Claims
- 1. A continuous process for separating crystallizable organic components selected from the group consisting of fats, fatty acids, glycerides thereof and waxes from mixtures thereof in solution which comprises the steps of:
- (A) mixing a feedstock of said components with at least one organic solvent therefor, which is suitable for crystallization of desired components of said feedstock,
- (B) continuously feeding the resulting mixture of feedstock and solvent to a first partially confined zone,
- (C) continuously injecting at least one low-boiling high-vapor pressure liquid refrigerant into said mixture in said first zone and evaporating and adiabatically expanding said refrigerant in said first zone to cool said mixture in said first zone rapidly to a selected low temperature and thereby form within said first zone a slurry of microcrystals of components of said mixture which are crystallizable down to said selected low temperature,
- (D) withdrawing evaporated refrigerant from said first zone,
- (E) continuously flowing the resulting chilled slurry of microcrystals from said first zone to a second partially confined zone,
- (F) continuously contacting said chilled slurry of microcrystals in said second zone with incoming feedstock mixture at a temperature above that of said slurry to achieve an intermediate temperature in said second zone at which temperature crystals of lower melting point components melt and redissolve and crystals of high melting point components undergo crystal growth to form a slurry of larger crystals in said second zone,
- (G) continuously withdrawing a portion of the resulting slurry of larger crystals from said second zone, and
- (H) separating crystals from said withdrawn slurry.
- 2. A process according to claim 1, in which said flow of said chilled slurry from said first zone to said second zone is promoted by rising bubbles of evaporated refrigerant.
- 3. A process according to claim 2, in which incoming feedstock mixture passes through said second zone to said first zone and then as a chilled slurry returns to said second zone.
- 4. A process according to claim 3, in which said incoming feedstock mixture is contacted in counter current relation with said evaporated refrigerant being withdrawn from said first zone.
- 5. A process according to claim 1, in which said feedstock comprises a mixture of fatty acids and/or glycerides thereof and solvent.
- 6. A process according to claim 5, in which crystals separated from the withdrawn slurry by filtration and a portion of solvent from said filtration together with fatty acids and/or glyceride thereof dissolved therein is recirculated and mixed with said mixture of fatty acids and/or glyceride thereof to form additional feedstock.
- 7. A process according to claim 5, in which crystals of fatty acid and/or glyceride thereof after being separated from said withdrawn slurry are heated to remove residual solvent therefrom.
- 8. A process according to claim 5, in which solvent and fatty acid and/or glyceride thereof of lower melting point separated from crystals of said withdrawn slurry are subjected to a distillation process to separate said solvent from said fatty acid and/or glyceride thereof.
- 9. A process according to claim 5, in which said fatty acids and/or glycerides thereof are first mixed with a solvent selected from the group consisting of ketone, alcane and alkanol solvents.
- 10. A process according to claim 9, in which said refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of CO.sub.2, hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons.
- 11. A process according to claim 1, in which said feedstock comprises wax-containing oil and a solvent.
- 12. A process according to claim 11, in which said refrigerant is liquid ammonia.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
235663 |
May 1971 |
ARX |
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 686,807 filed May 17, 1976 which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 476,685 filed June 5, 1974 which was a Continuation of application Ser. No. 170,249 filed Sept. 8, 1971 (all now abandoned).
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3443391 |
Storment et al. |
May 1969 |
|
3554896 |
Bozeman et al. |
Dec 1971 |
|
3658688 |
Biribaner |
Apr 1972 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
247630 |
Oct 1963 |
AUX |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
686807 |
May 1976 |
|
Parent |
170249 |
Sep 1971 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
476685 |
Jun 1974 |
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