The growth and dissolution of ammonium perchlorate crystals in a fluidized bed crystallizer

The growth and the dissolution of ammonium perchlorate crystals were studied in pure and in sodium chloride containing aqueous solutions, in a fluidized bed crystallizer. The presence of sodium chloride in the solution reduced the growth and the dissolution rates of ammonium perchlorate crystals. The growth rates were interpreted in terms of supersaturation levels. The orders and rate constants were reported. The effectiveness factors were estimated from the growth rate data to evaluate the relative magnitude of the two resistances in series, diffusion and integration. The controlling mechanism is mainly by diffusion for the crystal growth of ammonium perchlorate in pure aqueous solution. However, both diffusion and integration steps affect the growth of ammonium perchlorate crystals in the presence of sodium chloride in solution. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.