US3879173A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Crystalliser for continuously obtaining of crystals
Assignee: BRUYN GERRIT C DE
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Filing: 1972-12-26
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1992-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A series of upstanding vessels are connected in serial flow relation, the first vessel receiving mother liquor with seed crystals at its lower end and the last vessel discharging mother liquor enriched in large crystals. Each vessel is exhausted of vapor at its upper end and the inclinations of the vessels are adjusted to provide the requisite pressure gradients to assure progressive growth of the seed crystals without forming new seed crystals.
Inventors
- 👤 Vries Gerbertus H De
- 👤 Bruyn Gerrit C De
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 09:35
CPC Classifications
C; C13; C13B; C13B30/00; C13B30/02; C13B30/022; C13B30/023; B; B01; B01D; B01D9/00; B01D9/0018; B01D9/0022; B01D9/0036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A METHOD OF GROWING CRYSTALS FROM MOTHER LIQUOR, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: A. FORMING AN ELONGATE, UNIDIRECTIONALLY FLOWING LIQUID COLUMN BY CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING SATURATED MOTHER LIQUOR CONTAINING SEED CRYSTALS INTO THE LOWER END OF AN ELONGATE VESSEL WHILE CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING SATURATED MOTHER LIQUOR CONTAINING GROWN CRYSTALS AND VAPOR SEPARATELY FROM THE UPPER END OF THE VESSEL; B. CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ENTERING MOTHER LIQUOR, THE HEIGHT OF THE LIQUID COLUMN AND THE PRESSURE OF VAPOR WITHDRAWAL SUCH THAT THE ENTERING MOTHER LIQUOR BOILS AND BOILING CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE LIQUID COLUMN UNIFORMLY TO MAINTAIN SUPERSATURATION OF THE MOTHER LIQUOR AND PROGRESSIVE GROWING OF THE SEED CRYSTALS; C. TRANSPORTING THE GROWING CRYSTALS COCURRENTLY WITH THE MOTHER LIQUOR BY ROTATING A HELICAL UAGER WITHIN SAID LIQUID COLUMN; AND
Claim 2
Independent Claim
127 words
A METHOD OF GROWING CRYSTALS FROM MOTHER LIQUOR, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: A. FORMING AN ELONGATE, UNIDIRECTIONALLY FLOWING LIQUID COLUMN BY CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING SATURATED MOTHER LIQUOR CONTAINING SEED CRYSTALS INTO THE LOWER END OF AN ELONGATE VESSEL WHILE CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING SATURATED MOTHER LIQUOR CONTAINING GROWN CRYSTALS AND VAPOR SEPARATELY FROM THE UPPER END OF THE VESSEL; B. CONTROLLING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ENTERING MOTHER LIQUOR, THE HEIGHT OF THE LIQUID COLUMN AND THE PRESSURE OF VAPOR WITHDRAWAL SUCH THAT THE ENTERING MOTHER LIQUOR BOILS AND BOILING CONTINUES THROUGHOUT THE LIQUID COLUMN UNIFORMLY TO MAINTAIN SUPERSATURATION OF THE MOTHER LIQUOR AND PROGRESSIVE GROWING OF THE SEED CRYSTALS; C. TRANSPORTING THE GROWING CRYSTALS COCURRENTLY WITH THE MOTHER LIQUOR BY ROTATING A HELICAL UAGER WITHIN SAID LIQUID COLUMN; AND
Claim 3
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of growing crystals from mother liquor, which comprises the steps of: a. forming an elongate, unidirectionally flowing liquid column by continuously introducing saturated mother liquor containing seed crystals into the lower end of an elongate vessel while continuously withdrawing saturated mother liquor containing grown crystals and vapor separately from the upper end of the vessel; b. controlling the temperature of the entering mother liquor, the height of the liquid column and the pressure of vapor withdrawal such that the entering mother liquor boils and boiling continues throughout the liquid column uniformly to maintain supersaturation of the mother liquor and progressive growing of the seed crystals; c. transporting the growing crystals cocurrently with the mother liquor by rotating a helical auger within said liquid column; and d. controlling the rotational speed of said auger with respect to the flow rate of mother liquor in said column such that the growing crystals are transported at said flow rate and whereby movement of said mother liquor is effected by said auger only transverse to the flow path from the lower to the upper end of said vessel.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
186 words
A method of growing crystals from mother liquor, which comprises the steps of: a. forming an elongate, unidirectionally flowing liquid column by continuously introducing saturated mother liquor containing seed crystals into the lower end of an elongate vessel while continuously withdrawing saturated mother liquor containing grown crystals and vapor separately from the upper end of the vessel; b. controlling the temperature of the entering mother liquor, the height of the liquid column and the pressure of vapor withdrawal such that the entering mother liquor boils and boiling continues throughout the liquid column uniformly to maintain supersaturation of the mother liquor and progressive growing of the seed crystals; c. transporting the growing crystals cocurrently with the mother liquor by rotating a helical auger within said liquid column; and d. controlling the rotational speed of said auger with respect to the flow rate of mother liquor in said column such that the growing crystals are transported at said flow rate and whereby movement of said mother liquor is effected by said auger only transverse to the flow path from the lower to the upper end of said vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of growing crystals as defined in claim 1 wherein the height of the liquid column is controlled by adjusting the inclination of said vessel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method of growing crystals as defined in claim 1 including the steps of forming a second elongate, unidirectionally flowing liquid column by introducing the saturated mother liquor and grown crystals discharged for the vessel of step (a) into the lower end of a second vessel while continuously withdrawing saturated mother liquor containing grown crystals and vapor separately from the upper end of the second vessel, and effecting steps (b) - (d) in said second liquid column.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |