Abstract
In this study, an on-line measuring method for determining the crystal size distribution in a crystallizer was proposed. This method involves sucking liquid containing crystals out of the stirred-type crystallizer and instantaneously observing silhouettes of the crystals multiphasically using an imaging processing system.
In this paper, the principle of the measuring method is shown. Experimental observations of crystal 3D images were made, and an error analysis using model silhouettes was done. As a result, a variety of information on the crystals, such as the shape, diameter, agglomeration and breakage, could be obtained from the 3D images generated.
Furthermore, as examples of applications of this method, the dynamic changes of crystal diameter distribution and local crystal diameter distribution in stirred type and draft tube type crystallizers were measured. It was shown that the details of the crystallizing process could be investigated using this method.
