US 4,155,774 A · Process for controlling the rate of growth of particulate masses

Abstract

A vacuum pan is controlled by directly monitoring the total solids concentration of a boiling solution. A preferred type of process relates the change in concentration of sugar in a massecuite to the growth rate and increase in the number of crystals, and uses this relationship to control the rate of growth of the crystals by setting temperature and pressure to correspond to the rate of crystal growth desired. Water is evaporated from the pan solution at reduced temperature and pressure. Massecuite is withdrawn from the pan, and split into two streams: (1) a first stream wherein the mother liquor is separated from the sugar crystals and analyzed to determine the total sucrose content of the stream, and (2) a second stream which is analyzed to determine the count and size of the crystals. The sum-total of the two streams is used to determine the total concentration of sugar. Readings taken over definite intervals determine the rate of growth of the crystals.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A process for controlling the rate of growth of a particulate mass within a zone which contains a liquid medium within which is charged a material suitable for sustaining, and increasing the rate of growth of said particulate mass comprising

withdrawing liquid from said zone, and splitting same into two separate streams for determining the total concentration of particulates therein,
(a) a first stream wherein the liquid is separated from the particulates and directly analyzed to determine the amount of solids contained therein,
(b) a second stream wherein the size of the particulates is measured, and determination made of the number of particles contained in a unit of volume of the liquid,
and having directly determined the rate of change in the total concentration of particulates within the liquid,
controlling other process variables to establish the desired rate of change of total particulate concentration, and then
discharging the contents from the zone when said zone contains the desired amount of particulates.

3 more elements

In a process for the operation of a vacuum pan by controlling the rate of growth of sucrose crystals in a supersaturated syrup, or massecuite, containing nuclei or granules of sucrose crystals, wherein charges of syrup are fed into the vacuum pan and water evaporated therefrom at reduced temperature and pressure, the improvement comprising

withdrawing syrup, or massecuite, from the vacuum pan, and splitting same into two separate streams for determining the total concentration of sucrose within the syrup, or massecuite,
(a) a first stream wherein the mother liquor is separated from the sucrose crystals and directly analyzed to determine the amount of sucrose dissolved therein,
(b) a second stream wherein the size of the crystals of sucrose is measured, and determination made of the number of crystals contained in a unit of volume of the syrup, or massecuite,
and having directly determined the rate of change in the total concentration of sucrose within the syrup, or massecuite,
controlling temperature or pressure, or both, to establish the desired rate of change of total sucrose concentration, and then
discharging the contents of the pan when the pan has been filled with massecuite.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process for controlling the rate of growth of particulate masses

Life of this patent

Process for controlling the rate of growth of particulate masses

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11