Apparatus for separation of solvent from solute by freezing

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A SOLVENT FROM A SOLUTION CONTAINING THE SOLVENT BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH A VOLATILE REFRIGERANT IMMISCIBLE WITH THE SOLVENT OR SOLUTION COMPRISING AN EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, A LINE FOR DELIVERING SOLUTION TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, A LINE FOR DELIVERING A LIQUID REFRIGERANT TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SOLVENT BELOW THE LIQUID LEVEL THEREIN, SAID APPARATUS CONTAINING SUFFICIENT REFRIGERANT TO PRODUCE A LAYER THEREOF IN LIQUID PHASE IN INTERFACE CONTACT WITH THE BODY OF SOLUTION IN THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, AN AGITATOR WHICH MIXES THE LIQUID REFRIGERANT AT THE TOP OF THE BODY OF SOLUTION AS DISPERSED DROPS DOWN INTO THE SOLUTION, A CONDENSER, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING REFRIGERANT VAPORT FROM THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER AND DELIVERING IT TO THE CONDENSER WHEREBY TO EVAPORATOR THE VOLATILE REFRIGERANT AND PRODUCE A PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE IN THE EVAPORATORFREEZER TO FREEZE SOLVENT FROM SOLUTION, CONDUIT MEANS FOR SEPARATING ICE CRYSTALS FROM SOLUTION, CONDUIT MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING A SLURRY OF ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLUTION FROM THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER AND DELIVER IT TO THE SEPARATING MEANS, MEANS FORMING A SLURRY OF SEPARATED ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLVENT AND DELIVERING THE SLURRY INTO THE CONDENSER FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE REFRIGERANT VAPOR TO CONDENSE THE LATTER AND MELT THE ICE CRYSTALS, SAID LIQUID REFRIGERANT AND CONDENSED SOLVENT SEPARATING BY GRAVITY IN THE CONDENSER, SAID LINE FOR DELIVERING LIQUID REFRIGERANT TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER BEING CONNECTED TO WITHDRAW LIQUID REFRIGERANT FROM THE CONDENSER, AND SAID MEANS FORMING A SLURRY OF ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLVENT COMPRISING A CONDUIT FOR DELIVERING LIQUID SOLVENT FROM THE CONDENSER.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A SOLVENT FROM A SOLUTION CONTAINING THE SOLVENT BY DIRECT CONTACT WITH A VOLATILE REFRIGERANT IMMISCIBLE WITH THE SOLVENT OR SOLUTION COMPRISING AN EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, A LINE FOR DELIVERING SOLUTION TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, A LINE FOR DELIVERING A LIQUID REFRIGERANT TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SOLVENT BELOW THE LIQUID LEVEL THEREIN, SAID APPARATUS CONTAINING SUFFICIENT REFRIGERANT TO PRODUCE A LAYER THEREOF IN LIQUID PHASE IN INTERFACE CONTACT WITH THE BODY OF SOLUTION IN THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER, AN AGITATOR WHICH MIXES THE LIQUID REFRIGERANT AT THE TOP OF THE BODY OF SOLUTION AS DISPERSED DROPS DOWN INTO THE SOLUTION, A CONDENSER, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING REFRIGERANT VAPORT FROM THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER AND DELIVERING IT TO THE CONDENSER WHEREBY TO EVAPORATOR THE VOLATILE REFRIGERANT AND PRODUCE A PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE IN THE EVAPORATORFREEZER TO FREEZE SOLVENT FROM SOLUTION, CONDUIT MEANS FOR SEPARATING ICE CRYSTALS FROM SOLUTION, CONDUIT MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING A SLURRY OF ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLUTION FROM THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER AND DELIVER IT TO THE SEPARATING MEANS, MEANS FORMING A SLURRY OF SEPARATED ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLVENT AND DELIVERING THE SLURRY INTO THE CONDENSER FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE REFRIGERANT VAPOR TO CONDENSE THE LATTER AND MELT THE ICE CRYSTALS, SAID LIQUID REFRIGERANT AND CONDENSED SOLVENT SEPARATING BY GRAVITY IN THE CONDENSER, SAID LINE FOR DELIVERING LIQUID REFRIGERANT TO THE EVAPORATOR-FREEZER BEING CONNECTED TO WITHDRAW LIQUID REFRIGERANT FROM THE CONDENSER, AND SAID MEANS FORMING A SLURRY OF ICE CRYSTALS AND SOLVENT COMPRISING A CONDUIT FOR DELIVERING LIQUID SOLVENT FROM THE CONDENSER.