Aqua Metals announces milestone boost for lead production in latest electrolyser testing programme
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Lead production under the new equipment configuration 'more than 300% greater' than earlier iteration. Photo: Aqua Metals
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Aqua Metals today announced a milestone in its novel lead battery recycling tech programme that boosts throughput and reduces equipment costs for licensees.
The company said it has completed the latest iteration (V1.5) of its ‘Aqualyzer’ electrolyser testing programme just six months after completing V1.25.
Lead production under the new configuration "is more than 300% greater” than its earlier (V1.0) model, which was deployed during commercial production in 2018 and 2019.
Equipment configurations are already being updated for Taiwan lead refiner ACME Metal Enterprise – with which Aqua Metals signed a definitive licensing agreement to deploy its AquaRefining technology in Taiwan last month.
The throughput increase means a reduction of more than 60% in the number of Aqualyzers needed for equivalent lead production compared to V1.0 – "reducing capital, labour and footprint requirements”, the company said.
"This latest iteration has also increased electrical efficiency to 97%, which further improves operating costs.”
Aqua Metals said the 60% overall reduction in operating expenses and 50% reduction in capital expenditures from V1.0 to V1.5 "greatly exceeds” targets set last year.
President and CEO Steve Cotton said: "There is a long and favourable cost curve ahead as we work to make our globally-patented AquaRefining the best available modular and upgradable technology for clean and safe battery metals recovery.”
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The company said it has completed the latest iteration (V1.5) of its ‘Aqualyzer’ electrolyser testing programme just six months after completing V1.25.
Lead production under the new configuration "is more than 300% greater” than its earlier (V1.0) model, which was deployed during commercial production in 2018 and 2019.
Equipment configurations are already being updated for Taiwan lead refiner ACME Metal Enterprise – with which Aqua Metals signed a definitive licensing agreement to deploy its AquaRefining technology in Taiwan last month.
'Electrical efficiency'
The throughput increase means a reduction of more than 60% in the number of Aqualyzers needed for equivalent lead production compared to V1.0 – "reducing capital, labour and footprint requirements”, the company said.
"This latest iteration has also increased electrical efficiency to 97%, which further improves operating costs.”
Aqua Metals said the 60% overall reduction in operating expenses and 50% reduction in capital expenditures from V1.0 to V1.5 "greatly exceeds” targets set last year.
AquaRefining utilises a room temperature, closed-loop, water-based process combined with non-toxic, biodegradable organic proprietary electrolyte to produce 99.997% pure lead.
President and CEO Steve Cotton said: "There is a long and favourable cost curve ahead as we work to make our globally-patented AquaRefining the best available modular and upgradable technology for clean and safe battery metals recovery.”
Related articles in our archive: