Freeze-concentrating apparatus for aqueous solutions, ice pillar producing apparatus, and freeze-concentrating method for aqueous solutions

A freeze-concentrating apparatus for an aqueous solution, comprising:

• ice producing means, having a heat exchanger for cooling, for continuously producing a suspension containing ice crystals by cooling an aqueous solution by the heat exchanger for cooling;
• ice pillar producing means, to which the suspension produced by the ice producing means is supplied, for separating and discharging a liquid component from the suspension to increase the ratio of the ice crystals in the suspension and for producing a column-shaped ice cake containing the grown ice crystals;
• separating means for taking out a concentrated solution from the ice pillar produced by the ice pillar producing means;
• and
• ice pillar cutting/conveying means for cutting the ice cake produced by the ice pillar producing means into an ice pillar of a given length and for conveying the ice pillar to the separating means.

A freeze-concentrating apparatus for an aqueous solution, comprising:

• ice producing means, having a heat exchanger for cooling, for continuously producing a suspension containing ice crystals by cooling an aqueous solution by the heat exchanger for cooling;
• ice pillar producing means, to which the suspension produced by the ice producing means is supplied, for separating and discharging a liquid component from the suspension to increase the ratio of the ice crystals in the suspension and for producing a column-shaped ice cake containing the grown ice crystals;
• and
• separating means for taking out a concentrated solution from the ice pillar produced by the ice pillar producing means;
• wherein the ice producing means includes a stirring mechanism for stirring the aqueous solution flowing to a cooling cylinder serving as the heat exchanger for cooling or a scraping blade mechanism for scraping an ice generated on the surface of a cooling cylinder serving as the heat exchanger for cooling.

A freeze-concentrating apparatus for an aqueous solution, comprising:

• ice producing means, having a heat exchanger for cooling, for continuously producing a suspension containing ice crystals by cooling an aqueous solution by the heat exchanger for cooling;
• ice pillar producing means, to which the suspension produced by the ice producing means is supplied, for separating and discharging a liquid component from the suspension to increase the ratio of the ice crystals in the suspension and for producing a column-shaped ice cake containing the grown ice crystals;
• and
• separating means for taking out a concentrated solution from the ice pillar produced by the ice pillar producing means, wherein the separating means includes:
• a column filter to which the ice pillar is inserted;
• and
• a cold water injecting mechanism, having a head part adhered to and caught by the column filter, for substituting the concentrated solution in the ice pillar for cold water by injecting cold water into the column filter through the head part to take out the concentrated solution.

A freeze-concentrating apparatus for an aqueous solution, comprising:

• ice producing means, having a heat exchanger for cooling, for continuously producing a suspension containing ice crystals by cooling an aqueous solution by the heat exchanger for cooling;
• ice pillar producing means, to which the suspension produced by the ice producing means is supplied, for separating and discharging a liquid component from the suspension to increase the ratio of the ice crystals in the suspension and for producing a column-shaped ice cake containing the grown ice crystals;
• and
• separating means for taking out a concentrated solution from the ice pillar produced by the ice pillar producing means, wherein the separating means includes:
• a column filter to which the ice pillar is inserted;
• and
• a vacuum pump, connected with the lower part of the column filter, for taking out the concentrated solution in the ice pillar by applying a negative pressure to the column filter.

An ice pillar producing apparatus, comprising:

• an ice producing means including a stirring mechanism for stirring an aqueous solution flowing to a cooling cylinder serving as a heat exchanger for cooling or a scraping blade mechanism for scraping an ice generated on the surface of a cooling cylinder serving as the heat exchanger for cooling for continuously producing a suspension containing ice crystals by cooling the aqueous solution by the cooling cylinder;
• a producing cylinder to which the suspension containing ice crystals is supplied;
• a filter, attached to a part of the side wall of the producing cylinder, for separating and discharging a liquid component from the suspension;
• and
• an accumulation chamber, provided at inside of the producing cylinder, for producing a column-shaped ice cake by accumulating the suspension, fusing the ice crystals in the suspension by at least one of pressure application and the weight of itself, and growing the ice crystals.