Continuous operation reactive crystallization

Crystallization of magnesium hydroxide by a continuous mixed suspension mixed product removal crystallizer was conducted to make clear the characteristics of reactive crystallization kinetics of magnesium hydroxide, which was produced by the precipitation from magnesium chloride with calcium hydroxide. The following operating factors were investigated affecting the crystallization kinetics the initial concentration of feeds, residence time of reactants, feed ratio of reactants, and concentrations of hydroxide and chloride ions. 

The most effective seeding is achieved in semicontinuous and continuous crystallizations by the nature of the operations themselves, in which the seed is always present and in large quantity. Although common in large industrial operations, these techniques have found more limited application in the pharmaceutical industry. Exceptions to this are detailed in Examples 7-6 and 11-6, on the continuous resolution of optical isomers in fluid bed crystal-fizers, and in Example 10-1, which presents a semicontinuous method of utilizing seed heel recycle in reactive crystallization to achieve primarily growth. 

The reactor system may consist of a number of reactors which can be continuous stirred tank reactors, plug flow reactors, or any representation between the two above extremes, and they may operate isothermally, adiabatically or nonisothermally. The separation system depending on the reactor system effluent may involve only liquid separation, only vapor separation or both liquid and vapor separation schemes. The liquid separation scheme may include flash units, distillation columns or trains of distillation columns, extraction units, or crystallization units. If distillation is employed, then we may have simple sharp columns, nonsharp columns, or even single complex distillation columns and complex column sequences. Also, depending on the reactor effluent characteristics, extractive distillation, azeotropic distillation, or reactive distillation may be employed. The vapor separation scheme may involve absorption columns, adsorption units,... 

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