Apparatus for concentrating a solution and separating crystals therefrom

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING A SOLUTION AND SEPARATING CRYSTALS THEREFROM, COMPRISING A VERTICAL SHELL, A GENERALLY CONICAL PARTITION IN SAID SHELL AND DIVIDING SAID SHELL INTO AN UPPER EVAPORATING CHAMBER PARTLY FILLED WITH SAID SOLUTION AND A LOWER SEPARATING CHAMBER, SAID CONICAL PARTITION BEING ARRANGED WITH ITS WALL CONVERGING DOWNWARDLY TO AN OPENING PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CHAMBERS AND THROUGH WHICH CRYSTALS FORMED IN SAID EVAPORATING CHAMBER SETTLE INTO SAID SEPARATING CHAMBER, A HEATER, LINES FOR CIRCULATING THE SOLUTION FROM THE LOWER PART OF SAID EVAPORATING CHAMBER THROUGH SAID HEATER AND BACK INTO SAID EVAPORATING CHAMBER ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE LIQUID THEREIN TO FLASH ON DISCHARGE INTO THE EVAPORATING CHAMBER, A PUMP RECIRCULATING THE SOLUTION THROUGH SAID LINES, HEATER AND EVAPORATING CHAMBER, A LIQUID OUTLET LINE CONNECTED TO WITHDRAW THE SOLUTION FROM THE UPPER PART OF SAID SEPARATING CHAMBER IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE LARGE UPPER END OF SAID CONICAL PARTITION, AND A CRYSTAL OUTLET LINE CONNECTED TO THE BOTTOM WALL OF SAID SEPARATING CHAMBER TO WITHDRAW THE CRYSTALS SETTLING THEREIN.