Sr Question Answer

no
1 Patent search http://www.freepatentsonline.com/
database
used*

2 Keywords Caustic evaporation plant

used for
search*

3 Search string Caustic evaporation plant

used*

4 Number of About 17,212

results/hits
getting*

5 Category/ This patent is associated with the chemical engineering field

Field of
Invention*

6 Invention is For chemical engineering fields student: This patent is associated with
related to evaporation unit, anhydrous caustic, molten salt.etc.
(Class/Area
of
Invention)*

6a IPC class of
B01D1/22; C01D1/42
the studied
patent

7 Title of
Invention/Pat METHOD OF
ent*
CONCENTRATING CAUSTIC SOLUTI
ONS
8 Patent No.

US 3872910
9 Application 05/396361
Number*

9a Web link of http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3872910.html

the studied
patent

10 Date of 12/09/1973
Filing/Applic
ation*
(DD/MM/YY
YY)

11 Priority Date 12/09/1973

(DD/MM/YY
YY)

12 Publication/J US 3872910
ournal
 Number

13 Publication 25/03/1975
Date
(DD/MM/YY
YY)

14 First Filled US
Country

15 Also -
Published as

16 Name of Address/City/Country of Inventor*

Inventor/s*

KUHNLEI Fellinsdorf, Switzerland

N HANS
17 Name of Address/City/Country of Applicant*
Applicant/
Assignee*

HCH. Basel , Switzerland

Bertrams
Aktienge
sellschaf
t

18 Applicant for Organization

Patent is*

19 Limitation of Ten years ago most of the evaporators were triple effect units, but with
Prior greatly increased energy costs, the trend has been to install quadruple
Technology/ effect evaporators and, in some cases, existing triple effect units have
Art* been converted to quadruple effect operation by adding a fourth effect.

20 Specific This invention adapts to the conversion of an existing diaphragm cell

Problem plant to membrane cells. The example chosen is for conversion of a
Solved/Objec typical triple effect caustic soda evaporator, but the process is not
tive of limited to triple effect units. Conversions of quadruple effect units and/or
Invention* units involving multiple effects and vapor recompression units is feasible
and practical.
21 Brief about
Invention* This invention relates to the concentration of caustic solutions such as lyes and,
more particularly, to a novel and improved method and apparatus for effecting
such concentration and which avoids the disadvantages of prior art procedures.

For this purpose, the invention method is characterized by the fact that a hot
solution, concentrated by heating under atmospheric pressure, is subsequently
expanded in a vacuum and, at the same time, cooled to a temperature which is
still above the crystallization point.

The expansion of the hot melt, which has been concentrated under atmospheric
pressure, in the vacuum thus effects not only an additional concentration, which
can go up to 100%, for example, but also effects cooling of the melt. By
corresponding selection of the end temperature in the heated evaporator, and of
the underpressure in the vacuum evaporator, the end concentrate can be
brought to the desired end temperature which is about 10 to 30C. above the
crystallization point, for example. It has also been found that gas inclusions in
the melt, which can be formed, for example, by reagents, are expelled by the
 vacuum evaporation so that a completely clear and qualitatively high grade
liquor concentrate can be produced.

The apparatus for performing this method, which is also the subject matter of
the invention, includes a heated evaporator working at atmospheric pressure
and behind which there is arranged an unheated vacuum evaporator.
Preferably, the heated evaporator is a tubular heat exchanger with a fused salt
bath as a heat carrier, and ahead of which there can be arranged a falling or
descending film type of heat exchanger which is heated by the vapors from the
fused salt bath heated exchanger.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method for

concentrating caustic solutions, such as lyes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for

practicing the method.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus by

which the concentration may be effected up to any desired amount, such as
100%, for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus in

which gas inclusions in the melt are expelled during vacuumevaporation so that
a completely clear and qualitatively high grade liquor concentrate is produced.
22 Key learning Use of molten salt for concentrating the NaOH solution upto 90% is profitable
points* method and reduce other utility cost instead.

23 Summary of Caustic solutions, such as lyes, are heated under atmospheric

Invention* pressure to produce a hot concentrate which is expanded in a vacuum while
simultaneously being cooled to a temperature which is still above the
crystallization temperature. The apparatus comprises a
heatedevaporator working at atmospheric pressure and arranged ahead of an
unheated vacuum evaporator. The heated evaporator preferably is a tubular
heat exchanger with a fused salt bath as the heat carrier, ahead of which can be
arranged a falling film type of heat exchanger which is heated by the vapors
from the fused salt bath heated exchanger.
24 Number of 3
claims*

25 Patent Granted
Status*

26 How much 71 to 90 %
this invention
is related
with your
project? *

27 Do you have No
any idea to
do anything
around the
said
invention to
improve it?
(Give short
note in not
more than
500 words) *