Apparatus for producing crystalline materials

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR GROWING CRYSTALS FROM A SOLUTION CONTAINING SUBSTANCE TO BE CRYSTALLIZED, COMPRISING A CRYSTALLIZER VESSEL HAVING SOLUTION THEREIN CONTAINING LEVELS OF DIFFERENT SIZED CRYSTALS, A FEED CONDUIT IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID VESSEL AND SUPPLYING SOLUTION THERETO CONTAINING DESIRABLE SIZED CRYSTAL NUCLEI AND UNDESIRABLE SIZED CRYSTAL NUCLEI, SAID CRYSTALLIZER VESSEL HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING THEREIN FOR PASSING SOLUTION CONTAINING CRYSTAL NUCLEI FROM SAID VESSEL, AN EVAPORATOR, AN EVAPORATOR INLET CONDUIT COMMUNICATING AT ONE END WITH SAID EVAPORATOR AND AT THE OTHER END WITH THE OUTLET OPENING OF SAID VESSEL, BAFFLE MEANS IN SAID VESSEL EXTENDING IN A HORIZONTAL DIRECTION FROM WALL TO WALL OF SAID VESSEL AND IN A VERTICAL DIRECTION DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TOP OF SAID VESSEL IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OUTLET OPENING IN SAID VESSEL, SAID BAFFLE MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY TO A POINT BELOW SAID OUTLET OPENING AND IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BOTTOM OF SAID VESSEL WHEREBY SOLUTION CONTAINING UNDESIRABLE SIZED CRYSTALS IS PREVENTED FROM PASSING INTO SAID OUTLET OPENING, PUMP MEANS DISPOSED IN SAID EVAPORATOR INLET CONDUIT FOR WITHDRAWING THROUGH SAID OUTLET OPENING IN SAID VESSEL SOLUTION CONTAINING DESIRABLE SIZED CRYSTAL NUCLEI AND DELIVERING SAID SOLUTION TO THE EVAPORATOR, A HEAT EXCHANGER, A HEAT EXCHANGER INLET CONDUIT HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND THE OTHER END CONNECTED TO THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID VESSEL ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID BAFFLE MEANS FROM SAID OUTLET OPENING, OTHER PUMP MEANS DISPOSED IN AID HEAT EXCHANGER INLET CONDUIT FOR WITHDRAWING SOLUTION CONTAINING UNDESIRABLE SIZED CRYSTAL NUCLEI FROM SAID VESSEL AND DELIVERING SAID LIQUID TO THE HEAT EXCHANGER, A HEAT EXCHANGER OUTLET CONDUIT HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID HEAT EXCHANGER AND THE OTHER END CONNECTED TO SAID EVAPORATOR INLET CONDUIT TO DELIVER HEATED SOLUTION THERETO, VACUUM MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID EVAPORATOR FOR PRODUCING A SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION THEREIN, A BAROMETRIC LEG HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO THE EVAPORATOR AND THE OTHER END EXTENDING INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE CRYSTALLIZER VESSEL FOR DELIVERING SOLUTION FROM THE EVAPORATOR TO BE CRYSTALLIZER, AND EJECTOR MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID VESSEL FOR REMOVING GROWN CRYSTALS THEREFROM.