CDOF Process Innovation: Efficient Purification and TOC Control for Ternary Precursor Solution

Ternary (NCM) precursor solution is a core raw material in the new energy industry chain, and its quality directly affects the performance of end products. The liquid often contains large amounts of oil and total organic carbon (TOC), which poses a serious challenge in downstream processing.

Conventional processes for treating ternary precursor product solution

The widely used activated carbon and resin adsorption methods can partially remove impurities, but they generally suffer from high cost, complex flows and the generation of hazardous waste, and are increasingly unable to meet modern industrial requirements. Specifically:

• High cost: the nature of the product solution requires coconut-shell activated carbon and special resins, driving up costs.

• Hazardous waste: spent activated carbon becomes hazardous waste that must be outsourced for disposal, increasing operating costs.

• Cumbersome operation: activated carbon must be replaced frequently — every two days — requiring staffed attendance and troublesome handling.

• Safety risk: resin regeneration uses ethanol, imposing high on-site safety requirements and entailing certain risks.

To address these difficulties, SINOKLE has developed a new process for deoiling and purifying ternary precursor solution based on its proprietary patented technology — the ozone flotation integrated system (CDOF). The unit combines ozone catalytic oxidation, hydrocyclone separation and flotation deoiling with a self-developed modified heterogeneous ozone catalyst. The catalyst has excellent adsorption and catalytic oxidation capacity for oil and TOC, efficiently removing oil and reducing TOC without altering the ionic composition of the solution or affecting its purity.

Deoiling of ternary precursor product solution Schematic of the treatment process

Technical advantages of the ozone flotation integrated unit (CDOF):

• Multiple technologies combined: CDOFthe technology integrates ozone catalytic oxidation, hydrocyclone separation and flotation deoiling — a domestic first and internationally leading.

• Efficient and low-consumption: high ozone utilization efficiency and low energy consumption; operating cost is only 1/3 to 1/2 of activated carbon or resin adsorption, with no hazardous waste generated — environmentally friendly.

• No secondary pollution: no chemical agents are added during treatment, so downstream processes are unaffected.

• Fast treatment: short retention time and compact footprint, suitable for production of any scale.

• Safe and environmentally friendly: closed pressurized operation with no ozone leakage — safe and green, without affecting on-site operations.

• Fully automatic operation: intelligent control with remote guidance, no staffed attendance required, lowering labour costs.

• Acid-resistant catalyst: a new acid-resistant catalyst works under acidic conditions with no metal contamination.

• High removal efficiency: oil content can be reduced to below 2 ppm (including dissolved oil), and TOC removal exceeds 60%, significantly improving product solution quality.

CDOF On-site photo of the

unit. Experimental results show that the CDOF process keeps oil content in the material stably below 2 ppm, with TOC removal efficiency exceeding 60%.

Treatment performance

Compared with conventional activated carbon and resin adsorption processes, the CDOF technology offers many advantages:

• better treatment performance, especially for TOC;

• CDOFno frequent catalyst replacement, which greatly reduces hazardous waste generation and saves treatment costs;

• fully automatic closed operation that is simple to run, reliable and free of secondary pollution;

• CDOFhigh efficiency and energy savings, with high ozone utilization and low energy consumption (operating cost only 1/3 to 1/2 of activated carbon or resin adsorption);

• closed pressurized operation with no risk of ozone leakage, ensuring safe and environmentally friendly on-site work.

  
  

CDOF Thanks to its outstanding purification performance and multiple process advantages, the CDOF technology has become the preferred solution for deoiling and TOC control in ternary precursor solution. It not only improves precursor solution quality but also injects new momentum into the green and sustainable development of the new energy industry.