PROBLEMS 501
The design of the crystallizer itself must be such be removed as product. The classifying action
that stratification of the feed cannot occur. At the retains the small crystals in the circulating liquor
low temperatures involved, the hydrostatic head of a stream in the crystal bed until their size has reached
few inches of the solution results in raising the boiling the desired range.
point to such an extent that liquor well above the The classifying crystallizer subject to operation
is
saturation temperature at the pressure of the vapor under vacuum desired or at
for low temperature
if
space may pass through Agitation
the crystallizer. moderate for intermediate temperature
vacuum
if
necessary to avoid this is usually accomplished by that necessary for phase stability or for rate of
is
the joint effect of propellers and of spontaneous deposition. Thus, desired to produce
is
it
is if
vaporization of feed (Fig. 474). MgS04 6H20, which stable in contact with satu
•
If the crystallizer is operated batchwise, it is
F,
rated solution only between about 120° and 155°
customary to drop the finished magma at the end of possible to operate the Oslo-type crystallizer
is
it
the cycle into a magma tank, from which it may be within this particular range to produce the desired
pumped to any dewatering device applicable to the phase. -
is,
particular installation, that centrifuge, filter, or Multiple-effect evaporators are also operated for
the crystallizer operated contin the production The opera
If
thickener. of crystalline product.
is
a
uously, usual practice to pump continuously tion of the evaporator seldom allows much flexibility
it
is
some of the magma from the body of the crystallizer as to the size and shape of crystals produced. Some
to the dewatering The type of
filter or centrifuge. classifying action does occur in that fine crystals are
pump usually any standard centrifugal pump with usually carried in the circulating mother liquor until
is
adequate clearance for the crystals being handled. they attain such size as will result in their dropping
The limitations on slurry density are usually im out of the circulating stream into the salt-removal
posed by the viscosity of the magma which will equipment. Where careful control of the crystal
permit adequate circulation in the crystallizer body, size necessary, or where the desired range of crystal
is is
rather than the characteristics of the removal pump. size different from that which will result from
Depending primarily upon the relative density of the crystallization in the evaporator, common prac
is
it
crystals and solution, the critical slurry density for tice to transfer the hot concentrated mother liquor
satisfactory operation of the crystallizer may be from the evaporator directly to crystallizer in
a
from 30 per cent solids by weight for heavy crystals which the desired crystal size can be attained.
to as high as 55 per cent for crystals approaching the
solution in density. The mother liquor separated BIBLIOGRAPHY
in the filter or centrifugal can be returned to process
McCabe, W. L., "Crystal Growth in Aqueous Solutions,"
1.
or discarded as desired.
Ind. Eng. Chem,, 21, 30, 112 (1929).
The types of equipment illustrated in Figs. 472, Miebs, Sir H. A., "The Growth of Crystals in Super
2.
473, and 474 have no provision for the removal of saturated Solutions," J. Insl. Metals, 37,
1,
331 (1927).
large crystals of the desired size with retention in Perry, H., Chemical Engineers' Handbook, 3rd ed.,
3.
J.
the equipment of small crystals for further growth. p. 196, McGraw-Hill Book Co. (1950).
The combination of classifying action with crystal
lization operations incorporated in several crys- PROBLEMS
is
tallizers such as that shown in Fig. 475. Classifying
The solubility of sodium sulfate
1.
40 parts Na2S04 per
is
crystallizers are available in which the crystal forma 100 parts of water at 30° C, and 13.5 parts at 15° C. The
tion results from either cooling of the solution or latent heat of crystallization (liberated when crystals form)
evaporation of solvent therefrom. In either case the 18,000 gram-calories per gram mole NajSO^. Glauber's
is
liquid being circulated within the crystallizer salt (NaaS04 •IOH2O) to be made in a Swenson- Walker
is
is
crystallizer by cooling a solution, saturated at 30° C, to
carried into the region of supersaturation in the
15° C. Cooling water enters at 10° and leaves at 20° C.
C
absence of crystals. The circulation then returns The overall heat transfer coefficient in the crystallizer
ft is
this slightly supersaturated solution to bed of 25 Btu/(hr)(°F)(sq ft) and each foot of crystallizer has sq
a
crystals on which salt deposited. This bed How many 10-ft units of crystallizer will
is
of cooling surface.
is
supported in such fashion that crystals are retained be required to produce ton/hr of Glauber's salt?
1
in the crystallizer until the size such that they will
is
2.
One ton of sodium thiosulfate (Na2S203-5HjO) to be
is
drop out of the circulating liquid stream and then crystallized per hour by cooling solution containing 56.5
a
