Salt dissolver

A bulk salt dissolver for producing saturated salt solutions comprising a tank having a base and defining an upright internal chamber adapted to be at least partly filled with a particulated salt charge, a sparger assembly comprising a conduit disposed adjacent to said base and provided with a plurality of nozzles disposed at spaced intervals therealong for introducing liquid into said chamber, a collector manifold disposed above and adjacent to said sparger assembly for withdrawing a filtered salt solution from said chamber, said collector manifold comprising a collector chamber supported by said base and positioned at substantially the center thereof, at least a portion of said nozzles in said conduit angularly oriented to discharge liquid toward a region spaced immediately above said collector manifold, a plurality of elongated foraminous collector conduits extending outwardly from said collector manifold in a substantially horizontal direction above said sparger assembly toward the periphery of said tank, each collector including coupling means on one end thereof for removably connecting each conduit in communication with the interior of said collector chamber, a tubular cylindrical sleeve of substantially circular cross section comprised of a porous filter medium disposed with the inner surface of said sleeve in overlying spaced relationship around each of said collector conduits, retaining means for applying an axial clamping force against opposite ends of each said sleeve for removably retaining said sleeve in appropriate sealed and spaced position around said collector conduit, support means for removably supporting each said collector conduit and tubular sleeve in spaced relationship from said base enabling replacement of said tubular sleeve in response to uncoupling of said coupling means, and an outlet conduit connected to said collector chamber for withdrawing a salt solution from said manifold assembly to a location exteriorly of said tank.