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Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization

Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) is a novel and potentially cost effective technique to treat industrial brines by the simultaneous crystallization of ice and salt under sub-eutectic conditions. Previous research has demonstrated that the formation of an ice scale layer on the cooling surfaces...

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Main Author: Jooste, Debora
Other Authors: Lewis, Alison Emslie
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Chemical Engineering 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author Jooste, Debora
author2 Lewis, Alison Emslie
author_browse Jooste, Debora
Lewis, Alison Emslie
author_facet Lewis, Alison Emslie
Jooste, Debora
author_sort Jooste, Debora
collection Thesis
description Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) is a novel and potentially cost effective technique to treat industrial brines by the simultaneous crystallization of ice and salt under sub-eutectic conditions. Previous research has demonstrated that the formation of an ice scale layer on the cooling surfaces of indirectly cooled crystallizers severely decreases heat transfer. This increases the mechanical energy requirements and overall operational cost of the process. The energy efficiency of EFC as a wastewater treatment and resource recovery technology is, therefore, dependent on effective control of ice scaling. This research focused on determining the induction time, defined as the time between initial nucleation and scale layer formation, where shorter induction times are associated with more severe scaling tendencies. The experimental work was conducted in a hybrid crystallizer-separator with a 2 litre crystallization zone fitted with a mechanical scraping device. The effect of the driving force for heat transfer, scraper speed and the solute type and concentration of inorganic electrolyte impurities in a binary eutectic Na₂SO₄-H₂O system was investigated. Induction time decreased with an increase in the driving force for heat transfer, due to a lower wall temperature and an increased driving force for crystallization as a result of the higher heat flux. An increase in scraper speed resulted in an increase in induction time, due to the more frequent removal of the thermal boundary layer and better distribution of supersaturation and magma throughout the crystallizer. The induction time was found to be specific to dissolved ionic species as a result of unique electrostatic interactions between the cooled wall and ice layer surface. Induction time showed an increase with an increase in concentration of electrolyte impurities, due to the increased mass transfer limitation of solute molecules away from the growing ice front.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
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publisherStr Department of Chemical Engineering
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/24311 Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization Jooste, Debora Lewis, Alison Emslie Chivavava, Jemitias Chemical Engineering Eutectic Freeze Crystallization (EFC) is a novel and potentially cost effective technique to treat industrial brines by the simultaneous crystallization of ice and salt under sub-eutectic conditions. Previous research has demonstrated that the formation of an ice scale layer on the cooling surfaces of indirectly cooled crystallizers severely decreases heat transfer. This increases the mechanical energy requirements and overall operational cost of the process. The energy efficiency of EFC as a wastewater treatment and resource recovery technology is, therefore, dependent on effective control of ice scaling. This research focused on determining the induction time, defined as the time between initial nucleation and scale layer formation, where shorter induction times are associated with more severe scaling tendencies. The experimental work was conducted in a hybrid crystallizer-separator with a 2 litre crystallization zone fitted with a mechanical scraping device. The effect of the driving force for heat transfer, scraper speed and the solute type and concentration of inorganic electrolyte impurities in a binary eutectic Na₂SO₄-H₂O system was investigated. Induction time decreased with an increase in the driving force for heat transfer, due to a lower wall temperature and an increased driving force for crystallization as a result of the higher heat flux. An increase in scraper speed resulted in an increase in induction time, due to the more frequent removal of the thermal boundary layer and better distribution of supersaturation and magma throughout the crystallizer. The induction time was found to be specific to dissolved ionic species as a result of unique electrostatic interactions between the cooled wall and ice layer surface. Induction time showed an increase with an increase in concentration of electrolyte impurities, due to the increased mass transfer limitation of solute molecules away from the growing ice front. 2017-05-16T07:59:18Z 2017-05-16T07:59:18Z 2016 Master Thesis Masters MSc (Eng) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24311 eng application/pdf Department of Chemical Engineering Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Chemical Engineering
Jooste, Debora
Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
title_full Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
title_fullStr Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
title_full_unstemmed Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
title_short Ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
title_sort ice scaling in continuous eutectic freeze crystallization
topic Chemical Engineering
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24311
work_keys_str_mv AT joostedebora icescalingincontinuouseutecticfreezecrystallization