Bull. Soc. Sea Water Sci., Jpn.

, 60, 381-382 (2006) Bulletin of the Society of

Sea Water Science, Japan

Short Paper

NaCl Crystal Growth Rate under Conditions of

Continuous Slurry Feeding

Hiroshi TAKIYAMA*1, Seiichi YOSHIDA*1 and Masakuni MATSUOKA*1

Abstract
Growth rate phenomena of a NaCl single crystal were observed under conditions of continuous
micro-crystal feeding. Y type tube mixer was proposed as the micro-crystal generator. The particle size
distribution (PSD) of micro-crystals was changed and the effect of PSD on the growth rate enhancement was
investigated. As the results of experiments, the growth rate enhancement was not temporary but was
maintained during slurry feeding and the degree of growth rate enhancement depended on residence time for
micro-crystals.

Key Words: NaCl Micro-crystal, Crystal Growth Phenomena, Crystal Growth Rate

I. Introduction 2. Experimental

In the salt industry, NaCl crystals are produced in In order to change PSD of micro-crystals, Y type
multi-particle agitated crystallizers. Thus, it is tube mixer and induction tubes were used (Fig.1).
important to investigate the growth kinetics data
observed under the suspension conditions. Under
suspension conditions, the crystal-crystal interactions
such as agglomeration, growth rate enhancement by
micro-crystals, attrition and breakage affect the
crystal growth rate and PSD of product crystals. In
this study, growth rate enhancement (GRE)
phenomena were the focus. There are some papers Fig.1 Micro-crystal generator
about measurement of GRE under the suspension
conditions. The average growth rates of crystals in
the presence of fines were higher than those in the
absence of fines 1,2). When a fine crystal attached to
the NaCl crystal surface, macro-steps formed on the
surfaces and then GRE phenomena occurred 3). In
our previous studies, the experiments were carried
out in some inorganic systems 4,5) under the condition
of temporary generation of micro-crystals. From
the results of these experiments, GRE was found not
to be the simple results of the attachment. And a
mechanism that micro-crystals act as macro-growth Fig.2 PSD of generated micro-crystals
units and contributes to GRE phenomena was
Two solutions were prepared to generate the
proposed 6). However, it is also necessary to
understand the crystal growth rate under conditions micro-crystals. Solution A is 25•Ž supersaturated

in which the micro-crystals always exist. In this solution and solution B is 35•Ž saturated solution.

paper, growth phenomena of a single crystal were The length of induction tube was equivalent to the

observed and the growth rate was measured under residence time Įr. PSD of micro-crystals was

conditions of continuous slurry feeding, that is changed by selecting Įr. Figure 2 shows the

micro-crystal feeding. The NaCI-water system preliminary experimental results. LM means the
was used. PSD of micro-crystals was changed and mass based average size of micro-crystals measured

the effect of PSD on GRE was investigated. by coulter counter. LM of micro-crystals increased

*1 Department of Chemical Engineering

, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
24-16, Nakacyo-2, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan

381
 382 Bull. Soc. Sea Water Sci., Jpn., Vol. 60, No.5 (2006)

with the increase in Įr

Before solution feeding, about 3mm NaCl single

crystal was fixed in the single crystal growth cell that

was equipped downstream from Y type tube mixer.

And after feeding the clear solution without

micro-crystals for about 2 hours, one of the tubes of

micro-crystal generator was connected with the high
saturated solution (solution B), and the solution

containing micro-crystals was fed to the growth cell

continuously. The growth rate of NaCl single

crystal was determined from the change in size on

TV monitor. Table 1 shows the experimental
conditions. The enhancement factor c was defined Fig.4 The effect of 9,. on GRE
by Eq. (1).
4. Conclusion
Table 1 Experimental conditions
As a result of continuous micro-crystal feeding,
the growth rate enhancement (GRE) was not
temporary but was maintained during slurry feeding,
and the degree of GRE depended on residence time
for micro-crystals.

Acknowledgement

We appreciate the support of the Salt Science

(1) Research Foundations, no.0208 and no.03A5.

References
3. Results and Discussion
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Figure 3 shows the typical results of GRE with suspended crystals on effective secondary nucleation
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Fig. 3 Growth curve (Broken line shows estimated

平 成18年8月24日 受 付,平 成18年9月10日 採 用 決 定
growth curve under the condition of supersaturated
solution without micro-crystals.) Received on August 24,2006,Accepted on September 10,2006