Method for continuous tartar separation

A method for continuously removing tartar from wine or grape juice by use of seed crystals, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing a draft tube in a center portion of a crystallizer so as to define an annular zone between the inner periphery of the crystallizer and the outer periphery of the draft tube, said draft tube having a height of 1/2 to 1/4 the total height of the crystallizer;
• (b) producing a downward or upward flow inside the draft tube and an upward or downward flow in the annular zone, said flow in the annular zone being slower than said flow inside the draft tube;
• (c) introducing a source liquid of wine or grape juice from the bottom of the crystallizer into the crystallizer at a low temperature and adding a suspension containing tartar crystals to the crystallizer as seed crystals;
• (d) circulating the source liquid with the downward flow and the upward flow along the draft tube with keeping the liquid at a low temperature, to crystallize tartar dissolved in the source liquid;
• (e) overflowing the source liquid from an upper portion of the crystallizer and introducing the overflown liquid into a hydrocyclone;
• (f) recovering an upward stream output of the hydrocyclone to obtain a product from which tartar crystals are removed;
• and
• (g) returning an downward stream output of the hydrocyclone to the crystallizer.