Crystallization of organic products by solvent changing

• Grant number: 99/05275-9
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: October 01, 1999
• End date: July 31, 2006
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Marco Giulietti
• Grantee: Marco Giulietti
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas S/A (IPT). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Roberto Guardani
• Associated scholarship(s): 06/55979-8 - Use of the hemicellulosic fraction of sugarcane bagasse for the crystallization of xylose and biotechnological production of ethanol, BP.PD; 02/00073-3 - Study of the purification and crystallization process of glucose obtained by acidic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse, BP.PD

Abstract

In the present work the crystallization of organic products in solution through the partial or total change of the magma will be studied. Such change can be effected by the addition of a component that reduces the solubility of the solute, being however miscible in the solvent, a process also known by Salting-out, drowning-out and physical precipitation, as well as by the total modification of the solvent. The total change of the solvent creates new conditions for the crystallization of the organic material with relation to the purity, shape and crystal size. The crystallization of organic products in solution will be investigated for batch, semicontinuous and continuous operation. The crystallization of these types of organic compounds is little studied and complex, unlike the inorganic products, where a larger amount of knowledge has already been produced. For the good knowledge of the crystallization phenomena, the following kinetic parameters of the crystallization will be evaluated: nucleation, crystal growth and aggregation, for systems submitted to different solvents and different operational conditions. Similarly, to better evaluate the crystallization, the effects of the solvent change on the sealing over cold surfaces will be studied, a phenomenon normally occurring in the operation of industrial crystallizers and precipitators. The knowledge of these processes will allow for a better control of the characteristics of the organic products obtained, such as purity, size and crystalline habit. Computational tools will be used for the study of molecular modelling of crystals of organic materials in different solvents. Also, a methodology for the design of industrial precipitators and optimization of the global system of crystallization will be developed, taking also into account also the aspects of the separation of the crystals and recovery of the solvents. The final product of the project will be the required knowledge for controlling the final properties of crystalline organic products through the technique of the change of crystallization magma and for designing industrial equipment. (AU)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project