3.

An aqueous feed of 10,000 kg/h, saturated with Ba at 100 C, enters a

crystallizer that can be simulated with the MSMPR model. However,
crystallization is achieved with negligible evaporation. The magma leaves the
crystallizer at 20 C with crystals of the dihydrate. The crystallizer has a volume
(vapor-space-free basis) of 2.0 . From laboratory experiments, the crystal
growth rate is essentially constant at 4x m/s. Density of the dehydrate
crystals = 3.097 g/ . Density of an aqueous, saturated solution of barium
chloride at 20 C = 1.279 g/ . Determine the:

a) kg/h of crystals in the magma product (11 marks)

Firstly, a mass balance is performed around the crystallizer. From Table 17.5,
solubility of BaCl2:
At 100C = 58.3 g/100 g water
At 20C, solubility = 35.7 g/100 g water
Therefore, the feed contains:
10,000 kg/hr [58.3g/(58.3 + 100)g] = 3,680 kg/h of BaCl2 ,and
10,000 3,680 = 6,320 kg/h of water.
MW of BaCl2 = 208.27
MW of BaCl2H2O = 244.31
Therefore, the crystals are 208.27/244.31 = 0.852 mass fraction BaCl2
Mass balance for BaCl2 around the crystallizer. Let x = kg/h of water in the crystals.
35.7 0.852 (1)
3,680 = (6,320 ) ( ) + ( )
100 1 0.852

Solving for Equation (1),

3,680 = (2256.24 0.357) + 5.7568)
5.3998 = 1423.76
= 263 / of water in the crystals.

BaCl2 in the crystals = 263(0.8520.148) = 1,514 /

Therefore, the product crystals in the magma = 263 + 1,514 = 1,777 kg/h

b) Predominant crystal size in mm (7 marks)

Next, the volumetric flow rate of the magma is calculated in order to compute the
residence time in the crystallizer.
The flow rate of solution in the magma = (10,000 1,777) kg/h = 8,223 kg/h
 From Perrys Handbook, the density of 2 22 crystals = 3,097 kg/m3, and
the density of the solution in the magma = 1,279 kg/m3
The volumetric flow rate of the magma is:
8,223/1,279 + 1,777/3,097 = 7.00 m3/h
Average residence time, t, of crystals in the crystallizer is:
2.0/7.0 = 0.286 h = 0.286 x 60 =17 minutes
Growth rate:
G = (4.0 x107) m/s
(4.0 107 102 )
G= 1/60
cm/min

= 0.0024 cm/min
The predominant crystal size is given by:
Lpd = 3Gt = 3(4.0 x 10-7)m/s[17(60)] s = 0.00122 m = 0.122 cm = 1.22 mm

c) Mass fraction of crystals in the size range from U.S. Standard 20 to 25

mesh. (9 marks)
Estimate the mass fraction of crystals in the size range from 10 to 25 mesh.
From Table 17.4,
20 mesh has an aperture of 0.850 mm = 0.085 cm
25 mesh has an aperture of 0.710 mm = 0.071 cm
Calculate the dimensionless crystal size from (17-48), = L/Gt
For 20 mesh, = 0.085/[(0.0024)(17)] = 2.08
For 25 mesh, = 0.071/[(0.0024)(17)] = 1.74
From Table 17.9, the cumulative mass fraction of crystals smaller than size L, is:
2 3 (2)
= 1 [1 + + + ] ()
2 6

For L = 0.085cm, z = 2.08. Substitution into Equation (2),

2.082 2.083
= 1 [1 + 2.08 + 2
+ 6
] (2.08) = 0.158

For L = 0.071cm, z=1.74. Substitution into Equation (2)

1.742 1.743
= 1 [1 + 1.74 + + ] (1.74) = 0.099
2 6
Therefore, we have 15.8 wt% crystals smaller than 0.085 cm, and
9.9 wt% crystals smaller than 0.071cm
Therefore, the mass fraction of crystals between 20 and 25 U.S mesh:
0.158 0.099 = 0.059 or 5.9 wt%