Falling film melt crystallization (II): Model to simulate the dynamic sweating using fractal porous media theory

This paper describes the model development of dynamic sweating in falling film melt crystallization (FFMC) using fractal porous media theory. The crystal layer has the characteristics of a fractal porous medium. An overall mass balance is applied to determine the structural and characteristic parameters of the crystal layer. Two ideal hypothetical models are adopted to describe the dynamic change of flow rate in sweating under sweating conditions. The characteristic factor φ is introduced to modify the model to describe the real process. The model is validated by experiment, and the simulated result agrees well with the experimental result. The model is then exploited to understand sweating behavior and the structure and permeability variations of the crystal layer in FFMC. More significantly, the sweating model is also an important part of the model system of the overall FFMC process.

► Dynamic sweating was simulated with the fractal porous media theory.
► A characteristic factor φ was introduced to modify the model with a good agreement.
► The structure and permeability variation of crystal layer during sweating was explained with the model.
► A model system of FFMC is expected to establish and wildly used in industrial crystallization.