Continuous ion exchange apparatus and process

Claim 1

IN A METHOD OF CARRYING OUT CONTINUOUS ION EXCHANGE OPERATIONS OF THE TYPE WHEREIN A LIQUID FLOWS UPWARDLY, COUNTERCURRENTLY TO A DOWNWARDLY MOVING BED OF ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL, FROM A REGION OF LIQUID INTRODUCTION TO A LIQUID OUTLET ZONE ALONG A PATH FREE OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND RESTRICTIONS, AND ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL IS CONTINUOUSLY ADDED TO THE TOP OF SAID BED AND IS CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWN FROM ITS BOTTOM AT THE RATE AT WHICH IT IS ADDED TO ITS TOP, THE STEPS OF INTRODUCING THE LIQUID INTO A LOWER REGION OF SAID BED IN SUCH MANNER AND AT A RATE AS TO ESTABLISH A NARROW ZONE OF LOCALIZED TURBULENCE IN THE SAID REGION OF INTRODUCTION OF THE LIQUID INTO THE BED AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ACROSS THE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID BED, IN WHICH NARROW ZONE AGGLOMERATIONS OF PARTICLES OF ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL ARE BROKEN UP AND THE PARTICLES ARE CLEANSED, AND A QUIESCENT ZONE UNDERNEATH, AND IN OPEN HYDRAULIC COMMUNICATION WITH, SAID REGION, AND TO LIMIT THE EXPANSION OF SAID BED TO MAINTAIN THE RELATIVE VERTICAL POSITIONS OF THE PARTICLES OF ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL THEREIN, AND CONCENTRATING THE ION EXCHANGE MATERIAL SLURRY IN SAID QUIESCENT ZONE BEFORE IT IS WITHDRAWN.