Record: screw blowers at the highest altitude anywhere in the world

AERZEN Delta Hybrid for lithium production in ArgentinaRecord: screw blowers at the highest altitude anywhere in the world

Eramine Sudamérica plans to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate at the new lithium plant, pictured here in July 2023.

With the installation of four Delta Hybrid D152S at an altitude of 4,000 metres, AERZEN Argentina is setting two new milestones at once - a new global altitude record for screw blowers and the evolution of lithium production.

At an altitude of 4,000 metres above sea level, the air is thin - in the full sense of the word. The low oxygen content and reduced air pressure quickly make people who are not acclimatised out of breath. Altitude sickness is not an issue for blowers, but even process air generators are not summiteers per se. High altitudes at over 4,000 metres also pose a particular challenge for them. As an experienced specialist and global partner for high-performance compressors, AERZEN is very familiar with such demanding environmental conditions and provides robust and reliable solutions for every application. The latest coup: the installation of four Delta Hybrids type D152S in the Argentinian province of Salta.

The screw blowers are used in a plant for the production of lithium carbonate, an essential component for electric vehicle batteries, and they have set a new altitude record. No other Delta Hybrid is installed higher above sea level. But there’s more to it than that: the installation of the screw blowers at this extreme altitude of 4,000 metres also marks the highest altitude installation of AERZEN Delta Hybrids anywhere in the world.

New paths in lithium production

The province of Salta is located in the north-west of Argentina and is one of the country's most important Lithium mining areas. The new plant of our customer Eramine Sudamérica is scheduled to go into operation at the end of 2024 and has an expected annual capacity of 24,000 tonnes. The use of screw blowers in lithium production is a remarkable innovation. Although the Delta Hybrid D152S screw blowers are not yet used for such applications, they have been integrated to perform a controlled oxidation of the iron existing in the brine. In this process, which processes large volumes of materials continuously, the iron precipitates as fine oxide particles, which are then extracted. This achieves an efficient extraction of around 90 per cent of the Lithium.

Robust screw blowers with an excellent energy balance

With a volume flow of up to 8,900 m³/h, a motor rating of up to 315 kW and a maximal differential pressure of 1,000 mbar, the Delta Hybrid D152S is the most powerful rotary lobe compressor in the AERZEN portfolio. Rotary lobe compressors (also known as screw blowers) are among the most innovative solutions in compressor technology. They combine the advantages of blower and compressor technology in one system and are by far one of the most efficient packages for a wide control range of 25% to 100%. The generated process air is free of absorption material and oil. This guarantees 100% reliability. The compact design of the Delta Hybrids D152S also enables space-saving installation.

One project, several challenges

The new plant in Salta will play a key role in the production of lithium carbonate and is an excellent example of how even the most extreme challenges can be overcome through collaboration and innovation. The project was launched in 2017 with the installation of a screw blower in a pilot plant. In 2019, the analyses for a large-scale modification began, with AERZEN Argentina accompanying every step of the process alongside the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) company Fluence Sudamérica. The plant's remote location at one of Argentina's highest altitudes required a considerable logistical effort, including the construction of a runway and the importation of equipment from more than ten different countries. The ambitious project was also a success thanks to the dedicated commitment and competent, personalised support of AERZEN Argentina's technical after-sales service.