Process for removing water from a particulate material
Disclosed herein is a process for removing water from a particulate material selected from (oxy)hydroxides and carbonates containing at least one of nickel, cobalt, and at least one metal other than nickel. The process includes the step of introducing at least one particulate material with a water content in the range of from 1 to 30% by weight, referring to said particulate material, into a rotary kiln with external heating elements and moving it through the rotary kiln together with a flow of a gas. The residual moisture of the resultant product is in the range of from 50 ppm to 1.5% by weight.
1 . Process A process for removing water from a particulate material selected from the group consisting of (oxy) hydroxides and carbonates containing at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, and at least one metal other than nickel, said process comprising the step of introducing at least one particulate material with a water content in the range of from 1 to 30% by weight, referring to said particulate material, into a rotary kiln with external heating elements and moving the at least one particulate material through the rotary kiln together with a flow of a gas, wherein an average residence time of the particulate material is in the range of from 30 minutes to 5 hours and wherein a residual moisture of the resultant product is in the range of from 50 ppm to 1.5% by weight.
2 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the flow of gas is counter-current with respect to the movement of the particulate material.
3 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of composite (oxy) hydroxides of nickel and at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and manganese and containing, optionally, at least one further metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ba, Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Mo, Sb, and Y.
4 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the flow of gas has an inlet temperature in the range of from zero to 1400° C.
5 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the particulate material is free from lithium.
6 . The process according to claim 1 wherein said rotary kiln has at least two distinguishable zones in which the particulate material is treated at different temperature levels.
7 . The process according to claim 5 wherein in a first temperature zone, the temperature of said particulate material is in the range of from 80 to 130° C. and in a second temperature zone, the temperature is in the range of from 200 to 500° C.
8 . The process according to claim 1 wherein on the discharge end of said rotary kiln, an inlet stream of inert gas, air, oxygen-enriched or oxygen-depleted air or flue gases are introduced into the rotary kiln.
9 . The process according to claim 1 wherein the particulate material is selected from the group consisting of composite carbonates of nickel and at least one transition metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt and manganese and containing, optionally, at least one further metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, Ba, Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Mo, Sb, and Y, and wherein the carbonate is at least partially removed as carbon dioxide.