Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, Vol.35, No.11, 1045-1049, 2002
Effects of suspension density on crystal growth rate in multiparticle agitated crystallizers
The single crystal growth rates (primary growth rate G(prim)) and the average growth rates of crystalline multiparticles (secondary growth rate G(sec)) determined by using a continuous MSMPR crystallizer were measured for a few inorganic systems. The influence of the suspension density M-T on the average growth rate of the multiparticles was evaluated using the ratio of G(sec) to G(prim). Relationships between the suspension density M-T and the ratio of two growth rates were compared for the systems investigated. As a result, the influences of M-T on the ratio of G(sec) to G(prim) were different depending on the systems. In the case of potassium sulfate crystals, which were readily agglomerated under the low suspension conditions, the ratio of G(prim) to G(sec) was dependent on M-T. In the potash alum crystals, the more M-T became high, the more the degree of agglomeration of product crystals increased and the ratio of G(prim) to G(sec) became large. The ammonium sulfate crystals were scarcely agglomerated and M-T did not influence the ratio of two growth rates. It was suggested that the influence of M-T on the growth rate was related to the difference in the degree of attrition and agglomeration.