A water evaporation system includes an evaporation module configured to evaporate water from a brine; a support module attached to the evaporation module and configured to support the evaporation module above the brine; and an inlet configured to add a crystal growth inhibitor to the brine.

A method and a device, for detecting a solid-liquid distribution in a solid-liquid separation column of a freeze concentration device, that are used when a freeze concentration method is performed is suggested. The device for detecting the solid-liquid distribution in the solid-liquid separation column of a solid-liquid separation device includes a light irradiation means for irradiating the inside of the solid-liquid separation column of the freeze concentration device with visible light, a photographing means for picking up an image of the inside of the solid-liquid separation column irradiated with the visible light by the light irradiation means, a movement means for moving the photographing means in an up-and-down direction of the solid-liquid separation column, an image analysis means for analyzing a data piece of an image picked up by the photographing means and a determination means for determining a solid-liquid distribution state in the solid-liquid separation column based on a result of an analysis made by the image analysis means.

Systems and methods of producing potassium sulfate can involve converting a mixed salts feed stream into a conversion end slurry in a conversion unit, the mixed salts feed comprising at least one potassium-containing salt, at least one chloride-containing salt, at least one magnesium-containing salt and at least one sulfate-containing salt and the conversion end slurry comprising schoenite; separating conversion end slurry into a conversion end solids stream and a conversion brine; leaching the conversion end solids stream in a crystallization unit to produce a potassium sulfate product stream comprising potassium sulfate and a crystallizer mother liquor comprising magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate; collecting heat generated in the conversion unit by a heat pump; and providing at least a portion of the heat collected to the crystallization unit to regulate a temperature of the potassium sulfate product stream and the crystallizer mother liquor stream contained in the crystallization unit.

A method of concentrating and/or producing lithium hydroxide in an evaporator entails feeding a stream comprising lithium, hydroxide and carbonate to the evaporator. In the evaporator, the feed is concentrated to form lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate crystals. Further, the method entails reducing the tendency of lithium carbonate to scale the evaporator by increasing the concentration of lithium carbonate crystals in the evaporator by: (1) clarifying at least a portion of the concentrate in the evaporator to form a clarified solution; and (2) discharging the clarified solution as a clarified solution stream from the evaporator.

A Reflux Rinsing apparatus for purifying crystals using solvent vapor through dynamic equilibrium recrystallization. A pressure vessel contains a liquefied gas solvent, impure crystalline starting material initially, and a purified crystalline mass at the conclusion of the purifying process. A mechanism is provided for providing pressure to contents of the pressure vessel and for heating the lower portion thereof. A timer is also connected to the mechanism, the timer being set to heat the pressure vessel to drive vapors and reflux rinsing to remove impurities at the surface of an impure crystalline mass, to reclaim the solvent, leaving purified crystals and impurities in the pressure vessel, and to open the pressure vessel to remove the purified crystals from the vessel walls and bottom surface and to remove the impurities from the vessel. The angle of a crystal bed in the apparatus can be adjusted.

Methods for forming alane are described. The method includes addition of toluene at a temperature above the crystallization temperature of alane to a lower temperature solution that includes alane adduct, ether, and toluene. Upon the addition, a crystallization mixture is formed that is at or near the crystallization temperature of alane. The alane of the mixture crystallizes over a period of time to form a high purity alane polymorph.

Methods and apparatus for precipitating dissolved materials from an aqueous solution are provided. In an embodiment, the method comprises: introducing the aqueous solution into a reactor and introducing a source of magnesium (Mg) into the reactor in a quantity sufficient to cause the dissolved materials to precipitate into crystals. The source of Mg is introduced into the reactor in the form of particles of a Mg-containing material. The source of Mg has a solubility in the aqueous solution of less than about 1 g/L. Alternatively, the concentration of Mg in the reactor is less than about 0.03 mol/L. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a reaction tank having an inlet and an outlet and a hydration tank associated with the reaction tank and configured for hydrating a source of Mg in an aqueous solvent and introducing the source of Mg as a hydrated slurry into the reaction tank.

A method of treating brines (10) comprising the steps of: pre-cooling the brines using a stream medium before further cooling the brines using a refrigerant. This further cooling of the brines continues until a first temperature equal to a eutectic freezing point of a mineral salt suspended in the brines is reached, such that the brines are transformed into an ice slurry. The ice is then separated from the ice slurry for use as part of the pre-cooling step. The remainder of the ice slurry is filtered to recover crystallised mineral salts suspended therein. A system for performing the method is also described.

The present application relates to a method for preparing L-methionine crystals with an improved bulk density. As the L-methionine crystals prepared according to the method for preparing L-methionine crystals of the present application may have a bulk density of up to 800 g/L, the L-methionine crystals are expected to reduce storage and transport costs of L-methionine powder and improve working conditions due to improved fluidity of the powder.

Systems and methods of producing potassium sulfate can involve converting a mixed salts feed stream into a conversion end slurry in a conversion unit, the mixed salts feed comprising at least one potassium-containing salt, at least one chloride-containing salt, at least one magnesium-containing salt and at least one sulfate-containing salt and the conversion end slurry comprising schoenite; separating conversion end slurry into a conversion end solids stream and a conversion brine; leaching the conversion end solids stream in a crystallization unit to produce a potassium sulfate product stream comprising potassium sulfate and a crystallizer mother liquor comprising magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate; collecting heat generated in the conversion unit by a heat pump; and providing at least a portion of the heat collected to the crystallization unit to regulate a temperature of the potassium sulfate product stream and the crystallizer mother liquor stream contained in the crystallization unit.