Apparatus for crystallizing sugar solution and mother liquors continuously by evaporation

An apparatus for continuously crystallizing sugar by evaporating liquid under vacuum from a highly concentrated mass, comprising a horizontal, elongated, hollow, cylindrical vessel for receiving the mass to be processed, the vessel having a slot extending completely along its upper wall and also having a feeding end and a discharge end;

• a rectangular cover coupled to the vessel and defining a vapor chamber which communicates with the interior of the vessel by way of said slot;
• a steam heating jacket located around the vessel for heating the interior thereof;
• means for imparting a helicoidal movement to the mass in process, said means for imparting a helicoidal movement comprising a shaft disposed within the vessel and extending along substantially the entire length thereof, means mounting the shaft within the vessel so as to extend substantially along the central axis thereof and to be rotatable within the vessel about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, drive means connected to the shaft to bring about rotation of the shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof, and a plurality of paddle members secured to the shaft and each having a blade extending substantially radially of the shaft to a position adjacent the interior surface of the vessel;
• means for adding liquid to the mass in process in order to control the concentration of the mass, said means for adding liquid comprising a multiplicity of tubes for distribution of liquid coupled to the vessel through the rectangular cover at regularly spaced intervals along the upper portion of the rectangular cover, elbow couplings connected to the distribution tubes, reduction tubes connected to the distribution tubes by the elbow couplings and extending perpendicular to the central axis of the hollow cylindrical body, and sight holes laterally located at regularly spaced intervals along said rectangular cover, in line with said reduction tubes;
• means located near the discharge end of the vessel for regulating the level to which the vessel is filled by the mass in process, said level regulating means comprising a barrier slidingly coupled to the hollow cylindrical body near its discharging end and means located on said rectangular cover for actuating said barrier;
• feeding means and feeding control means coupled to the feeding end of the vessel;
• and discharging means and discharge control means coupled to the discharge end of the vessel.