crystSim: A software environment for modelling industrial batch cooling crystallization

Crystallization modelling is limited by the availability of methods to reliably predict mixing, temperature and concentration distributions, supersaturation, nucleation and growth kinetics for crystallization systems of industrial size. A new software environment for modelling batch cooling crystallization has been developed integrating crystallization and fluid dynamics. The mathematical model can reliably predict mixing in stirred vessels of a given geometry and its effect on the crystallization kinetics and crystal product properties thus reducing the cost and time required for the design and scale-up of industrial crystallizers. The paper describes the development and application of crystSim for modelling industrial crystallization in stirred tanks. The software is developed in Visual C# making full use of Object Oriented Programming (OOP) and multithreading.