Development of system of control of process of crystallization in suspension through monitoring of concentration and distribution

• Grant number: 03/00419-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: August 01, 2003
• End date: May 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Process Industries
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Martins Seckler
• Grantee: Marcelo Martins Seckler
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas S/A (IPT). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Company: Rhodia Poliamida e Especialidades Ltda
• City: São Paulo

Abstract

The present project aimed to develop a system for the induction and control of the concentration and distribution of crystal sizes (DTC) in batch crystallization operations. The system is based on measurement of the concentration of the solution by refraction index for the monitoring of the supersaturation and on data from total count and numerical distribution of the sizes of particle strings. This data is obtained by the system of reflection of laser immersed in the suspension contained in the crystallizer (in-line measurement). This information provides the entry variables for a neural network model adjusted to induce the volumetric DTC and the mass concentration of crystals in suspension. These variables constitute the base for the calculations of supersaturation in the crystallizer and for the models based on populational balance. Based on the acquisition of reliable data susceptible to modeling, it becomes possible to act on the manipulable variables by means of an adequate control strategy, seeking improvement in the quality of the product and uniformity between batches. (AU)