# US 8,784,509 B2 · Composition for enhancing the production of crystal agglomerates from a precipitation liquor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,509 B2 - Document ID: US8784509B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/645,577 - Filed: 2012-10-05 - Published: 2013-02-07 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-07-01 - Assignees: Nalco Company - Applicants: Nalco Company - Inventors: Dmitri Kouznetsov; Jianjun Liu; Kim Richard Coleman; Ryan Travis Chester; John David Kildea - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784509B2 ## CPC - C01F 7/145: characterised by the use of a crystal growth modifying agent other than aluminium hydroxide seed - B01D 9/005: {Selection of auxiliary, e.g. for control of crystallisation nuclei, of crystal growth, of adherence to walls; Arrangements for introduction thereof} - C01F 7/08: by treating aluminous minerals with sodium carbonate, e.g. sinter processes (C01F7/0613, C01F7/066 take precedence) - C01F: COMPOUNDS OF THE METALS BERYLLIUM, MAGNESIUM, ALUMINIUM, CALCIUM, STRONTIUM, BARIUM, RADIUM, THORIUM, OR OF THE RARE-EARTH METALS (metal hydrides {monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof} C01B6/00; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; sulfides or polysulfides of magnesium, calcium, strontium, or barium C01B17/42; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; binary compounds of nitrogen with metals C01B21/06; azides C01B21/08; {compounds other than ammonia or cyanogen containing nitrogen and non-metals and optionally metals C01B21/082; amides or imides of silicon C01B21/087}; metal {imides or} amides C01B21/092, {C01B21/0923}; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; carbides C01B32/90; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00; compounds having molecular sieve properties but not having base-exchange properties C01B37/00; compounds having molecular sieve and base-exchange properties, e.g. crystalline zeolites, C01B39/00; cyanides C01C3/08; salts of cyanic acid C01C3/14; salts of cyanamide C01C3/16; thiocyanates C01C3/20; {double sulfates of magnesium with sodium or potassium C01D5/12; with other alkali metals C01D15/00, C01D17/00}) - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The present invention relates to compositions and methods to increase the output of a high quality product from the precipitation liquor crystallization process exemplified through the aluminum hydroxide recovery processes such as the Bayer process. The invention is a method of increasing the size of precipitates from a liquor. The invention in one embodiment relates to the use of a crystal growth modifier compositions added to the precipitation process to increase the particle size distribution of the precipitated alumina trihydrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition for enhancing production of crystal agglomerates from a precipitation liquor crystallization comprising: at least one surfactant, an oil in an amount greater than 15% by weight, and water, incorporated as a microemulsion having an average particle size ranging from 10 nm to 600 nm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a fatty component selected from the group consisting of: a fatty acid of natural origin, a fatty acid of synthetic origin, a salt of a fatty acid of natural origin, a salt of a fatty acid of synthetic origin, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The composition of claim 2, wherein the fatty component comprises an alkyl backbone having at least four carbon atoms. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises at least one of the following: an aliphatic hydrocarbon, an aromatic hydrocarbon, a ketone, an ether, an ester, a monohydric alcohol, a polyhydric alcohol, and a carboxylic acid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a saturated fatty acid having an alkyl backbone of at least 8 carbon atoms. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a co-solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyalkylene homopolymer, a polyoxyalkylene copolymer, a straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcohol, a branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcohol, a straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alcohol, a branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alcohol, a straight chain monohydric aromatic alcohol, a branched chain monohydric aromatic alcohol, a straight chain polyhydric aromatic alcohol, a branched chain polyhydric aromatic alcohol, a monomeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a monomeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a monomeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a monomeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a polymeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a polymeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises at least one of the following: tall oil fatty acid, tall oil fatty ester, tall oil fatty amide, a precursor of tall oil fatty acid, a precursor of tall oil fatty ester, and a precursor of tall oil fatty amide. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises from 0.1 to 30% by weight of the composition, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of stearic acid, stearic ester, stearic amide, a precursor of stearic acid, a precursor of stearic ester, a precursor of stearic amide, and combinations thereof; and the oil comprises from 15.1 to 50% by weight of the composition, and wherein the oil comprises mineral oil. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises from 0.1 to 30% by weight of the composition, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a plurality of fatty components selected from the group consisting of: a fatty acid, a fatty ester, a fatty amide, precursors thereof, multiples thereof, and combinations thereof; and the oil comprises from 15.1 to 50% by weight of the composition, and wherein the oil comprises mineral oil. ### Claim 10 A composition for enhancing production of crystal agglomerates from a Bayer liquor crystallization comprising: at least one surfactant, an oil in an amount ranging from greater than 15% to about 60% by weight, and water, incorporated together as a microemulsion having an average particle size ranging from 10 nm to 600 nm; wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a co-solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyalkylene homopolymer, a polyoxyalkylene copolymer, a straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcohol, a branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcohol, a straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alcohol, a branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alcohol, a straight chain monohydric aromatic alcohol, a branched chain monohydric aromatic alcohol, a straight chain polyhydric aromatic alcohol, a branched chain polyhydric aromatic alcohol, a monomeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a monomeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a monomeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a monomeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a monomeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, an oligomeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a polymeric branched chain monohydric aliphatic alcoxylate, a polymeric straight chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain polyhydric aliphatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain monohydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric straight chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, a polymeric branched chain polyhydric aromatic alkoxylate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 A composition for enhancing production of crystal agglomerates from a precipitation liquor crystallization comprising: at least one surfactant, an oil in an amount ranging from greater than 15% to about 95% by weight, and water, incorporated together as a microemulsion having an average particle size ranging from 10 nm to 600 nm; wherein the oil comprises a tall oil component selected from the group consisting of: tall oil fatty acid, tall oil fatty ester, tall oil fatty amide, precursors thereof, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The composition of claim 3, wherein the fatty acid component further comprises a surfactant functional group attached directly to the alkyl backbone, the surfactant functional group selected from the group consisting of: a carboxylic acid, an ester, an aldehyde, an anhydride, a sulfate functional group, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 3) The composition of claim 3, wherein the fatty acid component further comprises a surfactant functional group attached to the alkyl backbone via at least one succinic alkyl linkage, the surfactant functional group selected from the group consisting of: a carboxylic acid, an ester, an aldehyde, an anhydride, a sulfate functional group, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one surfactant comprises a condensation product of a reaction comprising a fatty acid and an alkyl polyamine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the alkyl polyamine is selected from the group consisting of: ethylene diamine, diethylene triamine, triethylene tetramine, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the oil is present in an amount up to about 60% by weight. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The composition of claim 11, wherein the oil is present in an amount up to about 60% by weight.