Process for removing the bitterness from potassium chloride

Abstract

The invention disclosed is a process to remove the bitterness from KCl. In this process KCl, up to about 56.7% of the solution, by weight is dissolved in hot drinking water. The pH of the solution is then oscillated and returned to near neutral by either first raising the pH by the addition of an appropriate base, such as potassium hydroxide (KOH) and then lowering the pH to near neutral by the addition of food acids, such as malic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid or, combinations of these acids. Or, first lowering the pH and then raising it to near neutral. The solution is then cooled and the resulting precipitate separated from the solution (solution A). The precipitate is then dissolved in hot drinking water (solution B) and the pH is again raised and lowered as described above. Solution A and solution B are then mixed together (solution C). A compound from the group consisting of the amino acid and their salts, in a minimum amount of 0.2% by weight of the KCl is added to solution C. Solution C is then dried and the resulting crystalline product, treated KCl, (salt A) is ground and screened through US mesh 30-100.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.