KKEK3159 Separation Processes II

Crystallization: Tutorial 1

1. A saturated solution containing 1500kg of potassium chloride at 360K is cooled in

an open tank to 290K. If the specific gravity of the solution is 1.2, the solubility of
potassium chloride per 100 parts of water is 53.55 at 360K and 34.5 at 290K,
calculate:
The capacity of the tank required
The mass of crystals obtained, neglecting loss of water by evaporation.

2. A solution containing 0.3kg Na2CO3/kg solution is cooled slowly of 293K to form

crystals of Na2CO3.10H2O. What is the yield of crystals if the solubility of Na 2CO3 is
21.5kg/100kg water and during cooling 3% of the water initially present is lost by
evaporation.

3. A batch of 1500kg of saturated potassium chloride (KCl) solution is cooled from

360K to 290K in an unagitated tank. If the solubilities of potassium chloride are 53
and 34kg/100kg water at 360K and 290K respectively and water losses due to
evaporation may be neglected, what is the yield of crystals?

4. A solution of 500kg of Na2SO4 in 2500kg water is cooled from 333K to 283K in an

agitated mild steel vessel of mass 750kg. At 283K, the solubility of the anhydrous salt
is 8.9kg/100kg water and the stable crystalline phase is Na 2SO4.10H2O. The heat of
crystallisation in this process is 78.5MJ/kmol and the heat capacities of the solution
and mild steel are 3.6 and 0.5kJ/kg.K respectively. If, during cooling, 2% of the water
initially present is lost by evaporation, estimate the heat of which must be removed.
The heat of vaporization of water is 2395kJ/kg.

5. A solution of sodium acetate containing 67g of solid per 100g of water is fed to a
vacuum crystallizer at 353K. The vacuum in crystallizer corresponds to operating
pressure of 1.33kN/m2, and the saturated solution of CH3COONa.3H2O has a boiling
point elevation of 11.5K. How much solution must be fed to the crystallizer to
produce 659kg/hr of CH3COONa.3H2O salt per hour.
Heat of crystallization, q = 144kJ/kg trihydrate
Heat capacity of the solution, Cp = 3.5 kJ/kg.K
Latent heat of water, l = 2474kJ/kg
Boiling point of water at 1.33kN/m2 = 284.5K
Final solubility of sodium acetate, c2 = 0.539kg/kg water

6. A solution containing 23% by mass of sodium phosphate is cooled from 313K to

298K in a Swenson-Walker crystallizer to form crystals of Na3PO4.12H2O. The
solubility of Na3PO4 at 298K is 15.5kg/100kg water, and the required product rate of
crystals is 0.063kg/s. The mean heat capacity of the solution is 3.2kJ/kg.K and the
heat of crystallization is 146.5kJ/kg. If cooling water enters and leaves at 288 and
293K, respectively, and the overall coefficient of heat transfer is 140W/m 2.K, what
length of crystallizer is required?
No solvent loss by evaporation
The crystallizer is in countercurrent
The diameter of the heat exchanger tube is 1m