Evaluation of the kinetics of unseeded batch cooling crystallization using population balance modeling: Sucrose and KNO₃ case studies

A facile method for estimating the kinetics of unseeded batch crystallization via mass and average size measurements was developed. The population balance equation (PBE), reformulated as a function of both mass and average size, was employed to determine the mass balance and obtain crystallization kinetics. An evaluation of the kinetic parameters of inorganic and organic (sucrose and KNO₃) compounds was demonstrated through fitting the modified PBE to measured time-dependent average size and mass. The method enabled to extract of kinetic parameters of both crystal nucleation and growth. The different crystallization behaviours in the volume of the crystallizer and supersaturations were predicted using the evaluated kinetic parameters and validated with experiments. The developed method is useful for evaluating lumped kinetic parameters of unseeded batch crystallizations.