Process for the conversion of saline water

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS IN WHICH SALINE WATER IS CONVERTED TO PRACTICALLY SALINE-FREE WATER THROUGH CRYSTALLIZATION INDUCED BY THE LATENT HEAT EFFECT OF AND DIRECT CONTACT WITH AN EVAPORATING LIQUID ORGANIC REFRIGERANT, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE CRYSTALLIZING DISCRETE ICE CRYSTAL FROM SALINE WATER BY FREEZING FRESH WATER ICE FROM THE SALINE WATER BY THE LATENT HEAT OF EVAPORATION OF A LIQUID ORGANIC REFRIGERANT IN AN ENVORONMENT MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE OF LESS THAN 1*C. BELOW THE FREEEZING POINT OF THE SALINE WATER, THICKENING THE RESULTING SLURRY, SUSPENDING THE THICKENED SLURRY IN A CURCULATING LIQUID ORGANIC REFRIGERANT THAT IS KEPT IN THE LIQUID PHASE BY A TEMPERATURE BELOW 0*C. AND AN ABSOLUTE PRESSURE OF ABOE 300 MM. OF HG, SUBJECTING THE SUSPENDED SLURRY TO CENTRIFUGAL TREATMENT, WHEREBY THE ICE CRYSTALS PASS TO THE CENTRAL AND THE MOTHER LIQUOR PASSES TO THE OUTER PART OF THE TREATED SLURRY, SEPARATING THE MOTHER LIQUOR FROM THE OUTER PART AND THE ICE CRYSTALS FROM THE CENTRAL PART OF THE TREATED SLURRY, AND USING THE SAME ORGANIC REFRIGERANT IN THE FREEZIG AND SUSPENDING STEPS.