Crystallization of sodium sulfate from sulfuric acid by methanol addition

The solubility of sodium sulfate in sulfuric acid and methanol was found for varying methanol to sulfuric acid weight ratios at constant temperatures. The density of each solution was also found. The crystallization of sodium sulfate from sulfuric acid by methanol addition in an unseeded batch crystallizer was studied while changing the parameters of methanol addition, agitation speed and temperature. It was found that the coefficient of variation ranged from 5% to 63% and the mean crystal size ranged from 0.03 mm to 0.05 mm. The mass and population balance of the system was solved by the method of moments to determine the nucleation and growth rates. Growth rates ranged from 0.002 to 0.026 mm/min. Nucleation rates ranged from 34 to 1224 l/g/min. The greatest percent separation from solution achieved was 34%.