communication with a source of pressurized gas for releasing a flow of gas bubbles through solid particles collected in the reservoir to agitate particles contained therein, and to provide a flow of gas bubbles up through the mixing zone to promote a turbulent mixing flow regime within the mixing zone for dissolution of sodium sesquisulfate crystals and formation of sodium sulfate solids.
An inlet conduit is connected in flow communication with the mixing zone for delivering the slurry into the mixing zone. A water inlet is provided for introducing water into the mixing zone for mixing with the slurry.
An outlet conduit adjacent the upper end of the treatment vessel is provided for directing liquid from the clarifying zone to a conventional liquid processing unit. A solids outlet is providedadjacent the lower end of the treatment vessel for directing sodium sulfate solids out of the vessel.
In a preferred embodiment, the separation wall is provided by an upright elongate cylindrical conduit generally centrally located within the treatment vessel. The mixing zone is defined within the conduit as an elongate upright cylindrical columnar space and the clarifying zone is defined outside of the conduit as an elongate upright annular space between the conduit and the inner wall of the vessel. The lower edge of the wall is defined as the lower continuous edge of a generally conical, downwardly opening flow expansion member on the conduit.
The invention also provides a method for treating a slurry containing sodium sesquisulfate crystals to recover a sodium sulfate solids therefrom. In accordance with the