System for purifying dye

Claim 2

A dyestuff solution refining system to purify an aqueous dyestuff solution containing metal ion contaminants comprising: preparation means for producing a dyestuff solution; refining means including (a) ion-exchange means for removing metal ions from said dyestuff solution; (b) transfer means for transferring said dyestuff solution to said ion-exchange means; (c) discharge means for discharging said dyestuff solution from said ion-exchange means; and (d) metal ion sensor means for detecting the metal ion concentration in said discharge dyestuff solution and for generating an output responsive to said detected metal ion concentration; control means including (i) comparison means for receiving said output from said metal ion sensor means, for comparing said output with a predetermined value, and for generating an output responsive to differences between said detected metal ion concentration and said predetermined value, (ii) fractionation means for fractionating said discharged dyestuff solution in response to said output from said comparison means into a poriton having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value and a portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value; and (iii) circulation means for recycling said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value to said ion-exchange means; and a reservoir for collecting said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value.

Claim 3

A dyestuff solution refining system according to claim I, wherein said ion-exchange means removes heavy metal ions.

Claim 4

A dyestuff solution refining system according to claim 1, wherein said control means further includes a display means for displaying exhaustion of said ion-exchange means according to said output from said metal ion sensor means.

Claim 5

A dyestuff solution refining system to purify an aqueous dyestuff solution containing metal ion contaminants comprising: preparation means for producing a dyestuff solution; refining means including (a) a plurality of ion-exchange means in parallel series for removing metal ions from said dyestuff solution; (b) transfer means for transferring said dyestuff solution to each of said ion-exchange means; (c) discharge means for discharging said dyestuff solution from said ion-exchange means; and (d) metal ion sensor means for detecting the metal ion concentration in said discharged dyestuff solution and for generating an output responsive to said detected metal ion concentration; control means including (i) comparison means for receiving said output from said metal ion sensor means, for comparing said output with a predetermined value, and for generating an output responsive to differences between said detected metal ion concentration and said predetermined value, (ii) fractionation means for fractionating said discharged dyestuff solution in response to said output from said comparison means into a portion having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value and a portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value; and (iii) circulation means for recycling said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value to said ion-exchange means; and a reservoir for collecting said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value.

Claim 6

A dyestuff solution refining system to purify an aqueous dyestuff solution containing metal ion contaminants comprising: preparation means for producing a dyestuff solution; refining means including (a) a plurality of ion-exchange means in parallel series for removing metal ions from said dyestuff solution; (b) transfer means for transferring said dyestuff solution to each of said ion-exchange means; (c) discharge means for discharging said dyestuff solution from said ion-exchange means; and (d) metal ion sensor means for detecting the metal ion concentration in said discharged dyestuff solution and for generating an output responsive to said detected metal ion concentration; control means including (i) comparison means for receiving said output from said metal ion sensor means, for comparing said output with a predetermined value, and for generating an output responsive to differences between said detected metal ion concentration and said predetermined value, (ii) fractionation means for fractionating said discharged dyestuff solution in response to said output from said comparison means into a portion having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value and a portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value; and (iii) circulation means for recycling said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value to said ion-exchange means; and a reservoir for collecting said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration at or below said predetermined value.

Claim 7

A dyestuff solution refining system according to claim 4, wherein said control means further includes selection means for selecting one of said plural ion-exchange means to which said dyestuff solution is transferred and said discharged dyestuff solution is recycled.

Claim 8

A dyestuff solution refining system according to claim 5, wherein said control means further includes display means for displaying said selection of said selection means.

Claim 9

A dyestuff refining system according to claim 4, wherein said plural ion-exchange means remove heavy metal ions.

Claim 10

A dyestuff solution refining system according to claim 4, wherein said transfer means transfer said dyestuff solution to a first one of said plurality of ion-exchange means and said circulation means recycles said discharged dyestuff solution portion having a metal ion concentration above said predetermined value to a second one of said plurality of ion-exchanged means.

Claim 11

A process for purifying an aqueous dyestuff solution from a dyestuff containing metal ion contaminants above a desired concentration value comprising in sequence: (1) preparing an aqueous dyestuff solution; (2) contacting said aqueous dyestuff solution with ion-exchange resin thereby removing metal ions from said aqueous dyestuff solution; (3) determining the metal ion concentraiton of said treated dyestuff solution; (4) comparing said determined metal ion concentration of said treated dyestuff solution with the desired metal ion concentration value; (5) passing to a reservoir the treated dyestuff solution having a metal ion concentration at or below said desired value; and (6) recycling to the metal ion removal step said treated dyestuff solution having a metal ion concentration above said desired value.

Claim 12

A process for purifying an aqueous dyestuff solution from a dyestuff containing metal ion contaminants above a desired concentration value comprising in sequence: (1) preparing an aqueous dyestuff solution; (2) contacting said aqueous dyestuff solution with ion-exchange resin thereby removing metal ions from said aqueous dyestuff solution; (3) determining the metal ion concentraiton of said treated dyestuff solution; (4) comparing said determined metal ion concentration of said treated dyestuff solution with the desired metal ion concentration value; (5) passing to a reservoir the treated dyestuff solution having a metal ion concentration at or below said desired value; and (6) recycling to the metal ion removal step said treated dyestuff solution having a metal ion concentration above said desired value.

Claim 13

A process for purifying an aqueous dyestuff solution according to claim 9, wherein said contacting of the aqueous dyestuff solution removes heavy metal ions.