A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

A system for generating a concentrated product from a feedstock includes a feedstock chamber to which the feedstock is provided, a heat exchanger assembly in thermal communication with the feedstock chamber, the heat exchanger assembly being configured to freeze the feedstock in the feedstock chamber, an output flow arrangement configured to carry liquid from the feedstock chamber as the feedstock thaws, the output flow arrangement comprising a flow controller, a sensor disposed along the output flow arrangement or the heat exchanger assembly, the sensor being configured to measure a characteristic of the liquid, the characteristic being indicative of a solute concentration level of the liquid or the heat exchanger assembly, and a processor responsive to the characteristic and configured to control the flow controller to, based on the solute concentration level, direct the liquid passing through the output flow arrangement to define a plurality of products at different concentration levels, the plurality of products comprising the concentrated product.

The present invention provides one method for the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable chlorogenic acid, which comprises the following steps: a. Treating the sample aqueous solution; b. Freezing; c. Thawing and filtering; d. Treating the residue organic phase; e. Concentrating and crystallizing; f. Choosing the number of times to repeat steps a-e according to the variability of chlorogenic acid content in samples; g. Drying. If the chlorogenic acid extract is isolated and purified using this method, water-soluble impurities and liposoluble impurities can be well removed, that allows the impurity content of final products has fulfilled the requirements for medicine; meanwhile, the procedures of this method are simple, and organic solvents can be recycled for further use, with low cost. This method can be applied for the further isolation and purification of chlorogenic acid extract obtained by various ways, especially for the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable chlorogenic acid.

The present invention provides one method for the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable chlorogenic acid, which comprises the following steps: a. Treating the sample aqueous solution; b. Freezing; c. Thawing and filtering; d. Treating the residue organic phase; e. Concentrating and crystallizing; f. Choosing the number of times to repeat steps a-e according to the variability of chlorogenic acid content in samples; g. Drying. If the chlorogenic acid extract is isolated and purified using this method, water-soluble impurities and liposoluble impurities can be well removed, that allows the impurity content of final products has fulfilled the requirements for medicine; meanwhile, the procedures of this method are simple, and organic solvents can be recycled for further use, with low cost. This method can be applied for the further isolation and purification of chlorogenic acid extract obtained by various ways, especially for the preparation of pharmaceutically acceptable chlorogenic acid.

A system for separating a soluble solution includes a first freezer configured to receive a liquid feed stream and a refrigerant stream, and discharge a concentrated solution stream, wherein the first freezer is configured to exchange heat between the liquid feed stream and the refrigerant stream through direct contact within the first freezer and freeze a portion of the liquid feed stream, a first separator external to the first freezer and configured to separate ice particles from the concentrated solution stream and recirculate the concentrated solution stream to the first freezer, and a first ice washer coupled to the first separator and configured to receive the ice particles separated from the concentrated solution stream by the first separator and wash the separated ice particles to free the ice particles from contaminants.

A solid-liquid distribution detection apparatus is adapted to detect a solid-liquid distribution state of a content in a solid-liquid separation column of a freeze concentration device and includes a sound source adapted to emit a sound wave to a column surface of the solid-liquid separation column, a measuring device adapted to measure a resonance waveform on the column surface of the solid-liquid separation column, and an analysis device adapted to analyze the resonance waveform measured by the measuring device and determine the solid-liquid distribution state of the content in the solid-liquid separation column based on an analysis result.

A solid-liquid distribution detection apparatus is adapted to detect a solid-liquid distribution state of a content in a solid-liquid separation column of a freeze concentration device and includes a sound source adapted to emit a sound wave to a column surface of the solid-liquid separation column, a measuring device adapted to measure a resonance waveform on the column surface of the solid-liquid separation column, and an analysis device adapted to analyze the resonance waveform measured by the measuring device and determine the solid-liquid distribution state of the content in the solid-liquid separation column based on an analysis result.

The invention is directed to a method for recovering lactose from an aqueous lactose solution comprising a concentration step, wherein water is removed from the aqueous lactose solution by freezing out water at a temperature below the eutectic temperature of the aqueous lactose solution and at a lactose concentration higher than the eutectic concentration of the aqueous lactose solution, thereby obtaining a concentrated lactose solution; and a crystallization step, wherein at least part of the concentrated lactose solution is subjected to crystallization at a temperature above the eutectic temperature of the concentrated lactose solution, thereby obtaining lactose crystals.