Inventors:
Robert A. Wills - Brooklyn Park MN, US
James A. Faulconbridge - Maplewood MN, US
Assignee:
KFI Intellectual Properties, L.L.C. - St. Paul MN
International Classification:
C02F 1/00, F26B 3/00
US Classification:
210634, 34340, 34342, 44302, 134 10, 203 39, 210639, 210770, 210774, 210806, 426 7, 435132, 435161
Abstract:
A process for removing water from solid material using liquid-solid extraction and liquid-liquid extraction. In most embodiments, multiple solvents are used to step-wise remove the water from the solids and obtain dry solids. Multiple solvents facilitate the removal of the water from the solids, by step-wise replacing the water with a solvent, replacing that solvent with a different solvent, and then eventually removing the second solvent from the solids. The process utilizes a lesser amount of thermal energy to dry the solids and separate the solvents than conventionally used in drying processes. The first solvent selected has a lower heat of vaporization, enthalphy of vaporization, boiling point, or other such physical property, than water. Each subsequent solvent has a still lower heat of vaporization, enthalphy of vaporization, boiling point, or other such physical property then its predecessor.