A mechanistic process model for suspension melt crystallization

• Developed a mechanistic model for suspension melt crystallization. • Validated the model with NaCl and MgSO 4 experimental crystallization data. • Simulated and optimized temperature profiles and particle size distributions. The increasing global demand for freshwater, coupled with the challenges of climate change and declining groundwater resources, underscores the importance of effective water treatment methods. Suspension melt crystallization, also known as freeze concentration, is a promising technique due to its ability to produce high-purity water from aqueous solutions while maintaining lower energy requirements than traditional evaporation processes. This work focuses on developing a mechanistic model that incorporates hydrodynamics and energy balances to elucidate crystallization phenomena, such as nucleation and crystal growth rates. The model is validated against experimental data derived from sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate water systems. With the model, key parameters for nucleation and growth kinetics can be successfully predicted to simulate and optimize temperature trajectories and particle size distributions.