be internally inclined at an edge of a lower surface thereof.

10. The underwater lithium recovering method of claim 6 , wherein a plurality of underwater holders are installed on the offshore sea bed.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2025
From: UNIHUB INC.
To: IDEAHUB INC.
Reel/Frame 072865/0732 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2025
From: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES(KIGAM)
To: UNIHUB INC.
Reel/Frame 072756/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2016
From: CHUNG, KANG-SUP; KIM, BYOUNG-GYU; RYU, TAEGONG; RYU, JUNGHO; PARK, IN-SU; HONG, HYE-JIN
To: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Reel/Frame 037598/0635 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2015-0013275 · Jan 28, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160214869A1 · Jul 28, 2016
Cited By (2)
US 12,227,426 US 12,623,913