Salt basket for crystallizer and method of use in zero liquid discharge industrial facilities

An improved salt basket for separation of solid crystals from a slurry containing a concentrated liquid and solid crystals, said improved salt basket comprising:

• (a) an upper vessel, said upper vessel comprising
• (i) a downwardly and outwardly sloping sidewall, said sidewall having a lower end portion, said lower end portion defining a downward directed bottom opening;
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• (ii) an upper flange, said upper flange extending peripherally outward from said lower end portion of said sidewall,
• (b) a door, said door sized and displaceably located for opening and closing of said downward directed bottom opening of said upper vessel, said door attached by a pivot connection to the lower reaches of said upper vessel, said pivot connection includes an automatic cyclic programmable control sequence for repetitive downward-outward opening movement followed by inward-upward closing movement, which, respectively, effects the opening and the closing of said downward directed bottom opening in said upper vessel for batchwise harvest of said solid crystals, said door further comprising
• (i) an outer edge portion, said outer edge portion sized substantially complementary to said lower end portion of said sidewall of said upper vessel, said outer edge portion further comprising a a door flange extending peripherally outward therefrom, said door flange and said upper flange on said upper vessel being juxtaposed in a mating and sealing relationship, so as to pressurizeably seal said downward directed bottom opening of said upper vessel;
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• (ii) an upper portion, said upper portion having an interior flange;
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• (iii) a drain, said drain adapted to allow discharge of said concentrated liquid therethrough;
• (c) a screen, said screen affixed to said interior flange of said upper portion of said door, said screen shaped to define apertures therein, said apertures adapted for allowing escape of said concentrated liquid therethrough while substantially preventing said solid crystals from escaping therethrough.