986 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
inputs to the process that are defined by the user, the blue
boxes are unit operation models, and the yellow arrows rep-
resent model outputs.
While the functionality of the process flowsheet has
limitations associated with a lack of additional experimen-
tal data for further validation and fitting the performance
of the plant, it nonetheless represents an important proof-
of-concept. The model demonstrates the integration of
model libraries with disparate levels of data detail to simu-
late a real-world process. The model also has the capability
to optimize the process for cost and/or chemical consump-
tion. A UI for is currently being developed for this flow-
sheet to enable the interactive exploration of results and
design choices. An existing open-source UI framework in
the IDAES-CMF is being leveraged to reduce development
time and cost. (watertap-org, 2024)
Critical Mineral Recovery with Membranes
Recycling can play a critical role in establishing domes-
tic CMM supply chains, and membranes represent an
intriguing opportunity for process intensification in CMM
processing. (Dougher, et al., 2024) This work presents a
membrane diafiltration model to demonstrate PrOMMiS’
capabilities for conceptual design, process design, and
scale-up of novel (low TRL) CMM &REE technologies.
A novel separation processes for spent lithium-ion batteries
(LIBs) is presented as a case study. Wamble et at. provided
a membrane cascade superstructure optimization model
for lithium cobalt separation as an alternative to complex
and expensive leaching and extraction processes. (Wamble,
Eugene, Phillip, &Dowling, 2022) Membrane separation
of Co2+/Li+ can help reduce the environmental challenges
associated with solvents, and represent more robust and
flexible systems.
Conceptual Design
The first membrane case study, shown in Figure 5, expands
on the previous work presented by Wamble et at., in which
a continuous multistage diafiltration cascade was utilized
to separate Li+ and Co2+. (Wamble, Eugene, Phillip, &
Dowling, 2022) The approach computes a series of Pareto
optimal designs of the cascade, but initial results required
the authors to introduce a second optimization step to
“generate sensible cascade designs.” (Ovalle, Tran, Laird,
&Grossmann, 2024) Consequently, the PrOMMiS team
developed a Generalized Disjunctive Programming (GDP)
model to identify the optimal design of a multistage diafil-
tration cascade for Li-Co separation. (Ovalle, Tran, Laird,
&Grossmann, 2024) This approach allows for the identi-
fication of globally optimal flowsheet for a given Cobalt/
Lithium recovery. Moreover, the results highlight a trade-
off between capitalizing on recovered Cobalt and the instal-
lation of additional membranes, as shown in Figure 6.
(Ovalle, Tran, Laird, &Grossmann, 2024).
Source :Honaker, et al., 2019.
Figure 4. Flowsheet of the University of Kentucky’s pilot-scale leaching and solvent extraction circuits
inputs to the process that are defined by the user, the blue
boxes are unit operation models, and the yellow arrows rep-
resent model outputs.
While the functionality of the process flowsheet has
limitations associated with a lack of additional experimen-
tal data for further validation and fitting the performance
of the plant, it nonetheless represents an important proof-
of-concept. The model demonstrates the integration of
model libraries with disparate levels of data detail to simu-
late a real-world process. The model also has the capability
to optimize the process for cost and/or chemical consump-
tion. A UI for is currently being developed for this flow-
sheet to enable the interactive exploration of results and
design choices. An existing open-source UI framework in
the IDAES-CMF is being leveraged to reduce development
time and cost. (watertap-org, 2024)
Critical Mineral Recovery with Membranes
Recycling can play a critical role in establishing domes-
tic CMM supply chains, and membranes represent an
intriguing opportunity for process intensification in CMM
processing. (Dougher, et al., 2024) This work presents a
membrane diafiltration model to demonstrate PrOMMiS’
capabilities for conceptual design, process design, and
scale-up of novel (low TRL) CMM &REE technologies.
A novel separation processes for spent lithium-ion batteries
(LIBs) is presented as a case study. Wamble et at. provided
a membrane cascade superstructure optimization model
for lithium cobalt separation as an alternative to complex
and expensive leaching and extraction processes. (Wamble,
Eugene, Phillip, &Dowling, 2022) Membrane separation
of Co2+/Li+ can help reduce the environmental challenges
associated with solvents, and represent more robust and
flexible systems.
Conceptual Design
The first membrane case study, shown in Figure 5, expands
on the previous work presented by Wamble et at., in which
a continuous multistage diafiltration cascade was utilized
to separate Li+ and Co2+. (Wamble, Eugene, Phillip, &
Dowling, 2022) The approach computes a series of Pareto
optimal designs of the cascade, but initial results required
the authors to introduce a second optimization step to
“generate sensible cascade designs.” (Ovalle, Tran, Laird,
&Grossmann, 2024) Consequently, the PrOMMiS team
developed a Generalized Disjunctive Programming (GDP)
model to identify the optimal design of a multistage diafil-
tration cascade for Li-Co separation. (Ovalle, Tran, Laird,
&Grossmann, 2024) This approach allows for the identi-
fication of globally optimal flowsheet for a given Cobalt/
Lithium recovery. Moreover, the results highlight a trade-
off between capitalizing on recovered Cobalt and the instal-
lation of additional membranes, as shown in Figure 6.
(Ovalle, Tran, Laird, &Grossmann, 2024).
Source :Honaker, et al., 2019.
Figure 4. Flowsheet of the University of Kentucky’s pilot-scale leaching and solvent extraction circuits