Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, Vol.49, No.1, 42-47, 2016
Effect of Feed Location on Particle Size Distribution in Production of Crystals in a Classified Bed Crystallizer
Effects of the feed location on crystal growth and agglomeration using a model of a classified bed type crystallizer were examined. Semi-batch crystallization tests were examined with a feed from one of various feed locations. The particle size distribution and the number of the product particles were measured. From the results of the investigations, it was concluded that a feed positioned inside the slurry phase of the crystallizer affects the crystal growth and agglomeration phenomena, though the knowledge about phenomena of fine crystals is inadequate. Positioning the feed within the slurry phase increases the crystal growth rate slightly at the bottom of the slurry phase, as well as the agglomeration of the seed crystals, by increasing the degree of supersaturation at the inlet to the crystallizer. However, when the feed is positioned in the upper part of the slurry phase, the feed interferes with the agglomeration by reducing the concentration of the mother solution. It was thought that we can control the size of the crystals that form in the crystallizer by moving the location of the feed to a point within the slurry phase.