Apparatus fqr crystallizing and separating slightly

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR CRYSTALLIZING AND SEPARATING A SLIGHTLY SOLUBLE CRYSTALLINE SUBSTANCE FROM A RELATIVELY LARGE AMOUNT OF LIQUID FROM WHICH SAID SUBSTANCE IS TO BE CRYSTALLIZED, A CIRCULAR TANK IN WHICH THE CRYSTALLIZATION IS CARRIED OUT HAVING A CENTRAL DEPENDING BOTTOM PORTION APPROXIMATING A CYLINDER OF LESSER DIAMETER THAN THE TANK AND HAVING A CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THE AREA OF THE TANK, SAID CYLINDER OF LESSER DIAMETER HAVING POSITIONED AXIALLY THEREIN A SERIES OF CONCENTRIC BAFFLES WHICH ARE OPEN AT BOTH ENDS, LIQUOR INTRODUCING INLETS POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CENTRAL DEPENDING BOTTOM PORTION TO PRODUCE AN UPWARD FLOW SUBSTANTIALLY ENTIRELY IN SAID CENTRAL BOTTOM PORTION SAID SERIES INCLUDING AN OUTERMOST CONCENTRIC BAFFLE FORMING IN CONJUCTION WITH THE WALL OF THE DEPENDING BOTTOM PORTION AN ANNULAR CONDUIT WHICH IS SPACED ABOVE AND MORE REMOTE FROM THE AXIS OF THE DEPENDING BOTTOM PORTION THAN THE LIQUOR INLET MEANS POSITIONED TO DISCHARGE ADJACENT THE BOTTOM OF THE DEPENDING PORTION FOR FLOW UPWARDLY THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE CIRCULAR BAFFLES.