Crystallization
Crystallization is a process which is performed with the help of crystallizers. In the process of crystallization, the formation of solid crystals occurs through the solution. The crystals usually melt or sometimes are collected from the gas. There are two parts of the process of crystallization, the first one is nucleation and the second one is crystal growth. The process of crystallization is mostly used in the production of salt and sugar in various industries. Let’s have a look at both the processes in a more detailed manner.
The process of sugar production through crystallizers
Crystallization is a very popular method in sugar production and widely used in the sugar industry. In the production of sugar, the method of crystallization is used after the completion of the evaporation method. In the sugar-producing process, the evaporation method is used at an initial stage. This process involves the boiling of the sugar cane through evaporators. This helps in removing all the water and forming a thick syrup. After this stage, the process of crystallization is used which involves the boiling of the syrup at a very low temperature. The low boiling is done under the partial vacuum and during this procedure, some seedlings are also added.
The seedings lead to the formation and growth of the sugar crystals. The raw sugar crystals which are formed along with the molasses is called massecuite. The molasses and raw sugar crystals are then further separated through centrifugal. During the crystallization process of sugar formation, it is mandatory that the seeding technique is used. There are basically two types of seeding techniques, shock seeding, and full seeding.
The process of salt production through the crystallizer
As we all know that, salt is highly soluble in water and the major source of getting salt is of course through seawater or ocean water. The formation of salt through sea or ocean water is a very ancient process and has been used since then all over the world. The production of salt through seawater involves the process of evaporation. The seawater gets evaporated until the process of crystallization occurs. When the solubility of the solvent exceeds the concentration of the chemical, then the process of crystallization happens. During the crystallization process, the seed crystals are added, so that the development and growth of pure crystals can occur. The growth of the crystals depends on the interlocking of the salt molecules in the solution.
The salt molecules and crystals fit together which results in the creation of the crystal nucleus. As the salt molecules and crystals connect more and arrange themselves, the growth of the crystal nucleus also increases. Due to the large nucleus growth, it falls out of the solution and this process is called crystallization. The process of the growth of salt crystals continues until the stage of equilibrium between the salt molecules and crystals is reached.
