# US 10,870,895 B2 · Purification method using a low granulometry resin > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,895 B2 - Document ID: US10870895B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/346,324 - Filed: 2017-11-22 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-24 - Assignees: Novasep Process - Applicants: Novasep Process - Inventors: Eric Valery; Cedric Prieur - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870895B2 ## CPC - C13B 20/14: using ion-exchange materials - B01D 15/1885: {placed in parallel} - B01D 15/203: {Equilibration or regeneration} - B01D 15/361: {Ion-exchange} - B01D 15/363: {Anion-exchange} - B01J 47/10: with moving ion-exchange material; with ion-exchange material in suspension or in fluidised-bed form - B01J 49/05: of fixed beds - B01J 49/60: Cleaning or rinsing ion-exchange beds - C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)} - C13B: PRODUCTION OF SUCROSE; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR (chemically synthesised sugars or sugar derivatives C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes for preparing compounds containing saccharide radicals C12P19/00) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) ## Abstract The invention relates to a method for purifying a solution, the method comprising the following successive steps: —bringing a solution to be purified into contact with an ion exchange resin by suspending the ion exchange resin in the solution to be purified, the ion exchange resin having the form of particles having a size Dv50 smaller than or equal to 200 μm; —separating the solution into a purified solution and a loaded resin; —regenerating the loaded resin by passing at least one regenerating solution through a compact bed of loaded resin. The invention also relates to an assembly for implementing the method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for purifying a solution, successively comprising: contacting a solution to be purified with an ion exchange resin, by putting the ion exchange resin in suspension in the solution to be purified for a duration of time, thereby forming a purified solution and a loaded ion exchange resin, the ion exchange resin being in the form of particles having a Dv50 size equal to or less than 200 μm; separating the purified solution from the loaded ion exchange resin, thereby forming a compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin; and regenerating the ion exchange resin from the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin, by passing at least one regenerating solution through the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the solution to be purified being a sugar liquor, and wherein the method decolorizes the sugar liquor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising, before regenerating the ion exchange resin from the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin: washing the loaded ion exchange resin, and/or, separating the loaded ion exchange resin and an additional dilute fraction of purified solution, wherein when both washing and separating the loaded ion exchange resin, separating the loaded ion exchange resin occurs at the time of, or after, washing the loaded ion exchange resin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: rinsing the ion exchange resin after regenerating the ion exchange resin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing filter cake from the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin after washing, or regeneration or rinsing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein suspension of the ion exchange resin in the solution to be purified is carried out in an agitated vessel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein separating the purified solution, regenerating the ion exchange resin from the loaded ion exchange resin, and optionally washing and/or rinsing of the resin, are performed by means of one or more filters, the loaded ion exchange resin being retained in the form of a compact bed on the one or more filters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the one or more filters are arranged at the outlet of a container used for the contacting step; or wherein the one or more filters are arranged in a filtering device separate from said container and connected thereto. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ion exchange resin is in the form of particles having a Dv50 size equal to or less than 150 μm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin has a maximum size in a direction in which the regenerating solution is passed of equal to or less than 10 cm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the regenerating solution used to regenerate the ion exchange resin from the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin is partly derived from a preceding regeneration of ion exchange resin from the compact bed of loaded ion exchange resin; and/or a washing solution used to wash the loaded ion exchange resin is partly derived from a preceding washing of loaded ion exchange resin, and/or from a preceding regeneration of loaded ion exchange resin; and/or a rinsing solution used to rinse the ion exchange resin is partly derived from a preceding rinsing of the ion exchange resin. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method operates continuously. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of batches of loaded ion exchange resin are derived from a plurality of separate steps of contacting a solution to be purified with an ion exchange resin and are grouped together in a single batch of loaded ion exchange resin for the regenerating step, and optionally a preceding wash step and/or a following rinse step. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the particles occupy a volume fraction during the contacting step with the solution to be purified which is equal to or less than 0.3. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the ion exchange resin has a volume and wherein the total volume of the at least one regenerating solution used is from 0.5 to 4 times the volume of the ion exchange resin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the duration of contacting the ion exchange resin with the solution to be purified is from 1 minute to 6 hours.