Lithium battery recycling generates highly challenging wastewater. From leaching, washing, and disassembly operations, a typical facility produces 300 m³/day of effluent containing elevated levels of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium. Electrolyte decomposition products and fluorides create a stable emulsion, making it extremely difficult to remove heavy metals by conventional methods.
Traditional lime + sodium hydroxide precipitation fails to break the emulsion or capture complexed metals. In one real case, treated effluent still carried 30 mg/L of fluoride and unacceptably high metal concentrations, unable to meet discharge standards.
The solution lies in a targeted heavy metal removal agent – a polymer metal capturer designed specifically for such challenging streams. In a bench test, 100 mL of raw wastewater was first treated with lime and pH adjuster. Then a self‑developed heavy metal scavenger was added. Its unique chelating groups penetrate the emulsification layer and lock onto both free and complexed metal ions preferentially. A small dose of PAM flocculant followed, and gentle stirring turned fine flocs into large, dense aggregates. After settling, the supernatant was crystal clear. Analysis confirmed nickel dropped from over 30 mg/L to below 0.5 mg/L – a removal efficiency above 98%.
What makes this metal capture agent so effective? The polymeric structure carries multiple chelating sites that bind strongly with nickel, cobalt, manganese, and other transition metals, even in the presence of emulsifiers and fluorides. It works across a wide pH range and produces a compact, easily dewatered sludge.
As a professional chemicals manufacturer in the water treatment Industry, Sanmei have helped more than 5,000 plants with process solutions and helped them improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize profit plans. Our main goal is to assist you in optimizing production efficiency and profitability in a sustainable way. Welcome to consult us and get a free wastewater treatment solution by filling in the form below or email to sales@san-mei.com.
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