Experimental and theoretical analysis of a membrane crystallizer

The purpose of this work is to introduce an innovative methodology, the Membrane Crystallization, in order to produce crystals from solutions. For the present application, a separation process based on hydrophobic microporous membranes has been employed to reach the supersaturation in the crystallization tests. Simultaneous developments of two main conceptual aspects of this operation have been investigated: one concerning the mass and energy transfer through the membrane, other related to the physical and chemical phenomena that occur during crystallization. Experimental tests have been carried out in a laboratory plant to study the distribution of crystals dimensions, nucleation and growth rates as function of the supersaturation level of solution.