Crude nickel sulfate usually contains impurities such as iron, arsenic, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, and free sulfuric acid. Purification is therefore required before it can meet the application standards for battery-grade or electroplating-grade nickel sulfate. At present, solvent extraction is one of the mainstream processes for nickel sulfate purification. The main process steps include crude nickel sulfate dissolution and oxidation, nickel saponification, iron extraction, copper extraction, zinc extraction, removal of organic impurities, and post-treatment. Due to the complexity of the nickel sulfate solvent extraction and purification process, more than 10 extraction stages are usually required. In industrial production lines, multi-stage counter-current centrifugal extraction systems are widely adopted.
In a nickel sulfate solvent extraction production line project developed by Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. for a customer, the core equipment used was the CWL650-M centrifugal extractor. The entire production line was configured with 30 stages in series, achieving stable and efficient purification of nickel sulfate. The system has a total throughput of 50–60 m³/h for the combined organic and aqueous phases, with an annual operating time of up to 8,000 hours, meeting the requirements of continuous large-scale production.
As the core equipment for nickel sulfate solvent extraction, the CWL650-M centrifugal extractor is designed to provide both efficient mass transfer and separation performance. It has a drum diameter of 650 mm, uses a composite-material mold forming process, and has a maximum rotational speed of 580 r/min. Its maximum mixing throughput can reach 60,000 L/h. The equipment is equipped with pre-mixing and multi-stage mixing mechanisms, with a wide applicable phase ratio range of 1:30 to 30:1. It can handle liquids with a viscosity of up to 3,000 cps and a specific gravity difference between the two phases of 0.03–3 g/mL, providing strong adaptability to different nickel sulfate feed solutions.
In terms of materials, the exterior of the housing is made of carbon steel with a plastic coating, while the interior is treated with carbon steel coated with Halar (F30) for corrosion protection, providing a balance between structural strength and corrosion resistance. Each unit is equipped with a 4.0 kW explosion-proof motor and is suitable for a 380 V/50 Hz power supply. The inlet and outlet ports have a nominal diameter of DN150. The overall dimensions of a single unit are 1,350 × 1,350 × 1,960 mm, with a weight of approximately 1,800 kg. In addition, the equipment is equipped with a high-purity zirconium electrostatic discharge device, further improving operational safety.
It should be noted that the mixing throughput refers to the maximum theoretical throughput of the equipment. The actual processing capacity will be affected by factors such as liquid density, viscosity, emulsification tendency, and mass transfer efficiency. Therefore, the equipment should be properly selected according to the specific operating conditions. For metal solvent extraction systems such as nickel sulfate purification, a 30-stage counter-current extraction configuration can effectively ensure metal recovery and product purity, enabling stable industrial operation.
As professional liquid-liquid extraction equipment, the CWL-M series centrifugal extractors have mature applications in the field of nickel sulfate purification. Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. provides a complete product line ranging from the CWL50-M laboratory-scale centrifugal extractor to the CWL650-M industrial extraction and separation equipment, supporting equipment selection for applications ranging from laboratory-scale testing to production lines with an annual capacity of tens of thousands of tons.
For more detailed technical parameters or equipment selection recommendations for nickel sulfate solvent extraction, please contact the technical engineers at Zhengzhou Tiei Extraction Technology Co., Ltd. for further discussion.
Email: sales@tieiextraction.com
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