A method (10) for the processing of lithium containing brines, the method comprising the method steps of: (i) Passing a lithium containing brine (12) to a filtration step (14) to remove sulphates; (ii) Passing a product (16) of step (i) to a first ion exchange step (18) to remove divalent impurities; (iii) Passing a product (20) of step (ii) to a second ion exchange step (22) to remove boron impurities; (iv) Passing a product (24) of step (iii) to an electrolysis step (26) to produce lithium hydroxide (28); and (v) Passing a product (30) of step (iv) to a crystallisation step (32) that in turn provides a lithium hydroxide monohydrate product (34).

Disclosed herein are systems and methods from processing flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum feedstock and ash feedstocks, either separately or together. FGD gypsum conversion comprises reacting FGD gypsum (calcium sulfate) feedstock or phosphogypsum, in either batch or continuous mode, with ammonium carbonate reagent to produce commercial products comprising ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate. A process to separate the impurities and convert the calcium carbonate to a pure precipitated calcium carbonate is disclosed. These impurities include a concentrate of valuable Rare Earth Elements, and radioactive thorium and uranium. A process to convert calcium sulfite to calcium sulfate using oxygen and a catalyst is also disclosed. Ash conversion comprises a leach process followed by a sequential precipitation process to selectively precipitate products at predetermined pHs resulting in metal hydroxides which may be converted to oxides or carbonates. The processes may be controlled by use of one or more processors.

A high-purity chlorine dioxide gas may use hydrogen peroxide as a reducing agent and may use horizontal generator, evaporation crystallizer, dryer and other devices to produce chlorine dioxide gas (product) and sodium sulfate (by-product). Compared to the conventional chlorine dioxide preparation system, the chlorine dioxide reaction and the sodium sulfate crystallization are performed in two processes. These processes are relatively separate and independent, and continuously produce chlorine dioxide gas with high purity and low moisture content while the by-product salt cake is evaporated, crystallized, filtered and dried, thereby producing sodium sulfate, without generating solid and liquid waste.

A cyclone type liquid-vapor separator includes a chamber including: an internal space wherein the treatment liquid introduced into the internal space is depressurized and evaporated; a vapor outlet formed on a top of the chamber and through which vapors generated through the evaporation is discharged; and a concentrated liquid outlet formed on a bottom of the chamber and through which the concentrated treatment liquid is discharged; an inlet part coupled to a side surface of the chamber in a tangent line direction of an inner peripheral surface of the chamber, the treatment liquid introduced into the chamber is turned in the form of vortexes along the inner peripheral surface of the chamber, and at least one partition wall disposed in an area between the inlet part and the vapor outlet of the internal space of the chamber and protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the chamber to prevent mist contained in the vapors from moving upwardly.

An automated production line for preparing cannabidiol (CBD) extracts is disclosed. The production line comprises sequentially a solvent dispensing tank, an extraction tank, a first concentration tank, a dilution tank, a filter, a second concentration tank, a chromatography column and a crystallization device. Each of these elements is connected to and controlled by a central controller. The controller can control the operation of these elements such that one element may operate independently of the other. Hence, each of these elements may operate for a sufficient period of time to allow the completion of the particular CBD production step carried out by that particular element. The amount of operations by humans may be reduced, thereby increasing the production efficiency.

A cyclone type liquid-vapor separator includes a chamber including: an internal space wherein the treatment liquid introduced into the internal space is depressurized and evaporated; a vapor outlet formed on a top of the chamber and through which vapors generated through the evaporation is discharged; and a concentrated liquid outlet formed on a bottom of the chamber and through which the concentrated treatment liquid is discharged; an inlet part coupled to a side surface of the chamber in a tangent line direction of an inner peripheral surface of the chamber, the treatment liquid introduced into the chamber is turned in the form of vortexes along the inner peripheral surface of the chamber; and at least one partition wall disposed in an area between the inlet part and the vapor outlet of the internal space of the chamber and protruding from the inner peripheral wall of the chamber to prevent mist contained in the vapors from moving upwardly.

The invention relates to a continuous method for obtaining a crystalline monosaccharide, comprising: continuous crystallization of the monosaccharide in a main crystallizer (10), wherein crystallization by evaporation and/or crystallization by cooling is carried out continuously on a crystal suspension in the main crystallizer in order to allow crystals of the monosaccharide to grow in the crystal suspension; separation of crystals of the monosaccharide out of the crystal suspension to obtain crystalline monosaccharide; continuous formation of a mass of crystallization magma for the main crystallizer (10) in a cascade, wherein the cascade comprises at least one first stage (13) and a final stage (15) connected in series and each stage comprises at least one pre-crystallizer (13A, 15A), wherein, in the at least one pre-crystallizer (13A) of the first stage (13), a solution is seeded with monosaccharide by means of monosaccharide seed crystals in order to obtain a pre-crystallization magma, and a mass of crystallization magma for the downstream stage (14, 15) is formed from the pre-crystallization magma by means of crystallization by cooling and/or crystallization by evaporation, and wherein a solution containing monosaccharide and a mass of crystallization magma from the upstream stage is supplied to the at least one pre-crystallizer (15A, 15B, 15C) of the final stage (15) to obtain a pre-crystallization magma, and in the at least one pre-crystallizer (15A, 15B, 15C) of the final stage (15) a mass of crystallization magma for the main crystallizer (10) is formed from the pre-crystallisation magma by means of crystallization by cooling and/or crystallization by evaporation; the continuous supply of a solution containing the monosaccharide and a mass of crystallization magma from the at least one pre-crystallizer (15A, 15B, 15C) of the final stage (15) of the cascade to the main crystallizer (10) to provide the crystal suspension.

A method for the extraction and isolation of the terpene and isoprenoid compounds from plant material, followed by a centrifugal force induced selective crystallization of isoprenoids resulting in a separation of terpene and isoprenoid fractions. This this method is suitable for the extraction of cannabinoids from Cannabis and the enrichment tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and reduction of tetrahydrocannabinol in an extract. The purity of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid resulting from centrifugal crystallization is such that dissolution and selective recrystallization of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is possible resulting in >99.9% pure tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, w/w.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods from processing flue gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum feedstock and ash feedstocks, either separately or together. FGD gypsum conversion comprises reacting FGD gypsum (calcium sulfate) feedstock or phosphogypsum, in either batch or continuous mode, with ammonium carbonate reagent to produce commercial products comprising ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate. A process to separate the impurities and convert the calcium carbonate to a pure precipitated calcium carbonate is disclosed. These impurities include a concentrate of valuable Rare Earth Elements, and radioactive thorium and uranium. A process to convert calcium sulfite to calcium sulfate using oxygen and a catalyst is also disclosed. Ash conversion comprises a leach process followed by a sequential precipitation process to selectively precipitate products at predetermined pHs resulting in metal hydroxides which may be converted to oxides or carbonates. The processes may be controlled by use of one or more processors.

A high-purity chlorine dioxide gas may use hydrogen peroxide as a reducing agent and may use horizontal generator, evaporation crystallizer, dryer and other devices to produce chlorine dioxide gas (product) and sodium sulfate (by-product). Compared to the conventional chlorine dioxide preparation system, the chlorine dioxide reaction and the sodium sulfate crystallization are performed in two processes. These processes are relatively separate and independent, and continuously produce chlorine dioxide gas with high purity and low moisture content while the by-product salt cake is evaporated, crystallized, filtered and dried, thereby producing sodium sulfate, without generating solid and liquid waste.