The future of electrolysis lives here
The power of industrial electrochemistry: the NORSCAND® electrolyser.
Our flagship technology
The NORSCAND® electrolyser, is a highly adaptable electrochemical cell which has been demonstrated at the commercial scale for the electrolysis of lithium chloride and lithium sulphate brines to produce high-purity lithium hydroxide.
The NORSCAND® Electrolyser can also be used to treat effluent streams like sodium sulphate or sodium carbonate by converting these effluents into valuable caustic and acid streams for recycling back to the process. This is particularly interesting for lithium ion and lead acid battery recycling flowsheets.
NESI’s has an established, flexible supply chain for the manufacturing and assembly of the NORSCAND® Electrolyser. This enables NESI to adapt the NORSCAND® Electrolyser to process requirements instead of adapting processes to conventionally available electrolysers. The NORSCAND® Cell can be configured from 2 compartments up to 5 compartments. Including incorporating a variety of cation exchange membranes, anion exchange membranes, and Gas Diffusion Electrodes. NESI is always interested in working with clients to adapt our existing manufacturing supply chain and electrolyser platform to new electrochemical processes.
NESI has a wide array of experience on the commercialization highway for new electrochemical process technologies. From bench scale concept validation, to pilot and demonstration plant engineering, design, and supply, to industrial plant engineering, electrolyser supply, and commissioning support, NESI is the go-to electrolysis technology supplier for new and developing processes.
Electrolysis reinvented
It’s more than just a cell, NESI brings both process know-how and proprietary process technology to the table.
The electrolysis process is the core of our NORSCAND® technology. In the lithium chloride process, the lithium chloride solution (anolyte) and the product lithium hydroxide (catholyte) are circulated through the two compartments of a NORSCAND® electrolyser. When direct current (DC) power is applied to the electrolyser at a voltage greater than the minimum potential needed for electrolysis, the current flows through the electrolyser, leading to the overall reaction of 2 LiCl + 2 H2O → H2 + Cl2 + 2 LiOH. This process is highly efficient and produces high-purity lithium hydroxide that meets the requirements of the lithium-ion battery industry.
It’s all about the brine
Efficient electrochemical processes require clean, purified brine feeds.
No two brines are the same and at NESI we have learned through years of working with all types of feed brines that for each new application, it is of critical importance to understand the brine chemistry to ensure sufficient anode and membrane longevity. Here at NESI, we have developed expertise in brine analysis and brine treatment to enable the purification of most brine streams. We have developed new technologies for silica removal and bromine removal from lithium brines. We are experienced with developed flowsheets for brine purification and understand the importance of proper sequencing of brine purification steps to enable efficient and effective brine pre-treatment.
Electtrolysis Technology Packages
NESI’s technologies can address your electrochemical process needs.
NESI’s core technology offerings centre around our cells. NESI has a track record of successful scale-up of various types of electrochemical cell stacks from flow batteries, to organic electrolysis cells, and of course, salt-splitting electrolysis cells. NESI has a strategic partnership with Permascand AB of Sweden to manufacture commercial-scale electrodes for incorporation into NESI-designed electrolysers.
NESI’s core electrolyser, the NORSCAND® cell can be configured into two, three, or even four compartments depending on the process requirements. For either commercial production, commercial demonstration of a new process chemistry, or early-stage research and development NESI has an electrochemical cell that can be tailored for your application. Our main electrolysis cell offerings are:
NORSCAND® A15 Electrolyser
Technical Specifications:
- Electrode area of 1.5 m2.
- Titanium expanded metal mesh anode electrode that can be coated with either a DSA-O2 or DSA-Cl2 coating depending on process requirements.
- Stainless steel or Nickel expanded metal mesh cathode electrode.
- The NORSCAND® A15 system can be arranged from 1 to 100 cells per electrolyser stack.
- High current density bi-polar electrolyser
NORSCAND® NS-01 Test Cell
The NESI NS-01 test cell is specifically designed to match the process performance of its much larger sibling. The NS-01 test cell is typically used for early-stage process performance validation looking at membrane and coating durability for new electrochemical process development or new brine chemistries. All early-stage testing done at NESI’s partner facility, the Electrosynthesis Company Inc, and at NESI’s BC Research Inc facility, uses a variant of the NS-01 cell.
Technical Specifications:
- Electrode area of 0.015m2
- Two or Three compartment configuration
- Flexible membrane-to-electrode gaps depending on process requirements
- Titanium expanded metal mesh anode electrode that can be coated with either a DSA-O2 or DSA-Cl2 coating depending on process requirements
- Stainless steel or Nickel expanded metal mesh cathode electrode
- Supports industrial level current densities
The success of electrochemical process goes beyond the availability of an electrochemical cell. The entire electrolysis system design is critical to the successful operation of the cell, the lifetime of the coatings and membrane, and overall process economics.
Not only does NESI provide state-of-the-art electrochemical cells with the corresponding DC power systems but we also develop the processes (process requirements, mechanical / piping requirements, control systems, and materials of construction selection) that are critical to the proper operation of electrochemical systems. NESI has been working in the industrial electrochemical space for over 30 years and has developed core engineering competencies in the following areas:
- Electrochemical Cell House Design, Layout, and Operations
- Design of Customized Cell Stacks for Specific Electrochemical Processes
- Electrolyte Chemistry and Management
- Brine Impurity Control
- Power Electronics and Control
- Hydrogen and Chlorine Gas Handling
- Materials of Construction
- Operational Safety and Codes
Our testing facility
The centre of electrochemical innovation.
At the centre of our operations is a world-class commercial demonstration facility located at BC Research in Vancouver, Canada. It is a fully instrumented demonstration plant supported by a multidisciplinary team of highly skilled scientists and engineers. Here, we evaluate a wide range of industrial brines using commercial-sized NORSCAND® cells to determine brine treatment requirements, model process performance and durability, and ultimately engineer and scale facilities for commercial production.
Connect with us
Experts in Industrial Electrochemistry.
If you’re looking for a sustainable solution for lithium conversion, treating and recovering chemical value from waste streams, or looking to develop a novel electrochemical process technology, there’s a good chance that NESI will have the experience, engineering expertise, and technology portfolio to accelerate your project.
